|
|
|
"The musical structure of blues is so simple that there's nowhere to hide
if you have nothing to say."
During mid-terms in his second year of college
at Miami University, Josh Fulero's father took him to a Blues
jam in Dayton, Ohio. His dad might have lived to regret it, because, that night,
Josh caught the Blues fever and it had a profound effect on him.
"After that, my life as I knew it was all over," Josh recalls. "By the end of the next term, I was missing so much school because of my playing that I just dropped out. What a career choice that turned out to be!"
Fulero still has Blues fever, and after years of jamming with other artists, he is emerging as a top musician in his own right. The Josh Fulero Band plays several nights a week in the Portland metro area in places such as the Cascade Bar & Grill in Vancouver, Washington, and Duff's Garage in Southeast Portland.
Born in Granada Hills, Calif., on December 16, 1973, Fulero moved to Eugene when he was about six months old. He lived in the University of Oregon's Amazon student housing project until he was about three. Fulero's family stayed in various places around Eugene until he was in the 5th grade and his stepfather got a job in Beaverton. Fulero graduated from Beaverton High School in 1992, and then went to school at Miami University (in Oxford, Ohio) for two years, studying political science and philosophy.
Most of his early exposure to music was through his mother, who listened to soft rock and folk, including albums by Paul Simon, James Taylor, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Pete Seeger. The first person he was really into musically was Cat Stevens.
His father moved to Ohio when he was about three and when Josh was six, he began to visit him during summer vacations. "He had, and still has, very diverse and downright good musical taste," Josh says. His dad's record collection was extensive and since there wasn't a lot for him to do during the visits (having few friends and no neighborhood kids his age), the youngster spent hours and hours browsing and playing those records. He struck gold when he latched on to an old record entitled Robert Johnson: King of the Delta Blues Singers. "For the rest of the summer I don't think I listened to anything else," Josh recalls. "I just wore that record out."
His father continued introducing him to different music genres and taking Josh and his brother to concerts featuring artists such as The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Ironically perhaps, Josh initially hated the music of Stevie Ray. "All I had listened to up until then was acoustic folk music and I really didn't get the psychedelic-electric-guitar-Blues thing." That came a few years later when he became interested in Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival and other classic Rock-Blues staples.
Josh, who first started playing the Blues when he was 19, says he wouldn't be the musician he is today if it wasn't for the encouragement and friendship of many extraordinarily gracious and talented people. At his first Blues jam, Josh met an experienced guitarist named Tim Arnold who believed he had talent and showed promise. When Josh dropped out of school he slept on Arnold's couch for several months which may have cost his friend his girlfriend at the time, Fulero admits.
"Tim introduced me to guys like Albert Collins and Jimmie Vaughan. He got me to realize that there was a lot more to playing a guitar then just not hitting any bad notes."
Shortly after hooking up with Arnold, Josh moved back to Eugene where he met Phil Wagner, who has become another close friend and mentor. "Phil is simply the best Blues guitarist I've heard," Fulero says. "His taste and imagination are awe-inspiring and his influence on my playing is incalculable." Fulero says that besides being a great guitarist, Wagner is a gifted vocalist and prolific songwriter. "A lot more people need to hear Phil sing and play," he adds.
Wagner and Fulero both moved to Portland at about the same time, five years ago, and often jam together within the same group of friends. One of their most frequent haunts is Duff's Garage, where Josh and friends jam every Wednesday night.
 |
|
|
Shortly after relocating to Eugene, Josh started playing with Jim Wallace and his Blues band, The Lucky Devils. The guitarist for the Devils, Marco Savo, tutored Fulero on technique, particularly his distinctive angular retro-Swing approach to Blues, a unique style that Josh describes as jaw-dropping. "What little I know about Swing guitar I've most likely picked up from Marco," Josh says. "He is another shamefully under-appreciated musician. How can it be that Phil and Marco have never been nominated for the Muddy Awards? These guys are two of Portland's best guitarists."
