Big Harp George: Cut My Spirit Loose

photo: Emilia Rosales

George Bisharat is building an impressive catalog of blues albums as a chromatic harmonica ace and singer, who goes by the name Big Harp George. On his new album Cut My Spirit Loose he swings like never before, overjoyed to be able to go out and make music again with a few of San Francisco Bay Area finest sidemen backing him up. He kicks off with It's Tuesday, recorded at the height of the pandemic in 2021 when the arrival of the garbage men reminded him what day it was. Even then he kept an optimistic outlook on life, bonding with the men who picked up the trash, albeit from a safe, social distance. Bisharat is an outgoing guy and he shows it with tributes to night life like Give Me The Dark and Behind The Eight Ball.

As a former lawyer he has a sharp eye for people falling on hard times (>Prince Of Downward Mobility) and rampant racism (Take A Knee), but as a whole Cut My Spirit Loose is all about reconnecting with his fellow humans, enabling to shoot the breeze (My Dog Is Better Than You) and being in love. The sole cover is his take on the Beatles rocker She's A Woman, which is turned into a brass heavy NOLA-tinged song with a walking bass.

Big Harp George: That Grinch Is Me

photo: Peggy DeRose

George Bisharat who goes by the stage name Big Harp George, is offering an old school blues song for the Holiday Season as a free download. That Grinch Is Me was in early 2020, together with Bad Santa. With Derrick Martin (drums), Chris Burns (keyboards), and Kid Andersen (guitar) having his back, he got a big band vibe going that worked out really well. He has finished recording the 13 tracks for his upcoming fifth studio album and is already working on the next one.

» bigharpgeorge.com

Big Harp George: show @ Hayward, CA

George Bisharat, better known as Big Harp George, brings his chromatic harmonica and ace musicians to Hayward, CA on July 25ht for a night of good time blues as part of the Russell City Awareness blues concert series outside City Hall. Also appearing are Sean McGroarty's “Blues Harmonica Explosion” featuring Silver Fox, Kyle Roland, David Matthew, and Roharpo.

» bigharpgeorge.com

HCTF review of Living in the City.

Big Harp George: Bad Santa

photo: Peggy DeRose

George Bisharat who goes by the stage name Big Harp George has released a stomping, brass heavy blues stomper, Bad Santa. Channeling the sound of big band's he inserted a few snippets from familiair Christmas tunes, making them sound fresh and new for a change. His chromatic harmonica steals the show with a raucous solo. The song is offered as a free download from his website.

» bigharpgeorge.com

HCTF review of It's Tuesday.

Big Harp George: free show @ Sausalito Jazz and Blues By the Bay festival

Remember live shows? They are coming back. Singer George Bisharat, better known as Big Harp George, brings his chromatic harmonica and ace musicians to Sausalito for a night of good time blues:

I couldn’t be more excited to say that I’ll be back in concert with my band at the Sausalito Jazz and Blues By the Bay festival on Friday, August 6th, from 6:30-8:00 pm in Gabrielson Park. Admission is free and open to all.

It is his first change to perform his latest single It's Tuesday for a live audience.

Big Harp George: "It's Tuesday" video

George Bisharat, in his blues guise as singer and chromatic harmonica player Big Harp George, has posted a video for his latest single, It's Tuesday. He and his fellow musicians dressed for the occasion, having a socially distanced party.

It is hard to keep track of time when all the days are pretty much the same, but Tuesdays stand out: "[the song was] named after the day of the week when the garbage men come around to pick up the trash. Decidedly upbeat and utterly danceable he and his fellow musicians serve up a dish of red hot blues. And while music isn't a cure, it sure can provide a very welcome distraction in these weird and scary times". The clip was directed by Darren Patton Sr..

It's Tuesday is a self-released single, available as a free download from his website.

» bigharpgeorge.com

HCTF review of It's Tuesday.

Big Harp George: It's Tuesday

photo: Peggy DeRose

During the pandemic the lockdown made it hard to keep track of time. Every day is basically the same. George Bisharat, in his blues guise as singer and chromatic harmonica player Big Harp George, found a way to keep track of time on his new single, It's Tuesday, named after the day of the week when the garbage men come around to pick up the trash. Decidedly upbeat and utterly danceable he and his fellow musicians serve up a dish of red hot blues. And while music isn't a cure, it sure can provide a very welcome distraction in these weird and scary times.

Big Harp George: Living in the City

photo: Peggy DeRose

George Bisharat once again proves that you can turn a former defense attorney and law professor into a swinging, soulful blues man. Living in the City is his fourth album as Big Harp George, singing songs about money (Build Myself An App, Copayment), drugs (Pusher In A White Coat), getting into trouble (First Class Muck Up), and raising hell (Heading Out To Itaipu). His chromatic harmonica is less prominent that on his previous album Uptown Cool, but when he brings it out for the title track, and even more memorable for Try Nice, it truly rips.

He is backed by a beffy of ace musicians - Joe Kyle ( bass), June Core (drums), Ben Torres (sax and flute), Michael Peloquin (sax), Mike Rinta (trombone), Carlos Reyes (Paraguayan har, violin), Firas Zreik (zither/qanun), Doug Rowan (baritone sax). Derrick “D’Mar” Martin (drums) and Loay Dhbour (iique), Amal Murkus (vocals on Meet Me At The Fence). Old school backing vocals are delivered by Lisa Leuschner Andersen, Loralee Christensen, and the Sons of the Soul Revivers (James, Dwayne and Walter Morgan). With a band like that Bisharat can make his dream of fronting of fronting a big band come true. His lyrics are way superior than the run-of-the-mill fodder of love stories and first world problems, making Living in the City an album that the listener can dance too and learn something from as well.

Big Harp George: Uptown Cool

photo: Peggy DeRose

George Bisharat made a living as a defense attorney and professor of law at UC Hastings College of the Law, before living the dream as a blues musician named Big Harp George. He plays a mean chromatic harmonica on his third album Uptown Cool and for his singing he can rely on his experience in the court and class rooms. His timing is spot on and he knows how to tell a story tat can captivate (and convince) and audience. Backed by band that knows how to swing and rock, he can be tongue-inc-cheek when he takes the poss with Alternative Facts or poke fun at virtual relationships in Internet Honey. Make no mistake: he can be tough as well. Go to the defiant Bulletproo to find out.

Uptown Cool is a stylish throwback to the Fifties, an album for blues fans who can handle wordplay, irreverent good-humoured bashing of the powers that be, and the art of good old-fashioned court ship. Big Harp George is not a purist, inserting jazz and bossa nova when it fits the mood of the music. Best enjoyed with a cocktail or a single malt.