Event
Charlie Musselwhite Dance Concert at the Center for the Arts
"Blues is tough," Charlie Musselwhite explains. He could just as easily be talking about himself. Described by the San Jose Mercury News as, "the second coming of Led Zeppelin, with Tom Waits on vocals," Charlie and his band embody the direct and timeless power of the blues.
Charlie continues to deliver that hi-wattage intensity on stage, testifying to the truth of living in real America night in and night out. Whether it's the rough river town of Memphis of his childhood, the rough South Side Chicago juke joints where he cut his teeth as a performer or the disillusioned Twenty First Century New Orleans, Musselwhite's music still speaks loud and clear-- to the soul with passion and grace.
When Charlie released his first record, 1967's defiant Stand Back, the country was in the midst of an unpopular war and entering the slipstream of rapid cultural and political change. Fast forward four decades and not much has changed. Neither has Musselwhite's musical wanderlust nor his creative ambition.
His hunger to explore new sounds and possibilities resulted in an acclaimed 2007 collaboration with alt-rock institution Eddie Vedder on the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack to the film Into The Wild. Vedder's haunting vocals and Musselwhite's aching harp strains added to the movie's already powerful story. Charlie recalls the sessions as a mutual admiration society. "It was great. Sean Penn was there, too. They were fans and knew a lot of my records. We hit it off right away and had great rapport."
Charlie describes this give and take between himself and performers from other generations and different genres as, "a conversation." It is an ongoing one that has been a key reason why his music remains so vital. "Every situation has something to offer and can spark new ideas," he explains. "Something new comes out of it." Musselwhite sums up: "It's like I know what I know. What do you know that can make things even more interesting?"
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LocationThe Center for the Arts
314 West Main Street
Grass Valley, CA 95945
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: No |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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