St. Paddy's Day

While picking out something green to comply with St. Patrick Day regulations, I reminded myself that my wife, son and myself spent last St. Patrick's Day in Chicago. I posted a bunch of pics and ran down the activities of the week (blues bands, Blue Man Group, visiting Hemingway's boyhood home, etc...). BUT one of the highlights was the hostess at Harry Carey's seating us in HIS booth and eating corn beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. What a lovely trip that was. If you have the inclination, check the archives from last year.

Sweet Home Chicago

I've been caught up in a whirlwind and it finally spit me out long enough to finally blog about the trip that my family and I took to Chicago. It was wonderful. We ate great food, listened to great blues, enjoyed marvelous weather (blue skies in the high 60s)and we left nary a stone unturned. We took a train every place we ventured and that was an experience in itself.

We landed at O'Hare about 11:30 a.m., bought 7 day Chicago Transit Authority tickets for the three of us (wife Virginia, son John, and myself) and took the Blue Line to the downtown loop and luckily were able to check in to our hotel and then hit the sidewalks.

The first destination was the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) to see what the Second City looked like from the tallest building in North America. Wow! What a view. Kinda like looking over an urban Grand Canyon--have to see it for yourself.







That evening we headed to Shaw's Oyster Bar and enjoyed a fabulous meal while listening to blues harpman Morry Sochat and his Special 20 band. Nice folks those guys. Morry was blowing through an Astatic mic with a Shure CM element into a small Deluxe amp and hit on some great traditional blues licks with great tone. He knows his Little Walter. He told me that the only draw back playing at Shaw's was that they had to keep the volume low, and he'd really rather crank it up a few more notches. Shoji Naito played some really wonderful blues licks on guitar. He nailed Muddy Waters' slide style when called upon. In my conversation with the fellows, I mentioned that I knew that Shoji was quite a harmonica player in his own right, because I had a recording of him doing it pretty fine--so on the next set he and Morry swapped instruments and proved me right. I didn't know Morry had guitar chops to boot. Shoji told me to make darned sure that I attended the blues jam at Jerry's Sandwich Shop on Wednesday night. Fine evening of dining and bluesing.





On Wednesday we headed west to Oak Park where Virginia's dad grew up. We exited the Green Line on the exact street of his youth and walked just a few blocks to his house (which is in a fine neighborhood of old home that have been finely kept). As one gentleman told us that we ran across, "The home here are old and older". That was a special walk for us all.



Within an adjacent neighbor was Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio and many of his first architectural creations. Seems his first commissions were contracted in that part of the world.



Not far from there, we took a visit to the house that Ernest Hemingway grew up in and took a tour of the house and listened to some fascinating history about one of the first authors that I cared anything about reading.



Back downtown and it being that it was St. Patrick's day, we thought we'd find someplace to eat that had a little bit o' the green going on and found that Harry Carey's fit the bill. We drank a Guinness and ate Guinness battered fish and corn beef and cabbage. The neatest thing about the meal was that the hostess sat us at Harry Carey's table, where he entertained sports figures and dignitaries from all over. We also stuck our hands into the holes of his "Holy Cow".





While we were sitting in a park in Oak Park, John noticed a cab pass that advertised the Blue Man Group and mentioned that he'd really wish that he could see them. I told him that their home base was Chicago and that I saw an advertisement in one of the brochures in my pocket that said they were in town. That's all he needed to know. So, at his behest, I called their box office and they sold me three tickets for that night's show. Wow! Again. We had great seats for a show featuring the craziest entertainment that I've ever witnessed. Again. You just had to be there.



On the way to Millennium Park, John saw that the Chicago Theatre marquee was proclaiming the Experience Hendrix tour. He just had to make sure that we couldn't get tickets to that, so I called to confirm it for him. Long time sold out. We did walk past their tour bus though. Would have been nice to catch Hubert Sumlin, Joe Satriani, Derek Trucks, etc...BUT I did have the Filisko/Noden and Jim Liban tickets for this night.



Millennium Park certainly had a unique appeal. The Cloud Gate really drew our attention. It looked like a giant blob of mercury or a titanium egg or something.



