This post was written by
SysAdmin on November 1, 2011
Blues the Muse ©
By Paul Barile
Go Big or Go Home
Windy City Blues Society
Chicago Blues Challenge Round Two
The tension filled the air – trickling in through the unseasonably warm autumn weather swirling around the legendary Checkerboard Lounge in Hyde Park. The message was clear – seven emerging blues artists would compete, but only three would make it on to the finals in November.
Time to put on the big-boy pants and play like it’s your last gig.
The esteemed judges for the event included; Earwig Music’s Michael Frank, Blues DJ Clarence Stevens, Blues Legend Koko Taytor’s daughter Joyce “Cookie” Threatt, and Tom Holland of the Shuffle Kings. The table held a veritable who’s who of Chicago Blues music raising the stakes much higher than an average Sunday night gig.
The numbers were drawn and the order was set. The rules were given and the anxious crowd sat back to enjoy an evening of eclectic electric Blues in one of Chicago’s most storied Blues institutions.
Youngblood Will Jacobs led off – and after surmounting a mammoth technical issue (not of his doing), he turned into a blazing set of neo-traditional music. The youngest player of the evening alternated between his own music and a classic or two. The crowd was wowed to say the least.
K Jazz & the K1 Band was up next. Smooth and sultry, they laid down a Jazz-flavored Blues including a powerful rendition of “Ain’t No Sunshine.” They took their music into new and interesting places.
Charlie Love and the Silky Smooth Band was the third group of the evening. They surely brought the excitement – they pushed the energy through the roof. Charlie Love is all flash and finery. He seems to use his charisma as an instrument much the way he uses his guitar.
Next comes (my favorite of the evening) Danny and the Devils. A little bit funky and whole lot of spunky this slightly anachronistic trio romped and rolled through Danny Baron’s rocking blues numbers. The matching clothes and the bare-bones arrangements brought back favorites of days past. Baron’s energy was boundless.
(It was later learned that the bass playing Devil – known as Kramer- was sick throughout the set – but he never let on and he played his heart out.)
Pistol Pete took the stage next and seemed as if he might implode with energy – as I was writing the words “looks like he’s about to jump off the stage” Pistol Pete jumped off the stage. He worked the room like a carnival barker hybrid with an old-school Vegas showman. He overcame a technical issue (of his own doing) to go on and shred his way into the heart of the judges and the fans alike.
The Voodoo Pilots were up. The waning audience – it was Sunday night after all – seemed to appreciate their Phish-like take on the blues.
The evening ended with Blues Walk. The quartet physically resembles teachers sneaking away from academia for a night of the blues. Don’t let the looks fool you, they can romp and stomp with the best of them.
When the final bell had tolled the winners were announced to the intimate crowd who stayed to see this evening to its inevitable end.
Charlie Love and company took third place and secured their spot at the finals. Will Jacobs locked up second place. The winner of the evening was the-high-flying-beer-drinking-oft-gesticulating Pistol Pete.
As the last remaining guests headed out into the crisp late autumn evening – they may have argued the merits of the winners versus the losers – they may have questioned the judges decisions – they may have even debated who the best player of the night is. The one thing they all agreed on is you are rarely going to find seven bands of this quality for ten bucks.
This post was written by
BlackJack on August 21, 2011
Click on the link for a recent Chicago Sun-Times editorial promoting the possibility of a mile-long “Music Row” showcasing the blues on South Michigan Avenue…
Click link: http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/6974832-474/time-for-a-music-row-to-showcase-the-blues.html
This post was written by
BlackJack on August 21, 2011
The Blues Foundation has announced election results. Two of it’s newest members are from Chicagoland, Les Walgreen and Alan Maites. They join fellow Chicagoland Board Member Stefan Levy and others.
