1 	Slow And Easy 	5:03
2 	Welfare Shoes Blues 	4:26
3 	Guilty 	8:14
4 	Hey Detroit 	3:27
5 	Mean And Evil 	5:00
6 	I Heard You Was At The Casino 	7:29
7 	Champagne 	5:06
8 	Baby, Scratch My Back 	3:57
9 	Bumpity Bump 	5:18
10 	Crying Michigan Tears 	6:09
11 	Tell It To Your Landlord 	3:39
12 	Someday 	8:57

Harmonica Shah - Harmonica, Vocals 
Howard Glazer - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Producer 
Charlie Stuart - Drums 

I like my blues raw, down in the dirt making love with it states Harmonica Shaw, and that's just what the Detroit bluesman delivers on this, his blistering Electro-Fi debut recording. The CD contains 67 minutes of musical molten lava combining his hard driving harp and vocals with partner Howard Glazer's muscular yet graceful guitar work, supported by a "back to the wall" Motor City rhythm section. ---Editorial Reviews

Just ask the Motor City's Harmonica Shah how he likes his blues and he'll tell you plain and simple that his preference is down and dirty, he doesn't like it clean. With blues having become more acceptable and palatable over time, we're generally left with an over-produced, multi-tracked, watered down, antiseptic outcome, thus lacking any of the real feeling it might have had to begin with. Fear not... Harmonica Shah stands as a beacon in an otherwise dark sky. Recorded at Bleed Thru Studios in Dearborn, Michigan, Tell It To Your Landlord is as raw and nasty as it comes and follows suit with the artist's previous work. The leadoff track, Slow And Easy is a romping uptown shuffle with an abundance of grease that propels the groove and enough grit to set the stage for what's coming. Shah's harp and vocals are in the alley here and throughout the rest of the set, but particularly strong on Welfare Shoes Blues, I Heard You Was At The Casino, and Crying Michigan Tears while the title track is a funked-up instrumental slammer with exceptional blowing. Howard Glazer's guitar work is solid from start to finish and he keeps it on track by avoiding the pitfalls of less experienced players, and a special nod is due for his work in not actually doing what we've come to expect from a "record producer." If you prefer your blues with any production values at all, you'd do well to steer clear of this, but if you like it lowdown, stumbling, and dragging in the gutter, this will become a gem in your collection. Harmonica Shah might not win any awards as instrumentalist or vocalist of the year, but his decision to keep it crude and rude makes more sense than most will realize. The standout is the closer, Someday with its on-target lyrics, devil-may-care approach, and crackling simplicity. ---Craig Ruskey, mnblues.com

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01. All My Kids Is Ugly - 5:20
02. Shake It Mama, On Down The Street - 5:02
03. Short Haired Woman - 6:24
04. I'm Gonna Miss You Like The Devil - 3:56
05. Her Eyes Turn Green As Grass - 7:02
06. Havin' Nothing Don't Bother Me - 5:41
07. Worried Life Blues - 3:27
08. Honey, I Ran Out Of Lies - 4:49
09. Undercover Millionaire - 3:56
10. Blind Man Cryin' In The Middle Of Detroit - 4:52
11. Doctor Baker's Blues - 4:47
12. Death Bell Tollin' - 10:07

Bucky Berger - Drums, Percussion, Timpani
Jack de Keyzer - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Julian Fauth - Piano, Vocals
Alec Fraser - Mixing, Percussion
Harmonica Shah - Harmonica, Vocals

Detroit's premier bluesman Harmonica Shaw is back with another deep down Motor City Blues classic. The city may be bankrupt, but Harmonica Shah has never sounded better as he dedicates these 12 new topical Blues to the proud and unvanquished citizens of the Motor City. Wonderfully supported by guitar ace Jack De Keyzer (Ronnie Hawkins, King Biscuit Boy) and Juno Award winning pianist Julian Fauth, who duets with Shah on two memorable tracks, Havin' Nothin' Don't Bother Me is Detroit Blues music as up to date and real as it gets. ---Editorial Reviews

Harmonica Shah is from Detroit and has released half-dozen studio and live discs since 2000, he isn't the world's greatest harp player or singer but this record is nice, unpretentious, authentic urban blues that really swings. Shah is backed by the excellent guitarist Jack de Keyzer, Canadian pianist Julian Fauth and drummer Bucky Berger. Alec Fraser produces with a straight-forward, no-nonsense approach which lets the music speak for itself and he gets a good sound on Shah's harp and on Keyzer's guitar. Apart from "Worried life blues" (where Shah shares the vocals with Fauth) the songs are all `originals', albeit with a familiar ring to many of them - for example the title track is a "Rock me baby" retread. Nevertheless this is an enjoyable album of raw 50s-style blues with really nice guitar and piano that seem to inspire Harmonica Shah onto greater heights. --- G. E. Harrison, amazon.com

