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By A Web Design
is the greatest tribute today given to the Chicago Blues. On stage, five legends of Chicago Blues: Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell and Carlos Johnson with the Living History Band.
Two generations, ten musicians, they offer the best of Chicago Blues (Muddy Waters, Howlin 'Wolf, Memphis Slim, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Buddy Guy ...), tribute to the music that gave birth to Rock' n Roll and Pop.
Chicago Blues: A Living History is: Two double CDs - Chicago Blues: A Living History (2009) and Chicago Blues: A Living History / The (R) evolution Continues (2011), an initiative of the producer Larry Skoller which takes us from 1940 to present; Two generations of artists that provide the public a format never seen together. An unprecedented historic event!
Billy Boy Arnold. John Primer. Billy Branch. Lurrie Bell. Carlos Johnson ...
If we combine experience, the five major music group known as the Chicago Blues: A Living History had a life filled with Blues since the 40s until today. When Billy Boy was given his first harmonica lesson by Johnny Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, President of the United States was Harry Truman, and when the first double CD Chicago Blues: A Living History came out, Barack Obama was in the oval office. What happened between these two periods? The five leading musicians of Chicago Blues learned their "job" with the legends of this beautiful city.
Billy Boy Arnold worked with Bo Diddley and recorded solos that helped launch the movement of British Blues. John Primer joined the Muddy Waters band and toured with Willie Dixon, who, hired a young Billy Branch to replace the great Carey Bell. Carey's son, Lurrie Bell, was a member of Sons of Blues with Branch and played guitar for Koko Taylor, who also hired Carlos Johnson to play with her.
Carlos also played with Junior Wells, one of Branch's mentors, as he did with Otis Rush. The Chicago Blues group: A Living History, brings together two generations of the greatest traditional musicians today, who grew together side by side, sharing the stage and experiences for decades. On their way they have exceeded their old masters, becoming leaders among the most famous of the Chicago Blues.
Let's not forget the other musicians picked from The Living History Band, and played behind the first musicians in recordings and performances. They also worked with Junior, Koko, and Otis Carey and many others.
The stars of the Chicago Blues: A Living History, and their band received an illumination with a Grammy nomination, nominated for two Blues Awards and numerous international music awards. As the enthusiastic crowds of Chicago Blues Festival to those of the North Sea Jazz Festival can attest, there is no other blues band on the planet that can bring this exciting blend of class, plays and sound.
Through records, and more at concerts, Chicago Blues: A Living History takes us on a musical journey that stirs the soul of the 40's to today. Song by song, starting with simple acoustics of the past, to the actual electrical method full of energy, musicians make this historic musical legacy living.
Come and experience and, as they did too, let it enter into you.
'A fabulous ... a joy to listen "- Living Blues Magazine
"All musicians are gathered here possible" - All Music Guide
"A vital link between the legends of the past and those who play today ...
This disc will make you sing or dance or nod or howling at the moon
(or maybe it all at once) "- Blues Review Magazine
Born September 15, 1935 in Chicago, Billy Boy is one of the major founders of the electric blues of Chicago in the '50s and a major influence of the British Blues revival of the 60s. He remains an active and vital artist of the twenty-first century blues and regularly tours and records.
At the age of thirteen, Billy Boy was fascinated by the music of the first Sonny Boy, John Lee Williamson, and visited Sonny Boy at his home in Chicago for a series of informal harmonica lessons just before his unexpected death in 1948. Billy Boy recordings started with single Hello Stranger b / w I ain't Got No Money, which was released in 1952 under the label of Chicago Cool. After working with the street musician Ellas McDaniel (known as Bo Diddley) and joining the Chess label, Billy Boy played the harmonica in I'm Not a Man, recorded in March 1955, which has now became a classic. Billy Boy was not happy playing in the background, and so he signed with the Veejay Label for recording the first version of I Wish You Would and I Ain't Got You, which were later remastered by Eric Clapton & The Yardbirds. I Wish You Would has also been reworked by David Bowie in 1973 in his Pin Ups Album. The early 60's was a difficult time for many artists in Chicago Blues, since the concerts were becoming less frequent, and Billy Boy had started working as a bus driver and parole officer for the State of Illinois. In the early 70s, the revival of Billy Boy Blues handed on, and he toured in Europe and the United Kingdom. Since then, he has recorded for Alligator, Stony Plain, Electro-Fi and Raisin Music. Billy Boy is one of the last bluesmen of Chicago from the original ones, and one of the most important performers still active in the American music.
