Customer Reviews

Champagne & Reefer

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If you don't know Mojo Buford, you are in for a real treat. Mojo, of course, was one of the standout harp players for Muddy Water's and, on this set, he is joined by fellow Waters band member, Bob Margolin on guitar as well as Phoenix-based musicians, Chico Chism on drums, Paul Thomas on bass and Johnny Rapp on rhythm guitar.

As is all too often the case with blues musicians, their music is better known overseas than in the States. Hopefully, this CD will change that. As you can imagine, with Margolin on guitar, the set list takes a page out of Muddy's play book and, while there is really nothing new here, Mojo's performance on harp and his Jimmy Roger's like vocals are outstanding. If you like what you hear on this disc, work backwards from here. The quality on all of this musicians work is always first rate.

69 years old at the time this recording was made, George "Mojo" Buford still sings and plays with power and conviction.
He served as Muddy Waters' harmonica player on four different occations, and was Muddy's harpist of choice when he (Waters) passed away in the spring of 1983, and here he is, playing with another former Muddy Waters sideman, lead guitarist Bob Margolin, and a hand-picked combo which includes a second guitar, bass, and drummer Chico Chism.

Many of these songs are old Muddy Waters standarts, but while everything here is electric, more than half the songs are played with no rhythm section, just Buford and Bob Margolin, which makes for an interesting "earthy" sound on numbers like "Blow Wind Blow" and "Nine Below Zero", and leaves plenty of room for George "Mojo" Buford's muscular, meaty harp playing to shine.
The many highlights include "Rollin' And Tumblin'", a swinging "Don't Go No Further", a tough, band-backed "You're Gonna Drive Me Away", and the aforementioned "Blow Wind Blow", and these gritty performances are a welcome reminder that there are still people out there who play real music on real instruments.

If you don't know Mojo Buford, you are in for a real treat. Mojo, of course, was one of the standout harp players for Muddy Water's and, on this set, he is joined by fellow Waters band member, Bob Margolin on guitar as well as Phoenix-based musicians, Chico Chism on drums, Paul Thomas on bass and Johnny Rapp on rhythm guitar.

As is all too often the case with blues musicians, their music is better known overseas than in the States. Hopefully, this CD will change that. As you can imagine, with Margolin on guitar, the set list takes a page out of Muddy's play book and, while there is really nothing new here, Mojo's performance on harp and his Jimmy Roger's like vocals are outstanding. If you like what you hear on this disc, work backwards from here. The quality on all of this musicians work is always first rate.

Muddy Waters called Mojo his favorite harp player, and from this CD you'll get a clear understanding as to why. The ensemble work is delightful. Mojo has a knack for knowing when to grab the microphone and when to let the band groove.

Featuring Dave "Cool Breeze" Brown (guitar) and Bill Black (bass) on several tracks, or Dan Schwalbe (guitar) and Curtis Blake (2nd harp) on others, this CD is a Chicago blues tour de force. It sounds like you've got front row seats at one of those Halstad Street watering holes, it's after-hours, the front door is locked, and you've got the whole place to yourself. I swear, it's just like being there, except without all the smoke and background noise.

You will congratulate yourself on your good taste once you get hold of this disc.

Paducah Fats