25th Chicago Blues Festival

September 26, 2008 in Reviews

Chris Simmonds reports on the 25th Chicago Blues Festival – online and exclusive!

Day 1 – I still find the whole concept of time travel amazing. That I am heading out on the streets of Chicago at 8pm yet was in Aberdeen this morning is still hard to come to come to terms with. But here I am. A long but thankfully uneventful flight was made tolerable by reading Al Kooper’s splendidly candid and remarkably un-bitter autobiography Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards.

The blue line on the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) goes from O’Hare Airport right through the city centre and my hotel is only one block from the stop at Clark & Lake. “That’ll be handy”, I thought, when my currently light and relatively empty suitcase becomes a CD shop on wheels for my return trip!

Arriving at the hotel I was informed that there were no available rooms but would a suite be acceptable at no additional cost? Yes it would (cue jumping about on bed, switching on TV’s in all rooms, etc etc!).

All that done I find myself on my way to Goose Island Brewpub for a few beers to tire myself out. It may be 8pm here but my body clock tells me it’s 2am. I take a seat at the bar and am immediately bombarded with tastes of different beers that the barman insists I try before settling for a 6.5% IPA. I stay for a couple more beers before realising that I am not too far away from The Hideout and, as it’s Tuesday, Devil In A Woodpile would be playing.

The Hideout is classified as a Dive Bar and I love it. It’s hidden away two blocks off of North Avenue in a derelict looking industrial zone. It’s down-at-heel appearance adds to it’s great feel and it’s quite full with a, mainly  younger clientelle. The band, fronted by clarinet/harmonica/guitar & jug player Rick “Cookin’” Sherry play great jugband blues and are situated in the narrowest part of the building, where the bar meets the back venue room. I find this kind of place more honest and to my liking than say Kingston Mines, a rip off club on the north side which I had the misfortune of going to on my first Windy City trip in 2002.

I stay for one set but by now my body clock is reminding me that it’s 6am and that I’ve been up for 24 hours and so my hotel suite and comfy bed beckon.

Day 2 – This always happens! I got to bed when it felt like 6am and I woke up bright as a button when it was…6am!!! Remembering that I forgot to eat yesterday (I’m not a big fan of airline food) I’d best make that a priority today.

A brief wander round the neighbourhood revealed a Borders Bookstore and a plethora of Corner Bakeries so I was sorted for reading matter and breakfast. Afterwards, I meandered around Millennium Park, which was under construction last time I was here and now boasts an impressive Frank Gehry-designed auditorium with matching titanium walkway crossing a busy freeway. There’s also some great sculpture and garden space. It’s all immediately adjacent to Grant Park and I could see the Blues Festival preparation going on in the near distance.

I eventually located a copy of the Chicago Reader (great free weekly listings paper) in the Jazz Record Mart. This is the worlds’ largest independent jazz record store and it has recently moved from Rush Street to Illinois Street. In reality, the entrance has moved round the corner and the whole store is two floors directly below where it was previously. It must have taken some doing to move everything. Incredibly, I don’t buy anything!

Just round the corner you’ll find the Rock Bottom Brewpub where I score a beer and a massive plateful of nachos and related trimmings for $3. From here it’s only a few blocks further north to the Clark Street Alehouse so it would appear churlish not to drop in for a few late afternoon beers.
Of all my days in Chicago (I’m here for a week), this was the one that I didn’t have any music particularly earmarked for. I decided, however, to plump for the Blues Fest Kick Off Jam at Buddy Guy’s Legends. Entry was $30 which is double the normal weekend admission so I guessed that there might be “special guests”.

