ChicagoBluesTour™

Vance Kelly is one of the few acts in Chicago who was able to please audiences on the South, West and North sides, with a versatile band that spans the wide spectrum of blues material, from old soul chestnuts to funk to raw down-home blues, which sometimes ventures into the “blue” topical territory, but that’s okay in a club environment where everyone’s over 21. His broad repertoire includes a version of Prince’s “Purple Rain” which is typically a show-stopper. Guitarist Kelly plays all over the world, but when he’s not touring, Checkerboard Lounge has long been his “home base”, stretching back to its years as a rough and ready landmark of 43rd St. (9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)

Click the enclosure to listen to Vance Kelly singing “Joyriding in the Subway”:

Vance Kelly singing “Joyriding in the Subway

You might also want to click this link to read Frequently Asked Questions, or click this link to see the list of performers and clubs.

If you are a harmonica fan, this is a show not to miss, and it will feature some complementary styles, making it a real primer on blues harp, one of 3 special sets included in the Spring 2009 Chicago Blues Tour, and now, the battle’s got an international flavor with the addition of a third performer from Britain.

In the time-honored tradition of “cuttin’ heads”, Deak Harp will take on two youngish upstart Chicago harpslingers, Omar Coleman and Harpmonster, as well as a twentysomething British phenom, Giles Robson, from the UK band The Dirty Aces, whose high-energy interpretations of the Chicago idiom have gained a strong following overseas.

Deak is a solid Delta player in the heavy-tone James Cotton vein, and his band is a classic Chicago-style group that often includes local veteran drummer Twist Turner, so there is certain to be a solid rhythmic pocket for harmonica battles. Coleman plays primarily in the melodic, methodical Little Walter / Big Walter style, but occasionally veers into the busier style favored by modernists like Sugar Blue. Harpmonster is a flashy player who’s been known to pull out a chromatic from time to time, but has been off the scene for a while due to recent illness, so he will be marking his return to the performance circuit with this appearance. He seems to favor an approach that’s more countryfied, a la either of the Sonny Boy Williamsons. For blues harp fans, this is the show to see. (8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)

GILES ROBSON VIDEO: Click this link to see video of Giles Robson jamming with Sugar Blue

James “Taildragger” Jones received his moniker from no less than the immortal Howlin’ Wolf, with whom he played for a while – apparently with a casual sense of punctuality, earning him the nickname. Dragger is a classic Chicago blues singer, a breed that is getting more scarce every year. He borrows heavily from Wolf as well as Sonny Boy Williamson, and although he once played guitar, he now spends his time as a vocalist, often roaming down into the crowd in front of the band. His repertoire includes many classic blues, as well as some originals in the same vein, captured for posterity in Delmark Records’ “Live at Vern’s Friendly Lounge” DVD release. He was a regular at the old Delta Fish Market on the west side, but more recently has spent more time in European festivals than in Chicago. He’s performing at Rooster’s Palace, a classic blues tavern with colorful regulars, which includes a fair sampling of west side bluesmen. Here’s some photos by Robert Pasenko taken at Rooster’s. That’s Eddie Taylor Jr. drinkin’ a beer and Robert “Rooster”, the owner, smiling in the baseball cap.

If you get a ticket for the 7:35 departure, you’ll go directly to Rooster’s Palace to catch Taildragger’s first set, which often includes other blues luminaries like Eddie Taylor Jr. It’s a small room, so getting there early is the best way to snag one of the booths along the wall or a stool at the bar. Taildragger is one of several performers who perform classic blues on the Tour, which also features Deak Harp and Johnny Drummer.(8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)

YouTube: click this link to see the Taildragger trailer
Trailer for Taildragger Live at Verns Friendly Lounge

You might also want to click this link to read Frequently Asked Questions, or click this link to see the list of performers and clubs.

Robert Pasenko is one of the better drummers on the Chicago circuit, and he’s played with just about everyone, including gigs with Johnny Drummer at Lee’s Unleaded and as part of the revivalists Blue Plate Special. He’s also one of the premier blues photographers, and so his jam sessions at Catcher’s Inn are well-documented and well-attended. Catcher’s is a friendly Bridgeport hangout, and owner Bo keeps the atmosphere comfortable (even if you’re a Cubs fan). The blues jam often features a boiling pot of hot dogs alongside the stage, in keeping with its proximity to Sox Park.

This “South Side Showcase” highlights the wealth of talent that resides in Chicago today, from rising underground stars like Mz. Peachezto local veteran stalwarts like Linsey Alexander and Smilin’ Bobby. Several of the performers in this jam session will be part of the Chicago Blues Festival in June, along with Li’l Ed, Johnny Drummer, and Vance Kelly.

