It is a little known fact that, for much of the last 10 years—in between stints on tour—the man responsible for one of the most iconic harmonica riffs over the past 50 years has called Shanghai home.
Sugar Blue is most recognized by music fans around the world for playing on the Rolling Stones song 'Miss You,' their disco-infused smash hit from 1978.
However, that's only one shade of Sugar Blue.
He's got tons of stories, and ahead of his upcoming shows at Blue Note Beijing, Brian Offenther—AKA DJ BO—asked Sugar Blue for some reflections on a few of the people he's met and performed with over the years....
On a (very) early meeting with Billie Holiday...
She came to visit her friend—my mother—to see me as a baby. She rocked me to sleep before her performance at the Apollo Theater. What a lullaby!
On 'Catfishing' with Bob Dylan...
I was always fascinated by Dylan's songwriting and storytelling. [Blues singer, songwriter, and record company founder] Victoria Spivey introduced me to him in Greenwich Village.
He was recording for her label at the time, and I played harmonica on 'Catfish,' which was later released on the Bootleg Series of albums.
On the Purple One...
I was part of Prince's touring band in 1995. He had come to one of my concerts in Minneapolis and invited me to join the tour.
An inspiring genius gone too soon.
On his time with the Rolling Stones...
Fun times! What can I say about the Rolling Stones that hasn’t been written a million times?
I always appreciated how they paid homage to the blues masters that inspired them.
On playing harmonica on 'Miss You'...
'Miss You' was a smash hit… a disco beat that crossed over.
My brother in Harlem called me in France and told me "Hey, did you hear the harmonica player on the Stones’ new song?!" He didn’t know it was me!
I found out recently Some Girls, the album that featured 'Miss You,' was the biggest one they've ever done, and it still is.
On the doors it opened...
I got the first opportunity to record my own stuff right after that record came out.
Before I had been hitting on all the record companies, "Please, please, record me!'" And they were like, "A harmonica player? No thanks." Everybody was recording guitar players.
After that, I had four or five different record companies say "Come on, we want to record you." It was very important for my career.
My status became sky high after that. Everything that came after, I have to thank the Stones for. There are many things I wouldn't have been able to achieve.
On the disco-blues connection...
Disco really ain't nothin' but the blues inverted: it's a shuffle inverted.
On writing credits...
I was in the studio, in a closed off portion, and just warming up. I was playing some chords, and Jagger came in and said, "Do that again!" I said "Do what? I was just practicing."
So, I did. He called everybody together, and we started playing on it. It became a big jam session. And it became the Rolling Stones song 'Down In The Hole' from their album Emotional Rescue.
So actually I had a part in the creation of that tune. After we finished recording it, [Rolling Stones guitarist] Ron Wood said "Man, you wrote that song! Jagger just fell in love with the sounds you were making, and you really wrote it."
I said, "Cool, am I going to get some residuals?" He said, "Are you crazy, man?!"
Such is life!
On legendary blues harmonica player James Cotton...
He brought the harmonica to new heights. His work after the Muddy Waters Band was remarkable. 'Mr Superharp' indeed!
On mentor Willie Dixon...
Next to Muddy Waters, Willie is recognized as the most influential person in shaping the sound of the Chicago blues.
I'm proud to have called him a friend. He was a mentor and like a father figure to me.
On playing with jazz saxophonist Stan Getz...
While living in France, I had the high honor of meeting him during his concert series at the Riviera—the man who popularized bossa nova in the United States.
Imagine the surprise when I ended up on stage next to him!
On falling in love with Shanghai...
I came to China in 2016 for the first time and fell in love with this country and Shanghai.
I am happy to be finally back in the town I love.
On linking the history of the blues to China...
Soon I'm gonna be heading to Yunnan Province for a recording project with two sheng players, a traditional Chinese instrument.
Did you know the hulu sheng is the grandfather of the harmonica?
On his new venue, the Sugar Blue Music Club...
The Sugar Blue Music Club is my headquarters in Shanghai, where we aim to introduce the young generation to some cool people and historical moments in blues.
Sugar Blue: Roots at Blue Note
April 12 & 13, 8pm
RMB260/320
Blue Note, No.23 Qianmen Dongjie, Dongcheng
[All images courtesy of Sugar Blue]
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