Album Notes

Bennett Harris belongs to a small group of contemporary acoustic guitarists keeping alive the traditional American blues fingerpicking style of the 1930s. But country blues is no museum relic in his deft hands. Indeed, Bennett's music is passionate, lively, deeply felt, and vividly rendered. In addition to presenting tunes by blues luminaries such as Blind Blake, Bessie Smith, Rev. Gary Davis, Son House, et al, Bennett also writes his own original tunes within the idiom.

His interest in old-timey blues was sparked by hearing Hot Tuna in 1970, eventually finding a fingerpicking tutor in Ian Buchanan...who is a noteworthy historical link. Ian had studied directly with Rev. Gary Davis, then later passed the synchopated ragtime fingerpicking technique on to his college roommate, Jorma Kaukonen. Bennett's other break-through moment was seeing John Hammond perform up-close in NYC, wailing on National steel slide guitar and harmonica. Bennett determined to add those tools to his musical vocabulary, and spent a great deal of time wood-shedding on his own 1930s National steel and harmonica.

"Resonator" combines all these blues elements, running a bit deeper in traditional sounds with the addition of Kenny Kosek on fiddle, Barry Mitterhoff on mandolin, and George Christ on harmonica...masterful musicians all. The recording yields a rich musical environment, full of good spirit and imaginative instrumental interplay. And it's great fun!