The blues and roots music duo— Joe Filisko and Eric Noden make an unforgettable impression. Their jaw-dropping virtuosity enables them to create more layers of sound and feeling than most full bands can summon, and both are high-energy, ultra-rhythmic performers. The collective result— in both their live shows and their recordings— are charged, dramatic performances that are simultaneously powerful and sophisticatedly subtle.
“Two marvelous musicians who have captured not only the sounds but the emotional spirit of some of the richest bloodlines of American music.” — Kim Field, author of Harmonicas, Harps, and Heavy Breathers
“Joe Filisko and Eric Noden make a thoroughly convincing case that this music is the real deal and their spirited performances make it sound both fresh and contemporary.” –Dirty Linen
“Eric and Joe are possessed by the spirits of Howlin Wolf, Sonny Terry, Robert Johnson, Johnny Woods, Sonny Boy Williamson, Gwen Foster and transported listeners back to the 1920’s Delta.. We love Eric and Joe. Please send them back. —–Mickey Raphael, harmonica player for Willie Nelson
Just a few short years after their first meeting, Filisko and Noden are displaying their compelling musicality on the world stage. They’ve performed at the legendary Chicago Blues Festival, the Paramount Blues Festival in Grafton, Wisconsin (where some of the greatest of the early blues recordings were made); Sweden’s Eslov Blues Festival; and the Festival Ecaussines in Belgium. The duo also recorded the theme song for the “Sweet Folk Chicago” on the legendary Chicago radio station WFMT. Joe and Eric are expert practitioners of harmonica and guitar styles that defined the blues in its earliest days but are now all too rarely heard. Both of these standout performers also teach and make it a point to share the insights they’ve gained from two lifetimes of deep research into the history of the music. German harmonica master Steve Baker invited the roots duo to teach and perform at the Harmonica Masters Workshops in Trossingen, Germany (home of the harmonica manufacturer Hohner), in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. The pair has also offered joint workshops and performances at Australia’s Playmakers Festival, the Harmonicales Festival in France, and at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.
Joe Filisko and Eric Noden’s latest recording, “On the Move” which follows “Missed Train Blues” and “I.C. Special” features 12 knockout original tunes that demonstrate how they are using their mastery of classic styles to create an exhilarating, new approach to the blues. The recordings of Filisko and Noden document their joint journey from total immersion in the richest and most complex classic blues stylings to vibrant, original, 21st-century music that moves the blues forward. Each performer brings unique qualities to the duo. Tickets
