Customer Reviews

Continental Drifter

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Continental Drifter is an interesting album because it presents three discrete blues styles in sequence for the listener to consider and enjoy. Musselwhite has a long history with Chicago blues and with Delta blues, both of which are sampled here, but what makes the CD compelling is the marriage of the blues to traditional Cuban musical forms. Chan Chan sounds fresh from the Buena Vista Social Club.
I knew the Cuban songs already and really enjoyed Musselwhite singing English lyrics he wrote for them as the Cubans sang their lyrics in Spanish in response. The amusing part is that although Musselwhite's lyrics bear little relation to the original Spanish ones, it still works out very well.
The band's wailing rendition of No sets the album's tone, but the three Cuban songs along with the classic Lecuona instrumental composition Siboney are the highlights.
I give the CD only four stars because I find the last acoustical cuts to be dull after listening to the musically more robust songs that precede them. Despite that, I highly recommend Continental Drifter as a worthy addition to any blues collection.

I heard one song from this CD on FUV(New York) and loved it. The next day I bought the CD and also went to see Charley at the Blues Fest in Red Bank. He did everyone of the songs from the Cd and that was it I fell in love-The combination of Blues and Latin music is great. He is truly a great artist.

I was fortunate enough to see Charlie Musslewhite perform the music on this CD when it came out at the Filmore in SF. He opened for Robert Cray and I think it brought the performance of Robert Cray's band up a notch.

Some of these songs are noted Brazilian tunes that Musslewhite took and added his own lyrics to. "Chan Chan" was made famous by the Buena Vista Social Club with Ry Cooder. Charlie adds interesting lyrics and the band is super. "Voodoo Garden" is my favorite but all the songs are uniquely him with his voice and blues harmonica playing. I've turned a lot of people on to this CD. It surprises me that there are only 7 reviewers before me. A fresh genres on blues/latin fusion. You're gonna like it!

Blues-harpist "Memphis" Charlie Musselwhite has consistently incorporated different styles into his already generous repertoire. Continental Drifter is a split session; consisting of "The Band Session" with his touring group, and "The Cuban Session" with internationally renowned musicians Eliades Ochoa and Cuarteto Patria. Recorded between Norway's Grieghallen Studios and Fantasy Studios in San Francisco, CA, the record was released on April 20, (Earth Day) in 1999. On the cuts with his touring group, he explores a few mellow shuffles that remind one of his Chicago days with Barry Goldberg and Harvey Mandel. Musselwhite's mellow tenor vocals have found solid comfort on wax in recent years, and his harp control has matured to unspeakable heights. "The Cuban Session" transports the listener back to a club in old Havana; Cuarteto Patria laying the groundwork for "Que Te Palece, Cholita", and radio hit "Chan Chan (Charlie's Blues)". As a special treat at the end of the album, Musselwhite gives a strikingly proficient Delta interpretation on the guitar. Continental Drifter's amalgamation of musical cultures is an important contribution to the Blues that will be felt for decades to come. All content copyright www.maximumink.com

great work by charlie & band, the diversity of styles is a welcome change. particularly the spanish cut. liked the cd alot.

I wish you could listen to the other songs on this album, they are my favorites. This is truly beautiful music, gets me dancing, too. I heard one song in the car, pulled into the nearest record store and have enjoyed it many times.

Reminds me of Buena Vista Social Club with a greater emphasis on blues than on latin. I actually only heard a few of the songs on WBGO (Newark, NJ). I'm ordering the CD now.

An eclectic blend of music consisting of Delta blues with a distinct Brazillian flavor. The few tunes that I heard on WBFO (Buffalo, NY) were simply hors d'oeuvres for the feast that would inevitably follow upon purchase of the CD. I'm listening to it right now and find it hard to keep from dancing around like the blues lovin' fool that I am. This CD is absolutely stunning and truly deserves a rating of 6 STARS or more!