Lee Oskar

{{Short description|Danish musician (born 1948)}} {{Infobox musical artist |image = Lee Oskar 1976 press photo.png |name = Lee Oskar |caption = Oskar in 1976 |image_size = |background = non_vocal_instrumentalist |birth_name = Lee Oskar Levitin |alias = |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|3|24|df=y}} |birth_place = [[Copenhagen]], Denmark |instrument = [[Harmonica]] |genre = {{flatlist| * [[Rock music|Rock]] * [[funk]] * [[blues]] * [[jazz]] }} |occupation = {{flatlist| * Musician * songwriter }} |years_active = 1966–present |label = |current_member_of = {{hlist|[[Lowrider Band]]|S.O.B. (Same Old Band)}} |past_member_of = [[War (band)|War]] |website = {{url|leeoskar.com}} }} '''Lee Oskar''' (born 24 March 1948)<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer">{{ cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/pop/135232_tf218.html|newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|access-date=February 6, 2009|title=Duvall harpist earns Hall of Fame|date=August 17, 2003}}</ref> is a [[Danes|Danish]] [[harmonica]] player,<ref name="Houston Press">{{ cite news | url=http://www.houstonpress.com/1995-05-18/music/what-is-it-good-for/ |newspaper=[[Houston Press]]|title=What Is It Good For? | access-date=February 6, 2009 | author=Tim Carman}}</ref> notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group [[War (band)|War]], which was formed by Howard E. Scott and Harold Brown,<ref name="Ashland Daily Tidings">{{ cite news | url=http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040715/ENTERTAIN/307159990&cid=sitesearch|title=Eric Burdon Sill Rocking After 40 Years of Hits |newspaper=[[Ashland Daily Tidings]] | access-date=February 6, 2009 | author=Steve Zimmerman}}</ref> his [[Solo (music)#Jazz|solo work]], and as a [[harmonica]] manufacturer.<ref name="Music in Southern California">{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7aYNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vlUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7001,1049278&dq=lee-oskar | title=Music in Southern California | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=The Weekender}}</ref> He continues to play with 3 other original War band members, Harold Brown and Howard Scott, under the name [[Lowrider Band]].

==Early life and career== Born in [[Copenhagen]], Denmark in 1948, Oskar was six years old when a family friend gave him his first harmonica.<ref name="CBC Metro Music">{{ cite news | url=http://www.cbc.ca/metromorning/metromusic/2008/04/collection.html | title=CBC Metro Music | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Errol Nazareth }} {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> "I came from an area where every kid on the block had a harmonica", he remembers.<ref name="Deseret News">{{ cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TCAOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Kn4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6882,2371228&dq=lee-oskar | newspaper=[[Deseret News]] | title=Lee Oskar and his harmonica step out from, and with, War |access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Nick Snow}}</ref> He grew up listening to Danish radio, enjoying all types of music and cites [[Ray Charles]] as the biggest influence from that period.<ref name="Los Angeles Blues">{{cite web | url=http://www.losangelesblues.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=445&sid=b27710836ea64b371352dfc85a00d768 | title=Los Angeles Blues | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Doug Deutsch | archive-date=July 13, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713232357/http://www.losangelesblues.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=445&sid=b27710836ea64b371352dfc85a00d768 | url-status=dead }}</ref> When he was 17, Oskar decided that the United States was where a harmonica player should make his career.<ref name="Deseret News"/> So he moved to New York at the age of 18 with little more than a harmonica in his pocket.<ref name="CBC Metro Music"/> With no money, Oskar played harmonica in the streets of New York.<ref name="Deseret News"/> Eventually arriving in Los Angeles, via Toronto and San Francisco, Oskar soon met and joined forces with [[Eric Burdon]] who had recently disbanded [[The Animals]] and was searching for new collaborators.<ref name="The Sacramento Bee">{{cite news|url=http://www.sacbee.com/125/story/1267149.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130815204515/http://www.sacbee.com/125/story/1267149.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 15, 2013|title=Lee Oskar|newspaper=[[The Sacramento Bee]]|access-date=February 6, 2009|author=Mel Shields}}</ref> Together, the harmonica-playing Dane (born Lee Oskar Levitin<ref name="The Malay Mail">{{ cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10389619.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023051739/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10389619.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=October 23, 2012|title=War worth revisiting | newspaper=[[The Malay Mail]] | access-date=February 6, 2009 | author=Jerryz}}</ref>) and the British blues-rock singer made the rounds of the L.A. clubs, eventually hooking up with the soon-to-be members of [[War (American band)|War]].<ref name="MTV All Music Guide">{{cite web | url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/war/artist.jhtml#bio | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108141115/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/war/artist.jhtml#bio | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 8, 2010 | title=MTV All Music Guide | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Steve Huey| website=[[MTV]] }}</ref> Burdon agreed to the novel idea of pairing up Oskar's harmonica with [[Charles Miller (musician)|Charles Miller]]'s saxophone to form a [[horn section]]. This team-up set War apart from the start, giving Oskar room to display the full spectrum of his [[improvisational]] prowess. Oskar's harmonica magic was always a vital element in War's music and performances. Oskar continued with War for 24 years non-stop. At the end of 1992, during the time of dispute over the WAR trademark, Oskar took a few years to continue his [[solo (music)#Jazz|solo]] career and to focus on his Lee Oskar Harmonica manufacturing.<ref name="MTV All Music Guide"/>

