The Best Things in Life Are Still Made By Hand by Wabi Down Home Blues Project Band

25 Mar

Written by Lee Prosser
font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Seiji "Wabi" Yuguchi has a talent many listeners may not associate him with. Yuguchi, born in Japan, is a blues harmonica player.

He became interested in blues music at age 20, when he picked up an album called Howling Wolf's "Master Works Vol. 2." The music inspired Yuguchi to leave Japan and move to the United States to learn how to play the blues harmonica.

A Chicago resident since 1989, he has mastered the harmonica and has performed at many festivals and clubs in North America and Europe.

Yuguchi now brings his talent to blues fans with the 13 track album, "The Best Things in Life Are Still Made By Hand." Producing a clean, crisp sound is the Wabi Down Home Blues Project Band. Yuguchi does the vocals and plays the harmonica. Hiroshi Eguchi supplies the sounds of the double bass. Yoshiuyuki Mizuno, Minoru Maruyamma and Tadao Hosonuma taking turns playing the guitar on different tracks. Steve Cushing adds a cool, crisp drumbeat.

With everything to become a star in his own right, Yuguchi brings heartfelt vocals to songs such as "I Can't Hold on Too Long" and "Oh Baby."

"The Best Things in Life Are Still Made by Hand" hold promise.