Shakey Jake Harris* (April 12, 1921 – March 2, 1990) was an American Chicago blues singer, harmonicist and songwriter. He released five albums over a period of almost 25 years. He knew how to shake a pair of dice in order to roll a lucrative winner. He also realized early on that his nephew, guitarist Magic Sam,
James D. Harris was born in Earle, Arkansas, and raised on his parents' small farm. He came to Chicago at the age of seven. As a teenager he listened to the numerous blues players of the Windy City and saw several times John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson who encouraged him to play the harmonica and sing the blues. He so started a musical career around 1945. With a warm and soft voice, he gained some recognition in Chicago clubs but always found a better way of living in working outside the music.
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He worked as a garage owner, taxi driver and cook. James earned his Shakey Jake's nickname as a noted gambler, shaking the dice.
He resumed a full blues career during the 1950's in training, promoting, composing blues for and playing with his nephew, Magic Sam (Jake had just married Sam's aunt). Although he is not often credited for that, Shakey Jake played an important part in creating and defining the blues style that would be later on called "West Side Sound" and many of Magic Sam's songs were penned and arranged by his uncle.
His debut recording was the single "Call Me if You Need Me", backed with "Roll Your Moneymaker", released by Artistic Records in 1958, featuring Magic Sam and Syl Johnson on guitar and produced by Willie Dixon. Harris was not paid for the session, but he won $700 shooting craps with label owner Eli Toscano.
The uncompromising Chicago mainstream sound of that 45 contrasted starkly with Jake Harris' next studio project. He did a date with jazz organist Jack McDuff in 1960 “Good Times” for Bluesville, but decided to stick to the Blues,
After that the harpist encored later that year with Mouth Harp Blues, this time with a quartet including Chicagoan Jimmie Lee Robinson on guitar and a New York rhythm section, which is considered his best effort. Both of his Bluesville LPs were waxed in New Jersey.
In 1962 German promoters of the first American Folk Blues Festival wanted Big Walter Horton on the bill but Willie Dixon who was at the AFBF wheel in Chicago didn't want Walter because of him being not very reliable and instead took Shakey Jake. Jake
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fared quite well on the very successful tour, befriended with T-Bone Walker (and even won his shoes on cards!) but turned down several offers to record and play more in Europe.
After that the harpist encored later that year with Mouth Harp Blues, this time with a quartet including Chicagoan Jimmie Lee Robinson on guitar and a New York rhythm section, which is considered his best effort. Both of his Bluesville LPs were waxed in New Jersey.
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1962 AFBF ensemble Shakey Jake, Willie Dixon, Helen Humes, Sonny Terry, John Lee Hooker, Brownie McGhee |
In 1962 German promoters of the first American Folk Blues Festival wanted Big Walter Horton on the bill but Willie Dixon who was at the AFBF wheel in Chicago didn't want Walter because of him being not very reliable and instead took Shakey Jake. Jake
Throughout the 1960s Harris and Sam appeared regularly in concert together around Chicago. They shared bandstands at fabled West Side haunts such as Sylvio's, where he was captured on tape in 1966 singing "Sawed Off Shotgun" and "Dirty Work Goin' On" and Big Bill Hill's Copacabana. Harris's patronage of younger musicians helped secure Luther Allison's recording debut. Harris moved on in the late 1960s, recording with Allison in Los Angeles on Further On up the Road. He also played with other harmonica players, such as William Clarke.
He opened a club (Safara Club), launched a record label (Good Time), recorded with his protégés. But the times were hard for Jake who lived in a very bad and dangerous area and had to sell discarded paper and cardboard to recycling centres for his bread and butter.
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Quite ill during the late 1980's, he finally came back to Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he died at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City, St. Francis County, age of 68,on 2 March 1990.
Quite ill during the late 1980's, he finally came back to Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he died at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City, St. Francis County, age of 68,on 2 March 1990.
*Sometimes confused with Shakey Jake Woods (August 24, 1925 – September 16, 2007) who was a street musician and storyteller.