Search - Norton Buffalo :: King of the Highway

Norton Buffalo Rides Again

peter krampert | eharmonica.net | 01/29/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Norton Buffalo is one of those musicians that just about everybody has heard and that just about nobody has heard of. He's been the harmonica player for Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler, Steve Miller and a host of others. Contented to stay in the shadows while others stand in the spotlight, Buffalo has chosen to step into the limelight again.Buffalo has chosen to do an album of rockin' Blues and surrounds himself with some top-notch players as well as guest musicians Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop and Merl Saunders. Every song on the CD is solid, featuring some amazing harp playing by Buffalo. It is almost shameful that this album hasn't gotten more airplay, while lesser lights get played to death.If you're an aspiring harmonica player, it would be in your best interest to get a copy of this CD to here what the instrument can sound like in the hands of a master."

King of the Harmonica

Craig Stenstrom | Pinole, CA United States | 10/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Norton Buffalo's first solo project since the late 70's "King of the Highway" focuses on his blues side.But this is not a derivative Chicago blues harp album or pre-war country blues (not that there's anything wrong with those genres), this is Norton's unique brand of blues: down-home but modern, soulfull, melodic, swinging and fun.There's lots of virtuoso harmonica playing (all unamplified) and good songs, originals all but one.Hope we don't have to wait another 20 years for the next Norton Buffalo album."

American buffalo in great form

michael fowler | cincinnati ohio | 11/05/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"i was a bit concerned when the liner notes told me i wasn't going to hear any "dirty" amplified harp, exactly what i love, but you don't miss that with norton blowing. his playing is so fully nuanced and textured that a mic might even have distorted some of those wonderful tones. and while you won't find any lowdown swamp boogie here, or delta grinders, or led zep rockers, you will find plenty of smoky lounge crawlers and freeway accelerators with smoldering guitar if that's your taste. in fact norton is a master of styles and playing modes, sounding now like the harmonicats, then like larry adler, and all with a rocking, bluesy feel. he sings almost as well as he plays, too. anybody catch his playing in the movie "the dog pound shuffle" some years back, where norton does the harp work for a canadian drifter played by david soul? beautiful stuff."