As the title of his CD released by Atlantic Records suggests, John Primer, nominated for a Grammy and Handy Awards, is The Real Deal ("The real thing"). At the age of eight, he borrowed his first guitar and started scratching. His inspiration came from his family already steeped in the tradition of spirituals, gospel and R & B. When he was young, John had his first show at the local Baptist church and continued to play at parties in private homes and fish fries (parties where we had fried fish) in and around his native city of Camden, Mississippi. In 1963 at the age of 18, he moved to Chicago. He quickly found work at a time when modern electric blues, and music from the West Side and South Side, began.
In 1974, he joined the internal orchestra of the world famous club called Theresa's Lounge, in the south district of the city. During the next five years, John has worked with the initiators of the Blues as Sammy Lawhorn, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Smokey Smothers, Lonnie Brooks, and many others who carved the sound of Chicago Blues. In 1979, the composer and bassist Willie Dixon persuaded him to join his band of Chicago Blues All-Stars. Through his travels in the United States, Mexico and Europe, John has improved his skills as a rhythm guitarist, slide guitarist first, and strong singer. Muddy Waters was hired him as a guitarist as well as a musician for the first part of his concerts.
John remained loyal to Muddy until his death in 1983, then started playing with the legendary musician Magic Slim. During the next 14 years he toured with Magic Slim and the Teardrops. In 1995, this veteran bluesman now recorded his first solo album, The Real Deal. Since then he has recorded 10 albums and toured extensively. Outstanding storyteller and songwriter, he has an endless catalog of songs. With his powerful phrasing and traditional techniques of super fast slide guitar, there are few artists who can play better than he does.
Billy Branch was born in Chicago in 1951 and began playing the harmonica at the age of 10. When he was 18, he immersed himself in the local Blues, and learned his craft from legendary harmonica players like Big Walter Horton, James Cotton, Junior Wells and Carey Bell. He eventually replace Bell in the orchestra of Chicago Blues All Stars led by Willie Dixon, and worked with him for six years. Meanwhile, Billy has created a group called Sons of Blues (SOBs), in which there were musicians who were the son of famous artists, such Lurrie Bell, Freddie Dixon and Garland Whiteside. The SOBs have toured in Europe and recorded sessions in Living Chicago Living (Grammy nominee) under the label Alligator Records. Billy has recorded and / or played with an incredible number of legendary musicians of Blues like Muddy Waters, Big Walter Horton, Son Seals, Lonnie Brooks, Koko Taylor, Johnny Winter, Albert King and Taj Mahal. He also devoted to the transmission of the tradition of the Blues to a new generation through its award-winning program, Blues in the Schools. Blues enthusiastic teacher, he taught in the schools of Chicago for 20 years in the Urban Gateways Project.
Born December 13, 1958, Lurrie Bell was raised in Chicago in a family naturally steeped in blues. All the great blues musicians went regularly to rehearse with his father, the legendary master of the harmonica Carey Bell. There were musicians like guitarists Eddie Taylor, Eddie C. Campbell, Jimmy Dawkins, Eddy Clearwater (Bell's cousin), harmonica legends like Big Walter Horton, and keyboard players known as Sunnyland Slim and Lovie Lee (Muddy Waters sideman on Bell considered a "spititual grandfather"). At a very young age, then, Bell has learned by himself the guitar and started playing during rehearsals. At 15, he created his first band. In 1977, Bell became a founding member of the Sons of Blues with Freddie Dixon (son of Willie) and Billy Branch. That year, Bell has also made his first appearance in a recording studio on the album of his father Carey Bell "Heartaches and Pain", under the label Delmark. At 20, Bell joined undisputed queen of Chicago Blues group, Koko Taylor, and remained there for several years to hone his talents and his apprenticeship as a musician on tour. The Boston Phoenix newspaper said it was "the most talented blues guitarist of all those of his generation."
Lurrie has participated in more than 50 albums in which there are many solos and duets with his father, Carey, and has appeared numerous times as a guest musician.
