“An engaging, updated introduction to the world of Chicago blues… Captures the musical spirit of the city and traces its development through the past 50 years. This album celebrates the past by breathing new life into it. ” ~ PopMatters
On Sunday January 31st, 2010
they’ll be handing out the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. There are two categories: Best Contemporary Blues Album & Best Traditional Blues Album that for the most part relate to this blog… I wanted to briefly mention one of this year’s Grammy nominees – Raisin’ Music’s Chicago Blues: A Living History. Produced by Larry Skoller, this extraordinary and fresh voyage through blues history is sure to generate some cool moments for most fans of the blues. It’s also a terrific collection for those who are new to the genre and looking for a vibrant and entertaining reference to Chicago’s distinctive blues history.
During the late 40s and early 50s, a change of style from the Mississippi Delta sound was taking place which eventually saw the Chicago music scene as the dominant voice of the blues. This was mostly due to the migration of thousands of African-American farm workers from the south to the industrial cities of the north like Detroit and Chicago during World War II. In search of a better life, a number of talented blues musicians like Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker were part of that historic trip north.
Nominated For Best Traditional Blues Album
Chicago Blues: A Living History
came together in April of 2009 when local veterans Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch and Lurrie Bell successors of the Chicago Blues landscape teamed up to pay tribute to the evolution of Chicago Blues from 1940-1991. Together they lead a fantastic group on songs made famous by legends like Big Bill Broonzy, Elmore James, Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy just to name a few. During this past summer of 2009, the band toured Europe and played to packed crowds at fifteen major music festivals in seven countries.
The Living History Band
Billy Flynn – Guitar
Matthew Skoller – harmonica
Johnny Iguana – Keyboards
Felton Crews – bass
Kenny “Beedy-Eyes” Smith – drums
Special Guests
Carlos Johnson – guitar and vocals
Mike Avery – vocals
I believe we can all learn something about life and communication by exploring the history of the blues. Any natural art forms’ roots should always be recognized and we need to acknowledge the historical context which blues developed. All popular music today is based on the blues and without that knowledge people are missing out on the fundamental aspects like jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, soul and R&B which derived from it. Its down-home honest/raw energy is medicine for the soul. The music assembled on this disc can’t help but make you feel good…
I’ll resist the temptation to elaborate further and let the music and videos featured in this post speak for itself… I know I’ll be paying close attention to this category come Grammy time on Sunday January 31, 2010. If you’re interested in further information and band bios you can go to Chicago Blues: A Living History website by clicking here…
Do you have any favorite Chicago blues artists which are featured on this disc? Please feel free to add your comments below. Your input will further enhance the post and is always appreciated.
As a kid growing up in the sixties music captured my imagination… Back then I was still way too young to express myself. But I did know I was hooked and really didn’t stand a chance. I had an overwhelming desire to be involved somehow, but not necessarily as a musician. I remember my brother playing guitar along to the sounds of John Mayall and The Blues Breakers featuring Eric Clapton in the room we shared. And I also recall the blazing guitar riffs of Jeff Beck with The Yardbirds playing down the hall in my sister’s room. This set the tone and the learning blocks for my love of the blues…
Welcome New Visitors
For some of you, this will be the first visit to The Blues Blogger site. You may have been doing a search on “the blues” or happen to just stumble upon this blog. Perhaps you arrived through Twitter and other social media sites?
However, there are a select few that have been specifically invited here as my guest this time around. Some of us are just getting acquainted and others have known me for many years. They are now seeing what I’ve been up to, not only for the past 28 months, but in some cases the last 4o or more years. Now that I’ve broke open the dam a little, I’d like to officially welcome you to The Blues Blogger’s home on the internet. Please relax, browse around and make yourself comfortable…
As you check out the pages it’s important for you to know that without my dedicated online readers/friends who regularly stop in and say hello, this music site would not nearly be as much fun. Their sincere and warm comments really help enhance the posts I write. Please know that your input is always welcome and very much appreciated.
Often I’ll receive some pretty cool emails and while it’s difficult to get to them all, I do try my best. One of my favorite’s are the ones that will say, “I think (you guys) did a really good job this week.” Although I’m very flattered, for the record The Blues Blogger is entirely a one man show. I work on these posts in my spare time in the evenings and weekends and publish a weekly article on either Sunday or Monday nights. I never claim to know it all. The purpose of this blog was always just a therapeutic way to express myself while either remembering some music from my past or some new material I’ve come across, or which may have been brought to my attention.
Would I like to do two three or more articles a week? You better believe it! It boggles my mind when I see that my current internet statistics continue to rank above some record labels and artists that I admire. (There are many reasons for this that go beyond content which involves SEO, WordPress and the power of its blogging platform.) At the same time I do get a little frustrated because my creative side believes much more can be done. I receive many requests to write reviews, post press releases and upcoming information on artist’s performances in clubs and festivals etc… Unfortunately with a weekly post its hard to keep up with everything…
I have some really good ideas of what I’d do given the opportunity, and at the same time give back to those that have enriched my life so very much. But for me (as it is for many of us) family comes first and realistically my day gig is what helps turn on the lights. For those who’d like to see more posts, while I appreciate your enthusiasm, until a realistic opportunity presents itself where I’m able to afford more time and take The Blues Blogger up a notch, I’ll keep on doing what I’ve always done, and present to you (as often as possible) music that keeps me rockin’. And hopefully we’ll continue to hit some mutual chords along the way…
For All My New and Recently Invited Guests
here are some links to some of the articles I’ve written here as The Blues Blogger. These represent only a few of the many musical posts I’ve done from the Fall of 2007 to the present… I hope you enjoy them as much as I loved putting them together:
These were the first three words back in the fall of 2007 that I wrote for this blog. As I’ve said many times before, music has intense healing powers and for me is the greatest medicine I know of. Perhaps Jimi Hendrix describes it best when he said, “Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.”
Yes, this is a reflective blog, but I also personally believe that 2010 will be a tremendous year in music. And as we adapt to this new age of sharing information, seasoned musicians and upcoming blues/jazz artists will be recognized more than ever for their contributions and commitment. It’s their heartfelt efforts that continue to motivate people like myself in a way that would not be possible without them…
Now it’s your turn… Are any of your favorite musicians on the list above or playing in these videos? Any musical moments that you recall while growing up? Your comments as usual are always welcome…
Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by The Blues Blogger
I’m going to be brief as some circumstances over the past several days have caught my family off guard… As most of my loyal readers are aware, The Blues Blogger was created as a therapeutic way to express myself after my heart attack more than 2 years ago. Through those years not only have I done some reviews, but I’ve written about some of my personal moments from the past and present. And we’ve also shared some pretty cool music along the way…
This past weekend I prepared a post that helped me sort through some of the things that was playing on my mind. This curative piece hit a strong chord, and out of respect for my family I decided not to post it at this time.
As my readers and online friends are very important to me, I didn’t want to go through this holiday season without writing something… Thank you for all the support you’ve shown me. Your positive and uplifting emails/comments over the years are absolutely incredible and truly appreciated… I need to be with my family, but I’ll be back soon. In the meantime I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.
We would be hiding from reality if we said this time of season doesn’t bring the Christmas blues for some. For me, music and the memories we share with the ones we love will always be the greatest medicine in the world for that.
The music seen and heard on this site are meant to enhance the enjoyment of the articles and the reader's overall experience. My intention is to honor the artists that have inspired me by weaving my personal experiences together with my love of their music... If you like the music you hear, I urge you to support them by attending their performances and/or purchasing their music. If you hold the copyright and would like me to remove your song or picture then please contact me. I will do so immediately upon request.