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01 – Short Haired Woman [00:07:16]
02 – Good Morning Little Schoolgirl [00:03:29]
03 – What’s On Your Mind [00:04:30]
04 – Ship Made Of Paper (Alternative Version) [00:05:20]
05 – Miss Ida Bea [00:05:19]
06 – It Shouldn’t Be That Way (Alternative Version) [00:02:50]
07 – Long Distance Call [00:02:42]
08 – I Want To Love You Baby [00:04:26]
09 – Ship Made Of Paper [00:05:46]
10 – Miss Ida Bea (Alternative Version) [00:03:55]
11 – It Shouldn’t Be That Way [00:02:50]	

Harmonica Shah’s roots are planted firmly in three pivotal blues regions. The West Coast, where he was born in Oakland, CA. on March 31, 1946. The Texas badlands, where he spent time in his youth with his grandfather, guitarist/harpist Sam Dawson (whom Alan Lomax recorded) and his equally beloved and despised adopted hometown of the Motor City, deep in the industrial heartland. His beautician mother, set him up as a JET magazine salesman in the late 1950’s, which opened up both the doors of Oakland’s bars and clubs and the enterpising young Shah’s ears to the music of Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, Juke Boy Bonner and Big Mama Thornton, all of whom he found behind those doors.

Shah credits his love of hard blues to his grandfather who farmed his own land with a mule named Stonewall, as he recalled to Scott Barretta in Living Blues “Well see I picked it up from him, he’d be out in the fields singin’ all that (Sings in a slow moan) “Tell me how long, whoa, tell me how long it’s been since you’ve been away from home” Well, that’s raw! That’s a big damn difference from “Good Golly Miss Molly”. At 17, given the choice between time inside and the Job Corps, Shah signed on the dotted line and was soon stationed in Battle Creek, Michigan. For the first time Shah could take in the sights and sounds of traveling Chicago Blues bands like J.B. Hutto and Buddy Guy. A permanent move to Detroit led to a 10 year stretch as a shop rat at Ford Motors, where Shah wracked up an impressive 150 medical leaves of absence before a parting of ways with the automaker. Now celebrating the bicentennial amongst the unemployed, Shah was inspired by a street musician named Little Bobby to purchase a pawn shop harp and begin a serious study of the Blues. His timing couldn’t have been better as Detroit was then as now a city rich in blues talent. Bobo Jenkins, Eddie Burns, Robert Richard, Little Sonny, the Butler Twins and Little Junior Cannaday all plied their trade in the Motor City. While driving for Checker Cab, Shah was introduced to guitarist Peter Rabbitt, who brought him to the legendary jam sessions held at Uncle Jesse White’s house. “Hell, that was it, no turning back then” Shah recalls. ---Andrew Galloway, electrofi.com

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01 – Your Baby She Sure Ain’t Like Mine [00:07:39]
02 – Checkin’ On My Baby Caledonia [00:05:40]
03 – The Goat [00:04:06]
04 – If You Give Love [00:04:58]
05 – Goin’ To Kansas City [00:03:55]
06 – I Just Want To Make Love To You [00:05:35]
07 – Keep On Lovin’ Her Now [00:04:07]
08 – Key To The Highway [00:05:24]
09 – Dun Made My Getaway (Alternative Take) [00:04:45]
10 – Two Headed Woman [00:03:40]
11 – Woman Let It Groove (Alternative Take) [00:03:22]
12 – Boom Boom [00:03:40]

Detroit's premier bluesman Harmonica Shaw is back with another deep down Motor City Blues classic. The city may be bankrupt, but Harmonica Shah has never sounded better as he dedicates these 12 new topical Blues to the proud and unvanquished citizens of the Motor City. -- about.pricegrabber.com

Harmonica Shah’s roots are planted firmly in three pivotal blues regions. The West Coast, where he was born in Oakland, CA. on March 31, 1946. The Texas badlands, where he spent time in his youth with his grandfather, guitarist/harpist Sam Dawson (whom Alan Lomax recorded) and his equally beloved and despised adopted hometown of the Motor City, deep in the industrial heartland. His beautician mother, set him up as a JET magazine salesman in the late 1950’s, which opened up both the doors of Oakland’s bars and clubs and the enterpising young Shah’s ears to the music of Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, Juke Boy Bonner and Big Mama Thornton, all of whom he found behind those doors. --- reverbnation.com

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1. The Life Of Every Party [4:59]
2. Standing In The Cold Rain [5:06]
3. Dirty Greasy Work [5:54]
4. Bullets Don't Care [4:22]
5. I've Got To Help My Own Damn Self [5:14]
6. Mister, I Don't Care [4:46]
7. Lies, Lies, Lies [4:33]                play
8. Motor City Confidential [7:21]
9. The Twelve Year Old Boy [5:18]
10. Detroit Jump [4:08]
11. I Wish A Theif Would Steal All My Burdens And Pain [4:21]
12. Lonesome Graveyard Blues [5:22]       play

Personnel:
Harmonica Shah (vocals, harmonica); 
Mel Brown (guitar); 
Jack DeKeyzer (electric guitar); 
Julian Fauth (piano); 
Alec Fraser (acoustic bass, electric bass); 
Bob Vespaziani, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (drums).

