James Harman retrospective with Rick Estrin and Nathan James

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Rick Estrin and Nathan James join me on episode 131 for a retrospective on James Harman.

James ‘Icepick’ Harman was born in Anniston, Alabama in 1946. After moving between various locations, including Florida, New York, New Orleans and Chicago, he settled down in Southern California in the early 1970s where he established himself in the vibrant blues scene there.

Harman was a formidable song writer and had his own unique view on life which he delivered through his powerful singing voice. His harmonica playing was highly accomplished but he didn’t get too bogged down in the technicalities of the instrument, just playing it to great effect.

Harman released numerous albums under his own name from the 1970s to 2019, and also recorded with other artists, including three albums with ZZ Top.

Links:

Nathan James website: https://www.nathandjames.com/

James Harman appreciation: https://bluesjunctionproductions.com/an_appreciation_of_james_harman

Playing with ZZ Top: https://billygibbons.com/2016/10/james-harman-mystery-man-zz-top-band/

Videos:

James Harman Tribute Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf-z0fByTsM

James Harman interview from 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkbDA4jpB_c

Grit Soup with Rick Estrin and Nathan James:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7x1BajhVfc

Albums on YouTube:

Thank You Baby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_xc_lneR8c

Extra Napkins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVwrq57PM-Q

Strictly Live in ’85: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR1OEhF6Hr0&list=PLSzXohOP-AmcgBdbKmj-DNYiP6CfPTGUY

Black and White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_0qUrM_XBw

Liquor Parking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL9y1bydpCI

Didn’t We Have Some Fun Sometime album intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1WhxC8Q1ro

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ
Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Kapitler

1. James Harman retrospective with Rick Estrin and Nathan James (00:00:00)

2. Rick Estrin and Nathan James join me on this retrospective on James Harman (00:01:33)

3. Rick is based in the west coast of the US and first knew of James in the 1970s, and they became friends when they spent time in Amsterdam together (00:01:46)

4. Rick and James both write their own lyrics for blues songs (00:02:32)

5. He was a true artist who made no concessions to anything and he should have been a household name (00:03:25)

6. Nathan James played in the James Harman band from age 19, from 1998, playing in his band for 23 years (00:03:53)

7. Nathan has also played with Kim Wilson, Billy Boy Arnold and Mark Hummel among others, and plays some harmonica on a rack (00:05:37)

8. James called Nathan his favourite guitar player on various occasions and they connected well (00:06:02)

9. James played on some of Nathan’s albums (00:06:42)

10. His mother started teaching James piano at age four, and James found his father’s harmonicas under the seat of the piano stool (00:07:09)

11. Used to play hammond organ in the first bands he was in but realised he wanted to get up to sing, play harmonica and dance (00:07:26)

12. Also played some guitar and drums but when he started playing in bands he just sang and played harmonica (00:07:50)

13. Sang in a church choir when younger, going from singing the church music to singing the devil’s music (00:07:58)

14. First heard blues from local busker ‘Radio’ Johnson, and started playing with him (00:08:16)

15. Nathan heard that James’ uncle was a famous Old Timey musician (00:08:32)

16. James was very proud of his southern US heritage and his father was a police officer (00:09:03)

17. He was an outlier, a unique and brilliant guy (00:09:42)

18. First started getting into bands when moved to Panama City in Florida at age 16, deciding he wanted to be a performer after seeing Junior Parker playing in a black club (00:10:06)

19. Part of the first generation of white blues players and probably took some harmonica lessons from Walter Horton (00:10:39)

20. Moved around various cities, including Miami, New York, New Orleans and Chicago, where we went hoping to meet his idol Sonny Boy Williamson II (00:11:32)

21. Played in various bands before joining the Icehouse Blues Band in Southern California, where he got the name ‘Icepick’ James (00:12:43)

22. Rod Piazza was also playing around the same area, and The James Harman Band supported Canned Heat several times in the early 1970s (00:14:17)

23. His band supported and backed big name blues players who were on tour (00:14:52)

24. Recorded first nine early singles in 1964 and another album in 1972 (00:15:35)

25. In 1977 released formed the James Harman Band, and didn’t like to have ‘blues’ in the title, although was a blues player (with some R&B thrown in) (00:15:57)

26. Blues was changing through the 1970s to be more rock based, which was far removed from what the James Harman Band played (00:17:19)

