Carlos del Junco

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Carlos del Junco
Photo provided by KSMF Webmaster
Photo provided by KSMF Webmaster
Background information
Born 1958
Havana, Cuba
Genre(s) Jazz
Instrument(s) Harmonica

Carlos del Junco (born 1958 in Havana, Cuba) is a renowned Cuban-Canadian harmonica musician.

Mr. del Junco immigrated with his family when he was one year old. He started to play the harmonica at 14 years old. He graduated from college with honors at the Ontario College of Art majoring in sculpture.

He specializes in playing the ten hole diatonic harmonica. He was taught to play chromatically by using a "overblow" technique taught to him by Howard Levy, a jazz virtuoso.

In the 1980's, Mr. del Junco performed with many bands including Latin/Reggae/R&B band "Eyelevel", "Ontario College of Art Swing Band" with Bill Grove and for six years with the rhythm and blues group "The Buzz Upshaw Band".

In 1990, he formed a blues/jazz/fusion band, "The Delcomos" with Kevin Cooke. He also has recorded with Marcel Aymar, Cassandra Vassick, Oliver Schroer, and Holly Cole.

In 1993, he won two gold medals at the Hohner World Harmonica Championship held in Trossingen, Germany. He was judged world's best in both the diatonic blues category and the diatonic jazz category. In November of that year he released his first CD with Bill Kinnear.

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

  • Carlos del Junco webpage
  • Live Tour Artists website
  • Toronto Star, July 4, 2005
  • Blues Review magazine, June/July 2005, pg. 47
  • Le Journal, December 4, 2004 (French)
  • Seattle Times, April 25, 2005
  • Times Herald, February 25, 2005
  • Chicago Sun-Times, April 28, 2006
Date of release Title Artist
1993 Blues (CD) Bill Kinnear & Carlos del Junco
? Big Road Blues (CD) Thom "Champagne Charlie" Roberts & Carlos del Junco
1996 Just Your Fool (CD) The Carlos del Junco Band
1999 Big Boy (CD) Carlos del Junco
2001 Up And At 'Em (CD) Carlos del Junco
2005 Blues Mongrel (CD) Carlos del Junco