Paul Oscher - Down To The Delta (2005)

This CD "Down in the Delta" really captures the deep blues feeling that this former Muddy Waters Blues Band member brings to his live performances. This is real lowdown, gutbucket, down-in-the-alley blues steeped in tradition featuring Paul on neckracked harmonica, guitar, piano, melodica and vocals.

He is joined on this album by a stellar cast of some of the best blues musicians working today, including Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Levon Helm and Richard Innes on the drums, Dave Maxwell on the piano and Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, Mudcat Ward and Ronnie James on the bass.

PAUL OSCHER began playing the blues at age 12 when his uncle gave him a harmonica. He was taught the rudiments of blues harmonica by Jimmy Johnson, a southern medicine show harp player and by the time Paul was 15, he was playing professionally in soul revues at black night clubs like the Baby Grand, 521 Club, Seville Lounge and the Nitecap.

In the mid 1960's Paul met MUDDY WATERS back stage at the Apollo Theatre, and in 1967, when Muddy came to New York without a harp player, Paul sat in with the band. He played two numbers and Muddy hired him on the spot. That hiring saw Paul following in the footsteps of other Muddy Waters harp players Little Walter, Junior Wells, Big Walter Horton and James Cotton. Oscher was the first white musician in the world to become a full time member of a black blues band of this stature. While working alongside Otis Spann, Sammy Lawhorn, Pee Wee Madison and S.P. Leary, Paul spent the next five years in the Muddy Waters band learning the deep blues phrasing and timing characteristic of his music today. Spann taught Paul the piano and he learned guitar by looking over the shoulders of Muddy and Sammy Lawhorn.

Besides Muddy, Paul has performed or recorded with a veritable who's who in the blues world including John Lee Hooker, Earl Hooker, Johnny Young, Jimmy Rogers,T-Bone Walker, Big Mama Thornton, Victoria Spivey, Johnny Copeland, Louisiana Red, Hubert Sumlin, Levon Helm, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mos Def. Paul is now in the process of writing a book about his life's experiences in the blues. An excerpt from his book was just published in the companion book to the series "Martin Scorcese PresentsThe Blues".

Paul Oscher is currently performing at blues festivals throughout the United States and abroad in solo, duo and trio format. His solo show "Alone With The Blues" features Paul on harmonica, bass harmonica, guitar, melodica, piano and slide guitar. It's a show that has received rave reviews from blues fans, musicians, press, promoters and club owners from around the world. Don't miss it.