Chicago Blues Events: Blues University Events Calendar: September 2001

Chicago Blues Events: Blues University Events Calendar

Sat 9/1/01

African Festival of the Arts
Location: Washington Park, 55th St. and Cottage Grove

This bargain of a festival features some pretty fair music in Washington Park, a gem of the Chicago Boulevard system, which also is home to the DuSable Museum, a worthy visit on any day. Featured performers will include Freddie Jackson, War, and James Brown, and its only 8 bucks to get in, with a 4-day pass for $25. There's also a lot of craftsy stuff for sale. http://www.windowtoafrica.com

Ethel Waters, died Chatsworth, CA, 1977

Ethel Waters, one of the greatest, most versatile, and influential singers of 20th century popular music, died September 1, 1977, in Chatsworth, California. Her career began as a child in vaudeville, and spanned the jazz/big band, blues, and R&B eras.

Johnnie Johnson
Location: Madison Blues Festival, Madison, WI, http://www.madisonblues.com

There are not many veteran piano players left, and while Johnson is often ignored in discussions of the top echelon of players, this is mainly because he was overshadowed for most of his career by the lovable but egotistical Chuck Berry. Never mind that Johnson is in court over his purported writing of many of Berry's hits without appropriate royalties, even if he didn't write them, his skill as a hard-driving barrelhouse player is so great that much of his invention fades into rock 'n roll's background, as if it sprung up from nowhere. A penultimate sideman for so many years, Johnson is finally getting a chance to reveal his estimable talents, and with the passing of so many Chicago piano players, he takes his place among those who continue the legacy.

Jonny Lang
Location: On the Waterfront Festival, Rockford, IL, http://www.onthewaterfront.com

Say what you want about this pretty-boy guitarist, he's already one of the top 10 blues guitarists in the country, although his vocals have that strained white-boy-trying-to-sound-black feel. If he had the vocal purity that Steve Winwood did at the same age, he'd be a total superstar now instead of just a teen idol. Wait a minute, a blues "teen idol"? Where's Rod Serling?

Seriously, he's a developing performer and his songs aren't half bad. He's got the chops, and he's only going to get better after he starts to shave.

Otis Rush
Location: Madison Blues Festival, Madison, WI, http://www.madisonblues.com

While Buddy Guy gets more of the popular attention, you can make a very defensible argument that of the veterans who remain from the 50s and 60s Chicago blues scene, Rush is more critically important, and continues to play with the intensity which made his early recordings so compelling. Rush had a long dry spell, fraught with personal difficulties, that made his live shows erratic and unsatisfying; he often would just quit playing in the middle of solos which had started out with promise, sometimes would leave the stage in the middle of sets. That's been over for a long enough time now that it appears to be gone for good, and since only Rush and the younger Lurrie Bell (who also has stabilized his stage persona) seem able to harness and embrace unpredictability these days, it's great to see Rush touring and exposed to larger audiences again. While much of his material has become part of the blues "standards list", it's surprising how many young guitarists seem unaware of his stylistic and technical prowess, usually citing Guy, but not his peer and match, Rush. Rush manages to retain the tension that good urban blues feeds upon without descending into chaos, or alternatively copping familiar old riffs and beating them into submission, as many of today's bluesmen feel compelled to do.

Detroit Junior
Time: 8:00pm CST
Location: Kingston Mines, 2548 N. Halsted

If you're a fan of the Chicago piano players and are turned away by this performer's moniker, don't be. Despite the name, Detroit Junior performs a steady mix of classic Chicago blues, R&B chestnuts, and novelty tunes, and since this is an early set, you can catch this as a warmup for more music later.

Johnny B. Moore with Shirley Johnson
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Blue Chicago, 536 N. Clark St.

If you catch guitarist Moore with Mary Lane on one of the Thursday night shows, the Sunday nights with Shirley Johnson should impress as well. Johnson's more gospel oriented style highlights Moore's versatility and skill as a backing player. He's no slack in the vocal department himself, either.

Recommended CD:
Johnny B. Moore:
http://maxwellstreetmusic.vstoremusic.com/link.html?pid=195823
Shirley Johnson: http://maxwellstreetmusic.vstoremusic.com/link.html?pid=383577

Blue Chciago, 536 N. Clark St.

Sam Cockrell & the Groove
Time: 9:30pm CST
Location: Wise Fools Pub, 2270 N. Lincoln Ave.

Soul/blues man Cockrell falls into the Robert Cray category, a hybrid of Memphis Stax influences and more traditional urban blues. He's a bass player, so things get a bit funky when he's of a mind, and the band can get a lot of sound out of trio. It's a danceable set, and if you're a lucky female audience member you might get to dance on stage with Sam.

This is a return to the roots somewhat for the resurrected Wise Fools Pub, which had disappeared when it was rechristened with a different name, Waterloo, some years ago. Good to see that the brand name is back, let's see if they can match the terrific bookings on which that name was built in the 70's and early 80's. This is a good start.