Congrats to the Chicago contingent, and click on the link for more info: http://www.blues.org/#ref=index
This post was written by
BlackJack on June 24, 2011
May 29, 2011
Blues Review – Richie Rich and the Chi-Town Blues Band
I want to announce my blues “show of the year” so far, and we’re well into the year. Richie Rich and the Chi-Town Blues Band, with special guest Tom Holland. The band appeared in the west suburbs in Lombard at J. Reilly’s on Roosevelt Road, an under the radar venue that has occasional blues. I almost didn’t make it to the show, as I was not familiar with the band, but hearing that Tom Holland would be joining them, and that they were performing only 5 minutes from my house, I had to get my butt over there. And what a surprise! I walked in and saw a full contingent of musicians- four horn players, a harmonica player hiding in the back, Richie up front, Felton Crews on bass, Tom Holland with his red “lefty”guitar, and keyboard, drums and another guitar player to round it out- all very talented road-tested musicians. Oh yes, and a local female guest vocalist sitting in as well. An amazing dozen or so performers- not something you see at any club, much less in the burbs where it’s hard to even get a 4-piece band to play given the economy.
I got there fairly early in the show, expecting to not stay that long if the music weren’t so good, and especially as I don’t normally like blues and horns in the same sentence, but I was blown away early with the obvious fullness of the sound, the professionalism of the musicians, and the obvious love and passion of the performance, especially by the horn section and Richie himself. It quickly became evident that these guys loved to perform and that they lived to perform. You could see in the horn players faces that they had weathered a blues storm over the years, but that they were willing and able to follow their leader, down whatever road he led them.
Richie was as passionate and emotional a singer and storyteller as you’ll find. Nothing fake or scripted here. He spoke and sang from the heart, and his drive and genuineness was impossible to avoid. You could tell his life was tied to the music he sang and that the performance and words of the songs likely reflected the bands true feelings and lifestyle. I stayed the entire night, a rarity for me, but there was no point at which you wanted to just sneak out or tire of this kind of performance, and it truly was my “show of the year” to date- a true surprise by an under the radar band in a small bar in a non-blues town. An unexpected nugget that I won’t soon forget. I guess the saying is true…“Riches found are twice as sweet as riches earned”, and Richie Rich was quite a sweet find.
Richie Rich and the Chi-Town Blues Band is now on my blues radar, and they should have their own weekly venue to perform at, but they have to hit the road for now. I recommend you track them down and seek them out as soon as you can!
…BlackJack
(BlackJack announces his “BlackJack’s Blues Calendar” on Saturday nights on “Blues Edition” and sometimes Thursday nights on “Hambone’s Blues Party” on 90.9fm WDCB Public Radio, and posts his weekly blues calendar on the Windy City Blues Society website at www.WindyCityBlues.org.)
This post was written by
BlackJack on April 5, 2011
Take a look at BlackJack’s “Show of the Year” so far- a review of Richie Rich & the Chi-Town Blues Band, with guest guitarist Tom Holland…
click on the link: review-richie-rich-with-tom-holland2
This post was written by
BlackJack on April 3, 2011
Attached is a resource showing and detailing the Great Flood of 1927, which was a major reason for people of the south (including the bluesmen & women) to move north to seek refuge, work and a new home. The details and locations of the current flooding up and down the Mississippi is eerily similar to the 1927 event.
Click here: the-great-flood-of-1927
This post was written by
BlackJack on March 30, 2011
Eddie Shaw to receive Mississippi Trail Marker! The great Eddie Shaw played sax in the bands of Howlin’ Wolf, Magic Sam, Freddie King, Jimmy Reed, and Jimmy Dawkins. After Howlin’ Wolf’s passing in 1976, Eddie embarked on a solo career billed as Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang, initially keeping the entire lineup of Howlin’ Wolf’s last band (Hubert Sumlin, Detroit Junior, Chico Chism, and Shorty Gilbert). Eddie will be honored with a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker in his home town of Benoit, Mississippi.
The unveiling ceremony will take place on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 2pm at Highways 1 and 448 in Benoit. Congratulation to Eddie!
