Seiji "WABI" Yuguchi Profile He is a blues harmonica player.
In 1966, he was born in Osaka, Japan.
When he was 20 years old, he picked up the album called Howling Wolf's "Master Works Vol.2"(P-vine Records) for no reason, then Howling Wolf's performance inspired his to start playing the blues.In 1989, he moved to Chicago in order to master the blues harmonica.
Since then, he has performed at many festivals and clubs in North America and Europe.
Festival he had performed including:
Chicago Blues Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Montreux Jaz Festival, Waterfront Jazz Festival, Texas Blues Festival, Ottawa Blues Festival, Poccono Blues Festival, Toronto Blues Festival, London Blues Festival, Guinness Blues Festival, Burnly Blues Festival, Cambridge Blues Festival, Cannes Jazz Festival, Luzerner Blues Session, etc...., and with the exception of Hawaii and Alaska, most of the blues clubs in the United States.Recently, he is working on his solo project, "Wabi's Down Home Blues Project Band."
He is the first Japanese harmonica player who is endorsed by Hohner USA Inc.He has worked with fine blues men, such as Larry Garner, Hubert Sumlin, Tail Dragger, Sam Lay, Professor Eddie Lusk, etc....
Wabi's Comment :
W'zup. This is Wabi, and I am blues harmonica player.
With the help of Edogawa Slim, I could have had my own spot in cyber space.
I will be happy if we could exchange our information through the internet.Media Quotes :
Japanese harp player, Wabi, who was a real joy for those of us who have become tired of all those hyperactive Walter imitators.
Juke Blues Magazine, No.35 Summer 1996The audience, all gussied-up like Dennis Rodman, gave Wabi a warm reception, in our little town,
David B. Stanton, Dec 1996The shy Japanese harmonica player almost steals the show. Harpman Seiji "wabi" Yuguchi as a tight, sharp .
Ed Ivey, Blues Revue Magazine , April/may 1997Wabi's harmonica blazing.
Mark A Cole, Big City Blues Magazine, Jan 1998Stop-time blues heated up by Seiji Yuguchi's harp squalls.
David Whiteis, Chicago READER, Jan 19 2001Wabi,....a soon-to-be-released CD reveals a fine full bodied harmonica player.
NEWCITY, Feb 22 2001The Boogaloo Blues Band has a harmonica player who is just about as popular as Larry himself everywhere the band performs--Seiji "Wabi" Yuguchi, a young man who came to Chicago from Japan in 1996 to learn how to play blues harmonica from the masters. Within a year Larry had asked Wabi to join his band, and many of Larry's songs are built upon Wabi's harmonica accompaniment.
The album closes with "Nothing But Life" a heartfelt acoustic track featuring some nice harmonica from Seiji "Wabi" Yagachi.
Larry was backed with bass, drums, and Seiji "Wabi" Yuguchi, the Japanese harp player; the same band he had last time I saw him. "Wabi's" harp work is getting pretty good! It was good before, but he is getting _seriously_ good. The fancy white drum kit is gone, replaced by a more standard rig.
Garner's guitar playing is clean without being antiseptic, and Seiji Yuguchi's harmonica is nice, too.
Then there's Seiji Yuguchi on harmonica, who's got everything needed to become a star in his own right.
Wabi urges clear, crisp, beautiful tones from his harp and bullet-mic. His sound is chesty and full and he can ease into high-end vibrato without ever going shrill. He also sings subtle cool leads while the band hooks into solid grooves. They grind out the slow blues desperation of Walter Jacobs' "Can't Hold Out Much Longer", their rendition staggering and kicking with a perfect mixture of rhythm and desperate emotion. Paying homage to James A. Lane, the band covers his "Act Like You Love Me" and then successfully interprets (and reinterprets) "That's All Right", shading the same song in two slightly bluer than the last emotional hues. Yuguchi's sharp harp solos are definitely something to be experienced. Sometimes a little jazzy ("Pretty Baby"), and always sophisticated, Yuguchi is also surprisingly skilled at easy-going blues bounce. Yuguchi easily glides his own "Don't I Know" into new sabi-wabi blues shuffle territory before teasing out an understated and thoroughly essential solo.
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