Sun 9/2/01
African Festival of the Arts
Location: Washington Park, 55th St. and Cottage Grove

This bargain of a festival features some pretty fair music in Washington Park, a gem of the Chicago Boulevard system, which also is home to the DuSable Museum, a worthy visit on any day. Featured performers will include Freddie Jackson, War, and James Brown, and its only 8 bucks to get in, with a 4-day pass for $25. There's also a lot of craftsy stuff for sale. http://www.windowtoafrica.com

George Thorogood & the Destroyers
Location: Madison Blues Festival, Madison, WI, http://www.madisonblues.com

I've like Thorogood's moxie, if not his performance, ever since he did the 50/50 tour, with 50 states in 50 nights, which is a brazen publicity gimmick that nonetheless allows him to share some of the rigors the typical bluesman on the road endures. Add to that his earnest reduction of blues chestnuts to their bare elements, and the fact that veteran Eddie Shaw is opening for him, and it's worth giving your money to the House of Blues Corporation. Although Thorogood's tunes are, like the Fabulous Thunderbirds, mere sketches of actual blues, without much depth, this is a good excuse to go to the fest and catch more substantial performers like Otis Rush, and more creative ones like Indigenous. Oh, and you can pretty much be certain that Thorogodd will get a standing ovation and much hoopla for playing his cover of Elmore James' "Madison Blues". 8-)

Eric Noden
Time: 11:00am CST
Location: Bone Daddy, 551 N. Ogden

Fierce acoustic guitar player who re-creates some formidable blues material with impressive skill. He has some original material as well, which neatly embodies the musical tenets of the classics while retaining relevant to today's audience. This is part of a Sunday brunch here, sort of a Devil's Music Church, so cross yourself and pass the barbecue sauce.

Maxwell Street Blues Jam
Time: 1:00pm CST
Location: Maxwell and Halsted Streets, 312-831-1051 or 312-341-3696

Hard to say exactly where they're playing or what they consider Maxwell Street these days, as even Jimmy's Polish stand bit the dust recently, leaving not much left at the corner of Maxwell and Halsted but parking lots. Nonetheless, Jimmy Lee Robinson and others continue to play here in a sort of ritual calling of spirits every Sunday, and while it's a somewhat melancholy experience, especially without a pork chop sandwich in your hand, it's still worth it to see this as a tradition that has defied every effort by the city to snuff it out.

Live Gospel Brunch
Time: 2:00pm CST
Location: Koko Taylor's Celebrity, 1233 S. Wabash St.

Muddy Waters always said you can't sing blues unless you've been to church, and there is a significant amount of the blues tradition that is either based upon or a mirror image of the spiritual tradition. The Foundations of Soul is the choir usually present for this friendly Sunday event, which includes a full "Tennessee Style" buffet along with the food. It's very near the museum campus downtown, as well as the relocated Maxwell Market, so you could make a day of it and get a full cultural smorgasbord along with the gastronomic one. $15 includes the food and cover charge. Call 312-566-0555 for full details.

Harmonica Hinds Acoustic Jam
Time: 6:00pm CST
Location: Buddy Guy's Legends, 754 S. Wabash St., Chicago

This weekly jam session turns the sound down, but not the energy level. Hinds is a good interpreter of the Chicago harp traditions, sort of what it would have been like to see Little Walter unplugged. There's also a wealth of acoustic blues talent in Chicago at this juncture, and one must assume that some of that pool will show up for this series to play with the amiable Hinds. Also the early start time won't make you miss work on Monday morning.

Indigenous
Time: 7:00pm CST
Location: Madison Blues Festival, Madison, WI, http://www.madisonblues.com

While you may not find these guys to be your cup of tea, they are interesting in the "authenticity" department, as they are Native Americans playing blues (or blues-rock in the SRV tradition, anyway), and if anyone has the right to the blues today, they do. The songs are fairly pedestrian, however, and the while the guitar solos are impressive, after a while these songs seem to run together. For guitar fans, a must-see at least once.

Johnny B. Moore with Shirley Johnson
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: 536 N. Clark St.

If you catch guitarist Moore with Mary Lane on one of the Thursday night shows, the Sunday nights with Shirley Johnson should impress as well. Johnson's more gospel oriented style highlights Moore's versatility and skill as a backing player. He's no slack in the vocal department himself, either.

Recommended CD:
Johnny B. Moore:
http://maxwellstreetmusic.vstoremusic.com/link.html?pid=195823
Shirley Johnson: http://maxwellstreetmusic.vstoremusic.com/link.html?pid=383577

Blue Chciago, 536 N. Clark St.

Freddie King, born Gilmer, TX, 1934

Freddie King. one of the "three Kings" of blues lore, was born in Gilmer, Texas, September 3, 1934. He moved from Texas to Chicago in the early 1950s, and became one of the primal forces in the "West Side Blues" style, including a song which has become a club standard, "Hideaway".

Peter Chatman ("Memphis Slim") born 1915, in Memphis, TN

Memphis Slim, whose compositions include the blues classic "Every Day I Have the Blues", and a long list of other hits, was born in Memphis, Tennesse, September 3, 1915.

A.C. Reed
Time: 8:30pm CST
Location: Rooster Blues & BBQ, 811 W. Lake St.

AC Reed is an old-school honker sax player with an attitude, who is preferable to many of the same type players you might hear in hotel lounges, but a bit more flash than substance in comparison to some of the younger players on the circuit. Still, he's a veteran performer who won't disappoint you, and since this is booked as an open jam session, it's likely that some of the many people he's played with over the years will stop in to participate.

Rockin' Johnny
Time: 10:00pm CST
Location: Smoke Daddy, 1804 W. Division

These Blue Monday sets are important as much for who you might find sitting in as for their musical authenticity. While he's been derided for mixing idioms in his sets, this "kid" (by blues standards, anyway) has paid his dues playing behind pretty much every active West Side bluesman out there, including many little-or-no-pay gigs at tiny lounges, where he certainly picked up some changes and bawdy humor. His shows are still evolving at this point, but his respect for blues veterans and increasingly spare playing behind them indicate that he's learned a great deal from their experience, and like Devil in a Woodpile, he's a white peformer who's got the idiom and dynamics right, and bridges the gap for young rockers. Good place to start a journey into the blues, and should become a better and better one as time goes by.