Mississippi Blues Trail info: http://www.msbluestrail.org/index.aspx
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mississippi-Blues-Trail/61559154874
(Thanks to Bob Corritore for this announcement)
This post was written by
BlackJack on March 5, 2011
Buddy Guy appears on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Wednesday, April 27 @ 10:35 p.m. CST
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC: http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/episode-guide/
This post was written by
BlackJack on March 1, 2011
BlackJack’s “Shows of the Week”
* Sunday, Apr. 10- Rockin’ Johnny with Big D on Harp @ Simon’s, 5210 N. Clark, 8-11
* Tuesday, Apr. 12- Jazz Showcase Benefit for Japan- Dozens of Jazz, Blues and World Musicians, 806 S. Plymouth Ct., 6 to 11 p.m.
* Friday, April 15- John Primer’s at Adam’s Roadhouse in Buffalo Grove
* Friday, April 15- Matthew Skoller duo’s at Walnut Speakeasy in Elgin
* Saturday, April 16- Rockin Johnny Band, featuring Smiley Tillmon, Tail Dragger, Rick Kreher & Studebaker John, play at EndZone Tap- 100th at S. Western Ave.
* Saturday, April 16- Pinetop Perkins Tribute @ Rosa’s w/ Willie “Big Eyes” Smith
* Saturday, April 16- Lonnie Brooks headlines at Buddy Guy’s Legends
* 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.
(For an extensive listing of additional shows, click on the Pirate on the right side of the home page)
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
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
BlackJack on January 5, 2011
Blues Show Review – Joe Price
by BlackJack
(This is a reprint of a review posted September 24th, 2010 in order to celebrate Joe’s return to Legends on March 11th at 5:30)
Headed on over to Buddy Guy’s Legends tonight to see Joe Price for the free after-work set. Walked in and couldn’t believe the place was packed (hundreds)- a rare sighting for the early show, which started at 5:30. Joe was hammerin’ away and I was lucky to be able to share a table up front. He hasn’t been seen more than 2 or 3 times in Chicago the last 5 or 6 years, and I was fortunate to see him for a couple performances during that stretch. He mainly plays in Iowa where he and his playing-partner/wife Vicki reside.
Joe was in his usual rare form, and I had forgotten about his amazing, unique energy- a combination seemingly somewhere between in-the-gutter blues and the hills of the country, along with a touch of something else, but I can’t put my finger on what other influences his music has, and that’s the way it should be. I’d later speak to Joe and he’d clarify that “it’s just me trying to play the blues”, so anyone thinking this ain’t blues definitely has the wrong picture.
It was a two-plus hour stint of infectious raucousness, and Joe would ask “are you having fun” but it was evident he was having even more fun than we were- a passionate player who was there to perform with heart and soul, in no way just going through the motions. His playing and the notes were too unpredictable to be anything sketched out beforehand, and you could tell he just played based on the mood and that night’s vibe. You can’t help but be drawn into his mesmerizing show. He’s comparable to none- I’d say a mix of Joe Cocker, L.C. Ulmer, Louisiana Red, Robert Pete Williams and the Standells (the band from one of the “Munsters” episodes from 1965), yet unlike any one of them. His personality, aloofness and focus might be compared to jazz great Chet Baker.
Okay, I’m crazy, but his music messes with your senses in the best way possible, leaving you wondering what just hit you. His music is simultaneously chaotic and hypnotic. Now I don’t know what gut-bucket blues is, but I’m sure Joe has some ideas- it just sounds like something Joe would intimately understand. He indicated that he was fortunate enough to grow up in Waterloo, Iowa where Earl Hooker died, and he was able to see Earl perform many times, and Earl gave him some early tips on tuning as Joe opened for him several times. He also was heavily influenced by Muddy Waters and met him early on as well. Ninety percent of the songs Joe played were originals, including his “25 degrees below”, in fine delta blues style, and his “Beer Tent Boogie” was a delight.
I’m not sure if Joe’s stage antics, including his wild foot dancing, are some for show or more likely inseparable from his emotive play, but you can’t help but enjoy his performance- the music, the shared stage with Vicki’s laughing smile, and his intertwined stories and quips.
Get out and see Joe if he’s within roadtrip distance- I promise he won’t hold anything back. See you at the next show…BlackJack
Super congrats to all those who participated in the 2011 Chicago Blues Challenge
