Album Notes

Andy Just, a musical veteran for almost forty years, in the finest of West Coast blues harmonica traditions, has been thrilling audiences with his explosive performances. His sound is extremely powerful, and innovative, and has been honed by many years of success and touring. He is notorious for rockin’ blues that really brings the house down at music venues far and wide.
Andy’s original approach gives his music red hot energy and great variety, while staying true to his blues roots.
His interpretation encompasses the true essence of the blues, while it captivates the audience with his “take no prisoners” performances.
Andy has played on at least 30 albums to date to solidify his reputation as an “harmonica extraordinaire”. He is widely known in the blues harmonica world as a true master of his craft, and for his “Tone”. No doubts, Andy is the most powerful harp player to come along since James Cotton. Andy Just is a unique harmonica player who carries his distinctive approach to the blues. His high-energy playing and soulful singing gives his audiences a full measure of what he has learned and experienced. He has fronted several bands in the San Francisco area and over the years performed with a long list of the very “Best of Blues” performers including: B.B. King, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Robben Ford, and many, many others. This early 2010 release, recorded live at the Italian famous club “Muddy Waters”, finds Andy Just backed by a hard-driving trio. Though the fare is standard blues-rock throughout, Andy's mastery over every nuance in his harmonica and his wide-ranging lexicon of chops-which includes scratching, wailing, tonal variations, and beautifully melodic passages, makes for scintillating listening.
Andy Just is inevitably at his best in the live setting where the energy of the audience and the thrill of spontaneous creation seem to feed his inspiration, SMOKIN’ TRACKS is an impressive and enduring testament to that fact.
Andy Just drives the blues with fire and passion, for the listeners it is an experience not to be missed !