Sugar Blue (born James Joshua "Jimmie" Whiting, December 16, 1949, Harlem, New York City)[2][1] is an American blues harmonica player.[3] He is probably best known for playing on the Rolling Stones' single "Miss You", and in partnering Louisiana Red.
The Chicago Tribune said, "The sound of Sugar Blue's harmonica could pierce any night... it's the sound of a musician who transcends the supposed limitations of his instrument."[4]
His next album, Blue Blazes, was released in 1994 and it included his version of "Miss You".[5] It was followed by In Your Eyes (1995) and Code Blue (2007).[9]
He played on the album Down Too Long, by Southside Denny and the Skintones, in 1988.[10] Sugar Blue's next album, Threshold, was released by Beeble Music on January 26, 2010.[11]
Writing in the Chicago Tribune, music critic Howard Reich said, "There's no mistaking Sugar Blue incendiary virtuosity. The speed and ferocity of his playing are matched by its inventiveness, with Blue packing nearly every phrase with trills, glissandos, clusters and chords. At times, it sounds as if two harps were working at once... intense, melodically ornate, punctuated by growls and swooping pitches, it's the sound of a musician who transcends the limitations of his instrument."[4]
Discographyedit
Albumsedit
Year
Title
Label
Number
Notes
1978
Red, Funk and Blue
Black Panther
BP1001
Duo with Louisiana Red
1979
King Bee
JSP
Duo with Louisiana Red
1980
Crossroads
Blue Silver
BS 3004
France, recorded 1979
1982
From Chicago to Paris
Blue Silver
BS 3012/3332
France, recorded 1980 with Slim Pezin, Earl Howell
Performances of several street musicians were recorded live outdoors in the streets and parks of New York City. Track 1 : "Pontiac Blues" by Sugar Blue
^ ab"Calendar/December 16". Nfo.net / Big Bands Database Plus. January 10, 2008. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
^Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 262. ISBN978-0313344237.
^Diana Olson (March 19, 2008). "Sugar Blue". Skope Entertainment Inc. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
^ ab"Sugar Blue, Blues, Harmonica". Sugar-blue.com. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
^ abcRussell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 170. ISBN1-85868-255-X.
^Wood, Ronnie (August 13, 2013). "Ronnie Wood talks about Sugar Blue and the harmonica". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
^"Blues Grammy award winners by year". Mojohand.com. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
^Steve Shorter (2015). Roots to Rock: Part 2 - Blues. ISBN978-1468954456. Dixon was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and won a Grammy Award in 1989 for his album, Hidden Charms.
^ ab"Sugar Blue | Discography". AllMusic. December 16, 1949. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
^"Southside Denny And The Skintones – Down Too Long". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
^"Sugar Blue CD Preview". Blues.about.com. October 30, 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
^"Absolutely Blue". Bidders.co.jp. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
^G.Heinlein & François Ziegler (March 2004). "EPM Records Checklist". Jazzlabels.klacto.net. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
^"Blues Explosion – Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
External linksedit
Official website
"Sugar Blue" in Gérard Herzhaft, Encyclopedia of the Blues, 2nd edition
November 19, 2023
sugar, blue, born, james, joshua, jimmie, whiting, december, 1949, harlem, york, city, american, blues, harmonica, player, probably, best, known, playing, rolling, stones, single, miss, partnering, louisiana, blue, lucerna, music, prague, 1988background, infor. Sugar Blue born James Joshua Jimmie Whiting December 16 1949 Harlem New York City 2 1 is an American blues harmonica player 3 He is probably best known for playing on the Rolling Stones single Miss You and in partnering Louisiana Red Sugar BlueBlue at the Lucerna Music Bar Prague 1988Background informationBirth nameJames Joshua WhitingAlso known asJimmie WhitingBorn 1949 12 16 December 16 1949 age 73 Harlem New York City United States 1 GenresBluesRockOccupation s Harmonicist singer songwriterInstrument s Harmonica vocalsYears activeLate 1960s presentLabelsVariousWebsiteOfficial website The Chicago Tribune said The sound of Sugar Blue s harmonica could pierce any night it s the sound of a musician who transcends the supposed limitations of his instrument 4 Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2 1 Albums 2 2 Compilations and reissues 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksBiography editIn the mid 1970s Blue played as a session musician on Johnny Shines s Too Wet to Plow 1975 and with Roosevelt Sykes While in the company of the latter he met Louisiana Red and the two toured and recorded in 1978 5 Taking advice