Recent Press:

"W.C. Beck fronts a group that includes many of Portland's finest players, including Lewi Longmire and accordion-harmonica master David Lipkind" - w.week, 2012

The Big River Theater production "got valuable assists....from David Lipkind, whose soulful harmonica helps the band evoke the proper Southern atmosphere"- Marty Hughley, Oregonian 2011

"....some of Portland's finest players, including steel guitarist Paul Brainard, and harmonica wizard David Lipkind......" - Oregonian

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Press:

"Rapidly growing into the mantle of "harmonica master", David Lipkind-once resigned to a sideman role-struts to the fore as a full-fledged band member. His interplay with (Joe) McMurrian redefines the traditional roles of guitar and harp in a blues band, and Lipkind's skill with the instrument and the various effects he tastefully employs seem to broaden the capabilities of the instrument itself" - July 1st, 2009 Willamette Week

"The band -- Jimi Bott on drums, David Lipkind on harmonica and Jason Honl on upright and electric basses -- is seamless, fearless and telepathic, laying miles of roots pavement over which McMurrian plies his gritty stories with a rough-and-tumble voice and monstrous guitar chops.” - June 18th, 2009 The Oregonian

James Harmon, Harp Legend:
“You got a real future man. You’re a fine harp player”

Mark Hummel, Harp Legend:
“Man, you really blew my mind with your harp playing. Amazing stuff!”

2007

Jeff Rosenberg, Willamette Week Live show review:
"The Joe McMurrian Quartet got everybody’s blood pumping with raucous, electric Delta blues featuring David Lipkind’s storming harmonica and McMurrian’s artful finger-style guitar and gritty voice” Scott D. Lewis, The Oregonian (Joe McMurrian’s) “studio effort Rain of Days, and the brand new Live at the White Eagle-are both truly rewarding listens. Both albums are showcases for harmonica whiz David Lipkind, who’s subtle and restrained in the studio and, live, wails like he’s been let out of his cage.”

Brad Brenner, host of River City Juke Joint on KMHD fm
"David Lipkind is one of my favorite musicians in Portland.”

To the Statesman Journal:(The Harmonica Blow off) …features James Harmon, Mark Hummel, Paul DeLay, John Nemeth, and David Lipkind The youngest of the group is Lipkind, who has become the go-to guy for bands in need of a versatile harmonica player. “

2006

Montana Arts and Culture Music review 2006
"Blues, Folk songwriter/guitarist Joe McMurrian has released a very impressive new collection of songs entitled Rain of Days. 15 tracks total, 14 originals, 11 with his impressive Portland based band: Jason Honl on Bass, Jason Stewart on Drums. David Lipkind of Spigot and I Can Lick Any SOB guests on three tracks with a masterfull harmonica flare.

Reviews for "The Water Principle" score.
David was commissioned by theater director Barry Hunt from the Sowelu Theater Ensemble to score the play “The Water Principle” by Eliza Anderson.

Willamette Week, April 5th, 2006
“An eerie yet brilliant score….”

Willamette Week, LAURA PARISI. Sowelu at Back Door Theater
This production of Eliza Anderson's play has a number of creepy elements—an eerie yet brilliant score, a claustrophobic all-white set, and characters who periodically collapse from starvation—that present a terrifying portrait of what life could be like after civilization destroys itself.

Portland Mercury, April 5th, 2006
“David Lipkind from the band I Can Lick any Son of a Bitch in the House scores this nonsense with a bitchin’ ongoing twang……”

L.A. Weekly, March 16th, 2006
“I Can lick any SOB crank out unrepentant hard rock salted with just a taste of country……singer Mike Damron stomps like a rambunctious bear all over Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the free World”, and twangs his way through such originals as “Walk across Texas” and “American Fuck Machine”, which are juiced up by David Lipkind’s sweet and sour harmonica retorts.

Denver’s Westword, March 30th, 2006
“Live at Dante’s ( SOB’s 4th album) is a bucking bronco of blistering riffs, with a rhythm section that sounds as if it’s about to careen off a cliff…..harmonica player David Lipkind digs into the bottom of each song with playing that’s heavy, rough, and percussive”

Portland Statue University Vanguard
"Next on stage were local semi-legends I Can Lick Any SOB in the House, whom I immediately recognized thanks to their singer’s awesome leather vest with the huge American flag embroidered on the back. As one could expect with a name like they have, they played countrified, bluesy, southern roadhouse rock.

