Charlie Musselwhite - Memphis Charlie

Album: Memphis Charlie
Size: 150,5 MB
Time: 65:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1989
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. It Ain't Right (3:59)
2. Finger Lickin' Good (4:00)
3. Up And Down The Avenue (2:42)
4. Highway Blues (4:59)
5. Wild, Wild Woman (5:02)
6. Takin' My Time (10:44)
7. Crazy For My Baby (2:56)
8. Blue Steel (4:47)
9. Take Me Back (5:21)
10. This Old Nightlife (5:21)
11. Taylor's, Arkansas (2:50)
12. Cut You Loose (4:17)
13. If Trouble Was Money (5:21)
14. On The Spot Boogie (2:39)

Charlie Musselwhite earned the nickname “Memphis Charlie” during his years in Memphis, Tennessee, where he learned to play guitar and blues harmonica. Moving to Chicago in 1962 to look for better-paying work, Musselwhite jumped into the blues scene, becoming a regular at blues venues, sitting in and playing with some of the great musicians of the Chicago scene.

This album, released in 1989, contains songs recorded in 1971 and 1974 that feature the electrifying blues vocals and harmonica of Memphis Charlie. Liner notes include a biography of the artist.

(For personnel and recording details, see artwork included.)

Memphis Charlie mc
Memphis Charlie gofile

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Look Out Highway

Album: Look Out Highway
Size: 92,3 MB
Time: 39:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2025
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Front

1. Look Out Highway (3:31)
2. Sad Eyes (3:39)
3. Storm Warning (4:04)
4. Baby Won't You Please Help Me (3:44)
5. Hip Shakin' Mama (3:05)
6. Highway 61 (3:44)
7. Ready For Times To Get Better (Feat. Edna Luckett) (3:15)
8. Ramblin' Is My Game (3:48)
9. Blue Lounge (3:42)
10. Ghosts In Memphis (Feat. Al Kapone) (3:50)
11. Open Road (3:30)

With its signature blend of Delta and Chicago blues mixed with Memphis soul, "Look Out Highway" is pure Charlie Musselwhite. Recorded at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studio in San Jose California, it’s the first time Charlie has recorded with his long-time touring band, comprised of guitarist Matt Stubbs (GA-20), drummer June Core (Robert Lockwood Jr.) and bassist Randy Bermudes (James Cotton), along with Andersen who has been in and out of the band for many years. Their chemistry and command is abundantly clear from the opening notes.

Throughout his illustrious career Charlie Musselwhite has received 13 Grammy nominations and 33 Blues Music Awards. In 2014 his collaboration with Ben Harper "Get Up" won a Grammy and in 2010 he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. In 2023, Musselwhite was cast in Martin Scorsese’s film "Killers of the Flower Moon".

Charlie has collaborated with an eclectic list of incredible artists over the years, including Ben Harper, Cyndi Lauper, Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Gov't Mule, INXS, George Thorogood, Eliades Ochoa, Cat Stevens, Elvin Bishop and John Lee Hooker. More than any other harmonica player of his generation, Charlie Musselwhite can rightfully lay claim to inheriting the mantle of many of the great harp players that came before him with music as dark as Mississippi mud and as uplifting as the blue skies of California. In an era when the term legendary gets applied to auto-tuned pop stars, this singular blues harp player, singer, songwriter, and guitarist has earned and deserves to be honored as a true master of American classic vernacular music.

Look Out Highway mc
Look Out Highway gofile

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Continental Drifter

Album: Continental Drifter
Size: 131,2 MB
Time: 56:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues, Latin
Art: Full

1. No (4:50)
2. Can't Stay Away From You (3:58)
3. Voodoo Garden (8:01)
4. Little Star (5:21)
5. Que Te Parece, Cholita (What Do You Think, Cholita) (6:41)
6. Chan Chan (Charlie's Blues) (5:46)
7. Sabroso (Delicious) (6:50)
8. Siboney (4:03)
9. My Time Someday (4:22)
10. Blues Up The River (2:34)
11. Please Remember Me (4:19)

For over 30 years, Charlie Musselwhite has released consistent, if not classic, blues albums in the great Chicago tradition. An acknowledged master of the harmonica, Musselwhite's rough voice is also a recognizable aural trait, and on Continental Drifter he uses both to evoke a world weariness. In the same way a bluesman might rootlessly travel from town to town, the swinging melodies of songs like "Edge of Mystery" and "No" seem to drift and amble musically. Though it's not one of his best efforts, the album - which also has Musselwhite dabbling with Tex-Mex on two tracks - is a solid offering. /Steve Kurutz, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Continental Drifter mc
Continental Drifter zippy

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Mississippi Son

Size: 95.7 MB
Time: 40:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Acoustic/Electric Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Front

