James Thurgood
Handy Little Rig
Own label – JT 001;
51 minutes; 2003
There’s something special
about the harmonica and something very special indeed about this new album by
James Thurgood. As aficionados of the instrument well know, there are relatively
few recordings of the harmonica being used to play Irish music (see The Irish Harmonica Discography for more details). Indeed, the genre has relatively
few mouth organ practitioners (and no recorded examples of women at all!) and
the instrument itself has generally been viewed as having a low status.
However, as The Murphys consummately proved, a point
more recently reinforced by Paul Moran, Mick Kinsella and Brendan Power, when
played well this relatively simple instrument has a strength and versatility of
own. This is more than amply demonstrated on Handy Little Thing, the
debut album by James Thurgood.
James was born in
Wallace, Nova Scotia, but grew up in Windsor, Ontario, the son of a
harmonica-playing father from Cape Breton and a pianist mother from Prince
Edward Island who adored playing fiddle tunes. Though he’s toyed with other
instruments and different genres, he finds himself returning repeatedly to the
tunes he learnt in childhood and the ten-hole diatonic harmonica.
Handy Little Rig neatly encapsulates those early influences, mixing
tunes from predominantly Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton and, equally,
reveals an expansive range of tune sources, from musicians as various as J.
Scott Skinner and Jerry Holland to Planxty and The Clancy Brothers & Tommy
Makem. Relying solely on his ability to provide chordal counterpoint and some
very able guitar accompaniment from guitarist Kevin Roach, Handy Little Rig
is a veritable tour de force.
James is one of those
musicians who seems to become thoroughly absorbed in his work while keeping a
clear vision of the wood despite all the trees. Listen to the opening track, an
intoxicating blend of the Boys of Bluehill and Road to Boston reels,
via the linking Sweeney’s Polka, and you’ll be captivated by the sheer
eloquence of his playing. He know when to bend and when not to, when to stop a
note and when to let it flow and these abilities are paramount when tackling a
waltz like Blue Bonnets Over the Border or the Carolan tune Sí Beag,
Sí Mhor. Hornpipes, such as Fisher’s are delivered with verve and
jigs, such as the clearly-destined-to-be-a-theme-tune I Lost My Love,
with an incalculable joie d’esprit.
There are strathspeys
too, such as Scott Skinner’s Laird o’Drumblair (a tune which this
reviewer has heard under many different titles and a glorious rendition of King
of the Fairies, where (and this is very much meant to be a compliment!),
James twists his tongue around the notes in a manner reminiscent of the great
Larry Adler and Max Geldray. However, it has to be mentioned that there is one
track where the existence of the CD player’s fast-forward button is much
appreciated and that is the song My Gallant Brigantine where James
thoroughly reinforces the impression that he should stick to his sublime
talents on the harmonica. Ah, we all like to sing, and as the rest of the
album’s so blindingly excellent, let’s forgive him.
This is an
original review by Geoff Wallis.
James can be
contacted at this address – jthurgood@yahoo.com.