Jimmy Vivino, Little Walter Tribute releases May 7th

On November 30, 2012, the reunited Black Italians
hosted a public rehearsal followed by a live recorded concert the next night at
Levon Helm’s beautiful barn studio. The group had performed together only
sporadically in the last several years, but one would never have guessed that
once the lights came on and they hit the stage. Interspersing Jimmy’s original
songs with covers of tunes by the likes of Bob Dylan, James Brown, Traffic and
Johnny Winter, the Black Italians immediately fell into a soulful, joyous
groove, enlivening the audience. A night of truly inspired music making was
capped off by “Song For Levon,” written by Jimmy for the occasion, and a rousing
version of The Band’s “Shape I’m In.”

The Black Italians were originally formed twenty
years ago around a residency at the legendary Downtime Music Bar on W. 30th
Street in New York City. The group, which had been serving as the band for the
legendary pianist Johnnie Johnson, started attracting local and national touring
musicians to their shows eager to participate in impromptu jams of what Vivino
describes as “Third World blues with New Orleans swagger.” He jokingly dubbed
the communal group of musicians of various ethnicities “The Black Italians,”
which he says was really “about being soulful cats.” The aggregation lasted
about two years, until Vivino became too busy with his television gig.

To
watch Jimmy performing with the Allman Brothers at the Beacon Theater in New
York City on St. Patrick’s Day, please click HERE.

All five of these fine players share a deep love
for and keen insight into the revolutionary force that Walter’s music brought to
bear on the Chicago blues scene of the 50’s and 60’s.  In fact, two of the
participants, Charlie Musselwhite and Billy Boy Arnold, actually knew and played
with Little Walter.

Charlie recalls that Walter “started phrasing on
harmonica like a saxophone. This phrasing combined with his creativity and
amplification really took harmonica playing to a whole new level that hadn’t
been heard before.” Arnold adds, “He was miles ahead of all the other harp
players on the scene. No one could touch him. He was creative, innovative, and
spontaneous. Little Walter is still the top and most influential harp player
that ever played.”

Musselwhite and Arnold are joined here by three
other harpists, each renowned in his own right. Producer Mark Hummel has toured
and recorded with Lowell Fulson, Eddie Taylor, Charles Brown, Brownie McGhee,
Jimmy Rogers and many other blues legends. James Harman has been a mainstay on
the scene for forty years, having played with everyone from Canned Heat to ZZ
Top. Sugar Ray Norcia is best known for his lengthy tenure with the acclaimed
Roomful of Blues and with the Bluetones – a band he started thirty years ago
with guitarist Ronnie Earl.

On Remembering Little Walter each artist
performs two tracks from Jacobs’ discography, then they collaborate on a
spirited, jamming finale of Walter’s signature tune, “My Babe.” Backing
throughout is crisp and solid, featuring Little Charlie Baty, world renowned
guitar slinger and former bandleader of Little Charlie and the Nightcats. This
one of a kind live harp showcase is a recording no blues fan will want to miss.