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Jay Gaunt
Blues Harmonica






Band Description
Jay Gaunt began playing blues harmonica just as he turned 12. He developed a fascination for blues music with an emphasis for harmonica. One of Jay’s first exposures to blues was the Blues Brothers Movie, and he instantly became obsessed with it. Jay went to see Dan Aykroyd (in full Elwood mode) when he was hosting Chick Willis & Dwight Edwards at the Opus Theater in New York (June 2006). Dan called Jay up to sit in on the encore. The moment he stepped on stage, Jay knew that he wanted to pursue his interest in harmonica. Since then he has been hungrily seeking out everything he can find that relates to harmonica, blues, and all blues-influenced music.

Jay’s main influences on harmonica are James Cotton, Jason Ricci, Little Walter, Dennis Gruenling, Paul Butterfield, Chris Michalek, Sonny Boy Williamson, Kim Wilson, and Junior Wells. However, Jay does not only listen to harmonica players, he draws influence from an array of musicians as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, and Donny Hathaway.

Jay met his first harmonica teacher Jon Paris when he sat in with him at Lucille’s Lounge at B.B. King’s Blues Club in Times Square in NYC. He began studying with Jon on both blues harmonica and blues guitar. In addition to weekly lessons with Jon Paris and Dennis Gruenling, Jay has also studied with: David Barrett, Jason Ricci, Chris Michalek, Adam Gussow, Mark Hummel, and Michael Peloquin.

Jay has shared the stage with, among others, the James Cotton Blues Band, Tab Benoit, Jason Ricci & New Blood, Bob Margolin, Zac Harmon, Eric McFadden, Jimmy Hall, Mark Hummel, Jon Paris, The Hudson River Rats, Michael Powers, Richie Canata, and Mike Zito.

He has played at such venues as B.B. King’s in both New York and Memphis, Terra Blues, Ground Zero Blues Club, Biscuits & Blues, and The Cutting Room. He has also played The Greeley Blues Fest (2008 & 2009) and Blues from the Top (2008 & 2009), in Colorado.

In the spring of 2008, Jay recorded Blown Away with producer and musician Ed Ivey in San Francisco. The CD featured some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians such as Eric McFadden on Guitar and Nelson Lunding on piano. Blown Away was released on November 23rd, 2008.