Frank Goldwasser is Making a Scene
Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Frank L. GoldwasserFormerly known in blues circles as “Paris Slim”, Franck L. Goldwasser was born and raised in Paris, France in the 1960's and studied fine arts before moving to Oakland, California in 1983. A self-taught guitarist and vocalist, Goldwasser began studying the recordings of Elmore James, B.B. King and T- Bone Walker at age 16. In 1978, Goldwasser’s first public appearance finds him jamming with the renowned harmonica player Sugar Blue (of Rolling Stones' "Miss You" fame), then a Paris resident. Gaining experience while sitting-in with with visiting American bluesmen such as Luther Allison, George Smith, Jimmy Dawkins and Phillip Walker, Goldwasser lands his first professional gigs as backup guitarist for his idol Texas-bred California bluesman Sonny Rhodes in Paris and Reims. Following Rhodes' invitation to come to California, the Frenchman spends three months in Oakland and Los Angeles in 1981, meeting and jamming with Big Mama Thornton, Smokey Wilson, Lowell Fulson, Frankie Lee, Mark Naftalin, Buddy Ace, Troyce Key and J.J. Malone, Cool Papa and Mark Hummel, while documenting the West Coast blues scene for the French music magazine Soul Bag. Having moved permanently to the San Francisco Bay Area in June 1983 , Franck Goldwasser immerses himself in the then-vibrant East Bay blues scene, quickly landing a job in singer-guitarist Troyce Key's band. While gigging every weekend at the famed Eli Mile High club, he hones his skills working alongside West Coast blues titans Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson and Jimmy McCracklin, as well as Bay Area blues luminaries Omar “The Magnificient” Shariff (formerly Dave Alexander), Johnny Heartsman, Ron Thompson and Elvin Bishop.
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