7 March 2025.-- We just uploaded 2 more original tunes from our Studio M sessions album. Mark Simonsen captured some very cool tones helping us make our new music sound old (which we absolutely love !!).
"I'm That Man" by Harmonica Bob and "She's My Baby" by Near Blind James -- hope you like them !! And next Saturday March 15 we will kick off our 2025 schedule at Nash Street Tavern in Hillsborough -- hoping to see you soon at one of our upcoming shows
2 March 2021 -- Just before Covid shut down live music last year, we were in the studio recording some new tunes. With producer and engineer Mark Simonsen at Studio M in Durham, we cut a bunch of new tracks -- both as the duo and as The Jive Bombers with Minister John Dengler on drums and cajon. We're super excited to start uploading our original material here. First track is a Harmonica Bob song titled "Blast Off" -- an homage to the halcyon days of 1970's era space travel. We hope you dig it !! (Insert joke about it being "far out" here)
March 2018 -- Near Blind James and Harmonica Bob are extra happy to announce new members !!! Minister John (John Dengler) has been playing with us for about a year now. John plays a Slap Top Cajon but also a unique hybrid drum kit of snare, hi-hat, Roto-Toms, cymbal, tambourine and Meinl Bass Box. His beats can be driving, syncopated riffs or light and swingy -- whatever the song and style call for John has the chops for that. John's wife Kim Dengler also joins in singing on a number of new tunes. Her voice is amazing whether singing melody or adding layers of harmony that are always spot on. Collectively we perform as The Jive Bombers -- and you can find out more on our Facebook page -- https://www.facebook.com/thejivebombersband/
Near Blind James (James Shoe) and Harmonica Bob (Robert Waldrop) have been playing blues together for over 35 years. Originally from Greenville, NC, they play a variety of blues styles but focus on Piedmont and Ragtime styles, which originated in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Piedmont blues were strongest in the 1930’s and 1940’s, prior to the amplified blues style commonly played now. Many of the artists they emulate lived and played in and around Durham. These include Blind Boy Fuller, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee and Reverend Gary Davis. Near Blind and Bob also throw in a dose of Hokum, Rockabilly, Georgia Blues, Gospel (not quite what you might be used to), Delta Blues and whatever else makes them happy.
James has been playing metal-bodied dobro and guitar in the finger-picked style of Piedmont blues since he was 12 and helped Bob to get hooked on Blues music in the late 70’s. Bob “The Human PA System” as James occasionally refers to him, plays harmonica (obviously) and they both sing, often on-key and occasionally in harmony! Near Blind James and Harmonica Bob have performed at most every local club that features blues – Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse, The Cave, 42nd Street Oyster Bar, The Roost, The ArtsCenter, Pittsboro Roadhouse, and Broad Street Cafe are examples. They have appeared at music festivals such as The Haw River Music Festival, ArtsPlosure, Carrboro Music Festival, Apple Chill, Pittsboro Street Fair and many others. They have recorded and/or shared the stage with Reverend Billy Wirtz, Bo Diddley, Big Boy Henry, Nappy Brown, Bob Margolin, Billy Preston and John Dee Holman to mention a few. Bob allows that “The only jobs we haven’t played are a Bar or Bat Mitzvah and we’re looking for those now if anyone’s interested “. They play what they mean and mean what they play. Sure to please.