Killer Ray Allison is a world-renowned drummer, including touring stints with Buddy Guy and other top-echelon acts, but in recent years he has turned to guitar with surprisingly good results. He was taught by Muddy Waters’ one-time guitarist Pee Wee Madison, and it shows up in his resonant playing. He’s also a husky vocalist, often roams the audience with a wireless axe, and he has a playful demeanor that often leads to rambunctious jamming.

Tré (he uses only a first name) is a second-generation bluesman, and one of several exciting guitarists on this tour. He alternates between melodic struts and explosive bursts of fretwork, a balancing act familiar to fans of Buddy Guy. When his band The Blue Knights, backs up the sultry, feisty Lady Kat, the result is always compelling, and sometimes ecstatic.

Mz. Peachez has turned some heads with a set of pipes that allows her to get away with covering Aretha and Tina, but she’s a fine raw talent who has become continually more nuanced in her approach. (8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)

You might also want to click this link to read Frequently Asked Questions, or click this link to see the list of performers and clubs.

KILLER RAY VIDEO: click this link to see Killer Ray at his regular weekly set

TRE VIDEO: click this link to see Tré jamming at Lee’s Unleaded

Rosa’s Lounge is the darling of blues purists, offering a wide variety of local and touring acts, honoring tradition (the bar was modeled on the legendary Theresa’s) while nurturing modern original acts like Pete Galanis, the guitarist from the popular Howard & the White Boys, on a double-bill with veteran slide guitarist Li’l Ed Williams. This is a typical Rosa’s bill, featuring a popular veteran performer with a lot of showmanship alongside a younger star who’s picking up the mantle. Li’l Ed & the Blues Imperials have become the flagship act for Alligator Records, cranking out energy-charged CDs built around the slide-guitar theatrics Ed learned from his uncle, the legendary J.B. Hutto. This is featured as a “Guitar Duel”, but there’s just as likely to be a lot of friendly jamming going on, since both high-energy acts place an emphasis on fun. (8:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)

LI’L ED VIDEO on YouTube: click this link to see Li’l Ed & the Blues Imperials in action

PETE GALANIS AUDIO via WimpyPlayer: click this button to hear Pete Galanis playing “Drive My Automobile” with Howard & the White Boys:

You might also want to click this link to read Frequently Asked Questions, or click this link to see the list of performers and clubs.

Fantastic L-Roy has grown on me more and more over time, as I’ve begun to see his deeper influences. He’s kind of a cross between Louis Armstrong and Sam Cooke, straddling the line between jazz and soul. He’s a master at working the crowd, roaming the retro-70s room at Linda’s Place with a wireless mike, phrasing songs conversationally, occasionally pouring a customer’s drink behind the bar while he croons. The Bulletproof Band is supple, shifting smoothly from R&B to soul to jazz, like a point guard dishing shots to L-Roy.
Linda’s Place is a sweet little haven in a neighborhood that needs more bright spots like this. We will be RECORDING LIVE all night long as part of a new label project.(7:30 pm. to 1:30 a.m.)
Click here to listen to Leave Our Love Alone by Fantastic L-Roy

Fantastic L-Roy VIDEO:
Fantastic L-Roy Live Video 12//08/08

There’s a reason why we send early buses to Lee’s Unleaded Blues. Johnny Drummer & the Starliters have held the weekend set at Lee’s for 13 years, an eternity with the fickle blues audience, and it’s usually standing-room only by the end of the first set. He’s a crowd-pleaser, switching between keyboards and harmonica, wandering the audience as a vocalist, and clowning just enough before he calls up local luminaries that add special flavor to the show. He’s put out 3 well-received CDs on the Earwig label, and tours overseas frequently, so Chicago fans are lucky to see him in such an intimate venue as the historic, cozy Lee’s Unleaded, a lounge which dates to the 60s, when it was called the Queen Bee and featured Muddy Waters and Lefty Dizz, among others. It now fashions itself as “Chicago’s modern juke joint” and is one of the more popular southside hangouts.
(7:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)
Lee’s will be featuring Johnny on the Spring 2009 Chicago Blues Tour, May 16th. You can still get tickets for the early departures that get you out in the smaller clubs like Lee’s before the “regulars” show up and it gets crowded. He’s one of three performers who perform classic blues on the Tour, which also features Deak Harp and Taildragger.

Johnny Drummer VIDEO:

Johnny Drummer Live at Lee’s Unleaded 11/07/08

AUDIO: Click below to hear one of Johnny’s Earwig recordings:
Johnny Drummer Take Care of Your Homework