from Memphis Slim in the late 1970s Blue traveled to Paris France According to Ronnie Wood Blue was found by Mick Jagger busking on the city streets 6 This led to him playing on several of the tracks on The Rolling Stones Some Girls and Emotional Rescue albums Some Girls Send It to Me Down in the Hole and Miss You Trombonist Mike Zwerin backed Blue on his solo debut album Crossroads 1979 Following the release of his From Chicago to Paris 1982 Blue joined Willie Dixon s Chicago Blues All Stars 5 In 1984 Blue s track Another Man Done Gone appeared on the compilation album Blues Explosion It won a Grammy in 1985 for Best Traditional Blues Album 7 Blue appeared with Brownie McGhee in the film Angel Heart 1987 Sugar Blue joined as a side musician recording with Willie Dixon on the Grammy Award winning album Hidden Charms 1988 8 His next album Blue Blazes was released in 1994 and it included his version of Miss You 5 It was followed by In Your Eyes 1995 and Code Blue 2007 9 He played on the album Down Too Long by Southside Denny and the Skintones in 1988 10 Sugar Blue s next album Threshold was released by Beeble Music on January 26 2010 11 Writing in the Chicago Tribune music critic Howard Reich said There s no mistaking Sugar Blue incendiary virtuosity The speed and ferocity of his playing are matched by its inventiveness with Blue packing nearly every phrase with trills glissandos clusters and chords At times it sounds as if two harps were working at once intense melodically ornate punctuated by growls and swooping pitches it s the sound of a musician who transcends the limitations of his instrument 4 Discography editAlbums edit Year Title Label Number Notes1978 Red Funk and Blue Black Panther BP1001 Duo with Louisiana Red1979 King Bee JSP Duo with Louisiana Red1980 Crossroads Blue Silver BS 3004 France recorded 19791982 From Chicago to Paris Blue Silver BS 3012 3332 France recorded 1980 with Slim Pezin Earl Howell1984 High Voltage Blues JSP 1081 with Louisiana Red1988 Hidden Charms Capitol Records As sideman with Willie Dixon1991 Absolutely Blue Seven Seas King KICP 341 Japan recorded 19821994 Blue Blazes Alligator 48191995 In Your Eyes Alligator 48312006 Right Now Kozel Switzerland George Kay Band featuring Sugar Blue2007 Code Blue Beeble 8012010 Threshold Beeble 8022012 Raw Sugar Live Beeble 8032016 Voyage M C Records MC 0079 9 12 2019 Colors Beeble 804 Compilations and reissues edit Year Title Label Number Notes1979 Stars of the Streets Whale Productions Egg Records France Egg 900582 Compilation Performances of several street musicians were recorded live outdoors in the streets and parks of New York City Track 1 Pontiac Blues by Sugar Blue1980 Jazz Gala 80 Kingdom Jazz Gate 7010 Recorded at the Palm Beach Casino Cannes France1984 Blues Explosion Atlantic 80149 Grammy winner recorded live at Montreux1992 From Paris to Chicago EPM Blues Collection 756 Reissue of Crossroads and From Chicago to Paris1998 The Blues Spectrum of Louisiana Red JSP UK recording2007 Another Man Done Gone WNTS Believe Digital MP3 download Reissue of Crossroads and From Chicago to Paris 13 14 See also editList of harmonica blues musicians List of Chicago blues musicians List of contemporary blues musicians List of harmonicistsReferences edit a b Calendar December 16 Nfo net Big Bands Database Plus January 10 2008 Retrieved January 19 2010 Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara Praeger Publishers p 262 ISBN 978 0313344237 Diana Olson March 19 2008 Sugar Blue Skope Entertainment Inc Retrieved January 22 2010 a b Sugar Blue Blues Harmonica Sugar blue com Retrieved January 29 2014 a b c Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books p 170 ISBN 1 85868 255 X Wood Ronnie August 13 2013 Ronnie Wood talks about Sugar Blue and the harmonica YouTube Archived from the original on December 20 2021 Retrieved September 3 2016 Blues Grammy award winners by year Mojohand com Retrieved January 29 2014 Steve Shorter 2015 Roots to Rock Part 2 Blues ISBN 978 1468954456 Dixon was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and won a Grammy Award in 1989 for his album Hidden Charms a b Sugar Blue Discography AllMusic December 16 1949 Retrieved January 29 2014 Southside Denny And The Skintones Down Too Long Discogs com Retrieved October 8 2015 Sugar Blue CD Preview Blues about com October 30 2009 Retrieved January 29 2014 Absolutely Blue Bidders co jp Retrieved January 22 2010 G Heinlein amp Francois Ziegler March 2004 EPM Records Checklist Jazzlabels klacto net Retrieved January 22 2010 Blues Explosion Various Artists Songs Reviews Credits Awards AllMusic Retrieved January 29 2014 External links editOfficial website Sugar Blue in Gerard Herzhaft Encyclopedia of the Blues 2nd edition Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sugar Blue amp oldid 1172954859, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
