Harpin' on a Riff: The Best of Charlie Musselwhite [IMPORT]

Charlie Musselwhite

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 24, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Mci
• ASIN: B000025AW1
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #453,595 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Mid-priced collection featuring 20 of the legendary blues harp player's best for three different labels. While it focuses on his blues work, it also showcases some of his mellower & jazzier cuts, plus a few rockers, as well as a few that demonstrate what an underrated guitarist Musselwhite is. Includes 'Crazy For My Baby', 'Take Me Back', 'Azul Para Amparo', 'Hear Me Talkin'' and 'My Road Lies In Darkness'. Over 78 minutes of music. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Superior Musselwhite, September 10, 2006

By	Pitoucat (UK) - See all my reviews

Like many other bluesmen, Charlie Musselwhite is of Native American descent, born in Mississippi with Choctaw blood. Growing up in Memphis in the 1950s, he learnt harmonica and guitar from Will Shade and Furry Lewis, and on his move to Chicago in the early 1960s was further inspired by Little Walter and Junior Wells. Musselwhite has recorded many fine albums over more than thirty years, and this CD includes most of his best tracks, from the Arhoolie, Alligator and Kicking Mule labels.

The earliest material comes from two fine sets recorded for Arhoolie: 'Takin' My Time' (1971) and 'Goin' Back Down South' (1974), backed by musicians such as Gerald Pederson, Skip Rose and Lance Dickerson on tracks including 'Crazy For My Baby' and 'Take Me Back'. The mainly instrumental album 'Harmonica According To Charlie Musselwhite', made for Stefan Grossman's Kicking Mule label in 1978 with British bluesmen Sam Mitchell and Bob Hall in support (and reissued by Blind Pig in 1994), is a showcase for Charlie's supreme harp talents. The balance of the CD comes from more recent recordings for the Alligator label: 'Ace Of Harps' (1990), 'Signature' (1992), and 'In My Time' (1994), with John Lee Hooker guesting on the final two albums, together with his regular band members, 'Junior Boy' Jones, Felton Crews, and Tommy Hill.

There's plenty of musical variety on this CD, from the downright raucous title track ('Harpin' On A Riff'), to the more reflective ('Way I Feel' and 'Run Here Mama'), and totally sentimental ('Yesterdays'), and Charlie handles it all with consummate ease. His harp work is outstanding, and he's no slouch on the guitar either, as is amply demonstrated by the two tracks 'Taylor's, Arkansas' and 'My Road Lies In Darkness'.

Music Club are noted for fine CDs. Their jazz releases are exemplary, and now, with albums like this, their blues coverage is reaching new high standards. A superb sampling of the very best of Charlie Musselwhite, and excellent value on this budget priced CD.