In the event the ticket price reflected more that it was a fundraising show but hey, I like the venue and there’s a decent drop of Honkers Ale. I arrived just after 7:30pm and the show was already up and running with an acoustic set from Jimmy Burns & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. The latter, a drummer, proving he’s no slouch as a harmonica player. Next up was a band whose name I didn’t catch but was fronted by a lithe, young female fiddle and mandolin player. The fiddle and slide guitar interplay was particularly impressive. They were followed by Alice Peacock, a great young blues vocal talent who was backed up by Brother John and the house jam band. It was less a jam and more short sets by a number of acts. Billy Branch & Ronnie Baker Brooks were next up and for me this was the highpoint of the evening as they delivered some great electric Chicago blues fronting a band on harmonica and guitar. The MC pointed out that we had blues royalty in the house, referring to the familiar figure of Lonnie Brooks sitting stageside. He wasn’t there to play but Pinetop Perkins sure as hell was. At 94 and walking with a stick he still cuts a dapper figure and when he starts to play the piano it’s all still there. The Blues Festival makes a point every year of honouring blues musicians on the centenary of their birth. I wouldn’t put money on Pinetop Perkins not being around in person for his in 2013!

The stage was re-set and Brother John and the band kicked into another effortless groove but the space on stage and the polka dot amp meant only one thing – that the owner was getting up for a blast. And without furthers ado Buddy Guy got up, played a little…and left! If you’d gone out for a fag you’d have missed him. So only a small cameo appearance tonight but those who had paid extra for their tables and VIP treatment were more than happy.

The stage was re-set once again for some young band to finish off but in reality the show was already over and I wandered back to my hotel. As I left, Buddy Guy was standing chatting with fans at the door, his presence enough to make the evening a success. And whilst creatively it wasn’t the best show you’ll ever see or hear it was billed as a jam session; and for me it worked as a taster for the main event…which starts tomorrow.

Day 3 – This is the 25th Chicago Blues Festival but could easily have been the 40th! Back in 1969, 10,000 people came to Grant Park for a blues event and very successful it was too. Unfortunately trouble broke out at a Sly Stone show later the same summer and all music festivals were immediately banned.

Well there was thunder and lightning overnight…and I slept through all of it. It’s a hot and sunny day now though and whilst I was eating my breakfast Lonnie Brooks walked past the window. That’s twice in 2 days he’s popped up in my life. I had this same problem 6 years ago when Otis Rush was “stalking” me! And then Pinetop Perkins got out of a taxi opposite. What is going on?

Down at the festival site there are six stages. I arrived in the middle of a set by the Stone Academy Blues All Stars and their tutors Katherine Davis, Erwin Helfer and Eric Noden. It was a bit like School of Rock without the laughs. After a quick perusal of the site, to check on the stalls and find the different stages, I went to see Louisiana Red who was playing solo at first and then joined by a second guitarist and a bass player, enabling him to move to slide. I should point out that today is the hottest in Chicago so far this year with temperatures topping 90 degrees and with little in the way of shade sunburn is a serious possibility.

Over at the Juke Joint stage most of the day is given over to blues veteran Jimmy Burns. The first couple of hours features an acoustic round robbin jam and includes Carl Weathersby, John Primer and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith amongst others. Every time I drop in past it sounds better than before.

There’s some mighty guitar playing from JW Williams down at the Gibson stage before he is joined by blues club regular Patricia Scott and things mellow somewhat. The Columbia College Blues Ensemble are very entertaining. They have three guitarists – 4 if you count their professor – and two gorgeous female singers. They also have a frontman who throws himself all over the stage with the energy of a young James Brown.

Big Ray & Chicago’s Most Wanted play a great crossover of Chicago blues and soul but I’m off to see Piano C Red. This blues legend is confined to a wheelchair since being shot during an attempted robbery on him at a petrol station two years ago. Although he’s on stage with a keyboard in front of him he doesn’t do anything for the first few numbers, rather leaving the 5-piece band to get into a groove. When he does join in he is very entertaining. He is joined by a few guests including Ramblin’ Rose. She raunches her way through “I’m A Dirty Woman”, during which she sings about needing a big hard weiner (whatever that may be!).