Born in Chicago, Carlos Johnson is considered one of the dominant guitarists in the world today. Before becoming leader of his own group, Carlos was asked by the biggest stars of the blues with whom he toured for over 20 years (Koko Taylor, Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Son Seals, Valerie Wellington, Carey Bell, Buddy Miles, among others.) with his virtuosity in playing the guitar in his sharp lefthanded style, he developed one of the most original styles from the Windy City, Chicago. He blends his deep sound and the traditional West Side Blues of Chicago with a more contemporary and funky sound. These are parts and phrasing from jazz, mixed with his love for the country Blues, which founded his own style. His powerful voice, his charismatic stage presence and his explosive guitar makes him one of the most exciting musicians in the blues today.
Carlos is one of the keepers of the Chicago Blues spirit.
(guitar) is recognized as one of the most accomplished guitarists in todays Blues. For over 30 years, Billy is the leader of his own band and has recorded more than 9 albums under his own label. His mastery of multiple styles of Blues has made him one of the most wanted sidemen and studio musicians. He has made numerous recordings with artists such as Otis Rush, Jimmy Dawkins, Snooky Pryor, Luther Allison, Mighty Joe Young, John Brim, Willie Kent, Kim Wilson and Jody Williams ...
(harmonica) is one of the harmonica players who worked the hardest in Chicago and is on the forefront of the new generation educated in the highly competitive environment of the Chicago Blues. Skoller is the leader of his group since 20 years, touring at a national and international level. He made four albums under his own label. It was also requested as a studio harmonica musician and recorded with John Primer, Koko Taylor, Larry Garner, Michael Coleman, Big Daddy Kinsey, Deitra Farr, Big Time Sarah and Bernard Allison ...
(keyboards) is one of the most accomplished pianists of today's Blues in Chicago. He grew up in Philadelphia, where he led his own bands since his teens, then moved to New York. At the age of 23, he was recruited by Junior Wells for three years and has recorded and toured with him in several countries. In addition to his tours with Otis Rush, Johnny (who now lives in Chicago) has played or recorded with Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Carey Bell, Lil 'Ed, Dave Myers, Byth Smith, Otis Clay, Lonnie Brooks and Ronnie and Sugar Blue ...
(bass guitar) is the top of the list of many wonderful musicians that the city of Chicago has ever seen. Whether jazz, blues or R & B, Felton has recorded and traveled with artists of the world's most respected musicians. One of these artists, Miles Davis, asked Felton to join his group. Felton was involved in the album of Miles, Man With a Horn, and traveled with him for two years. At the same time, he also recorded with Ramsey Lewis, Robert Irving, the Dells and others. He also found time to travel with artists from renowned Blues and soul, as Otis Rush, Otis Clay, Junior Wells, Son Seals, Billy Branch and Charlie Musselwhite ...
(drums) is regarded everywhere as the best active drummer of traditional Chicago Blues. Son of Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - also exceptional drummer, for the legendary Muddy Waters - drummer Kenny is currently most wanted drummer to perform and record with by the greatest artists of the Chicago Blues. He has participated in more than 50 albums and toured with Pinetop Perkins, Homesick James, Honeyboy Edwards, Henry Townsend, Jody Williams, Big Jack Johnson, Aaron Burton, Lurrie Bell, Dave Myers, Kim Wilson, Paul DeLay, and Junior Wells the Legendary Blues Band ...
Chicago Blues: A Living History is a tribute to past, present and the future of the Chicago Blues, its creators, its rich history, its representatives and its current place in the (r)evolution of american music of the twentieth century.
The two generations of artists in the group show the public a format never seen together. In a chronological journey through the fascinating musical tradition of the Chicago Blues musicians take us on the piano, main instrument for 40 years to the modern electric blues mainly led by guitar and harmonica.
The group begins with My Little Machine by John Lee Williamson which is considered the first record of Chicago Blues, which introduced the battery in a band. Then he takes us 40's piano, basic instrument that dominates the rest of this decade and where the popularity of Muddy Waters helped the electric guitar to replace the piano.
The musicians continue with the evolution the electrified soundof the group in the early 1950 and also with the electrified harmonica.
Then the group Chicago Blues: A Living History takes us into the classical fertile period of the mid 50ies when the Chicago Blues is booming. He continued until the 1960s when the Chicago Blues sound, usually described as post-war period, has given way to a more modern electric style. It continues with songs of the 1970s, 80s and 90s and shows the influence that newer and more popular types of music have had on the sound of Chicago. These songs demonstrate how the most contemporary musical forms that generated the Chicago Blues, influenced contemporary artists.
