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Harmonica Red & The New Heard
About Red:
George R. Heard, aka Harmonica Red, is a legendary live performer and international recording artist. Throughout an amazing musical career spanning more than 30 years, Red has appeared on literally hundreds of commercial recordings, in addition to his solo work in both television and film. With the release of his first solo effort on the “Sound of New Orleans” label [Harmonica Red Vol. 1], he became harmonica player of choice for a number of Swamp Blues greats, including blues piano legend Henry Grey (Howlin’ Wolf/Little Walter). Over the years Red’s remarkable talent, unwavering style and unforgettable performances all have combined to leave his unique and indelible mark on both blues harmonica and the music scene.
The year 2007 is bringing yet another new dimension to Harmonica Red’s solo career, as four of his legendary musical performances become actual settings for animated short-films. Radian Film Group, in cooperation with TeleCine Canada and CN1, is showcasing Red’s phenomenal musical artistry in four of its technically masterful animated films, produced exclusively for their upcoming 2007-08 international film festival presentations. These four animated features, in which Harmonica Red’s musical work is exclusively presented, were created by some of the most talented technical and artistic forces behind such feature films as 2001’s “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within,” the 1999 Disney animated feature film “Tarzan” and the Emmy award winning television series, “Sliders.”
This year will also mark another milestone in Harmonica Red’s career, as audiences get a rare look at the man behind the harp and shades. Unlike Red’s other “big screen” appearances in films like the 1984 Phillipe de Broca biopic, “Louisiana,” starring Margot Kidder and Ian Charleson, this year Red grants a rare and exclusive ‘up close and personal’ big-screen interview with independent filmmaker A.C. Patterson, in which he discusses his amazing career journey through music, television and film. This interview is included in the upcoming 2008 IFC documentary film, “Crossing Over,” about the experiences of musical artists who transition among music, television and film. Also appearing in this documentary are some of Music’s and Hollywood’s biggest legends.
Splitting his time between the stage and the recording studio, Red has worked with some of the true heavyweights of the music industry, including such diverse artists as Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Little Feat, War, Kenny Neal and the Neal Family, The Meters, The Neville Brothers, Al Hirt, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Los Lobos, Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Slim Whitman, Dr. John, Zachary Richard, Jeff Foxworthy, Larry Garner, Bruce Daigrepont, Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr., Big Al & The Heavyweights and many others.
“Harmonica Red & The New Heard’s” fanatical following of “Harp Heads” number in the tens of thousands, with fans often driving hundreds of miles just to catch Red & The New Heard’s powerful original show. Delivering an eclectic blend of superb and ever-changing musical talent, “The New Heard” often plays more than 250 dates per year. Today, the band is currently showcasing its newest release, “I Was Born in Louisiana” but they’re also hard at work on yet another new CD, while Red’s earlier feature recordings, “Harmonica Red: Volume 1” and his 2005 release, “Even Trolls Love Rock & Roll,” are both still selling strong. And of course, one can always enjoy any of Harmonica Red’s extensive number of other performances which are listed on Red’s Discography page here on this site.
What The Experts Are Saying:
To get his unique and extraordinary sound, Red stacks his Lee Oskar harmonicas on top of one another, “two or three at a time, sliding between them [to get] notes you can’t make on a single diatonic [harmonica],” “Wavelength.” Maybe that is why Bill Levine of the “Nashville Scene” said of his performance on the “Big Al & The Heavyweights CD “Nothin’ But Good Lovin,’” “… Harmonica Red (George Heard)…plays the mouth organ as if he’s either reaching for the vault of a funky cathedral or luring the damned out of a deep circle of hell.” Thomas J. Cullen of "The Baltimore Blues Society Newsletter" says, “… his scintillating harp work is often the center of musical attention. Not only can he sound like an accordion (a requirement for this [Big Al’s] band), he can wail like Sonny Boy II and soar like Little Walter. He’s also a dynamic live performer who’s been known to walk the bar on more than a few occasions.” Summing it up, Shawn Ryan of "The Birmingham News" says, “… [Harmonica Red] Blows a big head of steam from his harmonica but he also has a good voice and a wonderful stage persona to match.”
“Harmonica Red & The New Heard” is a band unlike any other. These “world class” entertainers turn every show into an event. Their fans are always amply rewarded and the band continues to pack houses on the road. Don’t miss your opportunity to catch their one-of-a-kind show in your town soon!
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