01. Blues Up The River (2:34)
02. Hobo Blues (2:11)
03. In Your Darkest Hour (3:28)
04. Stingaree (2:23)
05. When The Frisco Left The Shed (2:44)
06. Remembering Big Joe (2:59)
07. The Dark (3:05)
08. Pea Vine Blues (3:41)
09. Crawling King Snake (4:10)
10. Blues Gave Me A Ride (2:21)
11. My Road Lies In Darkness (3:19)
12. Drifting From Town To Town (3:06)
13. Rank Strangers (2:27)
14. A Voice Foretold (1:38)

Mississippi Son is the new recording by a venerated legend of the blues, Charlie Musselwhite. Charlie’s been recording since the 1960s, and has cut almost 40 albums. But this one is special. Rather than featuring his brilliant, endlessly creative harmonica playing backed by a full electric band, Mississippi Son focuses on Charlie’s deep-in-the-Delta guitar playing (both acoustic and electric) and his soulful, sly storyteller’s vocals. His famed harmonica and a subtle rhythm section join with his guitar and voice to enhance some of the tracks.

Charlie has just moved from California back to Clarksdale, Mississippi, and this back-to-the-roots album is a loving celebration of his Mississippi blues heritage. He’s included songs by iconic country bluesmen Charley Patton, Big Joe Williams and Yank Rachell, as well as eight arresting originals steeped in the tradition. Mississippi Son is Charlie’s most intimate and nuanced record.

Few other people have such a deep knowledge and love for Delta blues. Charlie was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi and raised there and in Memphis. He learned at the feet of legends like Furry Lewis, Gus Cannon and Will Shade, and, after moving to Chicago as a young man, from his friend, playing partner and roommate, the often-irascible Big Joe Williams (to whom he dedicates a song on this album, recording with one of Joe’s guitars). Charlie had no thought of becoming a professional blues musician. He simply loved the music and wanted to absorb and understand not just the techniques and styles of the old masters, but also the hardscrabble life experiences that inspired their songs, as well as the attitude which they brought to their performances and to their daily lives.

It was only after coming to Chicago in the early 1960s that Charlie started focusing on his harmonica playing, under the tutelage of the great Big Walter Horton. Charlie became a popular local musician and recorded with Big Walter on the famed Chicago/The Blues/Today! series on the Vanguard label. The success of those records led to his being signed by Vanguard and cutting his first album, Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite’s South Side Band. That was the album that launched his career, a career that has lasted almost 60 years and produced nearly 40 albums and thousands of gigs around the world. Charlie left Chicago, traveled the world and settled down in Northern California. But his Mississippi roots kept calling to him, leading to his recent move to Clarksdale and the recording of this album in a Clarksdale studio.

With Mississippi Son, Charlie Musselwhite shines a glorious spotlight on the blues he first fell in love with, and delivers extraordinary, moving performances that come straight from his deep South soul.

Mississippi Son MP3
Mississippi Son FLAC

---

VA - Blues Live From Mountain Stage

Size: 139.3 MB
Time: 58:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01 The Nighthawks - Leave My Woman Alone (Live) (2:42)
02 Tracy Nelson - It Hurts Me Too (Live) (4:26)
03 Paul Geremia - Slidell Blues (Live) (3:40)
04 Snooky Pryor - That's The Way To Do It (Live) (2:57)
05 John Hammond - My Daddy Was A Jockey (Live) (3:23)
06 Charlie Musselwhite - Blues Why Do You Worry Me (Live) (5:13)
07 Chris Smither - The Devil's Real (Live) (4:22)
08 Cephas & Wiggins - Black Cat On The Line (Live) (5:06)
09 William Clarke - Lonesome Bedroom Blues (Live) (4:04)
10 John Jackson - Louisiana Blues (Live) (2:26)
11 The Legendary Blues Band - Got Love If You Want It (Live) (3:55)
12 Johnnie Johnson - That'll Work (Live) (5:23)
13 Charles Brown - Quicksand Blues (Live) (5:09)
14 Duke Robillard - Gee I Wish (Live) (5:52)

The Blues Live from Mountain Stage series continues documenting contemporary roots music's finest performers with this fine collection of blues performances, featuring artists including Charles Brown ("Quicksand Blues"), Charlie Musselwhite ("Blues Why Do You Worry Me?"), and Tracy Nelson ("It Hurts Me Too"). ~by Jason Ankeny

Blues Live From Mountain Stage MP3
Blues Live From Mountain Stage FLAC

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Mellow Dee

Size: 100.2 MB
Time: 43:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1986
Styles: Chicago Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Full

01. Hey, Miss Bessie (3:10)
02. Need My Baby (3:48)
03. I'll Get A Break (3:18)
04. Peach Orchard Mama (3:16)
05. Ask Me Nice (4:06)
06. Come Back Baby (3:31)
07. Coming Home, Baby (5:36)
08. Baby, Please Don't Go (2:13)
09. Lotsa Poppa (2:38)
10. Steady On Your Trial (5:26)
11. Can't You See What Your'e Doing To Me (2:59)
12. Christo Redemptor (Slight Return) (3:39)