Recommended CDs:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000006AH9/bluesniversityA/

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JNB4/bluesniversityA/

Tue 9/4/01
Film: Louie Bluie
Time: 6:00pm CST
Location: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., 312-846-2800

Terry Zwigoff directed this fascinating portrait of Howard Armstrong, a fiddle player and artisan who had traveled during the 30s and later with medicine shows, as well as making recordings as part of string bands. His life story illustratesa significant portion of blues history, and the interaction between Armstrong and other veteran musicians like Yank Rachell and longtime partners Carl Martin and Ted Bogan is worth the price of admission all in themselves. Blues U. frequently refers to a portion of this film as an illustration and definition fof the string band tradition, as much because of its entertainment value as its formidable educational content.

Catch this and then see "Down from the Mountain" at the Music Box later this month to get a good overview of string bands and American roots music.

Joanna Connor/John Primer (duet)
Time: 8:30pm CST
Location: Harlem Avenue Lounge, 3701 S. Harlem, Berwyn, 708-484-3610

While the talented Connor's been around a while, she still has an occasional newcomer's tendency to overplay, perhaps trying hard to prove that a woman guitarist doesn't have to be wimpy. Connor has a sweet demeanor that suggests Bonnie Raitt's earth-mother moments, but she's a more aggressive guitarist and has the advantage of studying the legends first-hand here in Chicago.
John Primer, the longtime Magic Slim sidema, has a lot to show on his own, including sometimes quirky bluesy treatments of non-blues tunes like "Rhinestone Cowboy". Primer's strength, however, is in his knack for never overplaying. He has a subtlety and knowledge of the blues idiom that is sorely lacking in many players of his generation.

Now, try to imagine these two sitting next to each other on barstools and you might be in for a real treat, it would seem that they would balance each other like yin and yang. This occasional series of duets is a gift from Ken and Mari Zimmerman, the owner/operators of the Harlem Ave. Lounge, and it's the kind of creative and thoughtful booking that Chicago needs to see more of.

Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage

Longtime Rosa's mainstay Taylor has a worldwide following now among those less-traditional blues fans, many of whom consider Stevie Ray Vaughan recordings to be the root of the tree. Despite his obvious appeal to young rockers (Hendrix and SRV as well as the Kinks slip into his sets), he manages to put new fire under old blues classics like Crosscut Saw, and in recent years has started to write promising material of his own. If you want to see a hyperfast guitarist whose approach to guitar approximates the wall-of-sound style of Eddie Van Halen, etc., this is the guy for you. Like the Kinsey Report, and Sugar Blue, he is one of a group of blues performers whose approach is based as much on creating a pastiche of sound as on replicating blues patterns. The result is often stunning, occasionally over the top, but clearly unique.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004S96D/

Wed 9/5/01
Albert Luandrew (Sunnyland Slim) born Vance, MS, 1907

Sunnyland Slim, the raconteur and fine piano player whose career spanned from playing in Al Capone's gambling and whorehouses to being the sage elder of the northside blues scene through the early 1990s, was born in Vance, Misssissippi, September 5, 1907. His career was practically a history of Chicago blues, and due to his arranging and bandleading skills, he played live and recorded with almost every major and minor recording artist on the Chicago scene from 1950 onward until his death in the 1990s.

Thu 9/6/01
Jimmy Reed, born Dunleith, MS, 1925

Jimmy Reed, whose relaxed playing style and drawling vocals made him one of the hitmakers of the 1950s VeeJay label, was born in Dunleith, Mississippi, September 6, 1925. He continued to perform frequently worldwide until his death in 1976.

Johnny B. Moore & Mary Lane
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Blue Chicago, 536 N. Clark St.

Great slippery west side guitar and a powerful lounge singer join forces for a show sure to break down the wall between the performer and audience.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000004BM1/bluesniversityA/

Vance Kelly & the Backstreet Blues Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Checkerboard Lounge, 423 E. 43rd St.

Kelly is one of the most prolific performers on the Chicago circuit, and one of the few who has always played on the South, West, AND North sides at the same time. Whether that is an indication of his skill at appealing to different audiences, or simply his ambition and loyalty, it's still an admirable fact. If he weren't the terrific funkmeister of the blues that he is, though, it wouldn't matter. Kelly's performances at the Checkerboard every Thursday have been a packed house for years, but these gigs at Lee's should be a bit less crowded, due to the night of the week as well as its harder to find location. Kelly mixes straight ahead blues with R&B and danceable funk rhythms to produce a set that's as fun as Magic Slim, but much more unpredictable and worth seeing multiple times. If you don't catch him at Lee's, get him at Checkerboard, but get there early. Get there really early and you might be able to get in on the perpetual card game next to the front door.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JA2I/bluesuniversityA/

Fri 9/7/01
Chicago Rib Fest
Location: Randolph & Ogden Streets, Chicago, http://www.hitevents.com

Benefit Festival for the Chicago Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, this event will feature blues-rock phenom Kenny Wayne Shepherd (think Duane Allman playing Freddie King's material and singing it like Alex Chilton), as well as Blues Traveler (think Sugar Blue playing harmonica in front of the Dave Matthews Band). Both worthwhile if not life-changing experiences, and for a worthy cause. Plus you can get your fingers greasy with 12 different rib joints participating.

"Little Milton" Campbell born Inverness, MS 1934

"Little Milton" Campbell, one of the most influential vocalists and guitarists of the modern blues scene, was born September 7, 1934, in Inverness, MS.

