UPDATE FROM JASON RICCI (08.2009)

I’m sitting in Vegas now on a two day off break getting ready to leave for Tahoe in just over 24 hours. Later this week I will attend my sixth SPAH (Society for the Preservation and Advancement of Harmonica) convention in Sacramento in which The band and I will have that rare opportunity to remain stationary for a whole week. I will of course will be holding my annual Blow Out again this year featuring Steve Baker, Mark Hummel and my favorite ALL harmonica band: “The Harp Beats” among many other old and new guests.  It is simply wondrous for me to be out west again; I love the big open spaces, warm weather and healthy food (I am now super skinny, all muscle, 155 pounds of slimmer, faster, stronger, smarter, half human hermaphroditic mongoose man). Additionally on the skin deep level I am collecting more and more bigger, better and larger tattoos and piercings all over my body (also viewable on youtube).  I’m really looking forward to gigging out here more than once a year in the future.  I would most certainly enjoy living out here (Especially in San Fran) if it could some how be more geographically sound to our touring schedule. It feels wonderful in the West, big and open, relaxing and breathable, any thing can happen here more than anywhere.
 
So much has happened since I last wrote one of these updates it’s difficult to know where to start writing and I’m not going to go on my usual 30 page tirade as it’s 4:00 am and I have obtained so little sleep in the last five days that I could simultaneously channel the nine fallen arch angels at any minute, while observing my own consciousness with effortless concentration, while mixing my dreams with my waking life in one great alchemical motion and other magick feats of grandeur that don’t and should not include ordinary tasks  of forming  complete verbal sentences at the 7/11 in request of more cigarettes... or other like minded, practical and some what risky ventures such as writing for fans here…I guess a few pages is safe?

In my last entry I remember Pat Ramsey had just died and I believe I was getting ready, or had just finished my tour with Walter Trout in Belgium. Since then we recorded our new record: “Done With The Devil”, played the celebrated Moulin festival in Os Belgium (Videos on youtube) to 6,000 people, completed our own eight out of ten date sold out tour of Belgium and Holland and I suffered and celebrated alike some personal life changes too close and some too sacred to list here (as always I will drop hints to the discriminating reader). We have been working our asses off non-stop, tirelessly and without complaint since February, Selling out of CD’s faster than we can get them. Our Booking Agency, Intrepid Artists, has kept our schedule packed and despite the economic downfall of late, our lives are improving immensely on and off the road in steady measurable increments of success. Our crowds are getting larger and more consistent, the clubs are getting bigger, nicer and more regular, our hotels rooms are getting fluffier and more private and the band is getting tighter and more musically inspired than ever. XM Radio’s “Bluesville” has been playing at least four songs very regularly and ED Michael’s (Drums/Vocals) song “Keep the Wolf From My Door” has been a pick to click (Featured song) for over a month now there. 

Between the audience responses from the XM radio air play and all the other blues and jam radio shows, the numerous literary, online, concert and CD reviews and our new touring ventures over seas; progress has felt consistent and plentiful. Shawn Starski is currently enjoying the positive backlash of a great cover story in this month’s issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine as well as his new endorsement with Category 5 amplifiers and several boutique guitar makers. In Harp news Harrison Harmonicas will be launching the first all American made harmonica the B-Radical this fall which features the best, most permanent, materials on earth, INDIVIDUALLY replaceable reeds, and the ultimate in modern manufacturing techniques, combined with a irreplaceable human touch of the greatest concern for quality control and individual, off line, customization.  January of 2010 will see my own signature model harmonica, designed and named by Harrison Harmonicas and myself of course. The left hand path themed harmonica will be hitting shelves of finer music stores across the whole country and the name alone (Much less the graphics and packaging) of the instrument will inspire mass sales and controversy alike. See http://www.harrisonharmonicas.com for more details.

My life lately has bas been nothing short of a mystical, magical journey of internal and external discovery.  I have been devouring book after book and amassing and implementing tons of ideas and themes for more exciting performances, music and lyrics (See the now famous “Green Parrot” zebra, stripper, speedo tapes on the web) . Single life has been an adjustment and a bit lonely but I have compensated my best with scandalous, debauchorous, shallow, plastic, hollow, and purely temporal fun that epitomizes the healthy single life for whatever that’s worth. I have said too much already and I will leave it at this: Key West is the greatest place on earth. if you’re like me and know which rocks to look under.

 As far as gigs go, the future sees us returning to Europe hitting more countries, clubs and festivals (Nov.) as well as me returning to tour again as a sideman with Walter Trout and his band the Radicals in the UK (Oct.). One New Blood gig  I’m especially thrilled about is the bands first appearance at the famous New Orleans musician’s musician,  hang out,  the “Maple Leaf”. Of all the gigs, festivals, concerts and audiences I have ever played to this one is single handedly the most important, nerve racking and exciting of all to me! This club is an underground hot spot of creative, improvisational musical invention of the highest modern order. Of course and as always the band will be on our non stop tour of festivals and gigs and gearing completing over 250 shows this year and gearing up for the 2010 legendary Blues Cruise sailing out of Florida in late Jan.  Be sure to continue checking our site http://www.jasonricci.com for all the tour dates near you as well as the http://eclectogroove.com site. For continued press, photo, and other such updates.

Thanks so much to all the fans out there who are making our dream come truer every day and who show us such love and support in so many ways every day out here on the road when were far from home and need your energy as much as you all say you need ours!

“Love is the law, love under will” –Liber AL vel Legis
Thank you for helping me continue working my true will everyone

Sincerely
Jason Ricci

www.jasonricci.com