Jerry Murad’s Harmonicats, playing 'mouth organs' of various shapes and sizes, became one of the longest running acts in show-business. The basic trio – of Armenian, Polish and Italian origins – consisted of Jerry Murad (1919-1996) on lead chromatic harmonica, Don Les (1914-1994) on bass harmonica and Al Fiore (1922-1996) on chord harmonica. Together they created an utterly distinctive sound that is pure 1940s and 50s nostalgia.

The haunting million-seller Peg O’ My Heart was the Harmonicats’ key to fame and fortune (it was the first major hit to use an echo chamber creatively), and it’s the title of Retrospective’s survey of the very best of their unique recorded output from 1947 to 1960.

The range is remarkable, from speciality numbers like Harmonica Boogie, to the original treatment of standards such as Bewitched, to the amazing transformations they wrought with such classical pieces as Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu ('Dynaflow Drive') or Kabalevsky’s The Galloping Comedians. And if there is a more exciting instrumental version of Mack The Knife, we don’t know it.

Just listen to the legendary magic of Jerry Murad and his fabulous Harmonicats – you won’t have heard anything like it!

Track Listing:
1. Peg O’ My Heart
2. Harmonica Boogie
3. Peggy O’Neil
4. September Song
5. Valse Bluette
6. Hair Of Gold, Eyes Of Blue
7. Harmonicats Blues
8. It Must Be True
9. Harmonicats Boogie
10. Willow, Weep For Me
11. The Galloping Comedians
12. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
13. Lezghinka
14. Harbour Lights
15. The Sardar March
16. At Sundown
17. Roman Guitar
18. Dynaflow Drive (Fantaisie-Impromptu)
19. Flapperette
20. Charmaine
21. Sissy
22. Blues
23. Hootin’ Blues
24. Night Train
25. Till I Waltz Again With You
26. Malagueña
27. Little Red Monkey
28. The Harmonica Player
29. The Story Of Three Loves
30. Just One More Chance
31. Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White
32. Mack The Knife