==''War''== Oskar has been described as "a virtuoso", "the harmonica whiz",<ref name="The New York Times">{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E2D61639F932A25754C0A964948260|title=Prefunk: War's Comeback | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Stephen Holden | date=July 11, 1982}}</ref> "a war hero",<ref name="On Disc">{{cite web | url=http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG/1978/10/05&EntityId=Ar02400 | title=On Disc | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Ampersand | archive-date=October 4, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004010256/http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG/1978/10/05&EntityId=Ar02400 | url-status=dead }}</ref> "legendary",<ref name="CBC Metro Music"/> a master of "musical wizardry",<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer Camp Article">{{ cite news | url=http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/camp19.shtml | newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] | title=Camp Article | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Robert L. Jamieson, Jr. }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> and considered "...among the best rock-blues-soul harmonica players".<ref name="Letters to the Editor">{{cite web | url=http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG/1977/11/09&EntityId=Ar00200 | title=Letters to the Editor | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Bill Snyder | archive-date=October 4, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004010310/http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG/1977/11/09&EntityId=Ar00200 | url-status=dead }}</ref> His role as a founding member and former lead harmonica player of the pioneer funk-jazz group [[War (American band)|War]] won him international renown for over two and a half decades (1969–1993). Oskar's signature solos helped to define the War sound from the band's beginning in 1969, adding dashes of color to its R&B, jazz, rock, and Latin influences.<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer Camp Article"/> Oskar's position with War was a prominent one from its early days with singer [[Eric Burdon]] onward.<ref name="The Independent">{{ cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/eric-burdon--war-royal-albert-hall-london-813986.html?r=RSS|title=Eric Burdon & War, Royal Albert Hall, London | newspaper=[[The Independent]] | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author=Pierre Perrone | location=London | date=April 23, 2008}}</ref> "My playing has become more aggressive over the years", he says. "In the beginning, my role was playing horn lines. Today, it's evolved to the point where I'm playing a lead instrument. If I'm not doing a solo, I'm playing counterlines — I try to paint within certain spaces in the music to help create the overall picture."<ref name="Chicago Tribune">{{cite news|title=2 decades later, there's still plenty of battle and funk left in War|author=David Silverman|date=March 8, 1989|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>