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I really didn't know that the Art Institute of Chicago displayed so many of the works of the masters of the art world that I had only seen in books. Goyas, van Goghs, Rubens, Cezannes, Gauguins, Monets, etc...all over the place. I think John was even quite impressed with what we saw before us. We spent quite some time in there and barely scratched the surface of what was within the compound. Third time, Wow!







From there we headed to the more commercialized themed parked attractions at the Navy Pier and then over to the Shedd Aquarium, which had quite a nice collection of aquatic life. We viewed Soldier Field from there, deciding not to venture over, and then, it was time to rest up and head to Evanston for a night of blues harp people.



S.P.A.C.E in Evanston is situation in the back part of an Italian/Pizza restuarant, so we ate some good pizza before the show. The venue is not very large and we had a table very close to the stage and it was packed with harmonica players. Joe Filisko and Eric Noden played a great set of country blues. Joe's a master at the pre-war style of harmonica playing, such as that played by Jaybird Coleman, Will Shade, Gwen Foster,etc... and he absolutely torches Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee) type stuff. His intonation and harp licks were just so spot on and I've never witness someone tongue block around the harp as well as he does. He could rapid fire licks with the best of them when he wanted. Of course he plays on the best customized harmonicas on the planet (his own). He started things rolling with his train licks on I.C. Special, the title tune for their latest release. Nobody can out chug Filisko's train. Most of their tunes came from this album with Noden singing most of the songs in a nicely gruffed up bluesy timbre. Loved his tale of Too Much Whiskey. Damn fine guitar player. Filisko did jump in on some of the vocals, such as his tale about his Angry Woman. If so much time hadn't passed since I was there, I could tell you on which songs Filisko broke on the harp mic and amped up his tone, but I can only tell you that he's got that down too.

Of course, Jim Liban brought the amped up show to the stage for his set with his trio. Filisko praised him as being THE BEST harmonica player ever and his all time favorite. I haven't seen many blues trios employing bass, drums, and blues harp, without a guitar in the mix--but then it would be a quartet, wouldn't it? Liban's all about tone with minimal note choices. When he pulls on a note, it is for all he's worth and he sucks everything that hole can produce from it. Again, almost a month has passed since watching this tone master at work, but he put the Super Reverb he was blowing through its paces and occasionally hit a pedal (delay, I figure, but couldn't tell a difference)to get his brand of blues across. My wife compared the two acts as Filisko and Noden being downhome boys and Liban as more of a Sinatra. By golly, she may be right--especially when one thinks of the phrasing that Liban uses in his licks and vocals. A special treat was when Liban invited his old pardner Steve Cohen up to blow a tune and Cohen ripped up a jacked up version of Parchmen Farm with Liban taking over on bass guitar. Wow! #Four. If I'd been alone, I might have hung around and chatted a bit, but my companions were heading for the "L" train back to the downtown loop. I was a bit leery myself at catching the train at night, so we fled the scene. I did meet Kirk Manley, who helps write the you missed monday blog, which clued me into this show in the first place. I wanted son John to be impressed with the show, but his comparison was with the previous night's Blue Man Group and that is tough competition--BUT I loved every minute of it. The photos came from my phone, because we left the camera at the room. So the photos are crap, but they are what they are.







On Friday, we decided that a trip to Wrigley Field was in order, so we headed that direction. I saw the back of Buddy Guy's Legends on the way over, so I knew where it was located and planned on stopping by on the way back. Wrigley Field was Wrigley Field and well worth the visit. They were constructing some bleachers on top of adjacent buildings, which I would assume would command top dollar from whoever rented those.







