Mason Casey – Reefer Smokin’ Man

With Mason Casey, there are no Harmonica Blues cliches, just straight, sharp, heavy modern blues.
"I grew up in upstate New York. Worked in tree care business and then as a stone mason for twenty years. All the while practicing and learning the blues harmonica. Got first harmonica as 18th birthday present. A friend gave me the Muddy Waters record " Hard Again " and I got hooked on that funky electric harmonica sound. I saw J.Geils band in concert and said that’s the kind of rockin’ blues I want to play. I was practicing all the time.
I decided at 35 years old to get out of my home town and try to make it as a full time musician. It was very hard my first year and I was homeless for 4 months. I was sleeping in my car and at friend’s houses : it was crazy ! I got a place after a while and started getting some gigs in NYC, at Dan Lynch, Finnian’s Rainbow and Manny’s Car Wash.
Met Popa Chubby at Manny’s. He saw me playing at Finnian’s and he liked my harmonica style and my act. He let me sit in with him sometimes and I asked him if he would produce a demo CD. He did and took it to Philippe Langlois at Dixiefrog and he said "let’s make a CD" and we made "Reefer Smokin’ Man" in 2000.
I live in Holland now and play music all around Europe, and do session work when called, (the latest CD of soul legend Wilson Pickett " It’s Harder Now " and also on Don Covay’s latest CD (" Adlib ")".

Track Listing:
1. Smellin' Like Whiskey   2. Baby Come Back Home   3. Two Trains Comin'   4. Slow Down   5. Out For The Takin'   6. Goin' Back To Amsterdam (Reefer Smokin' Man)   7. I'm Ready   8. Spaced Out   9. Startin' Up From The Bottom   10. She Changed The Lock   11. Livin' In A Dream   12. You Say You Don't Love Me   13. Stone Cold Alone

Personnel:
Mason Casey (harmonica & vocals) ,  Zach Zunis (guitars) , Kris Jefferson (bass) , Steve Holley (drums) , Popa Chubby (guitars on tracks 6 - 7 & 13)