Charlie Musselwhite & Dave Peabody at The 100 Club, London: 19/11/08

January 6, 2009 in Reviews

Online exclusive review by Darrell Parsons

It’s not often I’d go to the 100 Club on a Wednesday, especially with the prospect of an early start the next day, but this was a rare opportunity to see a blues legend in the flesh. Oh… and some chap named Charlie as well! Seems I wasn’t the only one either, with a sell-out crowd of all ages, including a pretty high percentage of blokes of a certain age, united by a love of the blues.

Dave Peabody opened with a solo spot, initially joining in with the Corey Harris version of “Diddy Wah Diddy” being played by the DJ and moving on seamlessly to “Drifting Blues”. He then enhanced his reputation as one of our most popular acoustic artists and raconteurs with a selection by the likes of the Memphis Jug Band, Tommy Johnson, Oscar “Buddy” Woods and Furry Lewis, plus a handful of his own compositions. There was a definite train bias throughout, incorporating infectious rhythm and audience participation, with his interpretations of “Going To Brownsville” and “Big Road Blues” being particularly well received, as well as his own “Hard To Write A Blues”.

Following a twenty minute break, Charlie Musselwhite climbed on stage, armed with an electric guitar and proceeded to have the crowd completely spellbound with a selection of tunes, stories and, enthusiastically encouraged by the audience, a demonstration of his awesome ability with the harmonica. “River Hip Mama” and “If I Should Have Bad Luck” were combined with the tale of Furry Lewis educating him in the art of “Spanish tuning” and a delightful instrumental that conjured up a much younger Musselwhite blowing his harp on a pile of bricks by a small, deserted railway station in the heart of Mississippi. Charlie’s relaxed vocals allowed the songs to stand on their own, with “Darkest Hour” a perfect example. He finished his solo slot with the up tempo boogie “Stingaree”, combining guitar and rack harp perfectly.

Dave Peabody then joined Charlie for the last half hour or so that was just some of the best blues I’ve heard in ages, probably helped by starting with “The Blues Overtook Me” that’s been one of my personal favourites for years. “Wild, Wild Woman” featured wonderful harmonica playing and understated but essential guitar from Dave, as did their take on Eddie Taylor’s “Bad Boy”. The set culminated in a irresistibly swinging “Movin’ And Groovin’”, before the offer of “one more” was accepted with raucous applause in the shape of an extended “Highway 51”, which took us on a twelve hundred mile blues journey from New Orleans to Illinois, via Memphis and echoes of Charlie’s youth spent on Beale Street.

There’s only one way to sum up this special evening – this was the Blues!