We'd had plans to eat some Chicago Deep Dish Pizza for lunch, but I pointed out that it was Friday during lent, so I said let's see what Buddy Guy's had on the menu that was fishy. This turned out to be the BIGGEST surprise of the trip. We walked into the bar about 2pm and Lurrie Bell was playing an acoustic set to about five people present. I sat mesmerized as he worked that flattop ferociosly and sang as if he were playing for 500. Esteemed Chicago harmonica player, Matthew Skoller, threw down fills and added some fine solo runs. As the waitress came over to take our orders for shrimp po' boys, I looked over and saw someone that I only wished that I could run into again at some point in my life. Eddie C. Campbell occupied one of the tables. Now, I've blogged about Eddie C. before and remarked how he called me up to play Blues With A Feeling on a stage in Bryan, Texas--which was the first time that I had ever played on a stage. And here he was, sitting in Buddy Guy's Legends. I approached him and said, "You know, you sure do look like Eddie C. Campbell" and he said "For certain" and invited me to sit down. I reminded him of that night and said that it must have been 15 years ago or so. He said, "Man, Ricky, that was over 20 years ago, because I haven't been down in Texas in that long." We had a nice chat and he told me how Lurrie was his God Son. About that time, Lurrie snapped a string, but finished the song he was playing without missing a beat. I got a chance to meet him and Matthew and had a short, but nice conversation. I told Lurrie how special it was to meet his dad, Carey, several years back when I took my oldest daughter to see him at Blind Willies in Atlanta. Wow! For the umpteenth time.







Friday night, snow moved in and began to blanket the city by Saturday morning--our departure day. Virginia ventured out in the a.m. to visit the Cultural Center around the block from our hotel for one more impressive site and then we hit the Blue Line to O'Hare and caught the plane back to Houston with lots of fine memories of a might fine American City. Excuse any editing mistakes-I forewent proofreading to just get this down. 'Nuff for now.

Chi-town Bound

A month or so ago, decent round trip air flights to Chicago enticed me into planning a trip up yonder during my 16 year old son's Spring Break from school. Of course, he'd rather that we head south to some tropical spot. He questioned my sanity in regards to heading to where the temperatures still may be freezing. I figured that no one but us would be traveling that direction for the break.
My wife's father was born and raised in that great American city, so she was all in with the idea. It'll be a bit cold, but I don't think a blizzard will attack us--never know, but don't think do. Been wanting to go, so it's a done deal.

Plans are to slip into the Windy City on March 16th. By the way, I always thought that the city's nickname came from the breeze blowing in from Lake Michigan, but my research indicates that it is as much from what politicians there had a tendency to generate during a certain era more than anything else. (hmmm, Obama's the senator from where?). Anyway, we plan on tackling the city on their "L" trains, buses, and taxis, so we'll catch the Blue Line from O'Hare to Hotel 71 in the downtown loop section of town.



We'll try to get checked in and may check out some of the museums and such in the downtown area. Maybe visit what was once the the tallest building in the world--the Sear Tower, which isn't the tallest any longer and isn't the Sears Tower any longer. It's the Willis Tower now.

The Art Institute of Chicago and the tower are both within a short walk. I've heard that the Hancock Tower offers better views. We'll have to check 'em out.
Can't go to Chicago without hearing some blues now can we? Now can we? No, of course not. Why go, if we ain't gonna hear some blues being laid down? I mean, golly gee, that's what this blog is all about. Well, the biggest obstacle to that is that most blues clubs just ain't gonna allow a 16 year old through their doors and this being a family outing, I had to get creative with that goal. Buddy Guy's Legends club ain't letting us in after twilight, but we can visit there for lunch and they said that someone will be bending a few blues strings. So that's an option. Also, I found that Morry Sochat and the Special 20s are holding court at Shaw's Oyster Bar on the 16th and it is less than a mile from the
hotel, so we'll check them out. I wrote a short piece about his latest release awhile back in regards to his harp blowing, which is steeped in a little swinging style blues along with the ChiTown grooves. So, we'll grab a little Great Lake seafood and listen to a good band serenade us.


Depending on the weather, but either on Wednesday or Friday, I think we'll take the Green Line over to Oak Park and seek out Virginia's dad's homeplace. That area is supposed to be a very well kept, historical area of Chicago and his old house has been well preserved by subsequent owners. This is also a neighborhood that contains a large number of Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural designs, including his former home. There is also, from what I read, a great independent bookstore in the adjacent Forest Park neighborhood that I want to check out. It is called Centuries and Sleuths Bookstore on 7419 W. Madison. I love independent bookstores, and since I my
second career plans involve being a crime story author (soon as someone somewhere jumps on my manuscript and publishes it), then this one specializing in such tales must be investigated by the Bushdog. Maybe they'll stay in business long enough for me to come back around for a book signing. Hah!

