Mitch
Kashmar is one of the most soulful
and powerful blues singers in the
business today, black or white; he's
also a witty and imaginative songwriter,
and his blues harp playing is second
to none for creativity, drive and
excitement. He's shared the stage
with some of the biggest names in
blues over the years, including Big
Joe Turner, Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson,
Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Witherspoon,
John Lee Hooker, Pee Wee Crayton,
and Johnny Adams, among many others.
Stevie
Ray Vaughan paid the ultimate compliment
from one musician to another: "Can
I sit in?" They've all known what the
rest of the blues world is about to find
out: Mitch Kashmar is a force to be reckoned
with in the blues.
Born in 1960, Mitch was still in high school
when he began sneaking in with his brother's
I.D. and playing with local bands in his
native Santa Barbara, CA. By 1980 he was
leading his own band, The Pontiax, and after
relocating to Los Angeles in 1985, established
a strong reputation on the club and festival
circuit throughout southern California.
Mitch and the band went on to record "100
Miles To Go" for Blue Sting records
of Belgium, and toured the blues festival
circuits of the U.S., Canada, Europe and
the south Pacific, drawing on a huge expanse
of blues musical styles that include Chicago
harmonica blues, New Orleans piano R&B,
west coast jump blues and swing, boogie
woogie, Louisiana swamp funk, Texas guitar
blues and straight ahead jazz.