By this time Charlie was confident enough to include four acoustic guitar vehicles -- one ("Baby Please Don't Go") with overdubbed harp, one ("I'll Get a Break") from his old pal Will Shade of the Memphis Jug Band. The ensemble numbers feature a German backup band with expatriate Jim Kahr on guitar. A more expansive workout (than the Chicago BlueStars' version) on "Coming Home Baby" is nice, and "Cristo Redentor" (Charlie's fourth recording of the song, this time subtitled "Slight Return") gets a beautiful piano-harp duet treatment. Unfortunately the proceedings are sabotaged by completely inappropriate engineering -- mechanical-sounding drums, tons o-reverb, way too much high-end. Ouch! ~Dan Forte

Mellow Dee MP3
Mellow Dee FLAC

---

Charlie Musselwhite Blues Band - Tennessee Woman

Size: 98,3 MB
Time: 42:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1969/1994
Styles: Chicago Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Full

01. Tennessee Woman ( 3:46)
02. Blue Feeling Today ( 5:03)
03. A Nice Day For Something ( 6:40)
04. Everybody Needs Somebody ( 3:24)
05. I Don't Play, I'll Be Your Man Some Day ( 3:19)
06. Christo Redemptor (11:49)
07. Little By Little ( 2:49)
08. I'm A Stranger ( 5:16)

The addition of jazz pianist Skip Rose gave a new dimension to the ensemble sound, and provided a perfect foil to Charlie's own soloing -- especially on the re-take of "Cristo Redentor," extended to 11 minutes, shifting to double-time in spots. Rose's instrumental, "A Nice Day for Something," is a welcome change of pace, and Musselwhite's "Blue Feeling Today" compares favorably to fine covers of Little Walter and Fenton Robinson tunes. ~Dan Forte

Tennessee Woman MP3
Tennessee Woman FLAC

---

Hot Tuna Blues - Live At The Belly Up (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite)

Size: 127,9 MB
Time: 54:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Front

01. Bowlegged Woman, Knock-Kneed Man (Live) (4:58)
02. If This Is Love (Live) (5:41)
03. Crying Won't Help You (Live) (5:46)
04. If I Should Have Bad Luck (Live) (5:05)
05. Where Hwy 61 Runs (Live) (5:05)
06. Christo Redemptor (Live) (7:56)
07. Come Back Baby (Live) (8:39)
08. Hit Single #1 (Live) (5:14)
09. Baby What You Want Me To Do (Live) (6:30)

Hot Tuna was formed by Jefferson Airplane members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. The name Hot Tuna invokes as many different moods and reactions as there are Hot Tuna fans. To some, Hot Tuna is a reminder of some wild and happy times. To others, that name will forever be linked to their own discovery of the power and depth of American blues and roots music. To newer fans, Hot Tuna is a tight, masterful duo that is on the cutting edge of great music. This special performance in 2011 is the only released recording from the Hot Tuna Blues Tour which featured harmonica virtuoso Charlie Musselwhite. The recording showcases the electric energy of Hot Tuna with the harmonic sounds of Musselwhite which can be heard on “Where HWY 61 Runs,” “Crying Won’t Help You,” and more. This is an all electric album featuring blues covers by Bobby Rush, Robert Nighthawk, Walter Davis and Jimmy Reed.

Live At The Belly Up MP3
Live At The Belly Up FLAC

---

Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite - 100 Years Of Blues

Size: 122,5 MB
Time: 51:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Front

01. Birds Of A Feather (3:21)
02. West Helena Blues (4:51)
03. What The Hell? (3:06)
04. Good Times (3:45)
05. Old School (4:58)
06. If I Should Have Bad Luck (4:00)
07. Midnight Hour Blues (4:12)
08. Blues, Why Do You Worry Me? (4:03)
09. South Side Slide (3:13)
10. Blues For Yesterday (5:53)
11. Help Me (5:15)
12. 100 Years Of Blues (5:10)

You can’t call this stuff unplugged. It’s stripped down, but there’s too much electricity crackling around the pairing of Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite to contain in an acoustic environment.

For 100 Years of Blues, their first studio pairing, Bishop and Musselwhite left the bulk of their musical accomplices behind, utilizing only the talents of Greaseland Studios’ owner/guitarist Kid Andersen (Rick Estrin and the Nightcats) on bass and Bob Welsh on guitar and piano. They’re calling it front-porch music, but cranking out this kind of stuff on your front porch would have the neighborhood in an uproar. Andersen has played and recorded in bands with both men over the years, and Welsh has appeared prominently on Bishop albums for the last decade and toured last year with Bishop and Musselwhite as a stripped-down trio. 100 Years of Blues was inspired by that tour.

Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters, Hound Dog Taylor, and Junior Wells encouraged and welcomed Bishop and Musselwhite into their arena early on, and their influences still resonate in the music. Bishop’s joy in entertaining has always been infectious, his shows like a rowdy picnic with friends you just met and decided to throw down with. Musselwhite also brings added zest to any gathering, whether slinging gospel licks around with the Blind Boys of Alabama or back porchin’ with Hot Tuna.