R.L. Burnside (18-and-over show)
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, 312-923-2000

The crown jewel of the Fat Possum Records label, Burnside had drawn both criticism and praise from different quarters for his willingness to be produced in a "modern" way, including samples, hip-hop rhythm tracks, and rap treatments of his studio patter. But the real story here is that for the most part, he's a true Delta jukejoint style bluesman, and the studio trix aside, he can play some "good, deep, blues" as Muddy used to say. The hype and controversy is really akin to the "...and many, many more..." rainbow-poster trick of the old days. Yeh, he plays blues, but you're going to get a lot more out of this show, so if you think you don't like blues, show up anyway. This is an 18-and-over show, so it also constitutes a rare opportunity for youngish people to see real blues without falisifying their identity.

Billy Branch & the S.O.B./Lurrie Bell
Time: 9:30pm CST
Location: Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage

Reuniting the original guitarist from the Sons of Blues with the current version should be fun, especially since Lurrie Bell of late has been in the finest form since the old S.O.B. days.

Billy Branch is one of the pre-eminent harp players in the world, ranking well with the other superstars of his generation, with a slightly more traditional style than, say, Sugar Blue, but an absolutely astonishing catalog of classic harp tunes, with special emphasis paid to Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II. The SOB's are an accomplished band which are a treat in themselves, and if Branch never hit the stage, there would be an element missing, but you certainly wouldn't feel cheated. They're great in intimate settings and in between sets, Billy will kick your ass at pool if you ask him to play.
Recommended CD:
http://maxwellstreetmusic.vstoremusic.com/link.html?pid=934807

Mr. BiG won't apologize for calling Lurrie Bell the best guitarist out there today. Lurrie Bell, on a good night, creates the most soaring and symmetrical, yet tortuously complicated, solos that you'll ever want to hear. His feel for the blues in practically genetic; his dad, Carey Bell, is still one of the pre-eminent harp players around, and his brothers are now veterans of varying degree on the circuit. Bell's innate feel for the music isn't all the story, though; he has a fascination with sound, and loves creating counterbalanced rhythmic patterns throughout songs, from hokey but entertaining "talking" guitar licks, to low moans and stretched-out squeals that punctuate and embellish his musicianship rather than detracting from it. He's a stone bluesman, and has one of the finest baritone blues voices you'll ever hear to boot. It's a real treat to see him in a small venue and soak in the emotional intensity he can pour into a song; the fact that this is a record release party likely means that the new material will be polished but not stale yet, so buy the record through the Blues U. Store, go to this show, and get him to autograph it for you.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000004BM0/bluesniversityA/

Sam Cockrell & the Groove/Li'l Ed&Blues Imperials
Time: 9:30pm CST
Location: Buddy Guy's Legends, 754 S. Wabash St.

Soul/blues man Cockrell falls into the Robert Cray category, a hybrid of Memphis Stax influences and more traditional urban blues. He's a bass player, so things get a bit funky when he's of a mind, and the band can get a lot of sound out of trio. It's a danceable set, and if you're a lucky female audience member you might get to dance on stage with Sam.

He's just the opener, the headliner tonight is Li'l Ed Williams, the nephew of slideman J.B. Hutto, who continues much of the stylistic tradition of his uncle, but is a bit more of a showman, preferring African stage garb and crowd-pleasing antics like bar walking and playing while crawling across the floor on his belly to sitting and playing slide. Although he has toned down the flashiness a bit as he has gotten older, it has only further emphasized the rhythmic intensity and layering of his songs. The hotdogging often detracted from the music. A solid double-bill with two energetic bands from different parts of the musical landscape.

Sat 9/8/01
Chicago Rib Fest
Location: Randolph & Ogden Streets, Chicago, http://www.hitevents.com

Benefit Festival for the Chicago Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, this event will feature blues-rock phenom Kenny Wayne Shepherd (think Duane Allman playing Freddie King's material and singing it like Alex Chilton), as well as Blues Traveler (think Sugar Blue playing harmonica in front of the Dave Matthews Band). Both worthwhile if not life-changing experiences, and for a worthy cause. Plus you can get your fingers greasy with 12 different rib joints participating.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Time: 8:00pm CST
Location: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, 312-923-2000

Eventually someone will stop dancing long enough to notice that all these pop-swing bands are actually just microwaving old jump blues tunes, which will hopefully lead people to buy some Louis Jordan records and muse on his critical importance in the development of blues and rock 'n roll. In the meantime, check this out and just imagine what it must have been like to see the Tympany Five performing "Caledonia" or "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie".

Recommended CD (Louis Jordan):

Vance Kelly & the Backstreet Blues Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Lee's Unleaded Blues, 7401 S. South Chicago, 773-493-3477

Kelly is one of the most prolific performers on the Chicago circuit, and one of the few who has always played on the South, West, AND North sides at the same time. Whether that is an indication of his skill at appealing to different audiences, or simply his ambition and loyalty, it's still an admirable fact. If he weren't the terrific funkmeister of the blues that he is, though, it wouldn't matter. Kelly's performances at the Checkerboard every Thursday have been a packed house for years, but these gigs at Lee's should be a bit less crowded, due to the night of the week as well as its harder to find location. Kelly mixes straight ahead blues with R&B and danceable funk rhythms to produce a set that's as fun as Magic Slim, but much more unpredictable and worth seeing multiple times. If you don't catch him at Lee's, get him at Checkerboard, but get there early. Get there really early and you might be able to get in on the perpetual card game next to the front door.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JA2I/bluesuniversityA/

Mon 9/10/01
A.C. Reed
Time: 8:30pm CST
Location: Rooster Blues & BBQ, 811 W. Lake St.