“Oh great,” I thought. “This is going to sound exactly like every other roadhouse rock ever.” But I was caught unawares by their secret weapon … a guy with an electrified harmonica! I couldn’t believe it! And when he played, he just started tearing the place up like he was put on the earth to play electric harmonica. They didn’t even have any guitar solos so the harmonica guy could play more. It was truly inspiring, and I realized that this band had really found a way to breathe life into something I thought had passed its prime. So hats off to ICLASOBITH for their electrified harmonica player.."
by Nick Buono referring to David playing with I Can Lick Any SOB in the House

Justin W. Sanders, Portland Mercury
“David Lipkind of the local band I Can Lick Any Son of a Bitch in the House scores this nonsense with a bitchin' ongoing twangy guitar riff….”

2005

Disheveled
"SOB’s secret weapon, though, has to be David Lipkind, a veteran harp-for-hire and permanent bandmate that can make his harmonica scream like a banshee one minute, and bubble like a tickled baby the next. He’s probably SOB’s most accomplished musician, which is saying a lot."

Audio Meatus
“Contributing to the great sound of this album is the harp of David Lipkind from band-friends I Can Lick any SOB in the House, blowing his signature bluesy lines that cry, holler, and curse like a devil in a dry wind.” Mark Lawrence referring to San Francisco’s The Devil’s Own cd.

Altcountry
“Menace is a varied and tremendous album, of which I can say, right now, that it will be in my top 10 of 2005... and Harmonica player Dave Lipkind plays an important role.” by Hugo Vogel, Altcountry.nl, the Netherlands

Willamette Week, Portland
“Hard-rockin', twang-laden sincerity, smart songs and simpatico playing push Portland's Moonshine Hangover past the alt-country also-rans on the band's sophomore disc, Thicket . An impeccable taste in collaborators ropes in the cream of the Portland crop: Marilee Hord's fiddle, Paul Brainard's steel guitars, David Lipkind's harmonica and Lewi Longmire's guitar all adorn tracks here. And if the band's songwriting continues to improve along these lines, we'll soon have our own local Drive-By Trucking franchise.”

Scott Holter, Amazon.com (referring to the Supersuckers Live from the Tractor Tavern Lip)
“Eddie Spaghett’s whiskey-soothed pipes strike a balance, slithering between the guitar and harmonica interplay of Dan “Thunder” Bolton and guest Dave Lipkind, who transform “Doublewide” into line-dancer’s bliss and make “Sail on” ripe for a Glen Cambell comeback”

2004

High Bias
“The group thrashes away at [Mike D's] country and blues-derived melodies, with harpist David Lipkind ripping his way through the din like a surgical strike...” Read the full High Bias review of I Can Lick Any SOB's album Menace

Audio Meatus
"The outstanding harp of David Lipkind adds a sound element that sets them apart form all the other rock bands out there." Read the full Audio Meatus review of I Can Lick Any SOB's album Menace

Music Misfits
"...and the touches of harp and accordion from David Lipkind pull this record up past so many others that try to capture that southern rock/Rolling Stones (before they were wusses) sound." Read the full Music Misfits review of I Can Lick Any SOB's album Menace

Denton Record Chronicle, TX
“And over the wall of guitars and drums, David Lipkind’s wailing mouth-harp outbursts stand out more than the typical guitar solo.”

Salem Statesman Journal
"Lipkind plays trance-style country blues with Mark Lemhouse Band, country-fried hard rock with I Can Lick Any SOB in the House and whacked-out country punk roots music with Spigot. He has played with jazz, bluegrass and traditional blues bands. And he even played harmonica on one song of indie- pop band The Decemberist’s album “Her Majesty The Decemberists.” Read the full article.

Bill Rhoades, Godfather of the Northwest blues scene
“David Lipkind - One of the new, young Harp players here in the Northwest! David has played everything from Rock to Country to Celtic to you name it? He has also played a mess of Blues. A totally original player, David has a sound all his own. Check him out!”

Fluffy Bunny
"The one aspect of the show that had my jaw on the floor was Dave Lipkind's harp work. I grew up with Treat Her Right and Jim Fitting as a musical hero so it was a treat to hear someone else with the phrasing, chops and technique to match (or beat - sorry Jim.)" Read the full article.

