Rg the Blues in New Brunswick

BULK RATE CAR-RT SORT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Princeton Pactet.inc. I Vol. 42, No. 43! Friday, October 24,1997 50 Cents rg the blues in New Brunswick Charlie Musselwhite discovers strength and comfort in the blues ; By Alex Saville In Brazil, local blues musicians all do one big jam together, and that ; The Packet Group have incorporated their own tradi- was cookin', too." ; Charlie Musselwhite first heard tional styles into blues, with some Born in Mississippi in 1944, Mr. the blues as a young boy in Mem- wonderful results. Musselwhite moved with his family phis, Tennessee. "I tried it out, too," Mr. Musslew- just over the state line to Memphis, • - "There were people that sang that hite says. "And I think it shows Tenn., when he was 3. He started worked in these fields out near where something about the universal feeling playing harmonica and guitar when we lived*" he says in his slow, com- that we all have, a common bond, he was very young. And, after lis- fortable drawl. "There were some that our hearts are really connected in tening to the blues sung in the fields fields along this cypress creek where this world." and in the homes of friends, he be- I grew up. I'd be down by the creek, Also on "Rough News" are songs gan playing it when he was 13. hanging out, because it was cool from a session with local musicians Learning to play the blues in down there when it was real hot in in New Orleans, and others from re- Memphis wasn't about getting a the summer. I'd be down there look- cording he did in the garage of a band together and writing songs; it ing for a shady spot on the bank of friend's house in Los Angeles. was a more informal process. the creek, and I'd hear 'em singing. In "Darkest Hour," the sounds of "A lot of the jamming I did Man, it just sounded so good." the Louisiana swamp come creeping when I was in Memphis was in • With the release of his 17th al- in over the mournful strains of Mr. homes," he recalls. "Most of all. bum, "Rough News" (Pointblank), Musselwhite's down-home blues gui- we'd be sitting around, drinking. It wouldn't be something that was Mr. Musselwhite is on the road with tar and harmonica playing. Keb! Mo' (aka Kevin Moore) and Dr. planned. Sometimes, it would result Mr. Musselwhite, who knows just that an actual group of people would John as part of a "House of Blues" about everyone connected to blues, is tour. The three artists will play at the be playing and you could consider it happy to be on tour with Mr. Moore a band, but it sure didn't exist out- State Theatre in New Brunswick Oct. and Dr. John, both of whom he con- 28. side of that spot at that one time." siders friends. When Mr. Musselwhite was 18, Mr. Musselwhite plays harmoni- "I've known Keb' for a number ca easier than most people breathe. he moved to Chicago, where his of years now, and Dr. John — well, skill as a harmonica player made His music seems to come from deep we just did the new Blues Brothers inside, flowing out through the har- him stand out. Guitar players were movie together," he says. everywhere, from the bigger blues monica in a broad palette of sounds. Mr. Moore, whose stage name is "Rough News" is an amalgamation bars to the downtown street corners. Keb' Mo", is part of a newer of three different recording sessions, But good harmonica players are a generation of blues artists. He started each with its own character, and rare breed. demonstrates the range emotions out playing wilh Top 40 rhythm and "The harmonica is really hard," contained in the blues. blues groups, and played with Jeffer- Mr. Musselwhite.explains. "On one son Starship/Hot Tuna violinist Papa hand, it's really easy to.just pick it "It's the real spirit of living life," John Creach. up and blow through it, and you can he says. "And it gives,you a strength; Already steeped in the blues from get a decent sound out of it because it's like a comfort. To play it right, it his youth, Mr. Moore's interest in the it's set up to play a chord on it. But really has to come from the heart." : style really took off after played the then when you start getting into it One track on the album addresses and learning how it works, how to that idea directly; -and - incorporates role of country/blues legend Robert Johnson in a'protraction of the "play" play-«;,different; keys on one •har- Brazilian folk music into American monica and how to bend the notes blues. "Feel It in Your Heart" is "Rabbit Foot" in Los Angeles and again in the docudrama about Mr. and all that stuff .