I head back to the Front Porch stage for Honeyboy Edwards but he’s just leaving the stage for a mid-set break. He’s been playing with Billy Branch, Aron Burton, Paul Kaye and Johnny “Yard Dog” Jones and the whole thing passes into the hands of Louisiana Red and the show goes on. Later I spot Honeyboy (who is just short of his 93rd birthday) being pushed around the site in a wheelchair by his manager Michael Franks. I think you can add full time carer to Michael’s duties, although it’s obviously done out of both love and respect for the ailing bluesman.

I’m in a quandary as to who to see next but my mind is made up when I bump into a couple of English guys I got talking to in Buddy Guy’s last night and we hatch an off site beer escape plan. In all honesty we were as glad to find a building with air conditioning but the beers went down a treat too.
Back on site I split my time between a session featuring Pinetop Perkins, Willie & Kenny Smith, Bob Stroger and Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin and a set by another piano legend – Little Willie Littlefield.

I “escape” again for a much needed shower before returning for the evening’s headline acts at the Petrillo Music Shell. Duke Robillard was leading an 8-piece band playing tribute to the music of Louis Jordan who would have been 100 this year had he lived. Call it jump blues or jump jive or whatever, I call it great music. One thing I did find curious though was the person standing at the side of stage translating the lyrics into sign language! This was surely reaching new levels in both political correctness and ridiculousness. I mean, how many deaf blues fans do you know? One or two deaf blues musicians perhaps! Surely blues is all about feel and if you can’t hear it you can’t feel it. It also made me wonder how the sign person would have coped translating Ramblin’ Rose’s need for a big hard weiner!

The stage was quickly re-set for tonight’s headliner. A power trio kicked in with a big sound for one number and then a stumbling, shambolic-looking figure entered stage left. This was “the king of the blues” Johnny Winter. Barely mobile and now sitting down to play it didn’t auger well. He took a couple of numbers to warm up, dispensed with the services of the other guitarist and proceded to tear the place apart with some fantastic electric blues. Half way through he was joined by James Cotton on harmonica for a couple of numbers and things just went up and up. The other guitarist returned for a rip snorting run through of “It’s All Over Now” and then James Cotton returned for a great first encore of “Mojo Boogie”. “Highway 61″ closed the show and I’ve got to say that Johnny Winter’s slide playing was right up there with hearing the late great Rory Gallagher at the peak of his powers.

So, all in all, a great start to this anniversary festival. But the night is still young and there’s a show on at House of Blues being dubbed as the official after festival opening party. It’s not far away and although I know I’ve missed one or two of the opening acts I get there for the main event which is a big old jam fronted by Wayne Baker Brooks and also featuring Lonnie Brooks, Pinetop Perkins, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater and Li’l Ed. It is the ideal end to the day both musically and in terms of a relaxed and air conditioned setting.

Day 4 – Started the day with breakfast at a different Corner Bakery. Same breakfast; different diner. It felt wrong. It felt like I had been cheating on someone with their sister! I got caught in a brief but heavy downpour en route to the festival site. It felt great. It was weather I understand and, coming in the midst of 90 degree temperatures, it was most welcome.

The Joe B Band was playing tribute to the late Jumpin’ Willie Cobbs. I saw Willie at the Starlight Lounge six years ago. He was a blues crooner and the band here today reflected that well. Little Willie Littlefield who yesterday was accompanied by only a guitarist was fronting a 6-piece band today. A mere youngster at 77, he was in sparkling form.

Afrissippi sounded like an interesting option. Drummer Kinney Kimbrough is the son of Junior Kimbrough and the band comprises Eric Deaton on electric guitar and Justin Showah on bass from Mississippi alongside Guelel Kumba on vocals and Papa Assane M’baye on djembe from Africa. The first number, however, sounded like an extended jam on “La Bamba”. I perservered and I’m glad I did as the cross pollination of styles made for a fabulous musical stew.

The most notable thing about Les Getrex & Creole Cookin’ was that they managed to fit 8 people onto the postage stamp size Louisiana Bayou Station stage. A wander round the stages let me catch glimpses of Harmonica Hinds and Larry Taylor’s West Side Blues & Soul Band and then I headed off to see Sam Lay. Something seemed different about the stage since Afrissippi had been on until I realised that the canvass roof, along with the flown PA, had been blown off by a gust of wind. Thankfully no one was hurt but it did mean a bit of adjustment before Sam Lay could start. Previously a drummer, most notably with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he was bedecked in gold jacket and red trousers and was playing guitar on a set of blues standards.

