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Nick Morgan and crew
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Concert
Review by Nick Morgan |
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CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
The 100 Club, London, November 19th 2008 |
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| We
shouldn’t be here. No disrespect to Charlie
Musselwhite (“Good evening ladies
and gentlemen. I’m glad to be here. I’m
glad to be anywhere”), but we shouldn’t
be here. Let me read you the letter those nice people
at the South Bank sent me. “It is with great
regret that Grammy and Academy Award-winner Randy
Newman has had to postpone his forthcoming European
tour, on doctor’s orders, because of physical
limitations and severe pain caused by stenosis in
the lower back and neck. Randy Newman says, ‘I
deeply regret not being able to come. I like it
so much in Europe as I’ve always been treated
so well’”. Well it’s a sad thing,
as Mr Newman’s stock has been rising of late
– unlike most others - not just as a result
of his numerous witty film scores, but also as a
result of a growing appreciation of his broad canon
of work, possibly sparked in part by ‘Louisiana
1927’, a song about the great flood of that
year that was written in the early 1970s, but resurrected
as the anthem of those campaigning on behalf of
the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. On top
of which he released a highly-rated album (co-produced
by wonder-producer Mitchell
Froom), Harps and Angels, earlier this year,
only his fourth in two decades. But that’s
enough of Mr Newman for now. Let’s wish him
a speedy recovery and rejoice at the fact that at
such short notice, even in a London where the pessimistic
murmurs of approaching doom in the music business
get louder by the day, one still finds as high a
quality a gig as this. |
| Regular
readers may recall from a previous
review that Mr Musselwhite is a survivor: “Whiskey
and wine, that’s what did me in,” he
said in a recent interview, “It got to where
I couldn’t function properly.” Well,
without a drink for twenty years, he’s perfectly
charming and functioning pretty well, turning in
a stellar performance to an enthusiastic audience.
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| And
he’s sans band – so the first half of
the show is Mr Musselwhite solo on guitar and harmonica.
He has an easy Delta blues style (actually I should
say annoyingly easy), as relaxed as the man himself.
His songs are mostly self-composed, and in between
the music we get some pleasing anecdotes and some
first-rate harmonica tuition. And if you want to
get a feel for the material he played then listen
to his 2004 solo album Darkest Hour. British folk-blues
veteran Dave Peabody (“Blimey”, said
Jozzer, “the last time I saw him was in the
upstairs room at the New College Arms in Eton back
in the early seventies. Isn’t he dead?”)
joined Musselwhite on guitar for the second half
which kicked off with ‘The blues overtook
me’, and featured Musselwhite’s more
familiar urban harp sound – the style that
led to him play with musicians such as Muddy Waters
at the start of his career. |
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| What
we hear is nothing short of a mini-master class.
And if Musselwhite’s demeanour is happy then
it’s contradicted somewhat by his songs, which
throughout the evening are at their best when focussed
on the meaner side of life, traditionally celebrated
by the blues. |
| Want
to try yourself? Short of a few self-gifting ideas
for the festive season ahead? Then why not buy Charlie
Musselwhite’s guide to harmonica playing,
and amaze your friends at Christmas parties for
years to come! -
Nick Morgan (photographs by Kate) |
Check
the index of all reviews:
Nick's Concert Reviews
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There's nothing more down there... |
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