Blind Mississippi Morris at BB's

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to go downtown to Beale and soak up a little more blues. I was actually taking my new boss out to see the 'sights' and give him a feel for Memphis. So of course I took him to Beale Street.

When we got in BB's, they introduced Blind Mississippi (Morris) Cummings! Definitely a treat. That evening, he was just playing by himself with one guitarist. They didn't need no more! He laid down a bunch of great tunes and really lit the place up.

After the show, I bought a CD of his and it rocks every bit as good as his live show does. Great fun!

If you have a chance to see him play, make sure you do!

Charlie Musselwhite Live At the Dakota Jazz Room

While on a business trip to the Twin Cities, I decided to check out the blues scene up there (I live down south). A google search popped up the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis, and sure enough on my last night of the trip (Thursday night) Charlie Musselwhite was playing there.

The Dakota is a nice venue to go see good music. Food was a bit pricey, but it was good. I managed to get a seat all of 10 ft from the right side of the stage. The house was packed, but somehow I managed to get a full 4 person booth to myself got to sit in the best seat.

I had never seen Musselwhite live before, and he did not disappoint. His chops were great and he worked the crowd as I expected he would! The band was tight and his guitar player, Matt Stubbs, was killing it all night (I'm also a guitar player and really appreciate that instrument too).

 The set ran just under two hours and finished up with a great rendition of Christo Redentor. Definitely a great song recorded, but even better live.

After the show, I had the chance to meet Charlie and talk with him a bit and he really seems like a down to earth, genuine guy. I picked up copy of his latest CD and got it autographed by the band.

I thought the evening was over, and the club owner came out and announced that the second show was not quite full, so if we had paid for a 7pm ticket, we could stay for the 9pm show (for free)! I'm so glad I did. The second show was mostly different material than the first, and the band really kicked into high gear. Charlie cut them loose and let each member get a great solo section in, much to the crowd's great appreciation.

 Charlie is getting up there in years, and I'm glad I've gotten the chance to see him. So many of his peers are already gone. Seems like we've got to take the chances we've got to see the original innovators and creators of this great music.

All in all, an awesome show!

I also need to mention that the CD I brought home with all those autographs is awesome. It includes many of the tunes I heard at the show and just like the show, Charlie's licks are strong, his band is tight and the music is solid! Definitely worth picking up.

Some Changes To My Blog

When I started this blog, my intention was to post about Mandolin Blues. My intention remains just that, but reality has shown me that I have much wider interests in the blues than just those played on the Mandolin.

My interest in the blues started a very long time ago with a harmonica from the corner drugstore in my family's Arkansas hometown. Later, it grew to include the guitar when I first heard Stevie Ray Vaughan, I even played blues on the trumpet for a while during gradeschool. It was much later in life that I found blues on the Mandolin and the Electric Mandolin.

Truth be told, I'd be much better off sticking with one instrument, but understanding myself as well as I do, I know that as the surroundings of my life change, so do my interests. I know if I would stick with one instrument, I might become a master of one, instead of the master of NONE that I am.

I do plan to continue discussing mandolin blues as I originally intended, but now I'll talk about other blues experiences that I have here in the Bluff City. This is the home of the Blues! As Charlie Musselwhite said the other night (he's a fellow Memphian), 'The blues just comes up out of the ground in Memphis, and you can't help but get it'!