Although he has studied the harmonica masters, especially Big Walter Horton, DeFord Bailey, Slim Harpo, and Sonny Terry, Rich Rittenhouse has developed a melodic style of his own. In his music, Rich (photo by Harry Turner) delivers an emotional sweetness at times, and the hornlike Chicago sound when absolutely necessary.
Playing music with the incredible, but elusive, fingerstyle blues guitarist/singer Jimmy Polis for several years gave Rich a solid foundation on which to develop a range of expressiveness within the country blues and piedmont blues traditions.
In 1998, the “coalfield bluesman”, Mr. Nat Reese invited Rich to accompany him, playing private parties, clubs, and festivals. Being on the receiving end of seven decades of Nat’s experiences and stories added another dimension, of times and places, and some swing to Rich’s style. He feels fortunate that he still appears on stage with Nat occasionally. Recently the two played at the Appalachian Folklife Center Blues and Jazz Festival, and again at Radford University’s Parent’s Day Festival.
In another recent project Rich put the “Mississippi saxophone” sound into the four piece band: Scott Perry & The Rhythm Kings, performing a range of styles from Taj Mahal to Slim Harpo to Louis Jordan to the great Muddy Waters.
Rich also played music with “Broke & Hungry”, an acoustic blues duo with the seasoned slide guitar player/singer Scott Perry. With Scott, he has opened for Big Bill Morganfield, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, Roy Bookbinder, Paul Geremia, and Ann Rabson.
A recent past project was session work to record some sweet harmonica for Carla...check out the sound samples at the link below. Scroll down to the song "Everyday", and click on Preview:
http://www.efolkmusic.com/ViewArtist.asp?Artist=Carla
Recently Rich played at the Montgomery County Museum, The Club, and Radford University's Appalachian Awareness Day with Robert Filippi, the great luthier and bluesman!
Currently he is teaching harmonica, working a day job for spending money, and performing with Bill Smith as part of the Chicago-style blues duo Chickenwings & Gravy!
Contact me to play harmonica parts on your next gig or recording project. I can play sweet background harp lines, or that right-in-your-face Mississippi saxophone Chicago harmonica sound.
And if today's your birthday, click here.
Oh, and if you want to hear where the real musical talent is in my family, listen here for a bit of my wife Faythe's singing. The words are from Luke 1:46-55.
