Harmonicats Selected Favorites

 

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Harmonicats Selected Favorites

Jerry Murad's Harmonicats

Mercury Record MG 20074

1955

From the back cover: The proof of the pudding is in the eating. And the proof of good music is in the listening. Mercury Records takes great pleasure in presenting a gourmet's delight served up by Jerry Murad and his Harmonicats. There as a time in the history of American music when the harmonica was considered less of a musical instrument than it was a toy. The versatile Harmonicats, under the leadership of Jerry Murad, have raised the lowly harmonica to a well-established place among such other musical instruments as the saxophone and trumpet. The Harmonicats, through their success, were one of the first in their field to be called into the musician's union. This request was made by the president of the union himself, James C. Petrillo.

From Istanbul, Turkey, to Chicago, Illinois, is a long way – both literally and geographically. Jerry made the trip with his parents at the tender age of six, and considers Chicago his home town, although his music is as popular in the place of his birth as it is here in the United States. One recording alone, the great standard, "Peg O' My Heart", has sold more than two million copies and brought back a world-wide revival of the harmonica.

Murad was never one to kid around about music. He has been a perfectionist, or at least striving for perfection, since his dad presented him with his first mouth organ. Jerry's enthusiasm for perfection was recognized by the great Borah Minnevitch, who hired him to tour with his world-famous Harmonica Rascals. After several years with Minnevitch, he decided to go on his own and chose Chicago for his opening night. It wasn't long before Murad was the toast of the town. A Mercury Recording contract followed, and with it came "Peg O' My Heart". The rest, of course, is history, and a string of other disc hits, synonomized the name of Jerry Murad with the harmonica.

From Billboard - October 29, 1955: Ever since their big recording success with "Peg O' My Heart," this group has had its share of the entertainment spotlight. Now along with the original success, they've packaged 11 other numbers of widely varying moods into a most listenable album. Some of it is dance tempo, like "Tea For Two," "On The Alamo" and "Harbor Lights" while others, like "Harmonica Boogie" and "Scheherazade" are strictly production efforts. The boys' talent and versatility come thru in gobs. Should enjoy a good demand.

Peg O' My Heart

Harmonic Boogie

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On The Alamo

Gallop Of The Comedians

At Dawn

Tea For Two

The Sardar March

At Sundown

Clair De Lune

Scheherezade

Harbor Lights