Richard Salwitz
| Magic Dick | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Salwitz |
| Also known as | Magic Dick |
| Born |
May 13, 1945 New London, Connecticut, US |
| Genres | Hard rock, Chicago blues, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Harmonica, trumpet, saxophone |
| Years active | 1968-present |
| Labels | Rounder |
| Associated acts | The J. Geils Band, Shun Ng |
| Website | www |
Richard Salwitz (born May 13, 1945), known as Magic Dick, is an American musician, noted for playing the harmonica for the J. Geils Band. In addition to the harmonica, Salwitz plays the trumpet (the first instrument he learned) and saxophone.
Salwitz was born in New London, Connecticut. He attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he met John "J." Geils and Danny Klein and became a founding member of the J. Geils Band in 1965.
Salwitz's harmonica playing became a major and distinctive element in the J. Geils Band's sound during their hard-rocking 1970s heyday. His performance of "Whammer Jammer" on the band's live album Full House has been particularly noted. In The Rolling Stone Record Guide (1979), music critic Dave Marsh described Salwitz as possibly "the best white musician to ever play blues harmonica." He was often referred to as "Magic Dick and his Lickin' Stick".
After the J. Geils Band dissolved in 1985, Salwitz spent time working on a harmonica design of his own, the "Magic Harmonica," for which he received a patent with co-inventor Pierre Beauregard.
In 1992, Salwitz reunited with his old friend and bandmate J. Geils and formed the band Bluestime, with Steve Ramsey on drums, Jerry Miller on guitar, and Roy McCloud on bass. McCloud was later replaced by Michael "Mudcat" Ward, who played with the band for several years before leaving to pursue other interests. Ward was subsequently replaced by bassist John Turner. The band's music was a fusion of Chicago blues and classic jazz.
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