The intention had been to catch the start of Bryan Lee’s set before high-tailing it down to Buddy Guy’s to see the Otis Taylor Band. In the event I bumped into those bad lads from the south of England and we ended up in a bar. I still made it down to Legends in time for Otis Taylor, backed by his daughter Cassie on bass plus a guitarist and a fiddle player. I love Otis Taylor’s trance-like music and it was great to hear it live for the first time (I had seen him on the Recapturing The Banjo tour in the UK in April – but that was different). I was under the impression that this was only going to be an hours’ set so I was even more pleased to discover that it was going to be two one hour sets.

It meant a quick turnaround to get back to my hotel to shower and get back to Grant Park in time for Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater’s West Side Heat but it was managed. This was effectively the premier of Clearwater’s new CD and he was joined on stage by some of those who played on it, namely Lonnie Brooks, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Jimmy Johnson, Billy Branch & Otis Clay. And what a great session it was. I’m looking forward to hearing it all again on the CD.

Koko Taylor and Her Blues Machine were tonight’s headliner. Her band played three numbers before the “Queen of the Blues” took to the stage. I’m pleased to say that reports of her decline were greatly exagerated as she tore through a great set that included “Wang Dang Doodle”, backed by her appropriately hard-edged sounding band of two guitars, bass, drums and keys. Another great day in the field. And not just in the field because when the light fades at Grant Park it’s time to hit the clubs. Larry McCray was on down at Buddy Guy’s. I had seen him playing acoustically six years ago so it was a nice change to see him full on and electric with his band this time round.

Day 5 – Following the culinary guilt of yesterday I couldn’t bring myself to go back to my original Corner Bakery and so opted for coffee and carrot cake in Borders Books instead.

I arrived at the festival site ahead of myself but bumped into Steve Arvey, who had just driven up from Florida and who was playing a few numbers in the Zone Perfect Bar. The ubiquitous Keith Frank & The Solileau Zydeco Band are audible in the distance but I opt for Liz Mandeville & The Blue Points and stay longer than I intend to. I had previously heard Liz on CD but nothing had prepared me for the raunchy full on live show with Liz looking every part the maneater in her spangly dress (it’s only lunchtime for gawdsake!). And if “My Little Johnny” is about her dog and “Scratch My Pussy” about her cat then I’m an Irish C&W singer called Tyrone Shoelaces! The time I spent with Liz (I wish!) ate into the time I could spend with Guy Davis & The High Flying Rockets. I like Guy but here he was struggling with the sound, which wasn’t helped by a soundcheck on the main stage nearby. I went walkabout and caught snatches of the Theodis Brothers reunion and Chick Rogers before catching a full set by Steve Arvey. He is on at the Maxwell Street stage, mere yards from where he and Kraig Kenning set up shop for 11 consecutive years at the festival. He is looking out at the original blue bus that was parked outside a record store on the real Maxwell Street and his set reflects the music of that area and era impeckably. He’s also picked up a collection of musical waifs and strays on his travels and was joined by a slide guitarist from Florida, a mandolin player from Italy and a harmonica player from Spain, all of whom contributed greatly in making this a hugely enjoyable set. To finish off with Steve played tribute to Bo Diddley, who had passed away the day before I left the UK and with whom Steve had played bass with many times in the late 1970s (and whom I last saw here at the festival 6 years ago), with a great version of “You Can’t Judge A Book By Looking At The Cover” that merged into “Mona”.

