Main Blues

Saturday, April 23, 2011, an amazing show happened at the Highway 99 Blues Club. I have long been impressed by Kim Field on harmonica and vocals. I remember Paul DeLay's wake at The Triple Door a few years ago. Back then there were a number of great harmonica players on stage. Kim unplugged the harmonica from the mic and walked to the center of the stage. He then played a harmonica solo louder than anyone has probably played it with the aid of electricity. He hit the high notes with perfect tone while performing a passionate and artistically powerful example of how great audible art can be.

That Saturday he surprised me again in a good way. He performed great, but it wasn't just him. He had the help of his band in its new form. That new form contains something bigger than the sum of its parts, but the parts are pretty amazing. He now has two guitar players that are perhaps the best two-guitar-player-combination a band can have.

Tom Boyle and Tim Sherman together in the same band is something I've tried to think of a sports analogy for, but all sports analogies fall flat. That is because of a few things: these guys are really buddies so a Shaq and Kobie example doesn't come close, and these guys have a whole band that complements their styles. Tim played some sweet sensitive guitar that escalated to a fiery crescendo of passion that got the crowd on its feet, and Tom gave him a great hug when he did it. Tom got perhaps the biggest applause of the night when his stratocaster got the ultra fast hand movement that melted the pick and gave everyone there delightful eargasms from the music it made.

Kim sang as well as ever, and his harmonica had the tone worthy of his bands name: Kim Field & the Mighty Titans of Tone. A list of guest performers made it into a big band. There was the Emerald City Horns to back up the band that included Mr Brady on bass and Andrew Cloutier on drums among other treats. Bill Rhodes from Portland sang and played harmonica as did Mike Lynch. There was also something new, The Titanettes (no kidding). Yes two women singers sang some harmony and background for Kim and the band.

Find where you can catch Kim and the band, go see and hear the act. It is pretty damn amazing. Or, you can buy their latest CD by clicking on the cover image below: