Jason Ricci

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Jason Ricci (February 3, 1974)^{[citation needed]} is an American harmonica player and singer.

[edit] Biography

Raised in Portland, Maine, Ricci placed first in the Sonny Boy Blues Society contest at 21 years of age, and recorded his first album, he has quickly found his way among some of the best harmonica players in the blues arena. Ricci is openly gay.^[1]

He has played with blues greats Junior Kimbrough, R. L. Burnside and Nick Curran. In 1999, he won the Mars National Harmonica Contest, and began playing with Keith Brown. In 2000, Jason received a two page write up in Blues Access magazine by Adam Gussow (harmonica player for Satan and Adam) saying:

"I am convinced he along with New Jersey's Dennis Gruenling is one of the best harmonica players of his generation."

After 15 months with Big Al and the Heavyweights, he started his own band Jason Ricci & New Blood in 2002. In 2005, Jason was honored with the Muddy Waters Most Promising New Blues Artist award. He can be found playing in cities all over the United States, almost 300 days per year.

New Blood's repertoire includes standard-length songs, epic improvisational jams, sharp original lyrics, as well as melodic instrumental pieces. The setlist changes every night and may feature any of the dozens of songs in the band's catalog, including some classic blues, jazz, and funk covers like "Cissy Strut" (The Meters), "Get Up, Stand Up" (Bob Marley), "Shake Your Hips" (Slim Harpo), and "Turkish Coffee" (Herbie Mann).

Jason encourages audience taping and has many shows available for free download at Archive.org. These shows have been downloaded by thousands of music fans around the world, according to the site statistics. Jason Ricci & New Blood's live shows may best be described by Blake Taylor, writer for Cincinnati City Beat:

"As a lover of live music, a JRNB show is absolutely exhilarating. Imagine the best virtuoso-filled "jam band" you've ever seen (think early '90's Phish, old Flecktones, Allmans, Robert Randolph, Derek Trucks, etc.) and then double the energy and stage presence."

Recently,^[when?] Ricci and New Blood were signed to Electro Groove, a new Sub Division of Delta Groove Records. His first album with the label, appropriately titled "Rocket Number Nine," will be released October 23, 2007.