Things got even better when I caught the middle of the set by Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm. We’re in Fat Possum/North Mississippi Hill country blues territory here and it’s just electric guitar and drums. They are absolutely stunning in a mesmeric but powerful way. I leave them to catch the Recapturing The Banjo project. I saw the first night of the UK tour when Alvin Youngblood Hart & Corey Harris were on board and my thoughts were that it was a great idea but badly executed. So how would they fare here with a diluted line up? In truth it was really the Otis Taylor Band with the addition of Guy Davis and Don Vappie and, having heard them yesterday, I took my leave after the first few numbers. I caught the start of T-Model Ford’s set. He was backed by Cedric Burnside but the energy and vitality of the latters’ earlier set with Lightnin’ Malcolm was sadly lacking here. And then the mother of all downpours had everyone scurrying for whatever cover they could find. The most sheltered spot was back with Otis Taylor and his friends and by now they were firmly in their stride. The set may still have leaned more towards Otis’ own work but they made a big old noise on largely acoustic instruments. Don Vappie on banjo particularly impressed (as he had done on the UK show); Guy Davis was blowing some great harp and Cassie Taylor was pumping out some solid bass lines. I’m glad I went back for more.

Li’l Ed & The Blues Imperials were just starting on the main stage. I happen to think they are the best blues band in Chicago and I was proved right again by a stunning hours worth of breathtaking guitar and slide work from Li’l Ed, with showmanship aplenty and all backed up by a solid band that has been together for around 15 years as they tore through a selection of songs old and new. Memo to UK festival bookers: Book them for your 2009 festival. They’ll go down a storm.

After that I caught the last half hour of John Hammond, a man steeped in the blues from an early age. And it shows in both his wonderfully economic guitar playing and knowledge of blues history.

And that at 6:30pm is it for me for me today. For the record tonight’s headliners are Buckwheat Zydeco, Theodis Ealey and Barbara Lynn but I don’t fancy the prospect of any of them and head back to my hotel. As it happens I get within a block and a half of my hotel when the heaven’s opened and I got soaked through in 30 seconds, the result of a tornado that was passing within 15 miles to the south at the time.

I head back out after the tornado has passed and catch a stunning show from Magic Slim & The Teardrops down at Buddy Guy’s.

Day 6 – I started the day at the Jazz Record Mart in the company of Mississippi Heat playing live and fresh coffee being dispensed. Bob Koester, owner of both the store and Delmark Records said a few words and a mighty pleasant time was had. The weather was hot and humid yet by the time I headed for the festival site there was a massive thunderstorm in progress. Music was suspended for two hours as a result and threw shedules into chaos. When the music did begin the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band led by 16 year old Sharde Thomas (granddaughter of the late Otha Turner) got things going. They were joined by Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm for one number before taking their leave and letting the North Mississippi duo play another fantastic set.

Dancin’ Perkins was playing Chicago style blues and Paul Geremia was picking his way through a lovely set elsewhere on site. The Otis Taylor Band drew a large crowd to the Maxwell Street stage. I love this stage: you can get close up and personal with the acts and keep cool into the bargain as the wind blows the spray from the Buckingham Fountain. This was my third sighting of the band in three days and they always throw something extra into the mix. Otis’ hypnotic guitar mixed with Cassie’s pumping bass and the slashing fiddle and electric guitar made for a sound that had some folk proclaiming “the best of the fest”.
I caught a little bit of T-Model Ford again but, like yesterday, he was meandering so I opted for Filisko & Noden. I’m familiar with Eric Noden’s music as he sent me a CD a couple of years back. In cahoots with harmonica player Joe Filisko they presented an exciting and informative hour of blues, delving way back to old Maxwell Street and Daddy Stovepipe.

The main arena was filling up and it was obvious that if you weren’t in by 5pm you were going to struggle to see the headliners. From the periphery I could hear that Magic Slim & The Teardrops were playing a great set and going down a storm. I went for a final wander round the stages and ended up stopping a while for Lavelle White, who looks likes she’s seen it all, done it all and written the book. And very entertaining she was too.

Festival headliner was B.B. King. He had played in Chicago the previous week to probably 2000 people. Here at Grant Park the figure was more like 50,000! His limo was there; his band kicked in with a couple of numbers; Buddy Guy and festival organiser Barry Dollins came on stage and then B.B. followed to be presented with an award. And they were straight into “Let The Good Times Roll”.

