This post was written by BlackJack on February 28, 2011
Saturday, April 16- “Show Your Love for Japan” Old Town School of Folk Music Benefit at Concert Hall, 909 W. Armitage. $10 Suggested Donation (100% of Proceeds will be matched by an anonymous donor and will benefit the Japanese Red Cross).
Including Shoji Naito, Yoko Noge, Matt Hendricks, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jug Band, Mark Dvorak, Paulinho Garcia and dozens of others. 11 a.m. to Midnight-ish.
More details: http://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2011/4/16_japan.html
This post was written by BlackJack on February 27, 2011
Saturday, April 23rd, 2011
Kevin Purcell & the Nightburners (Chicago Blues meets Southern Rock)
Avon Walk Fundraiser - 8:00
at JJ Twiggs
Rand Rd.
Lake Zurich IL
847-540-5800
Price: $15 per person, $20 per couple
So many of us have been affected or touched by something like this, so we must do our part for the solution. One of our friends and fans asked us to be part of this, and we said we would do our part, and now we humbly ask you to come out and be part of it too. Little bit earlier show, so no excuses, and we can have some fun while helping out!!!
This post was written by BlackJack on February 16, 2011
Legendary Blues Performer David “Honeyboy” Edwards to perform and talk at Blues Event. Performance also includes Billy Branch.
Thursday, May 26, 2011 – Harold Washington Library, Chicago, “Speaking of the Blues” 12:00 noon, in the Lower Level Atrium..
Click for more info: Speaking of the Blues
This post was written by BlackJack on February 15, 2011
Former Mayor Harold Washington and the Blues: How the Chicago Blues Fest Got Started
The Chicago Public Library and the Harold Washington Archives & Collections Advisory Committee present Fruteland Jackson–one of Chicago’s foremost acoustic blues artists, singer/songwriter–and Christopher Popa, of the Library’s Music Information Center.
The Chicago Public Library continues its annual Harold Washington Birthday Celebration with a program that looks at how Mayor Washington’s first Chicago Blues Festival in 1984 has evolved into the hugely popular weekend celebration that attracts performers and concert-goers from across the country.
Harold Washington’s tenure as mayor is often remembered for his historic election followed by the bitterly contested “Council Wars.”
Lesser known is Mayor Washington’s commitment to the arts, and in particular his decision in 1984 to establish an annual blues festival along the lakefront.
Now, 27 years later the Chicago Blues Festival is one of the world’s most renowned events for blues and is treasured by both musicians and audience alike.
WHEN:
Friday, April 15, at 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
WHERE:
The Cindy Pritzker Auditorium (Lower Level)
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street.
This post was written by SysAdmin on February 9, 2011
Windy City Blues IBC Entries
International Blues Challenge Results
Our representatives have returned safe and sound from Memphis and the 2011 International Blues Challenge. These three groups did a marvelous job of representing the Windy City Blues Society and Chicago. Our band representative Rob Blaine and Big Otis Blues took third place honors for the Band Competition. Rob also won the Best Guitarist Award as well! Given the international nature of this competition and the fact that close to 200 bands competed, this is an impressive accomplishment.
While they didn’t advance to the prize rounds Donna Herula and John Jochem, our entry for the Solo/Duo competition, raised the profile of their duo act with a strong performance in Memphis. Finally, Jamiah on Fire and the Red Machine, our entry in the Youth Showcase, turned quite a few heads during their set.
The WCBS would like to congratulate all of our representatives for a job well done! They have made the WCBS and Chicago proud.
This post was written by SysAdmin on February 5, 2011
Windy City Blues IBC Entries |
Rob Blaine’s Big Otis Blues have made it to the ICB Finals being held in Memphis, TN right now! Rob Blaine’s Big Otis Blues was the winner of the WCBS Chicago Blues Challenge Award 2011! Super congratulations and good luck in the next round.
Congratulations to the WCBS Chicago Blues Challenge Committee members! Blackjack contributed mightily to this post too.
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27th IBC Finalists Announced
Here are the finalists announced last night at the conclusion of the semi-finals. They are listed in the order in which they will perform at the finals at the Orpheum theater tonight. The band finals will begin at 2:00pm (doors open at 1:00pm) and the Solo/Duo finals will begin at 7:30pm (doors at 6:30pm).
IBC Finalists
1. Randy Oxford Band - South Sound Blues Association
2. Stevie J & the Blues Eruption - Central Mississippi Blues Society
3. Grand Marquis - Topeka Blues Society
4. Rob Blaine’s Big Otis Blues - Windy City Blues Society
5. Alex Wilson - Grafton Blues Association
6. The Lionel Young Band - Colorado Blues Society
7. The Sugar Prophets - Illinois Central Blues Club
8. The Mary Bridget Davies Group - Kansas City Blues Society
Solo/Duo
1. Back Porch Stomp - Washington Blues Society
2. Izzy & Chris - West Virginia Blues Society
3. George Schroeter & Marc Breitfelder - Baltic Blues
4. The Juke Joint Devils - Massachusetts Blues Society
5. “Sweet Taste” Kennedy - Canal Bank Shuffle
6. The Mighty Orq - Houston Blues Society
7. Big Jim Adam & John Stilwagen - Colorado Blues Society
8. JT Blues - Billtown Blues Association
Congratulations to the finalists. Wow, well done my friends.
This post was written by SysAdmin on February 4, 2011
| February 1, 2011 | to | February 5, 2011 |
Reprinted courtesy of the Blues Foundation (www.Blues.org)
The dates for the 2011 International Blues Challenge will be February 1-5.
