Blues Harp Legacy #1

In 1992, I walked into Kelly's Olympian and witnessed some of the most beautiful harp playing ever produced. A sandy haired, spectacled "Ward Cleaver" looking guy was playing harmonica in an acoustic three piece, and I, along with everyone else in the room was mesmerized by his playing. I had just been given my first taste of Arthur Moore and it was delicious! Arthur Moore has performed at festivals and events all over the region, and on the East Coast. He has been nominated for countless awards and has been profiled by the Cascade Blues Association and other harmonica publications over the years. Arthur has played and recorded with the incredible Paul deLay, as well as many other notable harp players. Moore also played many of Bill Rhoade's harmonica exhibitions, always "wowing" the crowd with his incredible playing. He is highly respected and admired by all of his peers, and those players include some of the most prominent harmonicists in the business. Due to critical health problems, work and family responsibilities he could no longer physically play live performances. (Exerpts from ARTHUR MOORE: SEASON OF CHANGE, Lynnann Hyde, BluesNotes, Cascade Blues Association Newsletter, January 2000) Many thanks to Lynnann for what I always called my musical "obituary". Health problems still preclude me performing live but as Curtis Salgado remarked to me, "You can still breathe can't you?" After way too many years away I'm releasing 2 recordings from the old days and working with guitar great J. Scott Clancy on a new recording. The first CD "Blues Harp Legacy #1, formerly called "Blues Harp Muchisimos", was recorded in the early nineties. The first song, Beggin Megan, is a harp duet with Paul deLay written by Paul and I. A second version was featured on the Paul deLay Band's 1992 release Paulzilla. The next 10 songs were recorded live at Bill Rhoades 3rd Annual Harmonica Blow-Off in 1991. The last cut, "Cristo Redentor" is probably the best recording I'll ever make, made in a magic moment at a friend's house. "Blues Harp Legacy #2 Live Recording November 1998" On a rainy Thursday night, November 12, 1998, myself and the gifted guitarist David Sones, performed as a duo at Kelly's Olympian in downtown Portland, Oregon. Fellow blues harpist Mark Proulx asked to record the gig. Listening to this night 11 years after the fact I was pleased to have a recording of me at the height of whatever powers I had as a BluesHarpist/Vocalist. Many thanks to Mark Proulx for recording it. "Blues Harp Legacy #3, You Can Still Breathe Can't You?" At this time guitar great J. Scott Clancy and I are putting together a new collection of tunes that we used to do and a number of new tunes. This will get done when it gets done in the foreseeable future and will be offered here. Arthur 'Fresh Air' Moore.