I decided that since I didn’t have a decent vantage point I would jump ship and head down to Buddy Guy’s to see Li’l Ed & The Blues Imperials. When I got there the bar was relatively quiet and support act Carlos Johnson and his band were on stage. I perched at the bar, knowing that the place would fill up in around an hours’ time.

Li’l Ed and his band started up at 10:30pm and tore their way through two fantastic sets with Ed’s slidework very much to the fore. Biggest cheer of the night, however, was when they were joined on stage by both Buddy Guy and B.B. King. So I did get to see the big man up close after all. What a great night!

Day 7 – Well that may have been that as far as the festival was concerned but I still had another full day in the Windy City before I returned. And what a great day it was. I started with some retail therapy of the CD buying variety; it would have been rude not to when you find a record shop selling CDs at 50% discount. All of a sudden a $12 disc becomes a £3 disc. After that I hit a couple of brewpubs and then had a call from Steve Arvey asking me if I wanted to be put on the guest list for an early evening show at Buddy Guy’s by an unknown band from the Isle of Man! It sounded intriguing; let me explain further. In 2001, when Steve Arvey was undertaking his first UK tour he played at the Isle of Man Blues Festival. Whilst there he conducted a blues guitar workshop and two of the attendees were a couple of local kids. Seven years on they are the guitarist and bassist of Back Door Slam and are making waves in America. They’ve been garnering radio play and subsequently this show has sold out in advance. Now here’s the best part; they are a very good blues band, although I suspect that their management are aiming for a larger market. Guitarist Davy Knowles had kept Steve’s business card, got in touch with him and invited him to join the band on stage during this show which was being recorded for radio broadcast. What a great story!

And as for the band: they showed maturity beyond their very young years. I have since heard their excellent debut CD which is 90% original material yet here their set was 90% covers. Starting with “Outside Woman Blues”, they moved through “Riding With The King”, “Almost Cut My Hair”; “Red House” and the Robert Cray song from which they took their name. Davy’s voice is similar to Paul Weller’s and his guitar playing is quite superb too. He even pulls out an acoustic and then a mandolin for a fine treatment of “Going To My Hometown”. The show went up and up, climaxing with Steve’s cameo appearance on an extended slow blues and then the final “Been Down So Long”. What a fantastic show! Memo to UK Blues festival organisers #2: Get hold of this band for your 2009 festivals. Remember where you heard it first!

The night is very much still young so after the obligatory posing for photos with our host it’s over to the Front Porch Bar at House of Blues where Joanna Connor is playing to tourists. It’s a regular Monday night gig for Joanna and her band, playing to people who think they like blues as much as they think they like coffee because they drink at Starbucks and burgers because they eat at MacDonalds. We arrive at a set break and Joanna is worried that her voice won’t hold out since she’s already done five shows over the weekend. But that’s ok as she can…and does improvise by going into jazz rock territory with a bass-led tribute to Jaco Pastorius. They also play a crowd pleasing but pretty dreadful “Sweet Home Alabama” and then Steve Arvey (he gets everywhere!) leads the band and audience through a soul/blues sing-a-long. It’s all done to amuse the band as much as the shmucks. Joanna is one of the best slide players in the business and she delivers a storming version of her take on “Walking Blues” to end the set with.

So, overall, a strange but hugely enjoyable last night in Chicago. Tomorrow I shall be boarding a plane for Manchester, England – I’m just disappointed it’s not Manchester, Tennessee and another encounter with Back Door Slam at the Bonnaroo Music Festival – and then home to Aberdeen.

Chicago has all sorts of quality festivals during the summer months but in reality it’s got great blues music on throughout the year. Flying to America is still a cheap option and whilst the exchange rate stays at roughly 2 of theirs to 1 of ours you can’t go wrong.

Now one more time everybody: “Hey, hey, the blues is alright!” I almost joined in… almost!

Chris Simmonds