Harps on Fire

The 100 Men Hall presents Harps on Fire, a harmonica battle starring blues masters Johnny Sansone Band (featuring John Fohl) and Jason Ricci, and The Bad Kind on Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m. This is an Alligator Mike Production. Food will be available for purchase by Beachside, along with the cash/credit bar. 

Johnny Sansone, also known as Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, is an American electric blues singer, songwriter, harmonicist, accordionist, guitarist, and piano player. He was nominated for seven music awards, including a Blues Music Award, which he won. To date, he has been involved in the release the twelve original albums.

The steamroller Johnny Sansone has overwhelmed audiences around the planet with his powerful vocals, sizzling Blues harp, and mastery of his Cajun accordion. A crowd favorite at every venue, Johnny turns out seamless, energetic passion with his spellbinding gumbo of swampy blended Blues and R&B. His bare-knuckle approach is reminiscent of an elder southern prophet who has lived on the hard road and draws his sermon from a deep, dark backwoods well. His performances are pure, unpretentious, and come with a full-grown swagger. Johnny Sansone is the personification of the finest that the New Orleans music scene has to offer.

Jason Ricci is an award-winning and decorated American singer and harmonica player.  In his youth, Jason’s mother brought him to many live Blues shows in his early teens to witness performances of James Cotton, Charlie Musslewhite, Eddie Clearwater, Rod Piazza, Buckwheat Zydeco, Marcia Ball, and many more. After studying at the feet of local New England harmonica players and blues musicians, Jason moved west to Idaho to attend college. In Boise, he found mentorship under Blues Club owner and Hammond B3 player Ken Harris. 

Ricci has appeared as a guest harmonica player on albums with Johnny Winter, Ana Popovic, Joe Louis Walker, Cedric Burnside, Walter Trout, Mike Zito, JP Soars, Nick Moss, Peter Karp, Nick Curran, The Mannish Boys, Too Slim and The Tail Draggers, Walter Trout and many many more. Ricci has toured or professionally played shows with John Fohl, The Iguanas, Damon Fowler, Pappa Mali, Walter Trout, Nick Moss, JP Soars, Mike Zito, Eric Johanson, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Anders Osborne, Joe Krown and more.