An Evening Of The Blues Featuring Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite

Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite have announced a one-off 'An Evening of the Blues' show at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire London on Tuesday 16th July.

Ben Harper performs at The Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, NV on September 3, 2011. © RD/ Kabik/ Retna Digital

Following the release of their collaborative album Get Up! (via the legendary Stax Records/Concord Music Group) Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite have announced a one-off 'An Evening of the Blues' show at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire London on Tuesday 16th July. Tickets for the show go on sale on Friday 22nd February priced £26 (subject to booking fee.

Mississippi born Musselwhite is one of the most revered blues musicians in the world. The harmonica master, also a respected singer and songwriter in his own right, has won countless awards during his legendary career including induction into the Blues Hall of Fame and collaborated with innumerable musical giants of the past 50 years including Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Williams, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tom Waits, Eddie Vedder and John Lee Hooker, just to name a few.

A fan of the harmonica virtuoso since childhood, critically acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Harper begged for an introduction to his idol at Australia's Bryon Bay Blues Festival in 1996. Despite the difference in age and background, the two hit it off immediately. The next pivotal moment came at a 1997 session for John Lee Hooker where they locked in musically, finding a common language that is seamless and remarkable.

Since then, the two musicians have worked together over the years, including sessions for Solomon Burke's Don't Give Up on Me in 2002, on Musselwhite's 2004 Grammy nominated album Sanctuary; the budding mates teaming on a version of Harper's "Homeless Child" and on Harper's own album Both Sides of the Gun in 2006. Each time Harper and Musselwhite played together it was lightning in a bottle.

In the grand but all-too-rare tradition of full-album artist collaborations, Get Up! featuring Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite is a modern blues classic. The release, Harper's 12th studio album, surveys gospel, roots, country and R&B; the marriage's fluid chemistry helping his multi-layered canvas expand as never before.
Recorded down and dirty, fast and live, Get Up! is an old school creation. This kind of musical chemistry demanded the approach. But its attitude, brash, assertive, disarming and vulnerable, is defiantly modern. This is a record Harper has always aspired to make but knew required the essential life experience. Get Up! proves it's been time well spent.