Carlos del Junco
Encyclopedia
Carlos del Junco is a renowned Cuban-Canadian harmonica
musician.
Mr. del Junco immigrated with his family when he was one year old. He started to play the harmonica at 14 years old. He graduated from college with honors at the Ontario College of Art majoring in sculpture
.
He specializes in playing the ten hole diatonic harmonica. He was taught to play chromatically by using an "overblow" technique taught to him by Howard Levy
, a jazz virtuoso.
In the 1980s, Mr. del Junco performed with many bands including Latin/Reggae/R&B band "Eyelevel", "Ontario College of Art Swing Band" with Bill Grove and for six years with the rhythm and blues group "The Buzz Upshaw Band".
In 1990, he formed a blues/jazz/fusion band, "The Delcomos" with Kevin Cooke. He also has recorded with Marcel Aymar
, Cassandra Vassick, Oliver Schroer
, and Holly Cole
.
In 1993, he won two gold medals at the Hohner
World Harmonica Championship held in Trossingen
, Germany
. He was judged world's best in both the diatonic blues category and the diatonic jazz category. In November of that year he released his first CD with Bill Kinnear
.
He is currently signed with Toronto's NorthernBlues Music
.
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
musician.
Mr. del Junco immigrated with his family when he was one year old. He started to play the harmonica at 14 years old. He graduated from college with honors at the Ontario College of Art majoring in sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
.
He specializes in playing the ten hole diatonic harmonica. He was taught to play chromatically by using an "overblow" technique taught to him by Howard Levy
Howard Levy
Howard Levy is a Grammy Award–winning, American harmonicist, pianist, composer, and producer....
, a jazz virtuoso.
In the 1980s, Mr. del Junco performed with many bands including Latin/Reggae/R&B band "Eyelevel", "Ontario College of Art Swing Band" with Bill Grove and for six years with the rhythm and blues group "The Buzz Upshaw Band".
In 1990, he formed a blues/jazz/fusion band, "The Delcomos" with Kevin Cooke. He also has recorded with Marcel Aymar
Marcel Aymar
Marcel Aymar is a franco-ontarian singer originally from Baie Sainte-Marie, Nova Scotia. He moved to Sudbury, Ontario in 1972 as a teen and was involved in the popular franco-ontarian group CANO, playing guitar...
, Cassandra Vassick, Oliver Schroer
Oliver Schroer
Oliver Schroer was a Canadian fiddler, composer, and music producer.-Early life:Oliver Schroer grew up in Vandeleur, Ontario, a small crossroads near Markdale in rural Grey County. He attended Grey Highlands Secondary School in Flesherton, where he played French horn in the school band. He also...
, and Holly Cole
Holly Cole
Holly Cole is a Canadian jazz singer, particularly popular in Canada and Japan for both her versatile and distinctive voice, along with her adventurous repertoire, which spans such divergent genres as show tunes, rock, and country music.-Holly Cole Trio:In 1983, Cole travelled to Toronto to seek a...
.
In 1993, he won two gold medals at the Hohner
Hohner
Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a company specialising in the manufacture of musical instruments. Founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner , Hohner is identified especially with harmonicas and accordions. The Hohner company has invented and produced many different styles, and most of the...
World Harmonica Championship held in Trossingen
Trossingen
Trossingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in a region called Baar, between the Swabian Alb and the Black Forest. Stuttgart is about an hour away, Lake Constance about half an hour, and the source of the river Danube can be reached in about twenty minutes by car.Trossingen...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was judged world's best in both the diatonic blues category and the diatonic jazz category. In November of that year he released his first CD with Bill Kinnear
Bill Kinnear
William George Kinnear was an Australian sportsman who represented Victoria at first-class cricket and played Australian rules football with Essendon in the Victorian Football League ....
.
He is currently signed with Toronto's NorthernBlues Music
NorthernBlues Music
NorthernBlues Music is a Canadian independent record label, which specializes in blues music. The label was established in 2001, and a number of its artists and albums have since been nominated for and won Blues Music Awards...
.
Discography
| Date of release | Title | Artist |
| 1993 | Blues (CD) | Bill Kinnear & Carlos del Junco |
| 1995 | Big Road Blues (CD) | Thom "Champagne Charlie" Roberts & Carlos del Junco |
| 1996 | Just Your Fool (CD) | The Carlos del Junco Band |
| 1999 | Big Boy (CD) | Carlos del Junco |
| 2001 | Up And At 'Em (CD) | Carlos del Junco |
| 2005 | Blues Mongrel (CD) | Carlos del Junco |
| 2008 | Steady movin'(CD) | Carlos del Junco |
| 2011 | Mongrel Mash(CD) | Carlos del Junco |
| 2008 | AA.VV. The Future Of The Blues: Vol. II (CD) | One song of Carlos del Junco 'Blues with a feeling' |
| 2008 | AA.VV. The Future Of The Blues: Vol. III (CD) | One song of Carlos del Junco 'Diddle it' |