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Ben Harper
Extremely charismatic, sensational musician and vocalist, two-time Grammy Award winner. He is known for his involvement in social issues and inexhaustible energy at concerts. Harper’s work is deeply rooted in rock, blues and folk. Already in childhood, thanks to his parents, he met two musical worlds – on the one hand, Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan, on the other Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley. Later, he became fascinated with both Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Sugarhill Gang, Elton John and Jimmy Cliff. You can hear all these influences on his records. He regularly releases new records since the 90’s. His releases have repeatedly coincided with gold. For example “Fight For Your Mind”, “Burn To Shine”, or “Live At The Apollo”.
Ben Harper represents the middle generation of American musicians. He was born in 1969, so he certainly can not remember the events described in the texts by the classical masters of the blues genre, nor could he hear most of them live. But he offering his own view of the musical tradition. Harper mixes different inspirations while being a guitar virtuoso using his skills where it is needed, leaving virtuoso traps to other great guitarists. He usually sings just like the old masters of blues. Sometimes he stays somewhere alongside the melody, focusing rather on the emotions and expression proper to simple texts than some extremely complicated harmonies. He has also shown respect for the great masters many times. His performances and recordings from Blind Boys Of Alabama have already passed into the genre’s history.
Charlie Musselwhite
Charlie Musselwhite is 1944, is one of Mike Bloomfield’s best-known pupils, who in the early 1960s had more or less the same role in the US (at least for white bluesmen) John Mayall played in Great Britain – he was an educator for entire generations of outstanding musicians. Charlie Musselwhite began his musical journey at a time when, especially living in Chicago, you could see and play with the legends of the genre. Recognized as a world star of the blues harmonica, he is the co-author of the historical for the blues album “Stand Back! Here Comes Charles Musselwhite’s Southside Band. ” He has recorded countless albums. He also became a prototype, which was repeatedly emphasized by Dan Aykroyd, his character in the famous film “Blues Brothers”. Charlie Musselwhite appearing for the moment on stage in the sequel – “Blues Brothers 2000”.
