2026 – New West Records
Release Date : July 31, 2026
By Phillip
Smith; July 24,
2026
GA-20 is among my favorite blues bands of this last decade. There’s a raw ferocity the band injects into their
studio recordings and live performances.
The approach to the blues this band takes is a fearless one. This latest album Blues Now reunites
the founder of GA-20 Matthew Stubbs with the living blues-harmonica
legend Charlie Musselwhite who Stubbs played guitar for from 2008
until covid shut things down worldwide.
This wonderful ten-track homage to Chicago Blues features Charlie
Musselwhite on vocals/harmonica, Matthew Stubbs on guitar/baritone
guitar, Cody Nilsen on vocals/guitar/lap steel, Josh Kiggans on
drums, and Marty Ballou on bass.
With Musselwhite setting the pace with his driving rhythm on harp, “Crazy Love” breaks the record open and pulls me right in for a searing blues jam. Written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Buddy Guy for his 1967 album Left My Blues in San Francisco, this track absolutely cooks. The way they rev up and tackle Earl Hooker and Junior Wells’ instrumental “Universal Rock” is downright phenomenal. It’s so fun to hear Stubbs rip it up on guitar. With Musselwhite on the mic, the band breathes an extraordinary new life into Otis Spann’s 1964 slow-cookin’ title-track “The Blues Never Die”. Following immediately after, Musselwhite remains on vocals for “Strange Land”. This classic Musselwhite-penned boogie first appeared on his 1967 debut album Stand Back, Here Comes Charley Musselwhite’s South Side Band. He also included the song on his Juke Joint Chapel album. I think this cut wins. It’s definitely my favorite version. “Short Dress Woman” is a blast. They take this Muddy Waters song and most definitely make it their own. I can’t help but grin when Charlie name-drops “Sunflower Avenue”, a street one can’t help but frequent on a visit to Clarksdale, Mississippi. I absolutely love their performance of “Cristo Redentor” which closes out the album. This is another track which first appeared on Charlie’s debut album. Hearing him play this with GA-20 backing him makes for an exquisite and dreamy listen.
Blues Now is a must-hear and a must-buy for blues fans. I’m so glad GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite joined forces for this album. I would love to see these guys on stage together and I sure hope there will be future collaborations.
For more information about Charlie Musselwhite, visit his website https://charliemusselwhite.com
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