Mark Stafford: Flying With The BirdCategory: Music
Article added by: Dave King
Mark Stafford's tone on the harmonica is fat. It is huge, it is strong. It soars with the seeming ease of an eagle riding the thermals high above the earth. It's only fitting that he has been nicknamed "the Bird."
Ask comparison, think William Clarke. Clarke could soar on harp. This is a comparison that Mark Stafford often hears. His reaction, he's complemented to hear his name and Clarke's in the same sentence. Maybe modesty and a genuine desire not to be typed as a William Clarke wannabe keeps him from accepting this comparison.
Mark has been playing for over thirty years. Given his first harmonica when he was ten, he didn't start playing in a band until he was in his early twenties. Since then he has played in clubs throughout Canada and has even appeared in a made for TV documentary, "Shades of Blue."
He has flown as far as Australia to entertain. Imagine, surfing all day and playing all night.
For the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival he organized an ensemble of Canada's finest harp giants to entertain, the Harmonica Knights.
When this happily married, father of two, isn't entertaining, he is presenting the blues to school kids as part of a "blues in the schools" program. Every dollar he makes playing and from the sale of his CD's goes into the gas tank, or into his children's dental fund.
Let's fly with "the Bird."
CHC: Who were your earliest influences on the harmonica? Local influences?
Mark: When I was in High School, My older sister Dale, had a real inside track on live blues shows. I remember her taking myself and a buddy to a free concert in High Park, as well as a concert a the Fox Movie Theatre in the Beaches. On both occasions, there were some great blues performers, some of whom I can't remember. But I do remember hearing Fraser Finlayson (Harmonica Player/Singer) play at the Fox. He played real soulful, and he wore a white straw hat. My friend and I loved the show, and I totally connected with Fraser's playing, and the way he presented himself. I even came up with a sort of nick name
"Coy Beznay" . I couldn't even tell you to this day how the heck that name came to be. But I remember it, 30 years later. The next week at school we hipped everyone to the show, how great it was.
I have to say James Cotton, who played several times a year in Toronto, had a lasting impression on what a live show could deliver.
The late Rick Jefferys, who traveled and recorded with Dutch Mason. We got to know the band real well, because when we got mobile (wheels) we basically followed the band to every date they had, downtown and the GTA. I saw them dozens of times.
Rick was his own style. He ripped off solos, and played good lines that drove the groove. You couldn't call him a Walter, or Sonny Boy style. He just sounded like he did, very unique.
So pleased when Gary Kendall invited me to play harp for the night, (one of Dutch's shows at the Silver Dollar Room) Full circle for me.
I saw Whiskey Howl, and Wooden Teeth, a few times. Loved em, Michael Pickett.
CHC: So, when did you start playing ?
Mark: I asked one of my sisters hippie friends in the sixties to get me a harmonica, and he did. I was probably ten or so.
I tried to play along with everything in High School, even organized my own Blues Cruises on the Mariposa Belle.
But it wasn't till my early twenties, that I started to join a band.
CHC: How long after you started playing did you start doing the club scene in Toronto? Lee's Palace? Chicago's?
Mark: A long time. Its hard to break into the scene Here. Lee's Palace was a real good thing. To have a house gig on Bloor Street, made me feel good. Having it at Lee's Palace meant you had a club that was known for music. Sunday afternoon was a tough draw though. And we played for a percentage of the bar sales, meaning dinner might be covered, if we humped down to Chinatown and ate before we went to Grossman's for the weekly Sunday night jam there.
Chicago's house gig was kind of lucky. We were in the right place at the right time. It was known as a club where younger cats could get a drink. You know what I mean. So the University kids hung out there. I remember the place being so packed, that people would sit on the stairs that went up to the third floor, and the stairs to the street. It was so packed, you couldn't move. A lot of young kids. Really excited by the music. And the bands were really good. The Band had to stock the beer fridge, and take the empties to the basement.
We had Fridays and Saturdays for about two years. Not before we did a ton of Monday, Tuesdays, for bus fair.
CHC: Would you talk of the club scene in Toronto? How would you compare ithe club scene your knew when you started to today?
