I have known Rick for over forty-five years and he has Never sounded better than he does today! He has become his own man with a unique style! Keep playing your song brother.
I saw these guys do this at Harper's Ferry in Boston in 1990 or so. I saw Jerry walk by our booth, and I said, "Hey, aren't you Jerry Portnoy?" He said, "Yes! Buy me a drink." So he sat down and I bought him a few glasses of cognac. He was pretty ripped by the time Rick Estrin called him up to play. Jerry honestly didn't wan to, but he did and boy did he play, shitfaced and all. After the set, Jerry came back to our table, with Rick and Charlie Baty. I bought them all drinks. One of my best music memories ever!
+Crazy Jose Yeah, Jerry quit drinkin' a while back. Been trying to get him to quit smoking too, but hey, one thing at a time. He'll go down in history as one of the best all-time players. He has the fattest tone of anyone I've ever heard. It's an honor to call him my teacher.
holy crow! i do believe i was there.....help me if you would...WHAT was the name of The Ferry before it was the Ferry>? i lived on Comm Ave (and there should be a cement path from the old Bunratty's to Father's as i lived there also!)how i survived those daze i will never know) almost at the corner of Comm and Harvard Ave (ROACH-VILLE USA!) i was somehow invited to Portnoy's 60th birthday party/show either at the hotel in the Sq or the one over by the Charles river-near the Pike and by then i had sobered up---from what i heard Ronnie Earl and Portnoy were having some kinda s__t and he wasnt invited...i remember a-lot of Zoot Suits, and somewhere in my junk i have a harp signed by Portnoy and Estrin(THE biggest pompadour i have ever seen!)....any who-somewhere if you wanna read a funny story about me and Pinetop Perkins at Nightstage...i think its on a reply on Piney's page...peace!
Hey Richard Day, you got that right. Jay Hansen, Kid Anderson and Lorenzo Ferral constitute one of the best Blues bands working anywhere in the world today. Having Rick out front is just icing on that Blues cake!
We sat at Chan’s one night back 08 looking at an empty stage at 5 minutes of 8 these guys roll in set up Jerry takes the stage and says enough of this nonsense and just rips right into the blues it was a killer night of blues
Ran into Jerry Portnoy in Monterey California one night the next day there was a lesson given in the hotel room uses a lot of tongue blocking but he plays straight notes as well it's about manipulating air that's what he said
Hey Prez Walter Jacobs, I can tell you this re: Jerry and tongue blocking. Many years ago he told me that he likes the support he gets from blocking notes. Doing so allows him the freedom, and confidence, of knowing they're there if needed. That said, I don't think I would say that he "blocks everything on the harp". I guess if he did that we'd never hear a note.
Like all great harp players Jerry is an extremely diverse player. I took lessons from him a while back and was blown away not only by his playing, but by his breadth and depth of understanding of the instrument. He does not “play” the harmonica. He speaks a language that was written many years ago by the greats like Little Walter, J. Bird Coleman, etc. They actually spoke “words” like Hutah, Hetah, TaDo, Kah, Kahtah. These are words we would understand, but listen carefully to Jerry’s playing and you’ll understand what I’m saying. Once you hear this you’ll never unhear it. It’s like turning on a bright light in a dark room. I tried to get his language down, but must say that much like learning French, I had difficulty learning to play the way he does. He did give me so many other gifts, however. My vibrato received high praise from him, which was the best gift ever. I hold Jerry in the highest of esteem, as I do Rick Estrin. Together these two monster players define the word “TONE”.
Jerry and Rick ; the true American Legends ❤️❤️ with a big BOW from Sweden 🙇🏻♂️🙇🏻♂️🙇🏻♂️🙇🏻♂️🙇🏻♂️
As a harmonica player this is something to be savored. Two greats playing great blues together. Rest of the band is totally awesome also.
So so agree
Jerry is my favourite player.He playing with soul,not rushing and unnecessary complicated! Pozdrav iz Srbije😮
Ja isto
I have known Rick for over forty-five years and he has Never sounded better than he does today!
He has become his own man
with a unique style!
Keep playing your song brother.
Lance Hoffman apparently you haven’t heard good blues harmonica players these guys might’ve been good before but they sound like crap now
No doubt Lance, I just saw Rick and the Nighcats at a blues festival and they were fantastic!
Extremely gorgeous!
I saw these guys do this at Harper's Ferry in Boston in 1990 or so. I saw Jerry walk by our booth, and I said, "Hey, aren't you Jerry Portnoy?" He said, "Yes! Buy me a drink." So he sat down and I bought him a few glasses of cognac. He was pretty ripped by the time Rick Estrin called him up to play. Jerry honestly didn't wan to, but he did and boy did he play, shitfaced and all. After the set, Jerry came back to our table, with Rick and Charlie Baty. I bought them all drinks. One of my best music memories ever!
