Mark Hummel

Mark Hummel was born in New Haven, Connecticut and raised in Los Angeles, California. Mark moved to Berkeley, California in 1972 where he played with local bluesmen such as Cool Papa, Boogie Jake, Mississippi Johnny Waters and Sonny Lane. In 1980 he lead the popular band, the Blues Survivors. In 1985, the Blues Survivors released Playing in Your Town, on Rockinitus Records, and immediately went on the road to tour the United States, Canada and Europe, often playing alongside such blues greats as Charlie Musselwhite, Brownie McGhee, Lowell Fulson and Eddie Taylor.

Since 1991, 17 years now, Mark has been both producing & performing at his annual Blues Harmonica Blowout™ series. These shows have grown to be a much-heralded event & continue to draw sellout crowds wherever they appear. Mark works with a veritable who's who of the Blues harp world in these events, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Norton Buffalo, Kim Wilson, Huey Lewis, Carey Bell, Billy Boy Arnold, Rod Piazza, Rick Estrin, Paul deLay, Snooky Pryor, James Harman, Gary Primich, Sam Myers… and the list goes on. Keep your eyes on Mark’s website, markhummel.com for news of his blowout series coming to your town.

Mark did not reach the status of top-echelon blues harp player by “just playing the gig.” Mark is truly into the music and the harp. He’s a very well-rounded player… not just comfortable in each position on the diatonic and chromatic harmonica… his playing is innovative and exciting, but still deeply rooted in traditional Chicago blues and with that touch of jump and swing blues that make the California players so swingin’. http://www.markhummel.com