Jason Ricci born in Portland Maine USA is an award winning and decorated american singer and harmonica player.  In his youth, Jason’s mother brought him to many live Blues shows in his early teens to witness performances  of James Cotton, Charlie Musslewhite, Eddie Clearwater, Rod Piazza, Buckwheat Zydeco, Marcia Ball and many more. After studying at the feet of local New England harmonica players and blues musicians Jason moved west to Idaho to attend College. In Boise he found mentorship under Blues Club owner and Hammond B3 player Ken Harris. The relationship between Harris and Ricci, the lure of music and nightlife quickly replaced Jason’s formal studies.  Ken Harris gave Ricci a low paying job, 10 dollars a night, working at the bar to allow the underage teen a legal pass to hear and play music.  Ken Harris and music patron Dara Longabardi would aid an 18 year old Jason at “The Blues Bouquet” to perform with the likes of Sam Lay, Norton Buffalo, Eddie Shaw, Mark Hummel, Mel Solomon, Smokey Wilson and many more. Harmonica Player and Blues Singer Madison Slim spent many hours teaching Ricci. Jason would join his first band in Boise with Blues Singer Cyndie Lee and Streetwise. 

 In 1995 Ricci moved to Memphis Tennessee to be near and informally study with Johnny Winter sideman, harmonica player and singer Pat Ramsey. Ramsey would become Jason’s mentor on and off stage and a surrogate father for many years until his death. Also in 1995, a 21 year old Jason would win the Sonny Boy Blues Society Contest in Helena Arkansas, Michael Burks took third place in that same contest. By 22 Ricci was living in Potts Camp Mississippi with Junior Kimbrough’s oldest son David Malone Kimbrough. David took the young man in and fed and clothed him offering him the comforts of country life, blues music and better living, temporarily rescuing the young man from dangerous hard drugs and temptations of the bigger city of Memphis. Every Sunday for over a year Ricci played Juke Joints and small clubs in Oxford, Senatobia and Holly Springs MS with David Kimbrough, RL Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. His pay was usually a half pint of corn liquor, thirty five dollars and a dime bag of marijuana but the love and mentorship of the Kimbrough family was priceless. Ricci would cut his first record in 1995 “Jason Ricci” (self Titled) for Blues Music Award Winner Billy Gibson’s label North Magnolia Music featuring Earl Hookers drummer Bobby Little and other prominent Memphis musicians. A year later for the same label Jason recorded his second release “Down at the Juke” with Kent “Kinny” Kimbrough, Eric Deaton, Enrico Crivellaro and many more notable musicians. Ricci would return home to Maine a few times and perform with his friend of the same age, the now legendary guitarist and singer Nick Curran.