Shakey Jake

Born James D. Harris on 12 April 1921 in Earle, Arkansas, USA, and deceased on 2 March 1990 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA, the musician earned his nickname from the crapshooters’ exclamation “Shake ’em, Jake” while supporting himself as a professional gambler outside his harmonica work. He first joined Chicago blues ensembles in the closing years of the 1940s. In 1958 he cut the single “Call Me If You Need Me”/“Roll Your Moneymaker” for the Artistic imprint under Cobra Records, with guitar supplied by nephew Magic Sam. Two albums issued during the 1960s failed to capture his strengths, a shortcoming made plain by surviving club tapes made alongside Sam. By mentoring emerging players he helped launch several careers, among them Luther Allison’s debut; after Harris relocated to Los Angeles the pair also cut what stands as his strongest long-form recording. Sporadic later releases included material on his own imprint, and he operated a blues venue for a period, yet persistent illness and the encroachment of local gang activity left him increasingly withdrawn.