Mark:Things really haven't changed that much because I got in just after the
5 and 7 nighters came to an end. Back in the Seventies, it seemed bands played for the whole week. Now a days, you really get one nighters. Its kind of a drag humping gear all over the place. Some places don't provide a PA system.
The music is still out there though, you have to dig around a little more to find it.
CHC: Regarding your sound, you have been compared to William Clarke. Do you agree with this comparison?
Mark: It's a compliment, I Love Clarke's fat tone. As a harp listener, and player, you strive towards a thicker tone. To be even mentioned in the same sentence is truly a good feeling
CHC: , Do you have a secret for achieving the fat tone for which you are noted?
Mark: Practice.
CHC: What kind of equipment do you use, ie, harmonica, amps?
Mark: I have owned many amps, and mikes. tried the pedals. Good harp amps are hard to come by. Most amps are built for guitar. It takes some tweeking to achieve the desired tone.
I like the bullet style mics, and a good crystal pic up is what does it for me. For some amps I do use the controlled reluctance element.
For amps, I own several. My latest is a 1959 Danelectro Commando. Apparently, Walter talks about an amp he uses that has 8 8" speakers and sports two amps. This thing is a beast. For Chicago style harp, I have never heard anything like it. Imagine 8 tweed champs in one cabinet, powered by 4 6V6 power tubes. Huge bottom end, and crunchy break up.
I also own a Sonny Jr. #1. This amp is very nice. 4 8" speakers powered by two 6L6 power tubes. Has the nice brown tone of the tweed era. Built by a wonderful harmonica player who worked for Sonny Terry, who know is on the cutting edge of designing great harp amps.
CHC: We understand that one of the big differences between playing the club scene in Canada to playing the clubs in the states, is the distance musicians have to travel to play each club. You have traveled as far as Australia to play. Can you tell us what took you to Austrailia? When? How often?
Mark: Australia was a big trip for us. We (my wife) and I, actually went down to visit family that immigrated from London England. My Gran turned 90 and I was very close to her.
I knew that there was a scene there, because I phoned Big Dave Mclean (Western Canada) and asked him about it. He had given me some names to connect with.
CHC: Can you talk of the blues scene in Australia?
Mark: Funny enough when I got to Aussie, and actually hooked up with a real great bunch of muso's, and blues fans, We realized that we had met years ago in Chicago during the Bluesfest and actually shared a table with them. Yeh, no kidding, I was with John Valentyn and Dr. Feelgood (two radio personalities from Toronto) and we took in a Lefty Dizz show with a table full of Australians, and these were the same people. Needless to say we re-introduced ourselves and had a ball.
That Chicago night, the Bulls won the NBA title, and we found ourselves in the middle of a celebration. Felt more like a riot, cars burned and stuff.
After hooking with these folks in the Melbourne area, we soon made tons of connections, and headed down the southern part of Victoria. We stumbled on a town called Warrnambool. I was listening to the blues shows listed on the back of the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society, and found this radio show.
Wally Edney was the DJ and owner of the local record/CD store. I knocked on the studio door and he invited me in to talk and play live on the radio.
We soon connected for a bit of a festival in Warrmambool, and I took part in lots of playing in those parts. In fact almost won a Buskers festival in a town very close by. Started out on the street by myself, then it progressed right up to the main stage gala event with a couple guitar players, we came second.
Too bad, 1st prize was a recording project.
All in all, Australian blues musicians were really good. You would never think they were 15,000 miles away from the US.
Everybody kept telling us about Johno's Blues Bar up in "Cans" (Cairns). We flew up there and stayed a week. I played almost every night with the house band there. Johno is this wild and crazy Ausie who's only two mandates were: Swimming in the Ocean, or Rain Forest, and playing guitar, every day.
We laughed a lot. Real tourist town with daily trips to the Great Barrier Reef. And stuck right in the middle of town - Johno's Blue Bar.
Sydney was your typical large city with several venues to hear live blues. Real good musicians. 6 Beaches.
CHC: Compare it to the blues scene in Canada.