Evil Sponge
“Based on a friend's recommendation, I ventured out on a Monday night to see Oregon's I Can Lick Any S.O.B. in the House. (S.O.B.) are a raucous sounding 5 piece, with two guitars, bass, drums and ….harmonica. I know, that seems like a strange line-up, but the harmonica guy was very important to the band’s overall sound, since he played a prominent melodic role, much like that of a lead guitarist.”

Greg Johnson, Cascade blues association
“Noteworthy also is the exceptional harmonica work from both David Lipkind and Philip Guttman, adding a third voice to the pair’s fierce licks.” (referring to Hillstomp’s new record, “One Word”)

MIKE MCGONIGAL, Portland Mercury
“On their new album, Menace, every I Can Lick song's a really rad anthem and the harmonica playing is totally sweet throughout. Of course, PDX's best-named band is no Blues Traveler; this is surging, smart, unabashedly lefty country rock that's sort of like Molly Hatchet meets Social Distortion, and all I want to know is why they're not on tour with Steve Earle.”

2003

Splendid Magazine
"He's assembled a top-notch band with Portland, Oregon regulars Flapjack TX on drums, Mole Harris on bass, "Handsome" Jon Burbank on guitar and, most notably, David Lipkind on harmonica -- not a skinny kid with a penchant for blowing, but a real master of the instrument whose powerful, almost abrasive style adds gasoline to the fire on tracks like "Twerp" and "American Fuck Machine". Read Splendid's full review of Here to Bleed

Two Louies Magazine
"Tasty acoustic slide guitar runs are augmented by Lipkind’s soulful harmonica interjections (and fine solo), which compliment the arrangement rather than intruding upon it: as so many harp players are wont to do.” Read SP Clarke's full review of Dylan-Thomas Vance's album Bittersweet

Ink 19
"In the region, David Lipkind is pretty renowned. He plays with a lot of different cats, and has a sponsorship from Hohner. I don't know why he's playing with me... I've known him for a long time, been in different bands with him. He's a monster, a sick harp player." Read Ink 19's full interview with Mike Damron

Internet Exploiter
"Fronted by Mike Damron, 'SOB plays growling alt-country rock and roll. Its dirty. Its lo-fi. And its ass kicking. The drums groove, the guitars rage and the harmonica (which normally I would veto) makes the song in many cases. Thank David Lipkind who throws down the harp with 'SOB and other Portland acts like Nann Alleman's Spigot." Read the full Internet Exploiter review

OPB Television's Oregon Art Beat
"David Lipkind is one of the most versatile harp players in America."

Cascade Blues Association's Blues Notes
"Mark Lemhouse, who recently signed a contract with Yellow Dog Records, plays an unusual fusion of Delta Blues and Appalachian music. With 20 years in the business, he’s played with dozens of harp players.

Synthesis
"....the real surprise with this group is the excellent harp action that gives the music a whiskey-and-cigarettes-passed-out-at-the-honky-tonk feel..." (referring to I Can Lick any Son of a Bitch in the House)

Country Music People
"Lipkind should be singled out for his contribution on harmonica...." (regarding Melody Guy's new release)

Cascade Blues Association's Blues Notes
" 'David is so unique he really stands out,' Lemhouse says. 'He goes way beyond the straight Blues harp. I don’t know anyone who can play as many styles as he does, yet he’s also a fine singer and arranger.'

Lemhouse says Lipkind knows all the fiddle and mandolin lines to the old-time songs. 'David’s adventurous and he’s always looking to push the envelope so he’s very much in demand with musicians that are doing new or different things. His harp playing style is always fresh because he’s so creative, yet he never forces anything or overplays. Me and Joe (Joe McMurrian) and Dylan (Dylan Thomas Vance) have to share him with a lot of other guys,' he says with a laugh. " Read Blues Notes' complete profile of David

2002

The Oregonian
"While Mike D.'s raucous rasp clearly is at the center of every song, several of Lipkind's wailing harmonica solos step up to nearly steal the show...." Read the complete Oregonian review.

Billings Outpost
"I can't overlook the sizable talents of David Lipkind on harmonica. Sure he plays accordion, but he puts his harp in a blender and then loads it in a scatter bomb.... He's every bit as talented as John Popper from Blues Traveler, but doesn't sound like a one-trick pony. Vocalizations and controlled feedback become integral parts of his performance as he plays without grandstanding." Read the complete Billings Outpost review of Spigot