Bishop’s overalls-wearing, good-ol’-boy persona shines through on “Birds of a Feather,” bopping along to a cool, high-steppin’ shuffle with a groove deep enough to get down and wallow in.

“South Side Slide” is a languid, laid-back instrumental stroll through the Chicago neighborhood where both picked up and honed their blues skills, Musselwhite soaring above the sidewalk so as not to slip in Bishop’s greasy slide tracks.

“What the Hell?” is the duo’s why-can’t-we-all-halfway-get-along plea voiced by Bishop and aimed at “the president who wants to be the king,” as Musselwhite’s mournful harp protests the current political goings-on.
Musselwhite channels his inner Slim Harpo on “If I Should Have Bad Luck.” It’s a real pleasure to hear the duo make misery such an art form.
Bishop narrates the couple’s pedigree on “100 Years of Blues”: Bishop’s Oklahoma roots and Musselwhite’s Tennessee raisin’ and their musical education in the streets of Chicago in the 1960s, name-checking some of the joints that schooled them, piling up 100 years of blues between the two.

100 Years of Blues is another solid effort from Bishop, sanctified by Musselwhite and blessed by Andersen and Welsh in a blues baptismal that may not save your soul, but will soothe it ’til they get around to you again. ~Grant Britt

100 Years Of Blues MP3
100 Years Of Blues FLAC

---

New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers - New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers Vol. 1

Size: 107,8 MB
Time: 46:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01. Blues, Why You Worry Me (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite) (6:55)
02. Pony Blues (Feat. Alvin Youngblood Hart) (4:07)
03. Night Time (Feat. Jimbo Mathus) (5:05)
04. Come On Down To My House (Feat. Jim Dickinson) (4:16)
05. K.C. Moan (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite) (3:06)
06. Let’s Work Together (Feat. Jim Dickinson) (4:24)
07. Strange Land (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite) (6:49)
08. Shake It And Break It (Feat. Jimbo Mathus) (2:50)
09. Stone Free (Feat. Alvin Youngblood Hart) (3:40)
10. Stop And Listen Blues (Feat. Alvin Youngblood Hart) (4:55)

This is the first volume of music from roots “super group,” New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers: Charlie Musselwhite, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Jimbo Mathus, the late Jim Dickinson, and North Mississippi Allstars members Luther Dickinson and Cody Dickinson. Recorded at the Zebra Ranch Recording Studio in Hernando, Mississippi, the 10 blues-drenched tracks of sublime roots music on New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers Volume 1 will be followed in the spring of 2021 by Volume 2.

The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers originated back in January, 2008, when musician brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson sat down for a guitar jam with ex-Squirrel Nut Zippers leader Jimbo Mathus, along with blues greats Charlie Musselwhite, Alvin Youngblood Hart and the late Memphis pianist, producer and all around musical stylist Jim Dickinson, gathered for a self-described “hardcore blues” recording under the group name of the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers.

For more than 12 years, that recording’s existence was mentioned only obscurely in interviews, and referenced as a great old-school recording by those few witnesses. It was done in one take off-the- floor over a couple of late nights, where the musicians all sat in one big circle in the studio and played quietly amongst the microphones, taking turns singing out in the room and improvising on the spot. Despite the fact that Jim Dickinson finished production before his death in summer of 2009, the album just hung out in the archives, waiting. It is a testament to the great experience and talent of these esteemed performers that they could casually conjure a recording of this quality out of the ether this way, sounding as if the listener is right there in the room with them, with between-song banter and commentary, the classic structures of the blues, being pulled together and teased apart by some of the most award-decorated members of the blues elite. This album crosses the generations of new blues-rockers and classic blues statesmen.

It is a testament to the great experience and talent of these esteemed performers that they could casually conjure a recording of this quality out of the ether this way. Sounding as if you are right there in the room with them with between-song banter and commentary, the classic structures of the Blues, being pulled together and teased apart by some of the most award-decorated members of the Blues Elite. This album crosses the generations of new BluesRockers and Classic Blues Statesmen.

