John Clifton - Too Much To Pay (2024) [CD Rip]

In the Late 1980’s Harmonica ace John Clifton founded The MoFo Party Band with his brother Bill. They released their debut recording “Call The Doctor” in 1999. The album was named one of the new West Coast Blues Recordings and made numerous “Best” lists. In 2006 they followed with both “The Sound of The Mofo Party Band” and “Voodoo Dolls & Jungle Drums”. Their fourth album “Low Down” was released in 2010.

Clifton has been featured numerous times with Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Blowouts and has played onstage with harmonica icons James Cotton, Billy Boy Arnold, Rod Piazza, James Harman and Kim Wilson. He has also played with Luther Tucker, Tommy Castro, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Huey Lewis. He also appeared on Big Bill Morganfield’s album “Bloodstains On The Wall. Formerly on Rip Cat Records he now records for Flower Records.

Formerly Clifton mixed selected covers with originals. On “Too Much To Pay” Clifton gives us ten new originals, three co-written with Roger Perry. Clifton, vocals, harmonica and acoustic guitar is joined by the Poish R&B boogie band The Boogie Boys, included are Piotr Bienkiewicz, electric guitar; Bartek Szopinski, Piano and Hammond organ; Janusz Brezinski, Bass; and Milosz Szulkowski, Drums.

The album was recorded in Warsaw Poland and mixed at Wolfsound Audio in Fresno, California. Highlights include the title track, “Long Gone Mama”, “Every Waking Hour”, “Broke Down Fool” and “Swear To God I Do”. In fact every track is a gem.