Harmonica Ace, J Place, is a master blues blaster! His soulful vocals and howling harp combine to create a powerfully passionate performance. Having played in hundreds of blues venues throughout New England over the past two decades, J has honed his skills as a musician and bandleader together with his Boston based blues group, the J Place Band. Their high voltage show grabs the attention of audiences everywhere, blending a variety of traditional r&b styles with plenty of swing, stomp, shuffle, and grind! During the early 80's, while living overseas, J fronted the band, Boogie Chillen (named after John Lee Hooker's classic 1949 hit), in Copenhagen, Denmark. Europeans have a deep appreciation for American heritage music, and, consequently, J met many fans of the blues with a wealth of knowledge about the music. Absorbing the sounds of Chicago's classic 50's blues, J made the magical discovery of such legends as Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, and Sonny Boy Williamson.
J covers a lot of stylistic territory having played in jazz quartets, jug bands, Chicago blues combos, R&B dance bands, and Roadhouse cover rock 'n roll.
1989 - 'Let's Boogie' Nasty J & The Nightcrawlers released this album, receiving rave reviews from the media. J also established himself as a photographer and writer for many music publications, including Blueswire Magazine, The Local, Stuff Magazine, The Blues Audience, and Boston Blues News.
1996 - 'High Temperature' released when he was fronting Nasty J and the Grinders. There's some mighty good blues on that self-produced album: chestnuts such as Willie Dixon's "Mellow Down Easy", "I Want's to be Loved", and "I Don't Play", to Little Walter's seldom covered "Temperature" and "Boogie", John Lee Hooker's "Big Legs, Tight Skirt", Muddy's "Streamline Woman", and Jimmy Reed's "Ain't That Loving You, Baby". But the real sweet stuff is based on the delivery and presentation. The vocals and harp of Place combine with the guitar workmanship of Nick Adams. Like whitecaps whipped by an Atlantic gale, one is never sure what course a particular song will take or where it will resurface. Staying true to a traditional sound instead of crossing over into rock-based blues, Nasty J's down and dirty roadhouse blues really get under your skin and into your blood. You can feel it circulate and curdle. When it gets into your brain, your legs and hips start moving and you don't even know it. "It all comes down to conviction", Place says. "The best blues records are the ones that, when you hear them, you think you are right in the same room with a powerful presence of a Muddy or Wolf. It's undeniable". This CD received considerable regional airplay and press, as well as finding it's way into julkeboxes all over the east coast.
1996 - 1st Annual Boston Blues Festival New Englad Cable News broadcast footage of J wailing away at the Charles River Hatchshell in Boston.
1996/1997 - Little Richard's Roadhouse Blues Revue hosted by J and master blues guitarist, Ricky "King" Russell, showcasing some of the finest talent on the Boston blues scene, including Susan Tedeschi, Michelle Wilson, and Johnny A.
1997 - Finalist in the Battle of the Boston Blues Bands sponsored by the Boston Blues Society.
1998 - The Back Bay Blues Revue in Boston, featuring a weekly all-star line up of performer, with special guests including harp master Jerry Portnoy and Tone-Cool recording artist Susan Tedeschi.
1999 - 'Blues From the Hub' The Boston Blues Society's 10th anniversary compilation CD features J's "Juke, Jive, and Grind". The album showcases the vast talent to be found in the New England blues scene. BLUES REVUE magazine's review singled out The J Place Band's cut: "roadhouse swing reminiscent of the late great William Clarke"
2000 - Boston Blues Festival: J is both honored and thrilled to get the gig blowing harp alongside the legendary Bo "I'm a Man" Diddley, who had just been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
2000 - 'Bettin' On The Blues' J's original blues songs showcased on this release, are where his vocals explore the depths of the blues in it's many manifestations. The deep blues of J's eerie take on the Wolf classic "Who's Been Talkin" to the rollicking Longhair mambo r&b of "In the Night" showcase quite a range of emotion, expressed with conviction and variety. This album has all kinds of grooves going on, featuring Larry Takki on drums, Jacques Raymond on upright bass, and Bobby Gus on guitar, along with special guests: Toni Lynn Washington on a smoky vocal duet with J called "Grindin' Time", Bruce Katz on piano for two swing tunes - "Juke, Jive, and Grind", and "Sour Mash Mama", and Gordan "Sax" Beadle, Scott Shetler, together with the Hot Tamale Brass Band rompin' 'n stompin' on a New Orleans style original, "Swingin' in Sin City". Check out J's tribute to the late great John Lee Hooker on "That Boogie Stuff" and his debut on chromatic harp on his jumpin' original, "Havin' a Hell of a Time". "For me, blues is an expression. It's a very sensual, honest, and powerful kind of music that allows for a lot of improvisation, not only for the notes on the scale, but also all of the notes in between. Music is my mojo, adn I'm Bettin' on the Blues!"
2002 - Ju Ju Cocktail Hosted by J, together with Nicole Nelson and Sweet Willie D. For two years, this weekly event received critical acclaim from the press, showcasing a wealth of talent of both local and national artists, including Sax Gordon, Toni Lynn Washington, Monster Mike Welch, Lydia Warren, Brian Templeton, and a surprise guest appearance by Shemeika Copeland.
2002 - 'BOSTON'S BLUES' J was featured in Art Simas' book, which profiled New England's top notch blues artists. J's chapter is sandwiched between Greg Piccolo and Jerry Portnoy.
2003 - Yard Rock Blues residency with Ricky "King" Russell, culminating in a benefit concert for Rick to help with his medical bills, which included a who's who of regional blues talent. This benefit was captured on tape by Juke Joint Video.
2004 - Boston Blues Challenge Finalist
2006 - 'J's Juke' J's cd release co-produced with Chris Rival: A tribute to the harmonica master known as Little Walter.Recording began on Walter's 75th birthday and the tracks were finally mixed and mastered on his 76th birthday!
2007 - 'At a Glance' Released on 7-7-7. A seven song groovathon covering Dr. John, Wilson Pickett, Jimmie Vaughan, John Hiatt, Otis Redding, James Brown, and a funky treatment of Robert Johnson's 'Little Queen of Spades'. Featuring the horn section of Sax Gordon Beadle and Scott Aruda. Nicole Nelson sings backing vocals on the William Bell soul classic, 'You Don't Miss Your Water'.