BIG HARP GEORGE
21st Century Artisanal Blues
Big Harp George (George Bisharat) is a San Francisco Bay Area-based
singer, songwriter, and harmonica player known for playing
jumping West Coast blues.
The first blues artist featuring the chromatic harmonica — the “big harp” —
George earned nominations for Best New Artist Album from The Blues Foundation
and Blues Blast Magazine for his 2014 debut album, Chromaticism.
Now his third album Uptown Cool is receiving acclaim for its sometimes searing, sometimes
hilarious commentary on modern life. With 12 original songs and topics ranging from online dating
to the human costs of disruptive technology, Uptown Cool blazes a path forward for blues in the 21st century.
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Big Harp George fronts a seven piece band including first call Bay Area blues and jazz musicians.
Big Harp George live sets feature stunning musicianship from the entire band,
and leave audiences gasping — either from dancing, or laughing, or both.
MORE THAN A PERFORMANCE
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Big Harp George can present, "Chromaticize Yourself!", where he takes blues players through all the basics and more of transferring their skills to the chromatic harmonica.
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This Clinic includes a slide show and can run anywhere from 1-hour to 3-hours, at your discretion.
WHAT THEY HAVE SAID
LIVING BLUES - Lee Hildebrand
[Big Harp George] remains an absolute master of the chromatic harmonica,
blowing brilliantly sculpted, richly melodic solos and obbligatos throughout the
13 tunes that comprise the present disc.
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BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE - Marty Gunther
The world is full of skilled diatonic players, but chromatic players are a rare
commodity, and Big Harp George is a master, lilting over the comb of his
instrument with an uncompromising ability to produce big, sweet tone as he
runs his progressions, seemingly with no effort.
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LIVING BLUES - Mark Uricheck
One of the most discriminating harmonica-themed releases in recent memory (Chromaticism),
Big Harp George is as subtle as he is sassy, making for an A-list debut disc
several decades in the making.
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THE GROOVE - Marty Gunther
This collection of all new, original material (Uptown Cool)...is certain to place [Big Harp George]
in the stratosphere of top harp players in the world today if he isn’t there already.
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NOTEWORTHY
Uptown Cool appeared on the Living Blues Radio Chart Top 25 for July, August, and September 2018
Nominee, Sean Costello Rising Star Award for 2016, Blues Blast Magazine
Wash My Horse in Champagne finished #3 of the “Jazzy Blues” sub-genre on the Roots Music Report for 2016
Nominee, Best New Artist Album for 2015, Blues Blast Magazine (Chromaticism)
Nominee, Best New Artist Album for 2015, Blues Music Awards (Chromaticism)
Selected as one of fifteen rising harmonica stars, Living Blues Magazine, August 2014 issue
MUSIC
VIDEO