New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers Vol. 1 MP3
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers Vol. 1 FLAC

---

VA - Blues Singles Collection Vol. 11

Size: 212,0 MB
Time: 90:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Art: Front

01 Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite - What The Hell? (3:08)
02 Doyle Bramhall II - Be Here Now (Feat. Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks) (4:27)
03 Bobby Rush - Dust My Broom (3:35)
04 Simon McBride - Kids Wanna Rock (2:51)
05 The Reverend Shawn Amos - Troubled Man (Breathe Remix) (Feat. Ruthie Foster & James Saez) (4:12)
06 Laura Rain & The Caesars - Soul Creature (3:39)
07 Lachy Doley & The Lachy Doley Group - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (4:32)
08 John Nemeth - I Can See Your Love Light Shine (3:16)
09 Billy Walton Band - You Don't Need Me (4:08)
10 Lisa Mills - You Better Move On (2:59)
11 ElectroBluesSociety - Slow And Heavy (1:46)
12 Wellbad - Jackleen - Live (2:41)
13 Roxanne Potvin - Jump In (3:32)
14 Boogie Beasts - Mine All Mine (2:26)
15 Curtis Salgado - The Longer That I Live (3:51)
16 Gina Sicilia - Married Man (3:11)
17 Mick Clarke - Pretty Thing (3:01)
18 Cedric Burnside & Steve Azar - Coldwater (4:07)
19 Funkwrench Blues - Unity (Feat. Brother Paul Brown) (3:27)
20 Mike Ross - None Of Your Business (3:20)
21 Bb Factory - Keep Yo Mama (3:21)
22 Chris Smither - Lonely Time (3:22)
23 Selwyn Birchwood - Living In A Burning House (4:08)
24 Phil Manning - Shut Downtown (3:52)
25 Chris Kramer & Beatbox 'n' Blues - Just A Little Boy (Live) (3:17)
26 Walter Trout - Heartland (4:26)

A collection of blues singles released in Aug 2020 compiled by myself.

Blues Singles Collection Vol. 11

---

Charlie Musselwhite - One Night In America

Size: 116,8 MB
Time: 49:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Harmonica Blues
Art: Full

01. Trail Of Tears (4:21)
02. Cold Grey Light Of Dawn (2:58)
03. Blues Overtook Me (4:30)
04. In A Town This Size (3:42)
05. Walking Alone (4:48)
06. Rank Strangers To Me (4:38)
07. One Time One Night (4:46)
08. In Your Darkest Hour (4:32)
09. Big River (5:22)
10. Ain't It Time (4:22)
11. I'll Meet You Over There (2:54)
12. Ain't That Lovin You Baby (2:56)

On One Night in America, Charlie Musselwhite takes his music back home to the Memphis of his childhood, walking down some blues-drenched country roads along the way. Musselwhite, with strong assistance from guitarists G.E. Smith and Robben Ford, as well as from vocalists Kelly Willis and Christine Ohlman, creatively captures the sonic sensibilities of the Memphis musical melting pot with a wide-ranging selection of songs. Musselwhite rolls through everything from Johnny Cash's country classic "Big River" to bluesman Jimmy Reed's "Ain't That Loving You Baby" in fine fashion, spicing up the tunes with occasional harp solos, but primarily letting the songs stand on their own.

Austin country sweetheart Willis dazzles on a duet of Kieran Kane's "In a Town This Size" and lends some angelic accompaniment on the country gospel standard "Rank Strangers to Me" to provide some vocal diversity. Musselwhite, who contributes several autobiographical songs to the mix, does more singing than playing, but he has no trouble blowing through the blues in the straight-ahead instrumental workout "I'll Meet You Over There." And, for all the Memphis emphasis of the album, the title actually comes from East L.A., courtesy of Musselwhite's upbeat rendition of Los Lobos' Americana gem "One Time One Night," that concludes the recording. ~Michael Point

One Night In America MP3
One Night In America FLAC

---

Charlie Musselwhite - In My Time

Size: 147,4 MB
Time: 62:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1993
Styles: Chicago Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Full

01. Stingaree (2:59)
02. Brownsville Blues (3:40)
03. Ain't It Time (3:08)
04. The Big Boat (3:16)
05. Leaving Blues (2:41)
06. When It Rains It Pours (4:31)
07. Casual Friend (3:27)
08. If I Should Have Bad Luck (4:52)
09. Watson's Excellent Adventure (3:09)
10. Please Don't Think I'm Nosy (4:49)
11. Midnight Mama (3:53)
12. Hear Me Talkin' (4:59)
13. Blues, Why Do You Worry Me? (4:01)
14. Movin' And Groovin' (5:51)
15. Revelation (4:58)
16. Beside Of A Neighbor (2:23)

Charlie Musselwhite takes four different approaches on this Alligator release. On two tracks, he turns to guitar, proving a competent instrumentalist and convincing singer in a vintage Delta style. He also does two gospel numbers backed by the legendary Blind Boys of Alabama, which are heartfelt, but not exactly triumphs. Musselwhite reveals his jazz influence on three tracks, making them entertaining harmonica workouts. But for blues fans, Musselwhite's biting licks and spiraling riffs are best featured on such numbers as "If I Should Have Bad Luck" and "Leaving Blues." Despite the diverse strains, Musselwhite retains credibility throughout while displaying the wide range of sources from which he's forged his distinctive style. ~Ron Wynn

In My Time

---

Johnny Burgin - Johnny Burgin Live

Size: 157.4 MB
Time: 68:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Front