Wednesday evening offers the possibility to attend a blues jam. I contacted jam host, Rick Trankle, about the scenario at Jerry's Sandwiches (yeah, a blues jam at a sandwich shop--but my teenager can attend also). This one is called Highway RickEy's blues jam and he plays drums and blues harp in a type of cup that allows him to get pretty good tone. So, I've got to decide whether I want to travel with a case of harps or not. He has a Sonny Junior 410 amplifier, so the equipment should be there. So, that's a maybe.



Thursday, we'll take the Purple Line north to Evanston and check out the area. Maybe climb Mount Trashmore while we're there. Mount Trashmore is a 65 foot tall mound that once was a landfill site. It is now a park and at one time a popular ski slope for the urban dwellers, before THEY shut down that activity. Back in the day, the a Northwestern University football coach planted a Rose Bowl flag at the top to inspire his players to sprint up its sides. Have to check it out and since son John will be college-bound soon, maybe the University while we're over there. The REAL purpose to go to Evanston is for a concert featuring some great harmonica blowing at Evanston S.P.A.C.E. (which stands for Society for the Preservation of Arts and Culure in Evanston) and all ages are allowed inside.
Eric Noden and Joe Filisko will kick things off, followed by the Jim Liban Trio. Harp players reading this know how good Filisko and Liban are with harmonicas in their mouths. So, this will be a highlight of the trip for me--and hopefully my wife and son.

At some point we'll eat some more good food. I'm guessing that we've got to get some Chicago Deep Dish Pizza somewhere. Rosebud's Steakhouse has been very highly recommended. We'll check out Wrigley and Soldier Field and the Great Lake and the Magnificent Mile and whatever else crosses our paths. We'll pray for Global Warming to jump up and bite us while we're away. 'Nuff for Now.

A Bit More Chi-Town Blues

Chicago Blues
A Living History
Raisin Music RM1003

I thought that I'd put my two cents in on the music that I ran the promo material about last month. I'm not in the habit of touting a release before I have a chance to listen to the music, but the fact that the CD was up for a Grammy, that the links to the youtube vids were available as bait, and that the artists involved would lay down quality stuff enticed me into promoting it here on the blog. Now, since receiving the two disc set the day after Christmas, I have a chance to affirm that these guys live up to my expectations and sling some solid gold Chi-Town blues.

Lurrie Bell, Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, and Billy Branch have been the torch bearers for the genre for quite some time now. They all literally grew up eating, breathing, and absorbing the music that exists on this release, which is a tribute to those that defined the genre. The music follows a chronological path (disc one covers 1940-55 and disc two 1955 to present) beginning with Sonny Boy Williamson I's (John Lee Williamson), logically covered by Billy Boy, who idolized the bluesman as a kid and wanted to follow in his footsteps. Arnold captures the essence of the blues harmonica's first real star. He knows this stuff, and he put out his own fine tribute to SBWI this past year. He'd be the first to tell you that he never developed the technical mastery of the instrument that his hero had, but he ain't no slouch. His vocals throughout he proceedings are the best that I've heard from him in recent years as he also covers Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, and Memphis Slim. These cuts exude the '50s Chicago vibe that the originals did. That can also be contributed to producer Larry Skoller and the additional musical backing by Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iquana (keyboards), Felton Crews (bass), and Kenny "Beedy" Eyes Smith (drums); who all know their way around a Chicago block or two. I was especially impressed with Iquana's work on Memphis Slim USA and his solo instrumental cover of Maceo Merriweather's Chicago Breakdown, which allows him to crank on the 88s. Also, his swirling organ really sets up Otis Rush's minor keyed My Love Will Never Die for Lurrie Bell's impassioned vocals.

Of course Billy Boy Arnold's own star was shining in the '60s, as his tunes (written in the '50s) were being cover by the likes of the Yardbirds with a young Eric Clapton on guitar. He covers his hit, I Wish You Would, that has a timeless message and his signature harmonica riffing. Even though he never achieved the same level of acclaim for his blues harping, I guarantee you that his harp licks were some of the first to be copied by rock and rollers. His work on this disc is a testament to his importance as much as it is for Muddy, the Wolf, or Little Walter.

