Mel Bay Presents Charlie Musselwhite Power Blues Harp
Charles Douglas Musselwhite III, the white Southerner considered by many to be the most consistently exciting and imaginative blues harmonica player alive, is in the unique position of being viewed as a peer by legendary blues figures three and four decades his senior and as a legend by his fans and members of the rock and jazz community. Musselwhite has been playing professionally for over 25 years and has been listed as a major influence by artists as widespread as songstress Phoebe Snow, harmonica wizards Kim Wilson and Norton Buffalo, and guitar hero Carlos Santana. Charlie was born in Mississippi in 1944. At an early age he moved to Memphis with his family, all their possessions loaded in a borrowed dump truck. Growing up in Memphis, Charlie was surrounded by music. Neighbor Jimmy Griffin went on to found pop group BREAD, across the road lived rockabilly legends Johnny Burnette and Slim Rhodes. Charlie went to school with Tommy Cash, Johnny's brother, and traveling gospel groups would regularly set up tents in a nearby field. Charlie loved all the music he heard around him, but his favorite was blues. During this period, he befriended Furry Lewis, Will Shade, and the still-living members of the Memphis Jug Band. At age 18, Charlie moved on to Chicago. Within weeks he became a familiar figure in the South Side clubs, playing regularly with such greats as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Otis Spann, Shakey Horton, and Big Joe Williams. As Charlie himself puts it, "Every night I'd be down there listening to artists I'd admired most of my life. When they found out I could play, they let me sit in. When they liked what they heard, they offered me gigs." Charlie worked all over Chicago, in clubs and on the streets.  In 1966 he was recorded by Vanguard Records, which led to the worldwide recognition he now enjoys. He has gone on to record numerous albums on his own and as a featured guest artist. Charlie is a hard-working man, on the road over nine months a year. He tours throughout the U. S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Between tours, he returns to home base in northern California. Wherever he finds himself, his audience can be sure that the Charlie Musselwhite Band will satisfy the highest standards of musical excellence and excitement.  Phil Duncan earned his Masters of Music Education degree in 1973 at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. His thesis focused on the study of methods for teaching the beginning student of any musical instrument. He has taught piano, guitar, and harmonica since the age of 16, having been introduced to the harmonica by his grandfather at age 7. With a versatile educator's experience ranging from elementary school through university levels, Phil served for many years as the vocal and general music teacher at Lakeview Middle School in Kansas City, Missouri. He is currently teaching at Park University in the Music Department. He instructs choir and voice as well as a class in Kansas City Jazz Style and classes on Music Education for Elementary Teachers. As a clinician, Phil has conducted workshops at several harmonica conventions and at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Arkansas, the Texas Music Educator's Conference, and has presented many other clinics throughout the Midwest. He is also active in community education, and has advised teachers in techniques to better instruct their students in the art of playing the harmonica.  Phil's career as an author for Mel Bay Publications began in 1979 with the publication of The Deluxe Harmonica Method. This work was the result of ten years of research and two years of diligent writing. Since this auspicious beginning, Phil has published over 20 books and videos with Mel Bay Publications on virtually every aspect of playing the harmonica, making a significant contribution to the repertoire for this instrument. He also has 8 published instructiona