AC Reed is an old-school honker sax player with an attitude, who is preferable to many of the same type players you might hear in hotel lounges, but a bit more flash than substance in comparison to some of the younger players on the circuit. Still, he's a veteran performer who won't disappoint you, and since this is booked as an open jam session, it's likely that some of the many people he's played with over the years will stop in to participate.

Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage

Longtime Rosa's mainstay Taylor has a worldwide following now among those less-traditional blues fans, many of whom consider Stevie Ray Vaughan recordings to be the root of the tree. Despite his obvious appeal to young rockers (Hendrix and SRV as well as the Kinks slip into his sets), he manages to put new fire under old blues classics like Crosscut Saw, and in recent years has started to write promising material of his own. If you want to see a hyperfast guitarist whose approach to guitar approximates the wall-of-sound style of Eddie Van Halen, etc., this is the guy for you. Like the Kinsey Report, and Sugar Blue, he is one of a group of blues performers whose approach is based as much on creating a pastiche of sound as on replicating blues patterns. The result is often stunning, occasionally over the top, but clearly unique.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004S96D/

Thu 9/13/01
Film: Louie Bluie
Time: 6:00pm CST
Location: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., 312-846-2800

Terry Zwigoff directed this fascinating portrait of Howard Armstrong, a fiddle player and artisan who had traveled during the 30s and later with medicine shows, as well as making recordings as part of string bands. His life story illustratesa significant portion of blues history, and the interaction between Armstrong and other veteran musicians like Yank Rachell and longtime partners Carl Martin and Ted Bogan is worth the price of admission all in themselves. Blues U. frequently refers to a portion of this film as an illustration and definition fof the string band tradition, as much because of its entertainment value as its formidable educational content.

Catch this and then see "Down from the Mountain" at the Music Box later this month to get a good overview of string bands and American roots music.

Vance Kelly & the Backstreet Blues Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Checkerboard Lounge, 423 E. 43rd St.

Kelly is one of the most prolific performers on the Chicago circuit, and one of the few who has always played on the South, West, AND North sides at the same time. Whether that is an indication of his skill at appealing to different audiences, or simply his ambition and loyalty, it's still an admirable fact. If he weren't the terrific funkmeister of the blues that he is, though, it wouldn't matter. Kelly's performances at the Checkerboard every Thursday have been a packed house for years, but these gigs at Lee's should be a bit less crowded, due to the night of the week as well as its harder to find location. Kelly mixes straight ahead blues with R&B and danceable funk rhythms to produce a set that's as fun as Magic Slim, but much more unpredictable and worth seeing multiple times. If you don't catch him at Lee's, get him at Checkerboard, but get there early. Get there really early and you might be able to get in on the perpetual card game next to the front door.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JA2I/bluesuniversityA/

Fri 9/14/01
Detroit Junior
Time: 8:00pm CST
Location: Kingston Mines, 2548 N. Halsted

If you're a fan of the Chicago piano players and are turned away by this performer's moniker, don't be. Despite the name, Detroit Junior performs a steady mix of classic Chicago blues, R&B chestnuts, and novelty tunes, and since this is an early set, you can catch this as a warmup for more music later.

Sat 9/15/01
James "Snooky" Pryor, born Lambert, MS, 1921

Snooky Pryor, a harmonicist whose career included stints working with John Lee "Sonny Boy Williamson", Homesick James, and Big Bill Broonzy, was born September 15, 1921, in Lambert, Mississippi. He would go on to play on some classic Chicago recordings with Sunnyland Slim , Floyd Jones, and others on the JOB and VeeJay labels.

Joanna Connor
Time: 10:00pm CST
Location: Harlem Avenue Lounge, 3701 S. Harlem, Berwyn, 708-484-3610

While the talented Connor's been around a while, she still has an occasional newcomer's tendency to overplay, perhaps trying hard to prove that a woman guitarist doesn't have to be wimpy. Connor has a sweet demeanor that suggests Bonnie Raitt's earth-mother moments, but she's a more aggressive guitarist and has the advantage of studying the legends first-hand here in Chicago. Blues U. recommends that you attend this show and decide for yourself whether she has internalized the lessons yet or not.

Sun 9/16/01
Riley "BB" King, born Indianola, MS, 1925

BB King, perhaps the most influential and pivotal blues performer of the modern era, was born in Indianola, Mississippi, September 16, 1925. He worked as a disc jocker at a number of stations in the Memphis area until launching a recording career that would span into the next century, including many of the most famous blues songs. His signature sound includes a string-bending technique which he claims he invented to approximate the slide guitar sound of Delta players.

Louis Myers, born Byhalia, MS, 1929

Louis Myers, who with his brother Dave Myers was one of the prime architects of the Chicago blues sound of the 1950s, was born in Byhalia, Mississippi, September 18, 1929. He taught himself guitar at the age of eight, and began working Southside Chicago lounges with his brother and the harpist Junior Wells while all three were teenagers. Later they would add jazz drummer Fred Below to form the Four Aces, one of the most influential and groundbreaking Chicago blues combos, which intially included Wells, but later swapped harmonica players with Muddy Waters and had its greatest success with harpist Little Walter Jacobs. He continued to record and play until shortly before his death in the 1990s.

Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage

Longtime Rosa's mainstay Taylor has a worldwide following now among those less-traditional blues fans, many of whom consider Stevie Ray Vaughan recordings to be the root of the tree. Despite his obvious appeal to young rockers (Hendrix and SRV as well as the Kinks slip into his sets), he manages to put new fire under old blues classics like Crosscut Saw, and in recent years has started to write promising material of his own. If you want to see a hyperfast guitarist whose approach to guitar approximates the wall-of-sound style of Eddie Van Halen, etc., this is the guy for you. Like the Kinsey Report, and Sugar Blue, he is one of a group of blues performers whose approach is based as much on creating a pastiche of sound as on replicating blues patterns. The result is often stunning, occasionally over the top, but clearly unique.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004S96D/

Thu 9/20/01
Detroit Junior
Time: 8:00pm CST
Location: Kingston Mines, 2548 N. Halsted

If you're a fan of the Chicago piano players and are turned away by this performer's moniker, don't be. Despite the name, Detroit Junior performs a steady mix of classic Chicago blues, R&B chestnuts, and novelty tunes, and since this is an early set, you can catch this as a warmup for more music later.

Vance Kelly & the Backstreet Blues Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Checkerboard Lounge, 423 E. 43rd St.

Kelly is one of the most prolific performers on the Chicago circuit, and one of the few who has always played on the South, West, AND North sides at the same time. Whether that is an indication of his skill at appealing to different audiences, or simply his ambition and loyalty, it's still an admirable fact. If he weren't the terrific funkmeister of the blues that he is, though, it wouldn't matter. Kelly's performances at the Checkerboard every Thursday have been a packed house for years, but these gigs at Lee's should be a bit less crowded, due to the night of the week as well as its harder to find location. Kelly mixes straight ahead blues with R&B and danceable funk rhythms to produce a set that's as fun as Magic Slim, but much more unpredictable and worth seeing multiple times. If you don't catch him at Lee's, get him at Checkerboard, but get there early. Get there really early and you might be able to get in on the perpetual card game next to the front door.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JA2I/bluesuniversityA/

Fri 9/21/01
Film: Down from the Mountain
Location: Music Box Theater 3733 N. Southport, 773-871-6604, http://www.musicboxtheatre.com

D.A. Pennebaker (the guy who brought you "Stop Making Sense" and "Don't Look Back", two landmark music films) directed this film of a live concert, featuring the artists who perfromed the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' inventive film of myth and music, "O Brother Where Art Thou?". While the "O Brother" soundtrack features primarily impeccably-performed bluegrass and spirituals, bluesman Chris Thomas King also plays some Delta blues. This concert was recorded in Nashville and features some names you're likely to know like Emmylou Harris, as well as some you may not, like Alison Krause and the aforementioned Mr. King. Combine this concert film with the Film Center's September offering of Louie Bluie, and you've got a good start in familiarity with American roots music and string bands, which lie at the core of the development of both blues and American music in general. The soundtrack for this concert as well as for the film have been available for a while, and both have sold briskly, especially for a "marginalized" musical genre, and both are well-recommended:

Recommended CDs:

Kinsey Report
Time: 9:30am CST
Location: Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage

While many purists scoff at the notion that this is a blues band, the Kinseys have a family tradition of blues performance, and guitarist Donald Kinsey is an innovative, if sometimes overbearing, player. This is a danceable band which attracts a young, crossover crowd with their mix of re-worked blues standards and funky raveups. Donald worked for some time for late reggae star Peter Tosh, and claims that the experience gave him new discipline and insights. While that sounds strange, blues and reggae share one common component -- it's all in the performance, as the musical rules are clear-cut, and in lesser hands either music can be boringly staid. The Kinseys keep it uptempo and lively, though, partly because the roots of the band go back to a power rock band called White Lightning. If you're a rock fan just starting to explore the roots of blues, or a blues fan looking for fresher angles on the tradition, you'll be happy. Purists and folkies, stay away.

Willie Kent & The Gents w/Patricia Scott
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Blue Chicago, 736 N. Clark St.

Willie Kent is an imposing figure, a broad-backed mighty bass player whose band rumbles like a Mack truck below the West Side boogie that is his specialty. Pat Scott's a sultry siren who's not afraid to stretch that mike cord well into the audience and make some men sweat. Between them they put on a great show, with a variety that's honed by their extensive experience in South and West Side Lounges.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000004BK6/

Sat 9/22/01
Film: Down from the Mountain
Location: Music Box Theater 3733 N. Southport, 773-871-6604, http://www.musicboxtheatre.com

D.A. Pennebaker (the guy who brought you "Stop Making Sense" and "Don't Look Back", two landmark music films) directed this film of a live concert, featuring the artists who perfromed the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' inventive film of myth and music, "O Brother Where Art Thou?". While the "O Brother" soundtrack features primarily impeccably-performed bluegrass and spirituals, bluesman Chris Thomas King also plays some Delta blues. This concert was recorded in Nashville and features some names you're likely to know like Emmylou Harris, as well as some you may not, like Alison Krause and the aforementioned Mr. King. Combine this concert film with the Film Center's September offering of Louie Bluie, and you've got a good start in familiarity with American roots music and string bands, which lie at the core of the development of both blues and American music in general. The soundtrack for this concert as well as for the film have been available for a while, and both have sold briskly, especially for a "marginalized" musical genre, and both are well-recommended:

Recommended CDs:

Willie Kent & The Gents w/Patricia Scott
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Blue Chicago, 736 N. Clark St.

