Branch, Cotton, Musselwhite and Norcia

Branch, Cotton, Musselwhite and Norcia: Superharps

by Ed Kopp
October 1, 1999

Superharps is a fun release that brings together four veteran blues harpists: Billy Branch, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite and Sugar Ray Norcia.Except for one solo cut apiece by Norcia and Cotton and an overlong slow-blues jam that closes this CD, Telarc assigned these four harmonicats to various duo formats, thus giving each player ample room to maneuver. The pairings spur the artists to some creative instrumental exchanges and spirited vocal performances — even by Musselwhite, who’s never been ...