Mark Kanter/John Kurgan - The Drifter a Blues Opera [CD]

Here is a review from a local paper on a performance by Mark Kanter; 'Over at Sips Cafe there was a little more breathing and leg room, plus the option of a enjoying a good dinner while listening to their musical act of the week, which I did last Wednesday. Mark Kanter, whom I hadn't heard perform in years, and his new wife Jill were performing, along with a couple of other local guitarists who rotated into the bluesy mix. Kanter is as much a showman as a musician and he sings his classic blues tunes in a classic Sonny Terry or Muddy Waters style sounding like he was born and bred on a sharecropper farm in Alabama or Mississippi, which is a bit disconcerting coming from a six-foot-four or so white guy from the northeast. He does know his stuff, though, and his guitar work and most especially his harmonica playing are terrific.' When I told my wife I wanted to write a blues opera she gave me one of those long slow eye rolls. Believe me, there are far worse things that you can get from a woman than an eye roll. So, I proposed my idea to my friend John, who is a brilliant producer, AND I told him I wanted to write it as we recorded it. He said WTF, let's do it. Thus was born The Drifter. I was aided greatly in my writing by the deadlines my producer (John Kurgan) imposed on me and the think tank sessions with my wife once she came on board. Halfway through the project, I realized that it was as much John's record as mine, and I asked him if he had a problem sharing the credit for the record. The role John played as producer was essential to the outcome. The making of the album was quite an amazing experience for me and working with John was a huge gift. Mark Kanter started playing the blues shortly after hearing The Paul Butterfield Blues Band perform in the 1960's. Mark has been performing the blues ever since both as a solo artist and band leader as well as a sideman (harmonica) on several other projects. He has opened for several national acts including Coco Montoya, E.C. Scott, John Mayall and Eddie Kirkland. He resides in Bar Harbor Maine having moved there from New York City in 1973. John Kurgan has a long musical resume, including a stint touring with Sting. He was one of the members of The Amazing Incredibles, a great all original touring band in the 80's and 90's, which was reminiscent of Dan Hicks and The Hot Licks. He owns his own recording studio, Hungry Goat, which was originally located in New Jersey and is now in Bar Harbor Maine.