01. You Got To Make A Change (Live) (2:49)
02. Can't Make It Blues (Live) (5:40)
03. She Gave Me The Slip (Live) (5:52)
04. You're My Trinket (Live) (4:02)
05. The Leading Brand (Live) (5:46)
06. I Got To Find Me A Woman (Live) (Feat. Nancy Wright) (5:50)
07. Late Night Date Night (Live) (Feat. Rae Gordon) (4:52)
08. You Took The Bait (Live) (Feat. Rae Gordon & Nancy Wright) (3:43)
09. Daddy's Got The Personal Touch (Live) (Feat. Rae Gordon & Nancy Wright) (5:35)
10. Louisiana Walk (Live) (Feat. Nancy Wright) (4:08)
11. Blues Falling (Live) (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite) (4:20)
12. California Blues (Live) (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite) (5:19)
13. When The Bluesman Comes To Town (Live) (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite) (6:27)
14. Jody's Jazz (Live) (Feat. Nancy Wright) (3:54)

This live album offers twelve brand-new originals and two covers done by artists who don't play together regularly, performed for a packed house of enthusiastic fans! The band had just one night to nail it - which made this recording a crazy, but thrilling, high wire act! Johnny drew from the great Bay Area blues talent pool that lured him to the West Coast back in 2016. Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite's driving boogie-woogie harp on California Blues is an absolute highlight. You could feel a jolt of electricity run through the crowd when Portland, Oregon-based Rae Gordon took the stage. The end result is a raw, fresh, and original all-star set of blues, shot through with live energy.

Johnny Burgin Live

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Rough News

Year: 1997
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:57
Size: 108,0 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Both Sides Of The Fence (3:58)
2. I Sat & Cried (3:33)
3. Sleepwalk (2:32)
4. Natural Born Lover (3:35)
5. Darkest Hour (3:50)
6. Harlem Nocturne (2:23)
7. Drifting Boy (3:31)
8. Rough Dried Woman (4:30)
9. Feel It In Your Heart (3:41)
10. Rainy Highway (4:50)
11. Clarksdale Boogie (3:39)
12. Rough News (6:49)

Harmonica ace Charlie Musselwhite falls between the more obvious generations of blues players, younger than its elder statesmen but considerably senior to young hot-shots like Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. How, then, can he find a fresh hook to his music without resorting to attention-grabbing gimmicks? Except for two songs featuring producer/guitarist Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Charlie Musselwhite's 1997 album, Rough News, doesn't have any famous guests, but it stands out from the harmonica whiz's long and deep discography nonetheless.

Musselwhite has pared down his sound so radically that every instrument has become a rhythm instrument. When these lean, groove-based arrangements are applied to tunes as simple and catchy as "Both Sides of Fence," "I Sat & Cried" and "Natural Born Lover," the results jump at the listener with the bare-basics excitement of early rock & roll. Musselwhite displays his elegant command of the mouth harp on two instrumental standards, "Sleepwalk" and "Harlem Nocturne," but the highlights are the songs where the simplicity of the material and the masterfulness of the musicians bring the best out in each other. /Geoffrey Himes, Amazon

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Rough News mc
Rough News zippy

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Where Have All The Good Times Gone?

Year: 1992
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:03
Size: 90,4 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Hello Stranger (3:09)
2. Seemed Like The Whole World Was Crying (5:17)
3. Baby-O (3:25)
4. Still A Stranger (3:37)
5. Kid Man Blues (3:11)
6. I'll Get A Break Some Day (2:45)
7. Stretching Out (4:04)
8. Where Have All The Good Times Gone (7:30)
9. Going Away Baby (4:22)
10. Exodus (1:39)

Drummer/label head Pat Ford reunited with Charlie Musselwhite and brought along brother Robben Ford on guitar, producing this return to form. Musselwhite is up to the task in all departments - singing, playing (great tone), and especially songwriting (the title tune and "Seemed Like the Whole World Was Crying," inspired by Muddy Waters' death) - but it had been a while since Robben Ford had played low-down blues (touring with Joni Mitchell, putting in countless hours in L.A. studios), and it may have been wiser to give the guitar chair to Tim Kaihatsu, who by this time had seniority in terms of hours on the bandstand with Musselwhite, above any other Musselwhite alumnus.

Pianist Clay Cotton is in fine form. This time out, the deviations (to be expected by now) include Don & Dewey's "Stretching Out," an impressive chromatic harp rendering of "Exodus," and Musselwhite's solo guitar outing, "Baby-O." Easily Musselwhite's best-engineered album yet (nice job, Greg Goodwin). /Dan Forte, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Where Have All The Good Times Gone? mc
Where Have All The Good Times Gone? zippy

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Harpin' On A Riff: The Best Of

