OCTAVIA: Driven By The Harp

Octavia

Driven By The Harp

© 2000 OCTAVIA (639589002220)

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THIS BLUES MAMA IS PACKIN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED BLUES HARP SOLO'S, SULTRY VOCALS, AND COLORFUL LYRICS IN AN ECLECTIC SONG MIX OF SEVERAL STYLES.

tracks

1 Raunch Harp Boogie
2 Stormy Monday
3 Slide Ride
4 Twelve Moon High
5 You've Succeeded (and Made Me Hate You)
6 Shake It Off
7 Three Strikes You're Out
8 Service Call
9 Slow Cooked Jam
10 Feel This Now
11 Do You Love Me
12 Hot Juice

notes

When was the last time you heard a WOMAN play MEAN blues harp? Octavia is one of the worlds most unique artists.

If you are a harmonica and/or blues lover, you deffinatly want this CD! Octavia playes two harmonicas inhancing the "emothinal" level felt. You will hear notes you aren't accustomed to hearing from other harp players, that promise to touch you. In her live show, she holds one note through an entire verse of a slow blues, making you "uncomfortable" thinking she will turn blue and drop, but she just continues with a powerful vocal after that feat. Her sultry blues voice has texture and dimention.

Octavia has been singing and performing on stage since 1955. She started playing the guitar in 1963, and the harmonica in 1966. There was something special and magical between the harmonica and Octavia. Octavia attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and majored in painting, and sculpture. She found the acoustics to be wonderful in the lovely old building, and always kept her guitar and harmonicas close by in her locker. Octavia's music has always been a major driving force in her life.

Octavia has led and been in various bands across the United States most of her life. She toured with Etta James in California in the mid 70's, and played with Freddie King, as well as The Meters (Funky Meters/Neville Brothers). To name a few of the many festivals and venues she has appeared at: BB King's Lucille's Lounge, THe Cafe Wha, The Village Underground, and Catch a Rising Star in New York, The Stone Pony in Asbury Park NJ, Bimbo's in San Francisco, the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, the Keystone in Berkley, Lancaster Jazz Festival, the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, Kapona Festival Harrisburg, and has performed at the Cambridge Folk Festival in Great Britain, where she resided and toured extensively for two years before returning home to the states.
Octavia performed a blues jazz mix at the Kimmel Center For The Performing Arts in Phila., and will be appearing this enriching show at the House Of Blues In Atlantic City.

Octavia is currently touring with her group "Octavia And The Earthblood Blues Band" as well as her classic vocal jazz standards band "Infusion With Octavia." "Driven By The Harp" Octavia's first album, reissued due to popular demand, is also available at all of Octavia's performances. The CD consists mainly of original compositions. Octavia also has a second blues CD of mainly original music "Down In The Hollow" as well as a live CD with her jazz band "Infusion with Octavia."

reviews

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  • she kept the crowd spellbound even in that hot sun!
    author: j.w.

    hey dw, we've been fans of octavia's music for the past 8 years. we've followed her all this time, and watched her develop far beyond anything we imagined! her voice, unique harp, and writing continue to astound us! i noticed the description about her driven by the harp, cd stated: eclectic song mix of several styles. perhaps you missed that. i caught her show at anglesea blues festival, and thought both she and her band ruled! it was a very hot day, and she kept the crowd spellbound even in that hot sun! i just picked up her new blues cd, down in the hollow at a show she did in lancaster square, it's all blues, and it's great! jw

  • several blues tunes varried genre's nice mix of original material, well done
    author: Jenna

    This CD has several blues tunes on it as well as other varried genre's. It's nice mix of original material, well done. Octavia's harp playing is outstanding!

  • not what I expected
    author: dw

    I expected this cd to be more blues. It wandered into jazz which was understandable, but then into a disco beat, which I could have done without. I'll be at the Anglesea Blues Festival 8-10 July 05 to hear Octavia live... hopefully she stays more true to the blues there. When you make a blues cd, it needs to stay true, not show diversity.

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