We will begin the week with the FedEx International Showcase (Feb 1). IBC will move to a four day format. This new format will include 2 days of quarter finals (Feb 2-3), one day of semi-finals (Feb 4) and concluding with finals in the beautiful Orpheum Theater (Feb 5). Watch this page for more updates!
I pushed the whole competition thing out of my head. I didn’t want to focus on that. I decided to leave that alone and went and made a point to meet as many people as I could; made a lot of great connections. Matt Andersen, First Place, Solo/Duo 2010 IBC
The 2011 International Blues Challenge will be the 27th year of Blues musicians from around the world competing for cash, prizes, and industry recognition. The Blues Foundation will present the 27th International Blues Challenge February 1-5, 2011 in Memphis, TN. The world’s largest gathering of Blues acts represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage. In 2010, 110 bands and 80 solo/duo acts entered, filling the clubs up and down Beale Street for the semi-finals on Thursday and Friday and the finals at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday. We will have at least that many in 2011.
The 27th year of the International Blues Challenge will once again include a youth showcase for those under the age of 21. Smokin’ Bluz of Charlotte, NC has signed on again as the Presenting Sponsor. The 27th IBC will include an afternoon (Friday, February 4, 2011) of talented young people showcasing their talents for record labels, media, festivals, managers, talent buyers and the fans.
Watch this page for further information. Email joe@blues.org if you have any questions.
The week of events will once again kick off Tuesday night with a Meet & Greet hosted by the Beale Street Merchants Association at the New Daisy Theater, followed by the FedEx International Showcase. In addition to the evening Blues competition, the days are filled with seminars and workshops and topped off in a moving Saturday morning brunch in which the Blues community will honor its own with the prestigious Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) awards that honor the men and women, who have made significant contributions to the Blues music world, in 20 categories such as journalism, literature and photography and to the best clubs and festivals, as well as managers, promoters and producers.
Media Sponsors include Beale Street Caravan, Big City Rhythm and Blues, Blues Festival Guide, Blues Revue, Downtowner, House of Blues Radio Hour, Living Blues, Memphis Flyer, Memphis Music Magazine and WREG-TV.
The 27th International Blues Challenge is sponsored by ArtsMemphis, bandVillage, Beale Street Merchants Association, Budweiser and its local distributor, D.Canale Beverages, FedEx, Gibson, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Smokin’ Bluz, T. Clifton Art, Tennessee Arts Commission, and the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission.
The list of current blues artists that have competed in the IBC over the years is impressive indeed: Slick Ballinger, Barbara Blue, Fiona Boyes, Eden Brent, Keith Brown, Michael Burks, Sean Carney, Albert Castiglia, Tommy Castro, the late Sean Costello, Albert Cummings, Delta Moon, Larry Garner, Joey Gilmore, Diunna Greenleaf, Zac Harmon, Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Richard Johnston, Joe Moss, Jason Ricci, Robin Rogers, Matthew Skoller, Super Chikan, Patrick Sweany, Susan Tedeschi, Teeny Tucker, Watermelon Slim, the late John Weston and Michelle Wilson.
Winning the International Blues Challenge is better than having a $100,000 publicity budget. 2004 IBC winner and 2006 Blues Music Award Best New Artist Zac Harmon
This was my first year attending the International Blues Challenge and it was better than any festival I have ever attended. Eddie Bagwell, Vice-President, Tulsa Blues Society.
The amount of talent that gathered in Memphis was staggering. I have to admit it sent chills down my spine whenever I looked around and realized I was in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge and that I actually knew some of these performers on stage. Goose bump time! We were able to see 35+ IBC performers and I can honestly say everyone we saw was talented and truly belonged there. Everything we heard was pure blues, and this was one time I was glad I was not judging. Chick Cavallero, Colorado and Grand County Blues Societies
The IBC is sponsored by the good folks at the companies and arts organizations identified on the side banner.
The IBC has evolved into the nation’s biggest and most respected showcase for Blues musicians ready to take their act to the national stage. The IBC is a judged “Battle of the Bands” in which competitors take the stage and play a short set for a panel of judges. The acts are judged based on an established set of criteria.
The IBC represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations (mostly blues societies) for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to perform on a national stage, but just need that extra break. Each Affiliate of The Blues Foundation has the right to send a band and solo/duo act to represent the organization at the IBC Semi-Finals on Beale Street in Memphis, TN.
Affiliates are encouraged to stage a regional preliminary IBC competition, with the winner of that competition representing the organization in the Memphis international competition. Usually, these preliminary rounds are held in clubs as part of a fundraiser or simply an excitement-building event. Each organization is free to structure the preliminary round as it sees fit, as long as a single band and/or solo/duo act is identified. However, since The Blues Foundation scoring criteria will determine the ultimate winner, we strongly encourage our Affiliates to use the same system in the preliminary competitions.
This post was written by BlackJack on February 2, 2011
The City of Chicago announces a Chicago Blues Festival Kick-Off Concert as a preview celebration for the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival. Event to be held at Rosa’s Lounge, with Fernando Jones Band as host/performer.
The event duels as a fundraiser for the Blues Kids Foundation and Fernando’s Blues Camp, held at Columbia College during the summer.
For more info click: Rosa’s Lounge or http://www.fernandojones.com/
Super congrats to all those who participated in the 2011 Chicago Blues Challenge