Mark: Not a great deal in difference, you have your purists, rockin blues, and ones that step out on the edge to mix it up a bit. The culture sets them apart.
Imagine surfing in the afternoon, then playing in a club at night.
CHC: Your experience in Australia sounds like a great time.
Returning to Canada again, your band the Sly Dogs was profiled by the CBC for a TV documentary "Shades of Blue." Relate this experience.
Mark : That was back in the days when had a house gig at Chicago's. There was great energy that night. And we happened to catch the eye of a CBC producer who wanted to feature the band. They tied it in with some wonderful blues footage that was made in 1966 with a whole bunch of the American Blues Stars of the time. "The Blues" was the name of the 1966 show, and it was so powerful, we paled next to it.
CHC: Do you feel this television exposure helped your career? Do you feel similar exposure would help other artists?
Mark: I suppose it did help. At the time there were a lot of blues peers that were shaking their heads. We were in the right place at the right time.
Exposure always helps, and we were what we were.
CHC: You have recorded how many CDs? Your first, "the Birdman", featured a number of classic covers. Your second, "Harpspace" includes largely songs you have written yourself. We understand you spend a lot of time composing your own material. Which do you prefer to play when you gig?
Mark: I still do songs off the Birdman. Harpspace has been a really positive release for me. We do lots of tunes off the CD. Several per show. I want people to know that I have a CD. Remember folks, every dollar goes straight into the gas tank, or child dental fund.
CHC: Have you been nominated, or have you taken any awards for your playing?
Mark: "Harpspace" was voted 3rd place best release of 2003 by the listeners of Radio 666 in France this year. Locally, it will happen.
CHC: To change the subject, again, for the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival you were instrumental (no pun intended) in bringing a number of Canada's finest together in a harmonica showcase called the Harmonica Knights. How did come to be?
Mark:Just trying to create something that appeals to a Festival.Creates a nice appeal for the audience, and brings players together tohear one another.
CHC Who are the Harmonica Knights? Can you describe a Harmonica Knight gig, routine?
Mark: Harmonica Knights consists of the best blues players in Canada, backing up any harmonica guests that happen to be available. So far I have included several dozen special guests over the past three years.
Harmonica Knights offers a great show for the audience and the players involved.
Of course we all get treated to hearing three different approaches with regards to blues. Each do separate sets with the band (or alone).
At the end we usually do a harp "blow off" where we all share the stage.
CHC: What are their plans? Do they plan on recording together?
Mark: Harmonica Knights continues to grow, and we have shows happening every 4 - 6 weeks ( sometimes more). Recording would be something that would capture it nicely.
CHC : Having worked with these other musicians, surely you have compared notes (again, no pun intended.) What are some of the biggest issues facing Canada's musician's
Mark: You have to have something that sets you apart from just another act. Thinking all the time about your show, what you can do to make it stand out.
CHC: What sets you apart? Is it your superlative musicianship?
Mark :I don't consider myself a harmonica player that really stands out from
any other.
My shows feature traditional harp playing, with a nice thick bluesy tone. I try to cover a lot of different feels within the choices of songs.
Connecting with the audience is key for me. I like to make sure to make contact with the song to the audience.
CHC: On a more personal note, you are the father of two (?), and active in school programs. Do you see a lot of interest in the blues among the younger generation in your area?
Mark: The classroom is so diverse with culture today. Kids do seem interested. It depends on your delivery and if you can make it exciting in some way, or involve them in the process, its a real bonus. Most of the kids have never heard blues. Teenagers know the main stream SRV, or Eric Clapton.
Mention Howlin' Wolf, and you get a blank stare.
CHC: Do you want your children to follow their father's footsteps into the blues scene?
Mark: I would like me kids to enjoy music in general. Feel free to make music at any time. Blues would be lovely, but not imperative.
Mark Stafford
(416) 533-3454
http://markbirdstafford.com
Posted By: Dave King
Web: http://www.crossharpchronicles.com
Contact: e-mail
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| Dave King is the Publisher/Editor of the online music quarterly Cross Harp Chronicles. |
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