LEGENDARY harmonica player Mojo Buford makes a repeat visit to the Deep Blues Club in York on Thursday.

Born in 1929 in Hernando, Mississippi, he learned harmonica from his father and sang in the church choir. On moving to Memphis at 14, he met BB King and soaked up the blues before moving again, a decade on, to Chicago in 1954. Forming The Savage Boys with drummer Sam Burden and guitarist Dave Members, he got to know Muddy Waters, who began booking them as The Muddy Waters, Jr Band. Buford ended up playing mouth harp for Muddy in and then settled in Minnesota's Twin Cities area, where he acquired the name "Mojo" from the regulars at a St Paul barbecue bar, on account of his interpretation of I Got My Mojo Working. Through the 1990s, he released such albums as Harpslinger, Still Blowin' Strong and Home Is Where My Harp Is. In York he will be backed by Trafficker. Doors open at 8pm at the Post Office Club, Marygate, York. Admission is £8, £7 for CIU members and concessions.

THERE have been easier names to spell, but the York debut of Uiscedwr at the Black Swan Folk Club on Thursday is welcome all the same. Pronounced Ish-ka-doo-er, Uiscedwr means water and is a word common to both Welsh and Irish, reflecting the genesis of the band when Welsh fiddle player Anna Esslemont met Irish percussionist Cormac Byrne at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. On teaming up with Irish guitarist Stephen Haberlin, they were soon winners at the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards for 2002. Welshman Ben Hillings took over the guitar slot, and last year the trio released their debut album, Everywhere, produced by Joe Rusby, Kate's brother, leading to their nomination in the Horizon category for best newcomers in the BBC2 Folk Awards 2005. This spring Hillings decided to leave and his place has been taken by veteran acoustic guitarist Kevin Dempsy, who is probably older than Esslemont and Byrne combined. Doors at 8pm at the Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York. Admission is £7.

Updated: 09:29 Friday, June 24, 2005