The Blues Barn and the 80 acre farm it sits on is a special place. Maybe it’s the proximity to the flowing river as it bends and wraps around the mountain bluffs; or the spirits of the Native Americans whose music and footsteps covered these same paths centuries ago. Whatever it is, there seems some energy and allure that can touch your soul. I’ve felt it for 60 years roaming these hills. Mikey felt it too over 15 years ago, as did so many of my friends. Always pulling you back, always drawing you in. Mikey would call…. “Hey Gene, we’re doing a show near you, can we come by the barn for a little after party?” We’d ride the trails on golf carts by moonlight, party and jam till the wee wee hours. Many nights we would end up hoot’n and holler’n in the silo marveling at the echo and natural reverb. I’d tell Mikey, “Someday we’ll set up a recording booth in this area between the silo and the stage”; Mikey replied “Yeah brother, that would be amazing”. The years rolled by, lots of jams, lots of parties and I’d tell my buddies…yeah “someday”…..But we needed some Blues Power to find a “Guy”… a studio recording engineer type guy, cause I wouldn’t know where to start. So the call went out….not by social media, call or text but through unconscious vibrations amplified by the magic of the mountain. Lo and behold into my barn and life walks Andy Kravitz; renowned producer and recording engineer extraordinaire, who proclaims “Wow; what a great spot to record….the silo sounds like a natural echo/reverb chamber!”… “Would you consider letting me set up this nook as a recording studio?” asked Andy. We bonded instantly, Andy took up residency on the farm and set to work. And so we were off to the races; Andy in the control room conducting a silo symphony, Mikey Junior and his band; smoking hot, tapping into the barnyard blues vibe and all the blues power the mountain can muster. The feel is real, the band is tight and with the silo touch, it sounds just right! I hope you all enjoy this longtime dream brought to reality!
-Gene Stickel (Blues Barn Owner)

Mikey Junior
Blues in the Barn, Volume 1
8^th Train Records ©™

Philadelphia based harmonica player extraordinaire and deep blues vocalist Mikey Junior's latest album was recorded in an actual silo near the banks of the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey. Mikey Junior pays homage to the legendary artists (Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, and Elmore James) who initially inspired him as a young teenager to pursue his career in the blues. There is also a show-stopping instrumental rendition of the immortal “Summertime” one of the most requested tunes of his live performances. Additionally, there are three originals, two of which are instrumentals that demonstrate his prowess as one of the preeminent blues harpists on the East Coast. Co-produced by the renowned Andy Kravitz and Mikey Junior in a crisp, uncluttered manner superbly facilitated by veteran musicians who possess a deep knowledge of the blues and who perform regularly with Mikey Junior: guitarists Richard “Filthy Rich” MacPherson and Matt “Guitar” Daniels, bassist Jimmy Pritchard and drummer Scott Stump.
-Thomas J. Cullen III, Bucks County Blues Society and Blues Music Magazine

January 2024
LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE 288
RECORD REVIEW January 2024
Blues in the Barn: Volume 1
8th Train Records ©™ 8TH017

Clearly this steaming hot band had fun recording this electric blues session and that vibe comes through song to song. Mikey Junior plays fierce harmonica and sings in a deep, rich, rough-hewn tenor, a bit comparable to Omar Dykes or Chris Stapleton. If you like The Nighthawks, or The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and love the hard-driving, fiery harp-and guitar-driven electric blues, you will love this record. The Silo Studios barn, where this recording was made, is located near the banks of the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey, a long way from Chicago and not a venue where you would expect classic blues to take shape. Mikey Junior is a superb harmonica player in the tradition of Little Walter and Rice Miller. He puts down plenty of that, covering Sonny Boy’s You’re Killing Me, Dissatisfied, Elevate Me Mama, plus Little Walters Last Night. Things start out strong with a fierce rendition of Elmore James’ Something Inside Me and Howlin’ Wolf’s famed Shake For Me. As good as his covers are, the three Mikey Junior originals on the album leave us wanting for more. One standout song is the slow blues instrumental tune 321 Chelsea, as emotive as it is classic, fine old-time harmonica blues. The dynamic band stays close to the Chicago, golden era tradition and keeps the high energy and explosive instrumentation. Filthy Rich, a.k.a. Richard MacPherson, blazes on guitar, along with Matt Daniels, playing in just right with taste and evident reverence. The rhythm section lays a perfect foundation. Jimmy Pritchard is on Bass, Scott Stump on Drums, with producer Andy Kravitz on a few songs playing drums and percussion. Altogether, this is just dirty incendiary enough, with that unbridled, gritty Chicago sound that shook up the whole world. It’s a kick ass, high octane bundle of fun. You’ve got to love it, just don’t play it in the car or you’ll get a speeding ticket.
-Frank Matheis, Living Blues Magazine January 2024