— you actually based on a Brazilian style called "Tor- have to force the notes out of it that ro" (pronounced for-haw). Johnson called "Can't You Hear the "It gives you a strength, it's like a comfort. To play it right, it really has to come from the heart," Mr. Wind Howl?" it wasn't meant to play — then, it "You hear it on the street corners gets real difficult." Musselwhite says of the blues. — people play it — and out in the In the upcoming film "Blues A harmonica consists of a series country," Mr. Musselwhite says. Brothers 2000," Mr. Musselwhite you can watch someone else play, musicians in Chicago than he can re- these things had happened, and then of "free reeds" that are like small "Before I went to Brazil, my idea of and Dr. John got to know each other you can't see exactly what he's doing call, but the first one to give him a when the story was over he would whistles or miniature organ pipes. Brazilian music was "The Girl from as members of the band "The Gator with his lips and tongue to make spe- break was singer-guitarist Big Joe say, 'And Iieft that town and I was Each reed emits a specific note, and, Ipanema.' I didn't know anything Boys," which is featured in the movie cific sounds. Williams, whom he often accompa- just a single man walkin' down the alongside the Blues Brothers' band. by blowing through the instrument, about Brazilian music, but there's all "So I was offered this work as a nied. road with a guitar on my back and the harmonica player plays individual kinds of Brazilian music. Some of it "We were cookin": I ain't lying," harmonica player, and a lot of people "He was like the fast of those old my hat on backwards.' " even sounds like Mississippi field Mr. Musselwhite says. "No? only notes and/or chords. never even found out that I played itinerant guys,"' Mr. Musslewhite hollers. Just no instruments at all, just that, we do one tune and then the One of the reasons that playing a guitar," Mr. Musslewhite says. says. "He'd tell me these stories a voice. It's tough." Blues Brothers' band joins us and we harmonica is so difficult is that, while Mr. Musselwhite met more blues about how he was somewhere and all See MUSSELWHITE, Page 2A An Oxford summer Ali Naqvi of Franklin Township wins the 1997 Outstanding Scholar Oxford University Award By Susan Be!! labs and schools. intercultural affairs than Americans. Special Writer Ali said he found the majority of While the young man was dedi- British students are interested in law cated to his studies at Oxford, he At the age of 16, Ali Naqvi of and business while very few pursue still found time to take advantage of Franklin Township studied at Ox- science. At the same time, Ali said British culture and entertainment. ford University this past summer. the students are highly motivated by Ali said he was very impressed with One highlight of his trip was win- their parents' desires. the version of "Hamlet" he saw at ning the 1997 Outstanding Scholar British teachers, he said, have a Stratford-on-Avon. He enjoyed tour- Oxford University Award. Accord- closer personal relationship with ing the House of Parliament, and ing to the young man, the trip was students than their American coun- had fun playing cricket. filled with intellectual challenges, terparts. But. Ali, said, U.S. students Additionally, he enjoyed an oc- an appreciation for another culture are clearly more advantaged in hav- casional night out at a club and even and the opportunity to meet and in- jet skiing at Brighton. One night teract with students of many nation- Ali remembered well what oc- alities. curred when the students stayed Ali has attended the Rutgers awake because they had eaten Preparatory' School for the last four chocolate all day on their tour of years. The opportunity to attend the Cadbury Candy Factory. Oxford was based on being chosen Ali said two teachers at the as one of 80 young people accepted Rutgers Preparatory School have from a pool of approximately 400 had an important influence on him: 'The Passion of Drkcula" opens Halloween eve at 8:30 p. m. This popular version of the leg- students who applied. Ali studied at Mrs. Adury Doryumu, who taught end of Dracula originated at the George Street Piayhouse in New Brunswick, where it pre- " the Magdalen College, a premier him Shakespeare, and his eighth miered in 1975.

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