==Solo career== The eclectic, multicultural nature of War's music is also evident in Oskar's solo projects.<ref name="Chicago Sun-Times – Oskar keeps blowin’ his harp">{{ cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1640797.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023051720/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1640797.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 23, 2012 | newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] | title=Oskar Keeps blowin' his harp | access-date=February 6, 2009 | author=Jeff Johnson}}</ref> Three well regarded albums released between 1976 and 1981 brought critical and popular acclaim<ref name="The Sunday Independent">{{ cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-172014503.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023051748/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-172014503.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=October 23, 2012|title=Lee Oskar: Live at the Pitt Inn. (Life) | newspaper=[[The Sunday Independent (South Africa)|The Sunday Independent]] | access-date=February 8, 2009 | author=Eleanor Momberg}}</ref> including being voted No. 1 Instrumental Artist of the Year for 1976 in ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]'' and ''[[Record World]]''.<ref name="Loose Blues News">{{ cite news | url=http://www.torontobluessociety.com/0803lbn.htm | title=Loose Blues news | access-date=February 8, 2009 | work=Maple Blues Magazine | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119091427/http://www.torontobluessociety.com/0803lbn.htm | archive-date=November 19, 2008 }}</ref> The albums, like Oskar's live performances, show the diverse influences of his musicality. A composer, his compositions have been featured on movie sound tracks and television commercials. He has been the recipient of many Gold and Platinum recordings and honored with special [[ASCAP]] Writing Awards.

His music has more recently influenced the song "[[Timber (Pitbull song)|Timber]]", which was performed by rapper [[Pitbull (rapper)|Pitbull]] and [[Kesha]]; which was inspired by Oskar's melodic harmonica playing within his song "San Francisco Bay".

==Lee Oskar harmonica== In 1983, Oskar formed a company to manufacture high-quality harmonicas. His company, Lee Oskar Harmonica, sells harmonicas suited to many different styles of music, including the most common [[blues]], [[folk music|folk]], rock, [[R&B]] and [[Country music|country]] but Oskar's altered tunings also allows players to explore other genres such as Tango, Clave, Hip Hop, Reggae, Ska, Latin, Gypsy, Yiddish, Eastern European, Asian, and many other types of music. The harmonicas themselves are manufactured by Tombo of Japan.<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer" /><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/harmonica-honcho-lee-oskar-71-still-rocks-low-rider/|title=Harmonica honcho Lee Oskar, 71, still rocks 'Low Rider'|date=October 22, 2019|website=HeraldNet.com}}</ref> Oskar's harmonica company celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008 at the [[NAMM Show]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIwDAToKdIk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/BIwDAToKdIk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Lee Oskar Playing Harmonica celebrating his 25th anniversary in 2008 at the NAMM Show in Anaheim |publisher=YouTube |date=2008-01-18 |access-date=2013-03-07}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and has now surpassed his 35th anniversary. Lee Oskar harmonicas are praised because of replacement parts which allow changing reed plates when they become fatigued by normal use. This also allows mixing different tunings.

Several modern musicians, such as Ralph Tetrault, cited Oskar as an important influence. When [[Junior Wells]] died, he was buried with a tray of Lee Oskar harmonicas.<ref name="Chicago Sun-Times – Wells laid to rest">{{cite web | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4432879.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023051812/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4432879.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 23, 2012 | newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] | title=Wells laid to rest | access-date=February 8, 2009 | author=Dave Hoekstra | quote=Wells' nephew, Michael Blakemore, had placed inside the casket, along with a tray of Lee Oskar harmonicas}}</ref> == Discography == * Lee Oskar (1976) * ''[[Before the Rain (Lee Oskar album)|Before the Rain]]'' (1978) * My Road, Our Road (1980) * Free - Lee Oskar featuring FURUSAWA (1997) * Passages Through Music: Never Forget (2021) * She Said Mahalo (2023)

== Personal life == Oskar lives in [[Everett, Washington]] as of 2019.<ref name="auto" />

==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links== * [http://www.leeoskar.com Lee Oskar Harmonica Company official website] * [http://www.leeoskarproductions.com/ Lee Oskar Production Company official website] * [http://www.leeoskarmusic.com/ Lee Oskar official music website] * [http://www.leeoskarpaintings.com/ Lee Oskar official paintings website] * {{IMDb name|1245452}} * [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/lee-oskar Lee Oskar Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History Collection]] (2002, 2018)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oskar, Lee}} [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Musicians from Copenhagen]] [[Category:Jewish Danish musicians]] [[Category:Danish rock musicians]] [[Category:Funk musicians]] [[Category:Rock harmonica players]] [[Category:War (band) members]] [[Category:Lowrider Band members]] [[Category:Elektra Records artists]] [[Category:LAX Records artists]] [[Category:United Artists Records artists]]