Year: 1999
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:21
Size: 181,1 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Harpin' On A Riff (3:33)
2. Blues Got Me Again (5:23)
3. Hear Me Talkin' (4:57)
4. Way I Feel (4:03)
5. Fast Life Blues (2:03)
6. It's Gettin' Warm In Here (4:53)
7. Finger Lickin' Good (3:57)
8. Crazy For My Baby (2:55)
9. Yesterdays (5:13)
10. Hey! Miss Bessie (5:11)
11. Run Here Mama (3:26)
12. Take Me Back (5:18)
13. When It Rains It Pours (4:29)
14. Revelation (4:55)
15. Taylor's, Arkansas (2:48)
16. This Old Nightlife (5:19)
17. Azul Para Amparo (1:39)
18. Blues In The Dark (1:56)
19. Hangin' On (3:30)
20. My Road Lies In Darkness (2:43)

Music Club has done it again with this amazing retrospective of blues guitarist and harmonicat Charlie Musselwhite. The Mississippi-born, Memphis-raised, and Chicago-trained bluesman has issued so many strong recordings it's a wonder that this isn't a box set. But if you have to boil it down to a single disc for a budget price, this is the one to have without question. Contained within its 20 selections are tracks from his two 1970s Arhoolie albums, Takin' My Time and Goin' Back Down South, from 1971 and 1974, respectively; The Harmonica According to Charlie Musselwhite, issued first on Kicking Mule and later on Blind Pig in 1978 and 1994, respectively; and finally from his Alligator albums, Ace of Harps (1990 and a Grammy winner), Signature (1992 and Grammy nominated), and In My Time (1994, also Grammy nominated).

These tracks come from Musselwhite's most fertile years when he was playing with reckless abandon a style of music he learned playing with Big Joe Williams on Maxwell Street and Muddy Waters in the clubs of Chicago. Featured here are the title track, "Finger Lickin' Good," "When It Rains It Pours," "Revelation," "Hear Me Talkin'," "This Old Nightlife," "It's Getting Warm In Here," "Crazy for My Baby," and more than a dozen more. The pace is nonstop, and it shows Musselwhite's development and refinement of his signature style on the harp and on the guitar. This is a blues album that's guaranteed to raise the roof at a party before it burns the joint down and will satisfy any aficionado's ear for the best of Musselwhite.

The only criticism might have been to include some of the '60s live stuff he did with Muddy Waters, but it's really a small complaint. This thing delivers the bluer-than-blue goods raw, immediate, and full of pathos. For the price, there isn't a better Musselwhite album available anywhere. /Thom Jurek, AllMusic

Harpin' On A Riff: The Best Of Charlie Musselwhite mc
Harpin' On A Riff: The Best Of Charlie Musselwhite zippy

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's South Side Band

Year: 1967/1990
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:43
Size: 104,7 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Baby Will You Please Help Me (3:20)
2. No More Lonely Nights (5:19)
3. Cha Cha The Blues (3:12)
4. Christo Redemptor (3:21)
5. Help Me (3:30)
6. Chicken Shack (4:17)
7. Strange Land (3:01)
8. 39th And Indiana (4:10)
9. My Baby (2:42)
10. Early In The Morning (4:35)
11. 4 P.M. (3:14)
12. Sad Day (5:00)

Vanguard may have spelled his name wrong (he prefers Charlie or Charles), but the word was out as soon as this solo debut was released: here was a harpist every bit as authentic, as emotional, and in some ways as adventuresome, as Paul Butterfield. Similarly leading a Chicago band with a veteran black rhythm section (Fred Below on drums, Bob Anderson on bass) and rock-influenced soloists (keyboardist Barry Goldberg, guitarist Harvey Mandel), Musselwhite played with a depth that belied his age - only 22 when this was cut! His gruff vocals were considerably more affected than they would become later (clearer, more relaxed), but his renditions of "Help Me," "Early in the Morning," and his own "Strange Land" stand the test of time.

He let his harmonica speak even more authoritatively on instrumentals like "39th and Indiana" (essentially "It Hurts Me Too" sans lyrics) and "Cha Cha the Blues," and his version of jazz arranger Duke Pearson's gospel-tinged "Cristo Redemptor" has become his signature song - associated with Musselwhite probably more so than with trumpeter Donald Byrd, who originally recorded the song for Blue Note. Goldberg is in fine form (particularly on organ), but Mandel's snakey, stuttering style really stands out - notably on "Help Me," his quirky original "4 P.M.," and "Chicken Shack," where he truly makes you think your record is skipping. /Dan Forte, AllMusic

Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's South Side Band mc
Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's South Side Band zippy

---

Charlie Musselwhite - Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough

Year: 1978
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:13
Size: 56,2 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: LP front & back

1. Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough (3:45)
2. Help Me (3:31)
3. Big Leg Woman (4:28)
4. Nightclub (4:33)
5. Help Yo'self (4:57)
6. Sloppy Drunk (2:59)

