OF all the musical treats lined up for this year’s Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne, arguably the most remarkable will be Saturday night on the international stage.

For the evening will be handed over to a unique event bringing three of the greatest harmonica players of all time together for the first time.

The man behind the Colne Harp Explosion, as the night has been dubbed, is rising British Blues star Giles Robson.

He has persuaded three legendary US stars Billy Branch, Sugar Blue and Charlie Musselwhite to come together for one night only: “I know that for some non-Blues fans the names perhaps won’t mean that much,” Giles said. “But this is an incredible, unique occasion.

“It is one of those events which in 20 years time people will look back on and say they were there – it really is that special. This line-up has never been seen together before and I doubt it will ever be seen again.”

Although all three musicians play harmonica their styles and sound are very diverse.

“I think people will be surprised at just how different the harmonica can be,” said Giles.

“To many people it is a mystery because it’s one of the few instruments you can’t actually see anything happpening. It has this great tonal range which can cover anything from a whisper to an instrument of great power.”

Giles, the UK Harmonica Player of the Year in 2012, will play with the Sugar Blue Band at the start of the evening before introducing the three American stars who will each perform a set before coming together at the end.

The Sugar Blue Band will act as the house band for the night.

“The three artists all have very diverse styles,” said Giles. “Billy Branch is very much of the Chicago blues tradition, whereas Sugar Blue has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the harmonica. Then there’s Charlie Musselwhite who is a link back to the greats such as Little Walter.”

Musselwhite is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and a multiple Grammy award winner who has played with everyone from Tom Waits to the Rolling Stones.

“I’ve become really good friends with Sugar Blue,” said Giles. “And we’d always planned to play together, and then the others also said they’d be up for a one-off show and the idea just came together.

“I think we’ll be having an extreme rehearsal the day before the show! I can’t believe that I will be getting the chance to play with them. I know now that whatever else I do in my career, the Saturday night in Colne will always be one of my career highlights.”

  • Colne Harp Explosion, Saturday, August 24. Details from the festival box office on 01282 661234.