Willie Kent is an imposing figure, a broad-backed mighty bass player whose band rumbles like a Mack truck below the West Side boogie that is his specialty. Pat Scott's a sultry siren who's not afraid to stretch that mike cord well into the audience and make some men sweat. Between them they put on a great show, with a variety that's honed by their extensive experience in South and West Side Lounges.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000004BK6/

Sun 9/23/01
Film: Down from the Mountain
Location: Music Box Theater 3733 N. Southport, 773-871-6604, http://www.musicboxtheatre.com

D.A. Pennebaker (the guy who brought you "Stop Making Sense" and "Don't Look Back", two landmark music films) directed this film of a live concert, featuring the artists who perfromed the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' inventive film of myth and music, "O Brother Where Art Thou?". While the "O Brother" soundtrack features primarily impeccably-performed bluegrass and spirituals, bluesman Chris Thomas King also plays some Delta blues. This concert was recorded in Nashville and features some names you're likely to know like Emmylou Harris, as well as some you may not, like Alison Krause and the aforementioned Mr. King. Combine this concert film with the Film Center's September offering of Louie Bluie, and you've got a good start in familiarity with American roots music and string bands, which lie at the core of the development of both blues and American music in general. The soundtrack for this concert as well as for the film have been available for a while, and both have sold briskly, especially for a "marginalized" musical genre, and both are well-recommended:

Recommended CDs:

"MIghty Joe" Young, born September 23, 1927, Shreveport, LA

Mighty Joe Young, a guitarist and vocalist who would record as a sideman with many Chicago blues performers as well as some classic modern blues recordings of his own, was born September 23, 1927, in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Ray Charles, born 1930, Albany, GA

Ray Charles, perhaps the most prolific and composer of R&B, whose unique fusion of gospel, country, and blues influences generated hits on multiple charts, including the classic "What'd I Say?" and "I Gotta Woman", was born September 3, 1930, in Albany, Georgia

Film: A Night in Havana/Dizzy Gillespie in Cuba
Time: 7:00pm CST
Location: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., 312-846-2800

This film documentary covers Dizzy Gillespie's mid-80s visit to Cuba, including segments featuring Arturo Sandoval, and a visit with Fidel Castro. Gillespie introduced the "Afro-Cuban" strain of jazz to the U.S., and presaged the "world music" movement of today.

Vance Kelly & the Backstreet Blues Band
Time: 9:00pm CST
Location: Lee's Unleaded Blues, 7401 S. South Chicago, 773-493-3477

Kelly is one of the most prolific performers on the Chicago circuit, and one of the few who has always played on the South, West, AND North sides at the same time. Whether that is an indication of his skill at appealing to different audiences, or simply his ambition and loyalty, it's still an admirable fact. If he weren't the terrific funkmeister of the blues that he is, though, it wouldn't matter. Kelly's performances at the Checkerboard every Thursday have been a packed house for years, but these gigs at Lee's should be a bit less crowded, due to the night of the week as well as its harder to find location. Kelly mixes straight ahead blues with R&B and danceable funk rhythms to produce a set that's as fun as Magic Slim, but much more unpredictable and worth seeing multiple times. If you don't catch him at Lee's, get him at Checkerboard, but get there early. Get there really early and you might be able to get in on the perpetual card game next to the front door.

Recommended CD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JA2I/bluesuniversityA/

Mon 9/24/01
Film: Down from the Mountain
Location: Music Box Theater 3733 N. Southport, 773-871-6604, http://www.musicboxtheatre.com

D.A. Pennebaker (the guy who brought you "Stop Making Sense" and "Don't Look Back", two landmark music films) directed this film of a live concert, featuring the artists who perfromed the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' inventive film of myth and music, "O Brother Where Art Thou?". While the "O Brother" soundtrack features primarily impeccably-performed bluegrass and spirituals, bluesman Chris Thomas King also plays some Delta blues. This concert was recorded in Nashville and features some names you're likely to know like Emmylou Harris, as well as some you may not, like Alison Krause and the aforementioned Mr. King. Combine this concert film with the Film Center's September offering of Louie Bluie, and you've got a good start in familiarity with American roots music and string bands, which lie at the core of the development of both blues and American music in general. The soundtrack for this concert as well as for the film have been available for a while, and both have sold briskly, especially for a "marginalized" musical genre, and both are well-recommended:

Recommended CDs:

Rockin' Johnny
Time: 10:00pm CST
Location: Smoke Daddy, 1804 W. Division

These Blue Monday sets are important as much for who you might find sitting in as for their musical authenticity. While he's been derided for mixing idioms in his sets, this "kid" (by blues standards, anyway) has paid his dues playing behind pretty much every active West Side bluesman out there, including many little-or-no-pay gigs at tiny lounges, where he certainly picked up some changes and bawdy humor. His shows are still evolving at this point, but his respect for blues veterans and increasingly spare playing behind them indicate that he's learned a great deal from their experience, and like Devil in a Woodpile, he's a white peformer who's got the idiom and dynamics right, and bridges the gap for young rockers. Good place to start a journey into the blues, and should become a better and better one as time goes by.

Recommended CDs:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000006AH9/bluesniversityA/

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JNB4/bluesniversityA/

Tue 9/25/01
Film: Down from the Mountain
Location: Music Box Theater 3733 N. Southport, 773-871-6604, http://www.musicboxtheatre.com

D.A. Pennebaker (the guy who brought you "Stop Making Sense" and "Don't Look Back", two landmark music films) directed this film of a live concert, featuring the artists who perfromed the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' inventive film of myth and music, "O Brother Where Art Thou?". While the "O Brother" soundtrack features primarily impeccably-performed bluegrass and spirituals, bluesman Chris Thomas King also plays some Delta blues. This concert was recorded in Nashville and features some names you're likely to know like Emmylou Harris, as well as some you may not, like Alison Krause and the aforementioned Mr. King. Combine this concert film with the Film Center's September offering of Louie Bluie, and you've got a good start in familiarity with American roots music and string bands, which lie at the core of the development of both blues and American music in general. The soundtrack for this concert as well as for the film have been available for a while, and both have sold briskly, especially for a "marginalized" musical genre, and both are well-recommended:

