Charlie Musselwhite: Best of the Vanguard Years

This 20-track collection of Musselwhite's early days shows that even back then the man could blow effectively in a variety of settings. In addition to the groundbreaking recordings he made with his own group, this also includes Musselwhite backing John Hammond on two tracks and a duet with Walter Horton from the Chicago, The Blues Today! sessions -- nice additions. Highlights include "Chicken Shack," "Cristo Redemptor," "Cha Cha the Blues," and "I Don't Play." A nice introduction to this blues veteran.
--Cub Koda, All-Music Guide

Levon, Garth and Robbie are present on tracks 16 and 17, recorded with John Hammond in 1964 for Hammond's So Many Roads album.

Tracks

1. Chicken Shack
2. No More Lonely Nights
3. Help Me
4. Cha Cha the Blues
5. Christo Redemptor
6. My Buddy Buddy Friends
7. Gone and Left Me
8. Juke
9. Tennessee Woman
10. I Don't Play, I'll Be Your Man Some Day
11. Blue Feeling Today
12. Everybody Needs Somebody
13. Little by Little
14. I'm a Stranger
15. Rockin' My Boogie
16. O Yea!
17. So Many Roads, So Many Trains
18. Too Hot to Touch
19. Blues Never Die
20. After While

Sidemen

• Michael Bloomfield - Piano
• Floyd Jones - Bass
• Charlie Musselwhite - Harmonica, Vocals, Producer
• Rod Piazza - Chromatic Harmonica
• Robbie Robertson - Guitar
• Jimmy Lewis - Bass
• Bob Anderson - Bass
• Samuel Charters - Producer
• Clay Cotton - Organ, Piano
• Levon Helm - Drums
• Garth Hudson - Organ (Hammond)
• Tim Kaihatsu - Guitar
• Frank Kirkland - Drums
• Kevin Morrow - Producer
• Johnny Shines - Guitar
• Larry Welker - Guitar
• Karl Severeid - Bass
• Tom Vickers - Compilation Producer
• Georgette Cartwright - Creative Services Coordinator
• Drew Cartwright - Package Design
• Barry C. Ridge - Package Design
• Walter Horton - Harmonic Arrangement

Charlie Musselwhite - Best of the Vanguard Years - 2000 - Vanguard 79556