+Crazy Jose Yeah, Jerry quit drinkin' a while back. Been trying to get him to quit smoking too, but hey, one thing at a time. He'll go down in history as one of the best all-time players. He has the fattest tone of anyone I've ever heard. It's an honor to call him my teacher.
holy crow! i do believe i was there.....help me if you would...WHAT was the name of The Ferry before it was the Ferry>? i lived on Comm Ave (and there should be a cement path from the old Bunratty's to Father's as i lived there also!)how i survived those daze i will never know) almost at the corner of Comm and Harvard Ave (ROACH-VILLE USA!) i was somehow invited to Portnoy's 60th birthday party/show either at the hotel in the Sq or the one over by the Charles river-near the Pike and by then i had sobered up---from what i heard Ronnie Earl and Portnoy were having some kinda s__t and he wasnt invited...i remember a-lot of Zoot Suits, and somewhere in my junk i have a harp signed by Portnoy and Estrin(THE biggest pompadour i have ever seen!)....any who-somewhere if you wanna read a funny story about me and Pinetop Perkins at Nightstage...i think its on a reply on Piney's page...peace!
Such great moments .
Thank you !🎉
Rick and Jerry and a great band backing them up. Thanks
Hey Richard Day, you got that right. Jay Hansen, Kid Anderson and Lorenzo Ferral constitute one of the best Blues bands working anywhere in the world today. Having Rick out front is just icing on that Blues cake!
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats now have D’Mar on drums. D’Mar is 10,000% high energy.
2 GREATS with a band to match
Awesome thanks for this, from Scotland 💙
jerry with muddy. he was at the right place at the right time. & the rest is history. as for rick, he's fantastic too.
ja das sind zwei Meister auf der Bühne , ehrlich kraftvoll und einfach klasse.......
We sat at Chan’s one night back 08 looking at an empty stage at 5 minutes of 8 these guys roll in set up Jerry takes the stage and says enough of this nonsense and just rips right into the blues it was a killer night of blues
0:34
In my opinion, this is unsurpassed !
Great feel! Must have been a memorable show!
Sweet❤️
Magic blues,,,
ECCELLENZA...Straordinario..Fantastico!
fantastyczne!!!
Awesome !
Thanks for the upload!
Ottimo bravissimo
loved it!
Yes Yes Yes Brilliant harp playing ✌️♥️
esses caras são demais!
Estrin is deeply in the Groove !
great stuff
Harp players take note how Estrin's tone was completely different than Portnoy's playing through the same rig. Its all in the player!
Yes it is
MASTERS. Nuff said.
Must have been sweet playing together....
Ran into Jerry Portnoy in Monterey California one night the next day there was a lesson given in the hotel room uses a lot of tongue blocking but he plays straight notes as well it's about manipulating air that's what he said
That’s all it is. Some are better manipulators than others! LOL
Hey Prez Walter Jacobs, I can tell you this re: Jerry and tongue blocking. Many years ago he told me that he likes the support he gets from blocking notes. Doing so allows him the freedom, and confidence, of knowing they're there if needed. That said, I don't think I would say that he "blocks everything on the harp". I guess if he did that we'd never hear a note.
Like all great harp players Jerry is an extremely diverse player. I took lessons from him a while back and was blown away not only by his playing, but by his breadth and depth of understanding of the instrument. He does not “play” the harmonica. He speaks a language that was written many years ago by the greats like Little Walter, J. Bird Coleman, etc. They actually spoke “words” like Hutah, Hetah, TaDo, Kah, Kahtah. These are words we would understand, but listen carefully to Jerry’s playing and you’ll understand what I’m saying. Once you hear this you’ll never unhear it. It’s like turning on a bright light in a dark room. I tried to get his language down, but must say that much like learning French, I had difficulty learning to play the way he does. He did give me so many other gifts, however. My vibrato received high praise from him, which was the best gift ever. I hold Jerry in the highest of esteem, as I do Rick Estrin. Together these two monster players define the word “TONE”.
Rick Is one hella COOL HARP PLAYER steve venegas
i hav seen rick many times at bisquet n blues in san fran hes a GREAT HARP PLAYER n hes a nice guy to i hav his autograph
RICK RULES.
Totally mad shit.
I love it!!
Agreed. No two better players on the planet
Portnoy ftw.
Cartón piedra
Dirty dirty sound and oh so beautiful to dig, simply put Jerry's a bit tasty. 🎵👌
I remember when Jerry Portnoy was the best now as he got older he sounds terrible
Seriously? FYI we all get old and as we age we make adjustments. To say that Portnoy “sounds terrible” shows how little you know about tone.