27. Well known for bring through young musical talent, including Hollywood Fats and Kid Ramos (and Nathan James!) (00:18:31)

28. Despite a bit of a hard reputation Nathan always got on well with him and never dictated what Nathan should play in the band (00:19:06)

29. Very well known as a songwriter (00:19:49)

30. BB King inspired him to find his own voice with the music (00:20:47)

31. When young the black blues players said he was a boy with the voice of a man (00:21:08)

32. More on his songwriting and observational skills (00:21:21)

33. Groove was critical to the sound of the band and he would move to the rhythm of the song (00:22:39)

34. Thank You Baby album released in 1983, probably his first proper release (00:23:38)

35. Those Dangerous Gentleman album released in 1987, had the track Kiss of Fire which was used on the Oscar winning movie (Best Actress): The Accused (00:24:03)

36. Released Extra Napkins in 1988, which won a WC Handy award, and saw him performing live Rick for the first time around then (00:24:36)

37. Such a creative songwriter and one of Rick’s favourites: The Clown (00:25:58)

38. Live albums, including Strictly Live in ’85 and his live performances often included singing off-the-cuff (00:28:45)

39. The story of ‘grit soup’ (00:30:01)

40. Some strong albums released through the 1990s, including Black and White (00:31:54)

41. Rick liked the album Do Not Disturb which had a theme of motels and being on the road (00:32:44)

42. Held artistic control over all parts of his music (00:33:20)

43. Harman wasn’t overly concerned with the technicalities of the harmonica, using it as a tool to serve the song (00:35:09)

44. Rick thinks it’s more important to say something with your music than to just have technical skills (00:36:08)

45. Listened to a lot of different music and drew inspiration from many different sources (00:37:13)

46. William Clarke has a similar sound to Harman and was probably influenced by him (00:37:41)

47. Played with ZZ Top, recording on three of their albums and was good friends with Billy Gibbons from that band (00:38:18)

48. Billy Gibbons had wanted to record him but James resisted that (00:39:21)

49. Played on some Kid Ramos albums in the early 2000s, including a great solo on the album Greasy Kids Stuff (00:39:58)

50. Played on the 2013 album Remembering Little Walter, but didn’t play chromatic on Crazy Mixed Up World, but a solo tuned diatonic: Marine band soloist (00:41:14)

51. May have received the Marine Band Soloist from Junior Wells, and Harman never played any chromatic (that Nathan can recall) (00:41:56)

52. Played in Europe numerous times, often as a guest with other bands (including with the Swedish band Trickbag) due to economics (00:42:54)

53. Nathan produced and played on the album Bonetime from 2015 and played on Fineprint from 2018 (00:43:56)

54. Nathan produced the album Didn’t We Have Some Fun Sometime, released posthumously from some live streamed performances (00:44:39)

55. Shakedown’s Th’owdown album made with Belgian Shakedown Tim (00:45:06)

56. Liquor Parking was the last Harman album released (2019) while he was still alive (00:45:30)

57. James Harman passed away in May 2021 (00:46:17)

58. Nathan released recordings from livestreams done in the early part of the Covid pandemic, on the Didn’t We Have Some Fun Sometime album, where James was losing his voice due to illness (00:46:32)

59. Had a few tours cancelled due to Covid (00:47:43)

60. Rick’s 70th birthday party was last time he saw James and some other players (00:48:08)

61. Was a true artist right up until the end and that came first above everything in his life (00:49:29)

62. Won various awards through his career, including numerous WC Handy awards and was entered into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame (00:49:56)

63. Played Hohner Marine bands (00:50:23)

64. Mostly played in second position, but played some third and first too (00:50:37)

65. Embouchre: Rick thinks he mostly puckered (00:51:48)

66. Amps: liked to use vintage equipment, but later on started using a Quilter amp (00:51:57)

67. When Rick first met him he used two Fender Vibroverbs with 15 inch speakers. And he removed the reverb (00:52:24)

68. Used a graphic equaliser and understood frequencies (00:53:12)

69. Spent some time working on re-coning amps (00:53:29)

70. Liked an echo on the mic (00:54:13)

71. Used a mic that was gifted to him by ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons (00:54:49)

72. Nathan still has the same band as that which played with James Harman, and they often reminisce about him (00:55:29)

73. Rick recounts a story when he had broken ribs and Harman kept him laughing (00:55:54)