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Chicago, where a deep rooted quenching faith of music from Mississippi migrated North bringing the sweet sounds of the South. A sound that thru the decades transposed souls, celebrated triumphs, shared heartache and reflected life. Turned Men and Women into Musical Legacies from the sound we call Blues.
In writing this first column about this Great City of Chicago that is "Home of The Blues", I had a hundred ideas and directions of what I wanted to write and where I wanted to go with this. Writing was fresh off the cusp of the 27th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, the largest free festival in the world, that highlighted not just past Legends but Living and future. In this three day event the world comes to Chicago to celebrate the one thing that American Blues News Magazine shares each day with you our readers. The enthusiasm we the Journalist and Photographers seek out. The Column I will share will feature many Midwest Musicians but will be spotlighting the city that I know and call Home Sweet Home Chicago Blues.
Each article I write will bring you a window of Blues Musicians who carry on the tradition of playing in Clubs. From the South side to the North side, just as it has been doing since the 1940's in clubs then that carried names as Silvio's, Gatewoods Tavern, The Fame Club and the 708 Club. With Artists such as Alberta Hunter, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Big Bill Broonzy, Memphis Minnie, Sony Boy Williamson and Memphis Slim. The next decade brought Blues to its most notary where segregation was still waving its hallowed ignorance in America and a few Blues Artists were rising from Chicago clubs who had been influenced and rivaled from the previous generation to the Blues Legends we most recognize today. Behind labels that most of us wish still existed. Like Chess Records, who gave us Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Willie Dixon and Howlin Wolf.
As I started studying more and more there became a hungrer to read and re-read the influence Chicago has played on the global level of this great music of Blues. When reaching the 1960's as I was on my third cup of coffee it became apparent where change and consolidating talent became a pivotal point. Labels like Vee-Jay and Cobra folded the "new artists" names of Otis Rush, Magic Sam and Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Etta James and KoKo Taylor emerged. They dominated this time turning Blues into a universal language. Until the late 1960's when Delmark Records, recorded Junior Wells and Magic Sam and Alligator found and recorded Lonnie Brooks and the future Queen of Blues KoKo Taylor. In the 1970's, a new era to what many say in this City was a turning page for Blues. Where Chess records folded and the Blues were being rivaled by Soul and Gospel and other new genres of music. You found some South Side Chicago Clubs closing and others such as Checkerboard and Artis's were being joined by new North Side Clubs such as Blues Chicago, Rosa's, B.L.U.E.S. and most recognized next to Buddy Guys, the Kingston Mines.
The information I was gathering for this Column, thru stories and articles I was reading to the questions I was asking both Musicians and Club Owners became more fulfilling of where I am at and how blessed I truly am to be here. On any given night I can go and listen to Blues, feed my passion for the Lightening style guitar players to the Harp Players who challenge the Chicago Wind. I can catch todays legacies, some still strolling and playing from the 1960's like Eddie Shaw and Big Time Sarah. Others who are children, grandchildren or other relation to those great names listed.
Before I was preparing to post this article I spent the evening listening to the soulful voice and piano of Joe Barr at Artis's on 87th Street on the South Side to the last set of Rob Blaine's explosive guitar at B.L.U.E.S located on Halsted Street, before dipping into the twilight hour at the Kingston Mines on the North Side.
In my future Columns, I will be covering the Midwest and this great city to share with you stories, pictures and information, on not only the Musicians, both leads and Side Men and Women. But of the People who are the backbone of the the Midwest Blues that keep the tradition of what Chicago continues on a stage some place every night to those great Legacies that made this great city, Sweet Home Chicago!
So as this goes to press I will be zooming to Interview from New Orleans, the Honey Island Swamp Band who will be playing at the American Music Festival, July 1-4, at Fitzgeralds, in Berwyn, Il. Then on to interview two past Grammy Nominated artist, Vasti Jackson, from Mississippi and Chicago's own Billy Branch at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival July 2-4 (my hometown) in Davenport, Ia.
Look for these interviews and articles in up coming weeks. I also have a few surprises and always pictures for you.
Remember whereever you are there is live music playing somewhere. Support the sound and support your Musicians and hands up high waving Supporting the Blues!
Peace,
Catherine
Catherine Hernandez-Faber
American Blues News Magazine
photo: Joe Barr
all rights reserved 2010
