User:Blueswatcher

JOHN O'LEARY,(harmonica player; born 1944, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, Ireland) was a one of the earliest blues harmonica players in the UK. The son of a British Merchant Navy seaman, John was brought to England in 1955 where his family finally settled. In 1962 he heard blues harp player Cyril Davies with Alexis Korner's Blues Inc., and learned to play by listening and watching Davies. Although he has developed an individual style, it is loosely based on that of Junior Wells and contemporary Paul Butterfield.

John's career began in 1965-66 as a founder member of Savoy Brown's Blues Band. Over four decades of playing music has seen his involvement with numerous bands and musicians including The John Dummer Blues Band (1967-69), Sweet Pain (1969), Champion Jack Dupree (1968-69), Brunning-Hall Sunflower Blues Band (1972), The Famous Bluesblasters (1978-83), Mainsqueeze (1983-84), folk singer Donovan, guitarist Eric Bell, saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith and bass player Noel Redding.

Following a brief appearance at the final Bishopstock Music Festival he relaunced his career with the release of the CD '''"As Blue As I Can Be" (2002) and the subesequent formation of The John O'Leary Band</B>. He has since released another CD <b>"Sins"</B>. In 2007, he joined veteran rockers <b>The Downliners Sect'''. In recent years, he has performed in both Europe and the UK and appeared at major festivals such as The Great British R&B Festival at Colne, The Banbury Blues Festival, Maryport Blues Festival, More Fine Music Festival (Belgium), The Larmertree Festival, Tenby Blues Festival, Bishopstock, Cambridge Rock Festival, Dundee Blues Bonanza, Bugab Blues Festival (Belgium. In addition to touring and recording with both The John O'Leary Band</B> and <b>The Downliners Sect</B>, he has become an important link and presenter of the annual concerts to honor the memory of the late Chicago blues legends <b>Junior Wells</B> and <b>Muddy Waters.

<B>Discography</B>
<I>Savoy Brown - I Tried/I Can't Quit You Baby - Purdah 45 Savoy Brown - Blues Anytime Vol 1 - Immediate LP Savoy Brown - Blues Anytime Vol.2 - Immediate LP John Dummer Blues Band - Forty Day & 40 Nights/Travelling Man - Mercury 45 John Dummer Blues Band - Cabal - Mercury LP Sweet Pain - Sweet Pain - Mercury LP Various - Blues Package '69 - Mercury LP Champion Jack Dupree - The Heart of The Blues Is Sound - Byg LP Brunning/Hall Sunflower Blues Band - Gemini LP Mainsqueeze - Live at Ronnie Scotts - Expulsion LP Mainsqueeze - Live from Radio Bremen - Download only John O'Leary & Pointblank Blues Band - As Blues As I Can Be - ITMMCD Pointblank Blues Band - Blue Deal - ITMM CD Pointblank Blues Band - Eight Blue Balls - PGP CD John O'Leary Band - Sins - JOLCD Dave Walker - Mostly Sonny Boy - Moorland Street CD Various - The Yardbirds Family Tree - Moorland Street CD Three State Blues Band - Deep South - Locomoto CD Roadhouse & Friends - Blues Matters CD Various - Roots'n'Conn-EX-tions - Siren CD Various - A History of UK Blues & R'n'B 1955-2001 - Universal Box Set Various - White Boy Blues The Downliners Sect due in 2009</I>

External sources
(http:/www.johnolearyb.com)John O'Leary (http:/www.savoybrown.com)Savoy Brown (http:/pointblank.rs)Pointblank Blues Band (www.ericbellband.com)Eric Bell Band