Speaking of Little Walter, no release claiming to be a tribute to the heyday of Chicago Blues can overlook the master blaster's contribution, and Billy Branch blasts his take on Hate To See You Go. Once the self-proclaimed new kids on the block, Branch is now quite the veteran Chicago bluesman. Seems like he's led his Sons Of Blues band forever, and one can still catch his live performance just about any day of the week around the Windy City. He's developed his own blues harp style, but he is somewhat the vocal chameleon here and nails LW's vocal timbre perfectly, and works his harp around Walter's notes admirably. He does more of the same on Junior Wells' classic, Hoodoo Man Blues, on which I'd swear is Wells doing the singing if I didn't know better. Billy Flynn does the Buddy Guy parts on the tune. Flynn stays out of the way throughout most of the proceedings, as a good Chi-Town ensemble man should, but they turn him loose on Earl Hooker's Hookin' It, and he lets his wah-wah out of its cage and smokes the meat. Branch's take on James Cotton's One More Mile is as funky as the original.

I've been a John Primer fan for a long, long time. He's always been true to his blues roots and has never wavered in keeping it real. Much like Branch did with the Wells' number, Primer sounds eerily like Howlin' Wolf on Moanin' At Midnight and Muddy on Feel Like Going Home and Sugar Sweet. He also lopes along perfectly on Jimmy Reed's Can't Stand To See You Go with contributing harp from Matthew Skoller. I have a couple of releases by Skoller and he always places some inventive riffs in the context of playing blues, but he keeps it traditional on this one and mimics Sonny Boy Williamson II's tone without being slavish on Your Imagination, which features Primer's spot-on vocal adaptations also.

I've mentioned Eddie C. Campbell a time or two on this blog, and it was on Campbell's King of the Jungle that Lurrie Bell debut his guitar chops on record (the album also featured his dad Carey). I've followed his well documented up and down career since then. He's really on the upswing right now and plays and sings with intensity on his tributes beginning with Elmore Jame's I Believe, which has the variant Dust My Broom theme going. Lurrie doesn't try to mimic James, he just wails away vocally and lets Flynn slip on the slide. He really cranks up the vocal chords on Otis Rush's My Love Will Never Die, which to me has always been a vocal showcase more than a guitar pull. There's some big singing shoes to fill when tackling that song, and Bell steps up and belts it with the emotion that it takes to do the song justice. He shouts out Buddy Guy's Damn Right I've Got The Blues with the same intensity. Of course, on a release such as this, the selection has to be selective, but if I'd been Lurrie, I would have insisted on the inclusion of a Carey Bell song, who was as instrumental in the advancement of the Chicago sound as anyone on the program.

Even though they include a cover of Three O'Clock Blues to illustrate B.B.King's influence on those Westside cats such as Rush, Buddy Guy, and Magic Sam, I don't think anyone will confuse him as being associated with Chicago. The author of the tune, Lowell Fulson, did record for Chess, but he came by way of the West Coast/T-Bone style of playing. Anyway, Mike Avery can sing this stuff very well. I'll admit that I've heard of Avery, but I'm not too familiar with him. The man can sing, though, as he proves it here and on Magic Sam's Out of Bad Luck. His lack of celebrity keeps him from being marqueed as one of the featured artist, but he's legit in my book--and he's a cousin of Magic Sam's, so it's in his genes.

The other non-featured feature is Carlos Johnson, who I also know very little about. He's represents the contemporary side of things by smokin' the strings on John Lee Hooker's The Healer and the aforementioned Damn Right I've Got The Blues. He sings on the former. He knows his book of blues/rock. I'd quibble with including Hooker on a Chi-Town tribute, because he created his own genre which fits nowhere, really, but he did record for Chess (and EVERYBODY else), so let ride.

If Chicago Blues floats your boat, here it is--played by those that play TODAY in tribute to those that played it YESTERDAY. These guys carried this show on the road and I only wish that it had made it somewhere close to Houston. They play this stuff with conviction. 'Nuff for now.

Holiday Cheers To Ya

Just thought I'd share what Santa brought. Didn't really have a burning desire for much, but I put in my request for a few things that I figured that I'd put to good use. These have been stuffed under the tree for a few weeks. I always place my own orders with Santa online and then my wife wraps them up with ribbons and bows, and I wait until Christmas morning like a good little boy to open them.

