GA-20 with Charlie Musselwhite Blues Now
GA-20 teamed up with Charlie Musselwhite on their new album, BLUES NOW, an album produced by Matthew Stubbs. Recorded at Rare Signals in Cambridge, MA, BLUES NOW features a living legend playing with a modern trio of talented musicians.
After booking studio time, GA-20 curated songs from artists like Elmore James, Junior Wells, and Eddie Taylor, along with two tracks from Musselwhite’s debut album, Stand Back!
Stubbs explained, “We tried to find songs that Charlie had a connection to or artists that he knew personally from Chicago, but also just songs that we liked and thought we could do justice.”
He added, “The GA-20 sound historically has been in that ballpark of raw Chicago Blues from the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, but we didn’t want to simply re-create ‘Stand Back!,’ we just wanted to be influenced by it. We wanted to capture the spirit of that record.”
GA-20 is made up of Matthew Stubbs (guitar), Cody Nilsen (guitar, vocals), and Josh Kiggans (drums). Bassist Marty Ballou joined in on five tracks.
BLUES NOW begins with a bang – Willie Dixon’s “Crazy Love,” which features Musselwhite’s dazzling ability on the harmonica and the riffing guitars of Stubbs and Nilsen performing a delicious sonic competition.
A personal favorite because of Musselwhite’s biting harmonica, as well as his wonderfully weathered voice, “I Can’t Hold OOut” reveals luscious, pure, dirty, swampy blues flavors. On “Big Stars Are Falling,” a Tampa Red song, they slow things down a bit.
Another gem, “The Blues Never Die,” allows Musselwhite to flex his inimitable voice, infusing the lyrics with poignant urgency. “We can’t let the blues die / Blues don’t mean us no harm / That’s why I moved back in the lowlands / That’s where the blues come from.”
“Short Dress Woman” offers listeners swashbuckling energy and a luscious solo by Musselwhite. The song was written by John T. Brown and made famous by Muddy Waters.
“Cristo Redentor” ties the album off and is one of those blues songs you don’t want to miss. Musselwhite’s harmonica merges and dances with a bravura steel guitar to produce a mélange of surface textures.
BLUES NOW is nothing but the blues. No digital manipulation, just tasty Chicago blues, which makes it gratifyingly evocative.
Discover more about GA-20 here.
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: GA-20 Adds a Rock Twist to Traditional Blues on “Lonely Soul” and here: REVIEW: Charlie Musselwhite “Look Out Highway”
The album was produced by Matthew Stubbs. Musicians on the album are Josh Kiggans on drums, Charlie Musselwhite on vocals and harmonica; Matthew Stubbs on guitars; Cody Nilsen on guitars and vocals; and Marty Ballou on bass.
GA-20 ON TOUR:
June 10 – Warner Vineyards – Paw Paw, MI*
June 11 – Ludlow Garage – Cincinnati, OH*
June 12 – Kent Stage – Kent, OH*
June 13 – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – Warrendale, PA*
June 16 – The Warehouse – Fairfield, CT*
June17 – Newton Theatre – Newton, NJ*
June 18 – Blue Ocean Music Hall – Salisbury, MA*
June 19 – Landsdowne Theatre – Landsdowne, PA*
June 21 – Live Oak Music Festival – San Luis Obispo, CA^
June 27 – Eldorado Music Festival – Vancé, FR
July 03 – Blues Cazorla – Cazorla, ES
July 04 – Rockin’Fest – Madrid, ES
July 10 – Åmåls Bluesfest – Åmål, SE
July 11 – SALT – Oslo, NO
August 14 – Homer Center for the Arts – Homer, NY*
August 15 – Songs At Mirror Lake – Lake Placid, NY*
August 20 – Big Top Chautauqua – Bayfield, WI*
August 22 – Chenango Blues Festival – Norwich, NY^
August 23 – Dakota – Minneapolis, MN*
August 25 – Redstone Room – Davenport, IA*
August 26 – Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IL*
August 27 – The Acorn – Three Oaks, MI*
August 28 – Sharon Wilson Center – Brookfield, WI*
August 30 – Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY*
September 19 – Telluride Blues & Brews Festival – Telluride, CO^
September 24 – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club – Portsmouth, NH^
September 26 – Narrows Center for the Arts – Fall River, MA^
September 30 – Jazz Dock – Prague, CZ
October 02 – Blues Heaven Festival – Frederikshavn, DK
October 03 – Rampelys – Silkeborg, DK
October 06 – Kulturkvarteret – Kristianstad, SE
October 07 – Medley – Malmö, SE
October 08 – Sundbyberg – Stockholm, SE
October 09 – Hunker Junker – Söderhamn, SE
October 10 – Roda Kvarn – Ljusdal, SE
October 11 – House of Blues – Borlänge, SE
October 14 – G Livelab – Tampere, FI
October 15 – G Livelab – Helsinki, FI
October 16 – Apollo – Turku, FI
October 17 – Elojazz Klubi – Oulu, FI
October 20 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
October 21 – Edinburgh, UK – Cabaret Volataire
October 22 – Chester, UK – St. Mary’s A Creative Space
October 23 – London, UK – Colours
October 24 – Faversham, UK – The Old Brewery Store
January 31, 2027 – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise – Fort Lauderdale, FL^
February 07
^Charlie Musselwhite & GA-20 Together Onstage
*Supporting Devon Allman