RE: Charlie Musselwhite (and Tampa Blues Fest, too).

["Dennis Cooper" <harmaniac@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think Mr Musselwhite is arguably one of the most recognized blues 
harmonica players on the scene and has been for many years. He is an icon. 
Still alive, and playing better than ever. A superior musician who happens 
to play harmonica.

People who have never been to a blues festival will buy tickets to see 
Charlie, because they've heard of him. With any luck they will catch the 
blues bug along the way.

Over the years however,  the names popping out of the mouths of 
non-musicians and non-harmonica players most often in my presence are:
(in no particular order and in addition to those already mentioned.)

"Snortin'" Norton Buffalo
Robert Bonfiglio
Toots Thielemans
Mickey Raphael
Charlie McCoy
Greg "Fingers" Taylor

The thing that stands out most to me is the fact that no one on the list 
above is exactly known as a "blues" musician. Blues is not a mainstream 
genre. It is a back-alley, smokey bar, music festival, spontaneous sort of 
grass roots art form. That's something I'm grateful for

Regards,

The Harmaniac? Dennis M. Cooper
http://www.crossharp.com

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