1. Richard Sleigh's Turbocharge Your Harmonica, Volume 1: Straighten Up and Tune Right! Basic Tuning and Tweaking for the Intelligently Lazy Musician. The last part of that title enticed me into getting this instructional manual. I've worked on my harps a bit, but my lack of patience plays a big part in why I've got a few harps in various stages of being tweaked lying around the house. Sleigh is one of those master harp techs from the Joe Filisko guild of customizing harmonicas, so its nice to see him share some of his knowledge and philosophies. This is not a booklet to turn anyone into a master customizing, but simply a set of guidelines to tune and adjust your harmonica--faster. As he says, the book is for people who want to learn from his mistakes without making them, and he says up front that he intends to entice the reader into buying his tools to get the job done more efficiently. I knew this before buying the book, because I had read reports about his tool kit (especially his draw scraper). I've only browsed through the book and there is plenty that I already know, but from what I've gleaned already, he's laid things out very simply and straight forward and offers a ton of tips that he uses. There are no deep secrets here and he even points to other resources that offer harp tweak instruction. He goes into very little detail on gapping techniques and such--he just explains how to do it. I do think that it'll get me to digging back through my bone yard of harps for a little practice. I've some tools, but maybe I'll spend a little of my Christmas cash gifts on his.

2. David Barrett's Blues Harmonica Play-Along Trax. Since I tracked down Sleigh's book on Barrett's site, I decided to through in a set of jam tracks. I've gotten to where I mostly play along with blues CDs by various artists, I do have a few discs designed for harp players to jam along to, and I do that sometimes. I figured that I might as well add a fresh set of tunes. If you have Barrett's stuff, then you know what to expect--a variety of blues styles, played by his School of The Blues Band, with detailed explanations and examples of how to play the pieces. Jam on!

3. Hohner Marine Band Crossover in G. The Marine Band harmonica has always been my favorite axe and when they offered the Marine Band Deluxe, then I was in hog heaven. They were more money than I wanted to spend for a harmonica, but they were also such an improvement to the standard model. They did things that I had done with my harps before, such as sealing the comb and replacing the plate nails with screws and such--so basically I was paying them for doing it for me. What I have found is that they have outlasted my standard Marine Bands significantly enough to make purchasing them worthwhile. Then, enter the Crossover. The replaced the pearwood combs with bamboo and completely sealed them from moisture (the Deluxe were partially sealed) and tweaked them a bit more than before. The only keys that I could find available were in F or G. I don't play either of those keys a lot, but I've had my G around for a long time and it needed some of that tweaking that Sleigh describes in his book--may be my first candidate. The F needs work also, but the Crossovers costs a bit more than the Deluxe models, so I went with the G. Played it long enough to go--Wow! Tight, smooth, responsive, and loud! Great harp! I don't have the knack for doing the technical reviews that some folks have, I just know that it works for me.

4. Chicago Blues: A Living History. The post below gives description of this release. Do I have it? No. I was getting quite spoiled with the prompt delivery of the three items above (within a few days), that I through in this disc onto my Christmas list a bit later. Even though Amazon stated that it would be in by December 21st, it hasn't made it as I type this. I guess the great Blizzards of '09 slowed its path. Oh, well, I still have something coming for Christmas.
(Pardon the flash glare on the photo--battery ran down, and I got too lazy for a do over)

Ya'll have a great 2010.

Chicago Blues: A Living History

My friend Joe, from Joe's Blues Blog, left me a comment in regards to me getting my hands on a "must have" blues release featuring some of the finest bluesmen that are still out there doing it and I told him that I planned on doing just that. Since then, August Forte of NoVo Arts, Inc sent me links to live performances from the tour touting the album and a press release that'll tell you more than I know about their grammy nod AND since some of you just might need a little mo' blues for Christmas or know someone who does, then this ought to convince you as to what to choose.




****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED TRIBUTE TO CHICAGO BLUES GARNERS GRAMMY NOMINATION

CHICAGO BLUES: A LIVING HISTORY PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE EVOLUTION OF THE GENRE FROM ITS EARLIEST DAYS THROUGH THE PRESENT

Chicago, IL – December 9, 2009. Raisin’ Music is proud to announce that Chicago Blues: A Living History has been nominated as “Best Traditional Blues Album (Vocal or Instrumental)” for eligible recordings released October 1, 2008 through August 31, 2009.

