Page 22 - Akae Beka

Charlie Musselwhite plays with bandmates Matt Stubbs (guitar) and June Core (drums) on the Edmonton Blues Festival stage in 2019. Photo by Ÿ Marilyn Stringer

debut album). In the 1960s, Jazz Record Mart was a veritable Hardware, or revisiting “Cristo Redentor,” the song that ends
graduate school of the blues as it attracted many blues fans, such each one of Charlie’s set lists. Charlie’s music is deceptively
as Bruce Iglauer, who would go on to record Hound Dog Taylor simply. Sure, it generally starts with basic riffs on his Seydel
and The HouseRockers for his award-winning Alligator Records brand harmonica… but then, chord changes – like a boxer’s
label. One of Iglauer’s first jobs in Chicago was a clerk at Bob right hook – hijack the melody in service of the song.
Koester’s store. A live Charlie Musselwhite show always features some world
In Chicago, Charlie’s blues life came full circle on his debut music that is surprisingly close to American blues. For example,
record in 1967. Not only did Pete Welding write the liner notes on “Feel It In Your Heart” from Juke Joint Chapel, Charlie takes
for Stand Back, but Samuel Charters produced the album, which us down to South America and introduces us to forró, a genre of
featured a who’s who of bluesmen who played with Charlie in music unique to Northeastern Brazil that features an accordion,
South Side clubs, including the exceptional engine room of Bob zabumba bass drum and a metal triangle. As Charlie sings,
Anderson (Koko Taylor, James Cotton) on bass, Fred Below (Little “Forró’s played with heart, about every day and place/ For
Walter, Muddy Waters) on drums, Barry Goldberg (Chicago people of every color and all their daily cares/ Christo Redentor’s
Blues Reunion, The Electric Flag) on keyboards and Harvey stayin’ on Corcovado’s heel/ He beckons you to come on down
Mandel (The Snake, Canned Heat) on guitar. to Brazil.” Corcavado is a mountain in central Rio de Janeiro
Musselwhite left Chicago in 1967 for the San Francisco known for the 125-foot statue of Jesus atop its peak; Cristo
Bay Area. Nearly 15 years later, he encouraged John Lee Redentor or Christ the Redeemer.
Hooker to move to California, and shortly after that, Hooker Charlie Musselwhite has released 34 albums on a variety of
was best man when Charlie married his wife Henrietta. That record labels, including many stalwart roots and blues outlets like
was more than 40 years ago. Charlie’s current band includes Alligator, Telarc, Vanguard and Arhoolie. He’s also worked with
Matt Stubbs (James Cotton, James Harman) on guitar, June some of the more entrepreneurial imprints that tend to feature
Core (Mark Hummel, Elvin Bishop) on drums and Randy a wider range of music than traditional blues, including Peter
Bermudes (Rusty Zinn, RJ Mischo) on bass. Musselwhite Gabriel’s Real World, Virgin Records’ Point Blank, New West
divides his time between homes in Sonoma County, CA, and the Ford Brothers’ Blue Rock’It and the revitalized Stax label. His
the Mississippi Delta in Clarksdale, MS. releases on his own label Henrietta – named in honor of his
Musselwhite’s performances on record and on stage stand wife and producer – are exceptional documents of a master at
out for their passion, complexity and unpredictability – whether work, especially 2009’s Rough Dried: Live at The Triple Door and
it’s updating traditional blues forms on songs like “My Road 2013’s Juke Joint Chapel. I’m particularly biased regarding that
Lies in Darkness” from Sanctuary or “Church is Out” from Delta live recording at Seattle’s Triple Door because I was there.

20 Blues Festival Guide 2020