George "Mojo" Buford ist schon am 11.Oktober verstorben!



Blues harpist George "Mojo" Buford, best known for his work as part of the great Muddy Waters' band, passed away on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 in a Minneapolis hospital after suffering from various health issues since the summer. Buford was 81 years old.

Born in Hernando, Mississippi in 1929, Buford moved to Memphis as a child and became enamored of the blues. He would later re-locate to Chicago in 1952, forming the Savage Boys band. Buford first played with Waters in 1959 as a replacement for the departing Little Walter. A few years later, however, the talented blues harpist moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to form his own band. He would re-join Waters' band in 1967 after James Cotton left, and played with the Chicago blues legend during the early 1970s.

Buford also enjoyed a modicum of success as a solo performer, recording albums like Mojo Buford's Blues Summit and Harpslinger for labels like Fedora Records, JSP Records, Rooster Blues, P-Vine, and Mr. Blues. Blues harpist Bob Corritore shares a funny story in his great newsletter about an alleged Ray Charles album on the Vernon label titled On Stage At The Palladium which featured Charles on only two tracks, the rest by Buford's band Mo Jo & The Mo Jo Chi Fours. Since Mojo's performances were so strong, few collectors complained!

Aside from Waters, Buford's gorgeous chromatic harp tones graces recordings from blues artists like Otis Spann, Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson, the Reunion Blues Band and others. He will always be remembered for the spirit and energy he brought to his work with Muddy Waters.
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