Charley Musselwhite - Best White Boy Blues?

[agile_one]

At last November's Tampa Meet, a bunch of us went to the Tampa Theatre:

to see Charley Musselwhite and the Blind Boys of Alabama. A fun show, but I'm not sure many of us realized we were seeing a living legend in person, as we watched Charley.

I knew him and a bit of his music, but as is common after seeing a performer in person, I dug a bit deeper, and discovered a true blues artist.

As proof I offer Stand Back from 1967. A seminal album if ever there was one - 5 piece stand up, straight ahead blues. Charley on vocals/harp, Harvey Mandel on a beautifully minimalist, but powerful guitar, Bob Anderson on bass, Fred Belew, Jr doing drums (any relation to Adrian??), and Barry Goldberg on piano and (most importantly) organ. They don't say in the notes, but Barry just has to be pounding a Hammond B3 - please, someone who knows, tell me I'm right here.

In any case, if you love the blues, and you do not have this album, go out and buy it ... right now!

 

[mbriant]

Just last night I saw the Blind Boys of Alabama open for Tom Petty. Never heard of Charlie Musselwhite however.

 

[Jubei]

Musselwhite is one of great blues harp players and also quite a good guitar player, though not a soloist like Buddy Guy. I don't have Stand Back!, but In My Time is thoroughly enjoyable and if you like blues harp, The Harmonica According to Charlie Musselwhite is an essential listen. IMO, he may be the greatest living blue harp player - very controlled, nice tone and technique and nearly never overplays.

He also played the harp intro to Inxs' Suicide Blonde, for what it's worth.

Since I am not in the US, have not had the chance to see him live

Fred Below is a veteran drum in many a blues band and has played with the greats like Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson (aka Rice Miller) and others. He was pretty much the house drummer at Chess and naturally played on many of their famous sessions. His last name should be spelt Below, so no relationship with Adrian.

 

[Voltron]

Hey Gene-

I really like Charlie M and have listened quite a bit to his recent album Sanctuary. I have one or two older ones, including Memphis Charlie, but not Stand Back! I will pick that one up soon and check it out. He is excellent on the harp. Next month I am going to see another blues harp master--James Cotton--playing with Hubert Sumlin. That is going to be some good crap!

Nice pics of the theater, too!

Later, Al

 

[agile_one]

Jubei: thanks for the additional background info. Yes, I agree that Charley is a master of the blues harp, or, even, as you stated:
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jubei ... he may be the greatest living blues harp player - very controlled, nice tone and technique and nearly never overplays.

Voltron: Al, what a conicidence - I picked up a couple of James Cotton's older stuff just this week. Another amazing player. That show with Hubert Sumlin should be amazing - enjoy.

 

[Jahn]

white boy blues? Stevie Ray Vaughan. Clapton maybe a close second.

 

[Voltron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by agile_one Voltron: Al, what a conicidence - I picked up a couple of James Cotton's older stuff just this week. Another amazing player. That show with Hubert Sumlin should be amazing - enjoy.

Great minds think alike, as they say!

Let me know what JC you got and what you like. I want to get some stuff before the show.

 

[pds6]

I have Charlie Musselwhite, Ace of Harps, good album.

As to James Cotton: I saw him more than 25 years ago at Sandy's Blues Club in Beverly, Massachusetts. One of the best shows I ever went to.

White boys with the blues: Paul Buttterfield (Blues Band) ain't bad and Delbert McClinton Cost of Living is a good album.


Keep Rockin

 

[Jubei]

If we're talking white boy blues, then the ones I listen to are :

Charlie Musselwhite - the best white blues harpist. Having said that, my fave blues harpist are Big Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson (aka Rice Miller).
John Campbell - very underrated IMO.
Johnny Winter - frenzied guitar playing. His live version of It's My Own Fault also has Rick Derringer on lead guitar.
Paul Butterfield Blues Band - man, Butterfield on harp, Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop on guitars. Doesn't get much better.
Ronnie Earl - very good guitarist. I actually have quite a few of his CDs
SRV - I like Mary Had A Little Lamb alot!!!

If you're talking about Eric Clapton, I feel he has a blues approach to guitar playing but too often his music is classic rock or pop. However, his early stuff is totally brilliant - one of my most prized CDs is Layla. IMO it is an essential listen for any white boy blues / blues rock fan - you just have to dig the interplay between Clapton and Duane Allman. His playing on John Mayall's Bluesbreaker disc is also totally outstanding.

Early Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green) also did some very good white blues. I like their early stuff very much.

 

[pds6]

Quote:

Early Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green) also did some very good white blues. I like their early stuff very much.

Thank you for reminding me. "Albatross" - Loved that song.

The oldest albums by Fleetwood Mac I now own are Kiln House (1970 - Peter Green had just left and Jeremy Spencer was lead) and Bare Trees (1972 - Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer had both died and this was the first album with John and Christine McVie).

Good post - Bare Trees and Kiln House are in the rotation. Early Fleetwood Mac is on the shopping list.

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pds6 Thank you for reminding me. "Albatross" - Loved that song. The oldest albums by Fleetwood Mac I now own are Kiln House (1970 - Peter Green had just left and Jeremy Spencer was lead) and Bare Trees (1972 - Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer had both died and this was the first album with John and Christine McVie). Good post - Bare Trees and Kiln House are in the rotation. Early Fleetwood Mac is on the shopping list.

Albums prior to Kiln House and Bare Trees, are more blues inflected. Peter Green gradually developed his songwriting and playing towards more ambitious songs. Early "hits" were basically blues songs like Need Your Love So Bad, Jumping At Shadows - my fave is I Loved Another Woman, which is basically a 60s UK blues band version of Howlin Wolf's Who's Been Talking.

Peter Green / Fleetwood Mac -Jumping At Shadows is a nice (if abit spotty) compilation of their blues years. John Mayall's A Hard Road also features Peter Green on guitars (after Clapton left) and contains two of Green's signature songs The Same Way and The Super-Natural. Both point to what Green would do with Fleetwood Mac.

 

[agile_one]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn white boy blues? Stevie Ray Vaughan. Clapton maybe a close second.

Thanks, Jahn. I was wondering how long it would take for anyone to mention any of the many other top blues men.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jubei John Campbell - very underrated IMO. Johnny Winter - frenzied guitar playing. His live version of It's My Own Fault also has Rick Derringer on lead guitar. Paul Butterfield Blues Band - man, Butterfield on harp, Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop on guitars. Doesn't get much better. Ronnie Earl - very good guitarist. I actually have quite a few of his CDs SRV - I like Mary Had A Little Lamb alot!!!

More wonderful players, Jubei, thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pds6 White boys with the blues: Paul Buttterfield (Blues Band) ain't bad and Delbert McClinton Cost of Living is a good album.

Definitely, man. Big Delbert fan here, too.