Stafford /Socan

To order a CD, contact Bird to order a CD.

Mark Stafford is a talented harpist with capital-T Tone. With a revolving cast of Toronto-area musicians, he's put together a solid effort in Harpspace (lily Jean 002). While the overall vibe is relaxed, there's plenty of power from the rhythm section. Johnny "Guitar" Watson's rocking "Gangster of Love" gets prime treatment, while Stafford's own "Follow My Heart" is a first-class crawler. This guy cooks.

Blues Revue - Feb/Mar 2004

(Blues Harmonica) Mark Bird Stafford "Harpspace"

Mark Bird Stafford is from Canada and just want all to know that he is possibly "The" best harp player out there today. Knew he had it going on after I finished listening to his cd and saw that he loved "All thing 50's". This is a VERY well balanced cd in that there is not too much of anything. I cannot remember when I have gotten a cd that impressed me as much as this one from Mark. If you have had a void in your blues harmonica life since William Clarke passed away, then Mark Bird Stafford is here to take up the slack.

Mark is not a harmonica carbon copy of William Clarke at all nor his voice. It is in the raw power and energy that flows from Mark's harp playing and singing that reminds me of "Blowin' Like Hell" by William Clarke. It is my favorite cd out of around 2000 in my collection. The last time I talked with William he was surprised that I liked it so much,he thought it was too loose,go figure. O K, back to Mark Bird Stafford, he has got tone so pure and soul moving that I give him my coveted "Nasty Harp Award", hell, all the soap in the world could not wash the nasty harp outa him. He can play some rockin' swing and with those horns backing him up, well he has got it going on. Mark started getting heard back in 1985 when Hock Walsh (of "Downchild Blues Band" fame) singled Mark "Bird" Stafford out at a blues jam. Mark then started a two year stint at Lee's Palace with a band he formed called "Polaroid Blues Band".

Mark then signed on with "The Sly Dogs" further adding to his experience. The Sly Dogs evolved into Mark "Bird" Stafford & The Rectifiers as it became apparent to all that this was a band to be reckoned with. Mark has a style that reflects Little Walter, William Clarke, Jimmy Reed and Sonny Boy 2.The list of tunes are as follows.

Harpspace

Gangster of Love

I'll Be back

Bunnie Bop Boogie

Party Girl

Ruby

I'm A Lovin Man

Take A Step Back

Shame Shame Shame

Follow My Heart

I'm Coming In

I've Had My Fun

Mark uses different setups at times. For one song he will use all out/full blown overdrive then he will just have a dry fat sound like Kim Wilson. He excels on both diatonic and chromatic harmonica, his acoustic playing is impeccable but that big fat tone just goes on for days . He has such a feel for the dynamics of timing and feeling that make a song happen. All of you will be so amazed at his versitily and the way he makes things happen in a song that makes it flow thru your body as he is playing. Thus, transferring his musical energy to you.So William Clarke, hope that all of you including Mark will forgive me for mentioning Clarke so much,but it is such a compliment because Mr. Clarke was the God of Thunder and I can see that Mark "Bird" Stafford www.markbirdstafford.com is poised to take over William's duties. The musicians are listed below.

Mark "Bird" Stafford=Chromatic and Diatonic Harmonica/vocals

Peter Schmidt=guitar

Bob Vespazani=drums

Tyler Yarema=piano

Alec Fraser=electric bass

Shane Scott=upright bass

Special Guest /Pat Carey on saxophone / Jack DeKeyzer on electric slide guitar /Ka Cheong Liu on upright bass/ Mel Brown is the special guest on piano / Greg Cooper on drum / Joe Burns on Upright Bass

I give this cd "Harpspace" by Mark "Bird" Stafford a fulltilt (7) Harp Salute from ol' Big Daddy BluzHarp as well as the "Nasty Harp Award" for being so dirty good, know what I mean ladies and gents. This cd is headed into my "Top 5 Favorite CDs" stack, it is what I have been looking for for a long time. Folks,we still have some surprises left in this mean ol'world. Mark "Bird" Stafford www.markbirdstafford.com gets my personal seal of approval everyone, I promise that you will not be let down if you give Mark's music a try!

bluzharp.tripod.com

Mark "Bird" Stafford Harpspace Indie

Fresh from the Harmonica Workshop there, Mark Stafford will be back at RD's on May 2nd for the official release of this CD. Harpspace continues his interest in Chicago in the fifties and boasts eight original songs built on that solid foundation. The basic band is Peter Schmidt on guitar, Bob Vespaziani on drums, Tyler Yarema on piano and either Alec Fraser on electric bass or Ka Cheong Liu on upright bass. The album was beautifully recorded by Alec Fraser, who also co-produced with Mark. The opening track is the album's title song, a strong chromatic harp feature followed by Johnny "Guitar" Watson's "Gangster of Love", which features a solid, confidant vocal and sax support from Pat Carey. The Little Walter-inspired mid-tempo "I'll Be Back" is up next with Shane Scott on bass and Mel Brown on piano. "Bunnie Bop Boogie" is a cleverly written addition to the "Jo Jo Gunne" canon. T-Bone's "Party Girl" is up next, with Schmidt soloing beautifully over Pat Carey's saxes. "Ruby" is jazzier in style with Tyler on trumpet. Much more down home is Stafford's "Take A Step Back" with Jack de Keyzer playing some early Muddy-like slide as the only accompaniment. With its strong lyric and harp solo, this is my favourite on the CD. There are fourteen songs altogether and with a band as good as this with good material, a strong leader, maybe we won't have to wait seven years for album #3.

Toronto Blues Society