Recommended CDs:

Film: Down from the Mountain
Location: Music Box Theater 3733 N. Southport, 773-871-6604, http://www.musicboxtheatre.com

D.A. Pennebaker (the guy who brought you "Stop Making Sense" and "Don't Look Back", two landmark music films) directed this film of a live concert, featuring the artists who perfromed the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' inventive film of myth and music, "O Brother Where Art Thou?". While the "O Brother" soundtrack features primarily impeccably-performed bluegrass and spirituals, bluesman Chris Thomas King also plays some Delta blues. This concert was recorded in Nashville and features some names you're likely to know like Emmylou Harris, as well as some you may not, like Alison Krause and the aforementioned Mr. King. Combine this concert film with the Film Center's September offering of Louie Bluie, and you've got a good start in familiarity with American roots music and string bands, which lie at the core of the development of both blues and American music in general. The soundtrack for this concert as well as for the film have been available for a while, and both have sold briskly, especially for a "marginalized" musical genre, and both are well-recommended:

Recommended CDs:

Thu 9/27/01
Film: Down from the Mountain
Location: Music Box Theater 3733 N. Southport, 773-871-6604, http://www.musicboxtheatre.com

D.A. Pennebaker (the guy who brought you "Stop Making Sense" and "Don't Look Back", two landmark music films) directed this film of a live concert, featuring the artists who perfromed the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' inventive film of myth and music, "O Brother Where Art Thou?". While the "O Brother" soundtrack features primarily impeccably-performed bluegrass and spirituals, bluesman Chris Thomas King also plays some Delta blues. This concert was recorded in Nashville and features some names you're likely to know like Emmylou Harris, as well as some you may not, like Alison Krause and the aforementioned Mr. King. Combine this concert film with the Film Center's September offering of Louie Bluie, and you've got a good start in familiarity with American roots music and string bands, which lie at the core of the development of both blues and American music in general. The soundtrack for this concert as well as for the film have been available for a while, and both have sold briskly, especially for a "marginalized" musical genre, and both are well-recommended:

Recommended CDs:

Film: A Night in Havana/Dizzy Gillespie in Cuba
Time: 8:15pm CST
Location: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., 312-846-2800

This film documentary covers Dizzy Gillespie's mid-80s visit to Cuba, including segments featuring Arturo Sandoval, and a visit with Fidel Castro. Gillespie introduced the "Afro-Cuban" strain of jazz to the U.S., and presaged the "world music" movement of today.

Koko Taylor, b. Memphis, TN, 1935

Koko Taylor, whose popularity defied the decline of Chicago blues and helped Alligator records re-establish the music's vitality, was born in Memphis, Tennessee, September 28, 1935. She would go on to become immensely popular worldwide, spawning a revival of women blues singers that rivals the early 1920s era.

Sugar Blue
Time: 9:30pm CST
Location: Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, Chicago

These sets with a full band are a clear indication of Blue's talents as an arranger and bandleader. While he has had numerous backing bands over time, he has always managed to attract top-notch musicians who are good performers in their own right, and he isn't afraid of challenging himself with musicians who will push him as much as he pushes them. The sets often will include a segment with Blue playing without accompaniment, so you've got a rare opportunity to compare the "plugged" and "unplugged" performances of one of the world's best harmonica virtuosos. If you check out Billy Branch earlier in the month here, then come back for Blue, you'll get two divergent experiences that are equally exciting and compelling.

Recommended CDs:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000A0X/bluesniversityA/

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000A0L/bluesniversityA/

Sat 9/29/01
Detroit Junior
Time: 8:00pm CST
Location: Kingston Mines, 2548 N. Halsted

If you're a fan of the Chicago piano players and are turned away by this performer's moniker, don't be. Despite the name, Detroit Junior performs a steady mix of classic Chicago blues, R&B chestnuts, and novelty tunes, and since this is an early set, you can catch this as a warmup for more music later.

Sugar Blue
Time: 9:30pm CST
Location: Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, Chicago

These sets with a full band are a clear indication of Blue's talents as an arranger and bandleader. While he has had numerous backing bands over time, he has always managed to attract top-notch musicians who are good performers in their own right, and he isn't afraid of challenging himself with musicians who will push him as much as he pushes them. The sets often will include a segment with Blue playing without accompaniment, so you've got a rare opportunity to compare the "plugged" and "unplugged" performances of one of the world's best harmonica virtuosos. If you check out Billy Branch earlier in the month here, then come back for Blue, you'll get two divergent experiences that are equally exciting and compelling.

Recommended CDs:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000A0X/bluesniversityA/

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000A0L/bluesniversityA/

Sun 9/30/01
Eric Noden
Time: 11:00am CST
Location: Bone Daddy, 551 N. Ogden

Fierce acoustic guitar player who re-creates some formidable blues material with impressive skill. He has some original material as well, which neatly embodies the musical tenets of the classics while retaining relevant to today's audience. This is part of a Sunday brunch here, sort of a Devil's Music Church, so cross yourself and pass the barbecue sauce.

Film: Genghis Blues
Time: 6:00pm CST
Location: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., 312-846-2800

This 1999 film features Paul Pena, a San Fran based blind blues guitarist, making a pilgrimage to the tiny Repulblic of Tuva, on the border of Mongolia, to explore the sounds of Tuvan throat-singing. For those of you who haven't experienced the wonders of chant recordings, this film promises to offer an insight into this rare folk art, as well as the pleasures of seeing a bluesman in a situation where he's not the most arcane artist present.

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