(Moxie)
Blues / Western Swing / Country
(Moxie): General Info
Member Since 2/23/2008 Band Website newhokumsheiks.com + harmopoint.com Band Members
HELLO!!!
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My first harmonica came to me on Brighton beach.
It was a sunny bank holiday weekend in the early sixties.
There I was, hanging out with the beatniks when, all of a sudden (as they say), from our left we saw, walking slowly down the beach, a gang of, 30, maybe 40,"MOD's"
- you know 60's style fashion victims - crew cuts, Lambreta's - remember Tommy - the Who?
- You get the picture?
Here we were six or seven longhairs, blue jeans, roll-neck sweaters & corduroy jackets, the anti-thesis of MODernity. Nobody said anything, but you could feel the tension mounting.
Then low and behold (now nobody says that anymore!) from our right, appear 50 or 60 leather clad Rockers
- yes the deadly enemy of any self respecting Mod and vice versa! -
It was clear to us that we were in a difficult situation.
My new found friend , Fred the Carpet, turned to me and said "can you hold on to my harmonica for a while? I think I'll go for a swim" and off he ran into the sea fully clothed!
All Hell broke loose - I managed to escape - don't ask me how !
About 3 months later outside of a London pub called the Duke of York I met up with my long lost friend
- you guessed it -
Fred the Carpet , who said ;
" weren't you the bloke I gave my harmonica to on Brighton beach?"
to which, when I replied in the positive, continued
"well, if you've started playing it you can keep it."
...and I've been playing ever since.
1962:
Started with a Folk Blues duet, Dominique & Mox.
Touring in support of Mike Berry.
Became the singer of the group De Kuper Sect (Rythm and Blues).
Played in London and the South of England.
1963:
Joins Redcaps (Rythm and Blues).
Also worked in the Folkclubs with John Lamont(Country Blues).
First recordings in studio as a harmonicist.
1965:
Founded Les Cousins, the most influential Folkclub in London.
Played with:
Alexis Korner, John Renbourne, Bert Jansch, Stefan Grossman,
Paul Simon, Jimi Hendrix, Champion Jack Dupree, T. Bone Walker
-- in fact, everybody.
Started working as a session musician
1966/7:
Toured the clubs and Universities with Alex Harvey Band
(Rythm and Blues, Soul Music, Rock and Roll...).
1968:
Started to play the flute.
Joined the group The Action/Mighty Baby (Progressive Rock).
Tours in England and Holland.
Participated in the Bilzen Jazz Festival, in Belgium.
1969:
Returned to England. Joined Sam Gopals Dream.
With him, created a new group: Cosmosis,
a fusion of Indian
and western, musicians, i.e.. Himalayan Surf Music!!!
Toured all over Europe.
1970:
Settled down in Amsterdam.
Played regularly in the two most famous, clubs of Holland:
Paradiso and Melkweg, and in Benelux.
1972:
Came back to England & started working with Isaac Guillory.
1973:
Recorded the first of two albums with Colin Scot (Just Another Clown ).
Toured clubs, Universities and Concert Halls promoting the album.
1974:
Recorded as a harmonicist on Isaac Guillory's album.
Recorded the second album for Colin Scot with Ray Glyn.
Support tour as a triothroughout Europe with:
The Strawbs, King Crimson and John Mayall.
Met Ike and Tina Turner.
1975:
Was invited to America, by Ike, to study contemporary
Rhythm and Blues and studio engineering, after having toured
Europe with them as a technician.
Toured U. S. A., Canada, Australia and Indonesia.
1978:
Returned to England for the reformation of Viv Stanshal's Bonzo Dog Band.
Worked in France and in Spain (Two concerts in support of Paco De Lucia
with Sam Gopal (tablas)studying Indian flute music. .
Invited to Germany to promote Gunter Hoffmann's album.
Went to Paris where he was involved in the foundation of Phantom Orchestra,
1979:
Moved to Ireland with the Phantom Orchestra.
Recorded one album, made several TV shows,including a 45mn history of Pop Music.
Six weeks tour in Europe.
1980:
European Festival of Fools Tour with Sharon Landau.
Then Holland, Belgium and England with Isaac Guillory.
Germany, Holland and Belgium with G.T. Moore and the Outsiders (Reggae).
With whom he worked for two years.
1981:
Now based in France, he created a Chicago Blues Trio, called Bluebloods
with pianist Guillaume Petite (FR), and contrabassist Jimmy Gibson (U.S.A.) .
Forms, with Cyril Lefèbvre, a duet of Country Blues.
Recordings with François Guierre and Patrick Verbeke.
1982:
Accompanies, on harmonica, Patrick Verbekes album promotion tours.
Concerts with Bluebloods in France and in Spain with Cyril Lefèbvre.
First record under his own name as a singer, harmonicist and a flutist for Paris
Album France. Created his own blues band to promote his album.
Animates his first workshop of harmonica blues.
Take part in the week of the Blues at the Festival of La Rochelle.
Promotion tours in France for the album.
1983:
Play "the harmonicist" in the opera Transibérien de Blais Cendrars put in music
by Antoine Duhamel at Bouffes North.
Joins "Le Centre de Musique et Danse Traditionnelle" (CMDT) as a harmonica teacher.
Invited to tour for ten days to Algiers and five days to the Forum des Halles (Paris)
with Le Quintet de Mox Gowland.
1984:
Preparation of a method for diatonic harmonica.
Tours France with Transibérien.
Continues playing in duets, trios, quartets and quintets.
1985:
Releases the method "Masterclass Harmonica Blues (Jetty)".
Invited to play in Germany.
1986-89:
Tours in France, Spain and Germany.
Records for Ornament Records (Cologne) The Blue Album. Broadens his Jazz
repertory while playing with the English group The Noakes Brothers
1990-93:
Concerts and tours in several formations, duet, trio quartets and quintets, and
in several styles - country blues, blues rock'n'roll and Jazz.
Gives regular workshops at Ars Nova Musicollege de Paris.
1994-2000:
Meets Jean-Pierre Danielsen (Guitar). Their collaboration initially resulted
in the recording of CD "Live" at Le Petit Theatre of Etampes, (Triad) followed,
during seven years, by concerts all over France.
Publishes three CD/books for harmonica and regular articuls in Guitare Planet.
2001-:
Whilst teaching at the M J C of Ris-Orangis (CMDT) meets the banjöist Jean-Marie Redon. They decide to create a show together.(on-going)
Tours in France.
2005-:
Meets Peters Day, (Mandoline & Vocals).
Participates in his septete, the Titanic String Band (TSB).
Concerts and tours with the TSB and J-M Redon.
2007-:
Creats, with Peters Day & Ross Mckerrell (Guitare& Chant) "New Hokum Sheiks"
2008-:
Records a CD at La Téte Des Trains with "New Hokum Sheiks" "Live in Tousson Nº6.