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.