Born in California, Shah also spent time in Somerville, Texas, with his blues harmonica and guitar playing grandfather, Sam Dawson. Dawson had recorded for both Alan Lomax and Duke Records. His mother, a beautician, encouraged him to be a salesman for Jet magazine in the latter part of the 1950s. This allowed Shah access to Oakland's bars and clubs, where he heard musicians such as Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, Juke Boy Bonner and Big Mama Thornton.

Shah told Living Blues magazine that his grandfather's passion for the blues inspired him. "Well see I picked it up from him, he'd be out in the fields singin' all that (sings in a slow moan) 'Tell me how long, whoa, tell me how long it's been since you've been away from home' Well, that's raw! That's a big damn difference from 'Good Golly Miss Molly'".

He moved to Detroit in 1967, and worked for Ford Motors for fifteen years. Shah bought himself a cheap harmonica in 1976 and, while operating as a taxicab driver, Shah was introduced to local blues jam sessions. "Hell, that was it, no turning back then", Shah recalled.

Over the years, Shah has played alongside Bobo Jenkins, Eddie Kirkland, The Butler Twins and Willie D. Warren. His debut album, Motor City Mojo was released by Blue Suit Records in 2000.

His 2006 album, Listen at Me Good, was recorded in Toronto, and included contributions from the Blues Music Award winners Mel Brown on guitar, and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith playing the drums.

He has toured across the United States, as well as in Europe, Russia, Japan and Australia. Closer to his roots, Shah still occasionally performs for free at John's Carpet House in East Detroit. He legally changed his birth name to Seward Shah. Shah's most recent release was the 2009 album, If All You Have Is a Hammer, on his current record label, Electro-Fi Records.

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01 Out On The Highway
02 I Wonder Why?
03 Bumble Bee Man
04 Nasty Brown Bat
05 I've Got A Woman Black As Midnight Gold
06 Stranded In Detroit
07 Every Goodbye Ain't Gone
08 If You Don't Leave, I'll Get Somebody Who Will
09 Blues For Ford, Chrysler and G.M.
10 Don't You Feel Like A Dog Covered In Fleas
11 Boom Boom
12 Duke and Queen Blues
13 Cryin' Won't Help Me Now

Harmonica Shah (vocals, harmonica); 
Jack de Keyzer (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); 
Alec Fraser (bass);
Julian Fauth (piano); 
Al Cross (drums).

Harmonica Shah’s roots are planted firmly in three pivotal blues regions. The West Coast, where he was born in Oakland, CA. on March 31, 1946. The Texas badlands, where he spent time in his youth with his grandfather, guitarist/harpist Sam Dawson (whom Alan Lomax recorded) and his equally beloved and despised adopted hometown of the Motor City, deep in the industrial heartland. His beautician mother, set him up as a JET magazine salesman in the late 1950’s, which opened up both the doors of Oakland’s bars and clubs and the enterpising young Shah’s ears to the music of Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, Juke Boy Bonner and Big Mama Thornton, all of whom he found behind those doors. --- reverbnation.com

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1. Dun Made My Getaway - 4:28
2. Flat Down On My Back - 4:07
3. Bloodstains Upside The Wall - 4:58
4. Mellow Down Easy - 4:41
5. What's On Your Mind - 5:33
6. Woman Let It Groove - 3:29        play
7. Don't Kick Me To The Curb - 4:27
8. Born Blind - 3:58                 play
9. Do You Remember - 4:40
10. Once upon A Time - 6:51
11. Repo Man - 4:46


Harmonica Shah - Harmonica, Vocals
Howard Glazer - Guitars
Matt Stahl - Drums
Gary Rasmussen, Scott Gatteno, Lou Wilson – Bass

Well-known Midwestern harp master presents down-home Chicago-style blues in the spirit of Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson, backed by a hard-driving blues band.

If you are a fan of blues, this is a record you must have. It has all the elements, very classy, simple and cool. This is the music you can just chill out too, or play cards too, or whatever too. a GREAT blues album non-stop. There is not a bad song on this cd. A friend of mine burned a copy for me, after i heard it I had to buy the original. I cant really say it sounds like someone else, because it doesn't, it's pure shah, as close as.

Deep Detroit is the kind of recording rarely heard today—straight blues. It will cure whatever ails you. Their blues contain no overdubs and no second chances, so what you hear is authentic—raw energy and drive, the real thing, the blues.

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