Josh admits he isn't flashy on the guitar. "I just try to play what is appropriate for the song, to find the right tone and approach. After I find that, then it's all about creativity and imagination. The musical structure of Blues is so simple that there's nowhere to hide if you have nothing to say." During a guitar solo, his challenge, Josh says, is finding a unique but classic or universal melody. "That's what I shoot for, that's what I try to do when I play a solo."
Albert Reda met Fulero a few years ago at a Bill Rhoades gig and the two have played together many times since. "Josh is great to play with for a lot of reasons. He's always done his homework and he plays the right style. His passion and enthusiasm for the music always shines through but he's always under control," states Reda.
Additionally, Josh enjoys the often under-appreciated role of rhythm guitarist. "Backing a singer or harp player is a dying art," he says. "Really, my favorite thing is the interplay between harp and guitar, like on the old Little Walter or Muddy Waters records. I could play songs like Walter's, "Oh Baby," all night long. On a good night I hope that my harp playing is effective, but mostly I see it as pretty pedestrian. Again, I try to be creative and musical but I have serious limits on the harmonica."
As far as playing the harmonica, Fulero claims he's a novice, though others disagree with his self-assessment. Jimi Bott, drummer for The Fabulous Thunderbirds, says Fulero is one of the best up and coming musicians he's ever met. Bott tours constantly cross-country with the Thunderbirds going from coast to coast and often plays in a different city every night. "Josh can do so many things, but he's quiet about it. Most people don't even know he plays bass and drums as well as guitar and harp." Bott says Fulero is respectful of the Blues and stays in the context of the tune rather than going out on an improvisational trip. "He comes real close to nailing Little Walter and a lot of guys can't do that. Josh is really solid," he adds.
Marco Savo met Fulero five years ago and the two play together often with The Lucky Devils and less frequently in the Jimi Bott Band. "Josh is really a student of the Blues. He can play traditional Blues very authentically and switches styles with little or no overlap. Besides that, he's really easygoing and kind of shy. I enjoy playing with him."
Josh plays bass guitar and drums less frequently than harp and guitar and downplays his versatility. "It's nothing too serious. I played drums for about a year with Li'l Lynne & The Smokin' Soles, but I never got that good. My first instrument was actually the violin, which I started playing in the second grade, but I gave that up a long time ago."
Josh joined his first band in the 10th grade. "We played for about three months and won a battle of the bands contest at Sunset High School by playing some Pink Floyd songs." But soon afterwards, he lost interest and didn't play onstage again until his first Blues jam in Dayton, Ohio. Fulero also played guitar in the Eugene band Etouffée for almost three years. "That was really my first real band experience," he says. "Since then, I've spent lots of road time in a van and played a lot of gigs."
Over the last few years, Fulero says he has had the good fortune of playing with many of his favorite musicians, including: Mark Hummel, Gary Primich, Paul deLay and Curtis Salgado. Also, thanks to his good friend and drummer extraordinaire, Jimi Bott, Fulero sits in with The Fabulous Thunderbirds.
Josh loves Oregon for many reasons, but especially because of the people and the pace. He appreciates the unmatched beauty of our mountains, forests, and coastal areas. Also, he points out that Portland, and the Pacific Northwest in general, seems to have a disproportionate amount of musical talent, particularly in the Blues genre.
Session musician Allen Hunter met Fulero at a Blues jam nearly five years ago and has jammed with him off and on ever since. "Josh is the most talented guy I know who thinks he isn't," Hunter says. "He has such a great attitude and a terrific feel for music. His solos aren't blistering or showy but they fit into the context of the song beautifully. He's never over the top."
Josh's musical goals are simple: to keep playing and to keep improving his technique. "I could be happy being a sideman in a really great band. I don't need to be the main focus," he says.
Currently a junior at Portland State University, Fulero is majoring in Psychology and plans to pursue a post-graduate degree. Although he is uncertain about which options he will settle on, he is considering becoming a clinical psychologist or a university professor. "I find lots of things about that career and lifestyle quite attractive, but law school is another option I am thinking about."
Whichever direction he chooses, he'll always find time to play music. That's good for Blues lovers in the Pacific Northwest.
Return to the NW Blues Gallery...
© 2002 Cascade Blues Association