Ravinia (Highland Park)
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
Date: Thursday, August 3, 2023
Venue: Ravinia Festival - Carousel Stage
Address: 200 Ravinia Park Rd.
City: Highland Park, IL
Phone: 847-266-5100
Showtime: 7:30 pm
Ticket price: $49
Website: www.ravinia.org
*See website for complete performance information
ABOUT
“Two old friends celebrate a century of entwined tradition and innovation. Exquisite harmonica-guitar duets like Muddy Waters and Little Walter, or Johnny Shines and Shakey Horton. Mature, masterly, endlessly rewarding. Four Stars.”
—MOJO
The duo’s award-winning Alligator Records release, 100 Years Of Blues, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. The album is front-porch, down-home music with Bishop and Musselwhite trading licks and vocals on 12 rootsy, spirited songs, mixing nine originals with three reimagined classics. Although Bishop and Musselwhite have known each other since the early 1960s and recorded as guests with John Lee Hooker (and other friends), this is the first time that they ever teamed up to make a full record. According to Musselwhite, “This is us sitting down to play the music that we love and resonating together effortlessly because we’re 'coming from the same place.’ Musically it’s like fallin’ off a log. It’s so easy and it just makes sense.” On June 3, 2022, Charlie Musselwhite released his Grammy-nominated Alligator Records album, Mississippi Son. Musselwhite recently won two 2023 Living Blues Critics and Readers Awards, both for Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica). He also won the 2023 Blues Music Award for Acoustic Album Of The Year for Mississippi Son. This is the 34th Blues Music Award of his career.
The idea for the album was sparked in 2017 when the two icons laid down the original version of the song 100 Years Of Blues for Bishop’s Big Fun Trio album. They realized that, with their soul-deep understanding of the blues, they had a special musical chemistry between them. In 2019, Bishop and Musselwhite played a series of stripped-down shows – along with their mutual friend, master pianist/guitarist Bob Welsh – swapping songs and telling stories. The audiences went wild, and Elvin and Charlie had so much fun they knew they had to capture the magic in the studio.
Bishop and Musselwhite have continued touring with their own bands and creating critically acclaimed, award-winning music. Their stories – rich as they already are – are still being written, and this album is a new chapter. Their subtle, soulful musicianship and relaxed, conversational vocals fuel every song. Infused with their deep understanding of the blues tradition mixed with the good-time spirit these two old pals stir up, 100 Years Of Blues is one of the finest, most memorable recordings of either artist’s career.
Website: www.ravinia.org