Cutting an audiofile session direct-to-disc (meaning that each entire side of the LP is recording live in the studio, with the band literally pausing between tunes, then forging ahead), someone came up with the bright idea of teaming Charlie with a band that he (mostly) had never played with, including a three-piece horn section. Under normal circumstances (retakes, overdubs, mixing - Charlie's vocals should be louder) this could have been a killer; as it is, it's yet another interesting side of this complex bluesman. Horns and piano (Skip Rose returns) give "Help Me" a whole new wrinkle, and Mose Allison's "Nightclub" is channeled through "Got My Mojo Working." Interesting, yes; definitive, no. /Dan Forte, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Times Gettin Tougher Than Tough mc
Times Gettin Tougher Than Tough zippy

---

Tony Holiday - Porch Sessions

Size: 134,9 MB
Time: 57:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Pickpocket Fingers (Feat. James Harman & Kid Ramos) (3:51)
02. They Call Me John Primer (Feat. John Primer & Bob Corritore) (6:21)
03. A Woman Named Trouble (Feat. Jake Friel & John Nemeth) (5:09)
04. Becky Ann (Feat. Mitch Kaxhmar & Ronnie Shellist) (3:36)
05. That's Alright (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite & Aki Kumar) (6:33)
06. Three Way Party (Feat. Mitch Kashmar & Ronnie Shellist) (5:09)
07. Special Friend (Feat. James Harman & Kid Ramos) (5:11)
08. Hip To It (Feat. Mitch Kashmar & Ronnie Shellist) (3:17)
09. Blues Hit Big Town (Feat. John Nemeth) (1:37)
10. Tell Me Baby (Feat. John Primer & Bob Corritore) (3:03)
11. Goin' To Court (Feat. James Harman & Kid Ramos) (4:24)
12. Coin Operated Woman (Feat. Johnny Burgin) (4:23)
13. This Time I'm Gone For Good (Feat. William G. Kidd & Ronnie Shelllist) (4:57)

Tony Holiday is a vocalist and harp player who is rapidly emerging as a star on the international blues scene. He has been recognized by blues legends like Charlie Musselwhite and Rick Estrin as one of the finest up-and-comers in the game right now and is steadily building his own legend one gig at a time. Speaking of gigs, he plays up to 200 of them a year across the US and has brilliantly recorded his latest album Porch Sessions in between them on the actual porches of some of the blue’s best-known musicians. Hitting the streets January 25th, 2019 on the VizzTone Label Group, Porch Sessions by Tony Holiday is reminiscent of Alan Lomax’s landmark field recordings and the live recordings that have surfaced from Chicago’s famed Maxwell Street era over the years. It is all about the real blues captured live as it happens.

Tony, along with his partner Landon Stone, have crisscrossed America in pursuit of this project and have ended up on some pretty significant front porches. Live sessions were tracked featuring some of the blue’s biggest names, including Charlie Musselwhite, John Primer, Kid Ramos, John Nemeth, Kid Andersen, Rockin’ Johnny Burgin, and more. The down-and-dirty format is a genius move, as it connects listeners directly to the live blues experience. Studio slickness is replaced by in-the-moment performances and off-the-cuff deliveries. It’s like sitting in on a rehearsal or impromptu jam where the musicians are playing for the simple joy of doing so.

Highlights abound on Porch Sessions by Tony Holiday and hardcore blues fans will love every inch of this record. The opening cut features guitarist Kid Ramos and singer/harpist James Harman getting down on a number called “Pickpocket Fingers,” a Jimmy Reed-ish shuffle about a girl with a “Buster Keaton smile” that’s immediately engaging and sets the tone for what’s to follow. Ramos’ rhythm playing is absolutely popping and will make you want to move, even in this intimate context. Chicago guitarist and Muddy Water’s bandleader John Primer checks in with “They Call Me John Primer” and brings the classic interwoven Windy City sound with him. Bob Corritore adds harp in all the right places and Primer sounds as full of life as he ever has.

One of the best cuts on Porch Sessions is the humid and sultry “A Woman Named Trouble,” which showcases Jake Friel on vocals and John Nemeth on harmonica. Built on a subtle-yet-simmering funk groove, the track creates that smoky 3AM headspace that made many of us fall in love with the truth of the blues. When Friel tells us his woman “can make a baby out of a full-grown man,” we are left with no choice but to believe.

Charlie Musselwhite and Aki Kumar guest on the venerable standard “That’s Alright” with Kumar handling vocals. The two harps fill the track with lonesome, moaning licks that will keep listeners in a trance and put the full emotional power of the instrument on display. Tony Holiday and guitarist Rockin’ Johnny Burgin team up on the low-key bounce of “Coin Operated Woman” to great effect, keeping everything right in the pocket, and the set closes with “This Time I’m Gone For Good,” a slow, heavy minor blues spotlighting William G. Kidd on vocals and Ronnie Shellist on harmonica that’s pure midnight heartbreak.

Porch Sessions is nothing but fun from beginning to end and it’s immensely refreshing to bask in its casual glory. This is the raw, homespun blues, the kind of music that made possible all that came after it, and Tony Holiday deserves praise for recording these folks playing it in the most human setting there is.

Highly recommended. ~Mike O’Cull

Porch Sessions

---