A mash-up of Louisiana grit, Austin soul, and low-down Chicago heat, blues harmonica powerhouse Greg Izor is recognized as one of the important new voices in the blues and harmonica world. With the release of several acclaimed albums, and incendiary liveperformances, he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Izor’s music is grounded in a deeply rooted traditional sound and shaped by the influence of the harmonica masters, as well as Louisiana blues, southern soul, swamp pop, early jazz, and R&B. His playing is constantly pushing the boundaries-showing the evidence of the records he’s gotten his hands on and the greats he has played with over the years. Izor’s songwriting and playing are not to be missed, described as “a broad musical backdrop covering all kinds of roots American rhythms.”

A Vermont native and an old soul, Izor moved south to New Orleans to get his hands dirty. He fell in with one of today’s harmonica greats, Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone, who mentored young Izor and helped him develop his style. Izor became a Bourbon Street regular, earning a nightly residency at the Funky Pirate Club and playing around town in New Orleans’ clubs, from thewell known Maple Leaf Bar and Tipitina’s to the funky neighborhood bars, and the clubs on thenow legendary Frenchmen Street. His weekends were spent venturing to swampland juke joints,playing steamy gigs that lasted well into Sunday morning. During his Louisiana years, Izor played with Eddie Bo, Jerry “Boogie” McCain, Henry Gray, Wolfman Washington, Oliver “LaLa” Morgan, and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown–even earning a spot in the all-star house band at Gate’s barbecue joint in New Orleans.

On Friday, June 21, 2024, Sustained Winds, the latest album by singer and harmonica virtuoso Greg Izor, was released. Available on the Dutch label For the Road Records, this album marks a special collaboration between Greg and his Spanish friends—Cesar Crespo, Javi Suarez, Luis Maldonado, Christian Morana, Pascu Monje, and Paul San Martin. Together, they’ve crafted an album that fuses their diverse musical talents, offering listeners a unique and vibrant sound that reflects their deep creative bond.