In an unprecedented collaboration, the legendary Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch and Lurrie Bell--inheritors of the Chicago Blues tradition—joined forces early in the year to celebrate and pay tribute to the evolution of Chicago Blues. In April of 2009, this super-group released Chicago Blues: A Living History (on the indie label Raisin’ Music) to overwhelmingly positive reviews. During the following summer, the group toured Europe, playing to packed crowds at fifteen major music festivals in seven countries.

Produced by Raisin’ Music’s Larry Skoller, co-produced by Aulnay All Blues (Aulnay-sous-Bois, France) and recorded by Blaise Barton at Chicago’s JoyRide Studios, Chicago Blues: A Living History features Arnold, Primer, Branch and Bell leading a crack band on songs made famous by the forefathers of Chicago Blues, including Big Bill Broonzy, Elmore James, Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy.

The 2-disc, 21-track double CD pays tribute to the genre's creators, its rich history and current practitioners and is accompanied by a 36-page booklet with extensive liner notes, photos by Marc PoKempner and a handsome 8-panel Digipak designed by Larry Kazal.

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC, will air on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT. For more information on Chicago Blues: A Living History, please check out the following links:

http://www.chicagobluesalivinghistory.com
http://www.grammy.com/grammy_awards/52nd_show/list.aspx
http://www.larrykazal.com

"...21 tracks of gorgeous blues; will undoubtedly challenge for blues recording honors this year. [Chicago Blues: A Living History] is a tremendous project that ought to be a finalist in a few awards categories. [It] is just a joy to listen to (and to look at), and it is without a doubt a recording that you will return to -- even if you have all the originals... Sonically superb and carefully conceived". -Living Blues Magazine



I can't see any blues lover not jumping on this one--these guys are just way TOO GOOD to ignore.

Leader of the (Wolf) Pack

My daughter, Megan and husband Brad, made a jaunt to the Windy City last weekend. Before they left, I told them that Eddie Shaw was playing at Kingtons Mines, and that he would be absolutely worth catching in action and they did. They met up with their friends and enjoyed a performance by this legendary bluesman. He even sent a thank you back to me for sending her to him.




Here's an entry from All Music Guide explaining the importance of Eddie Shaw better than I ever could:

Biography by Bill Dahl
When it comes to blues, Chicago's strictly a guitar and harmonica town. Saxophonists who make a living leading a blues band in the Windy City are scarce as hen's teeth. But Eddie Shaw has done precisely that ever since his longtime boss, Howlin' Wolf, died in 1976.

The powerfully constructed tenor saxist has rubbed elbows with an amazing array of luminaries over his 50-plus years in the business. By the time he was age 14, Shaw was jamming with Ike Turner's combo around Greenville, MS. At a gig in Itta Bena where Shaw sat in, Muddy Waters extended the young saxman an invitation he couldn't refuse: a steady job with Waters's unparalleled band in Chicago. After a few years, Shaw switched his onstage allegiance to Waters's chief rival, the ferocious Howlin' Wolf, staying with him until the very end and eventually graduating to a featured role as Wolf's bandleader.

Eddie Shaw also shared a West side bandstand or two along the way with Freddy King, Otis Rush, and Magic Sam. The saxist did a 1966 session with Sam that produced his first single, the down-in-the-alley instrumental "Blues for the West Side" (available on Delmark's Sweet Home Chicago anthology). Shaw also blew his heart out on Sam's 1968 Delmark encore LP, Black Magic.

Shaw's own recording career finally took off during the late '70s, with a standout appearance on Alligator's Living Chicago Blues anthologies in 1978, his own LPs for Simmons and Rooster Blues, and fine recent discs for Rooster Blues (In the Land of the Crossroads) and Austrian Wolf (Home Alone). Eddie Shaw, who once operated the hallowed 1815 Club on West Roosevelt Road (one of Wolf's favorite haunts), has sired a couple of high-profile sons: diminutive Eddie Jr., known as Vaan, plays lead guitar with Eddie's Wolf Gang and has cut a pair of his own albums for Wolf, while husky Stan Shaw is a prolific character actor in Hollywood.