The Original Delta Fireballs - Rock Me Baby

The Original Delta Fireballs is blues harp player Geneva Red's duo. Her partner, here playing guitar and drums at the same time in the tradition of one-man bands Joe Hill Louis, Dr. Ross and Elmon Mickle, is Jackie 5 & Dime, who also plays guitar on Red's larger band Geneva Red & The Roadsters.

I wasn't going to post this Original Delta Fireballs video due to the fact that Geneva Red spends about 2 minutes playing out in the audience, but it really demonstrates how Red plays harmonica and entertains in the classic blues tradition. She has learned from some of the best. Please don't get hung up on the teasing manner in which she sings this double entendre lyric (this too is an early blues tradition), because she improvises some top notch harmonica blues throughout this fine performance. Sorry there is no footage of her in the audience. There is a surprise towards the end when guitarist/drummer 5 & Dime takes a special spontaneous cadenza to close this tune. Note: Somebody in the audience started to play their own harmonica at the very beginning of this song, but they realized how disrespectful this was and stopped right away.

This is the song, "Rock Me Baby" that B.B. King is so well known for, and again from a performance at Clark Place in Stevens Point, WI.

When the critics speak of Geneva Red they often cite as her influences some of the greatest harmonica players in American music history. Here are some samples, in their own words:

Geneva Red plays with a driving style that touches all the ancestral bases.
- LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE, USA

Her tone and phrasing brought to mind the Chicago blues greats - Little Walter, Big Walter, Sonny Boy #2, and Jimmy Reed. - AMERICAN HARMONICA NEWS MAGAZINE, USA

A tradition-slanted set that shows off Red's harp-blowing skills amid fine arrangements by the excellent Roadsters. Hot spots include Red's haunting minor-key "A Lil Somethin'", Wolworth's slow blues "When I Wonder" (with Big Walter tone from Red), the funky "Taxin' Me", and the strong reading of Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talkin'". - BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE, USA

...her rootsy harp (especially in "Bring It On Home") is sooo Walter Horton it is a delight to hear. -ANDRE HOBUS, SOUL BAG MAGAZINE, ITALY

You've got Sonny Boy Williamson & Charlie Musselwhite all mixed into one there, man what a harmonica player that young lady is. - SUNSHINE SONNY PAYNE KING BISCUIT TIME RADIO , KFFA, USA

The Original Delta Fireballs:
This foot stompin' ensemble was started in 2000 and is comprised of world renowned blues harmonica player/singer/songwriter Geneva Red and her veteran guitarist/songwriter Jackie 5 & Dime who are well known for their band Geneva Red & The Roadsters. This outstanding blues & roots music duo has performed in a variety of venues including; blues festivals, blues clubs, cultural centers, television, juke joints and roadhouses across America. These two have the ability to sound like a whole band without the use of pre-recorded music gizmos. A "stripped down to basics" style ensemble, these two pay homage to renowned musicians like: Aleck "Rice" Miller's (Sonny Boy Williamson II) band The King Biscuit Entertainers, The Jelly Roll Kings, Slim Harpo, Juke Boy Bonner, Dr. Ross, and others. Geneva Red and 5 & Dime have performed with some of today's best known blues artists, including Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Phil Guy, John Primer, Pine Top Perkins, Sam Carr, Bob Margolin, and Billy Branch to name a few. See more about them at: http://www.genevared.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Blues
• Harp
• Original
• Delta
• Fireballs
• Geneva
• Red
• Chicago
• Oneman
• Band
• Harmonica
• One
• Man
• Roots
• Music

[MsLostintransit]

Soooo Awsome!

[KatyCCRN]

Does it get better than this????/

[frankiwitch]

This is wonderful.....love it.

[chomoluncma]

waouh....I love !! great !! please come to France BLUES BLUES POWER

one of my favorite version

keep blues feelings

[slowbluesmaster]

Sublime !

[BostonRocker51]

really nice - please come to Boston. I'd love to see you live. You play it right...

[rolandgladden]

Awesome~great singer~great band:)

Fav ~five stars

[justplainfred]

great googly-moogly now 'dat's da' fo' real blues!!!

[jpblues69]

On appelle ca du vraie blues ............comme je l aime

[Nuge17]

She is awesome.....do we really need a subtitle to tell us she is going into the audience? Detracts from her genius!