Jazz & Blues Lounge

Of course, as I have been saying all week, the big thing going on this weekend in Chicago is the 25th Annual Chicago Blues Festival. However, there are other shows going on in and around town here in the Windy City. The weather is predicted to be very warm and humid with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms. As such, maybe you would rather head indoors where there is a roof and air conditioning while the rest of us are standing outside in the heat and rain catching the blues.
Once again, it is radio …read more

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Thanks to WDCB, thanks to WDCB, thanks to WDCB. I felt so bad for yesterday’s post when I almost forgot to credit the greatest radio station in the world, I have been writing that last sentence over and over again on a chalkboard I found. OK, that may be a slight exaggeration, but I would hate to tick off the station I rely on so heavily to keep everyone, including myself, informed about jazz and blues shows every weekend.
There is also another jazz festival that is sponsored by the station and I have mentioned it before. However, I …read more

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The weekend is here and so is the month of June. I cannot believe that June is here, people. That means the year is already almost half over. How is that even possible? We have yet to have an actual spring yet here in Chicago.
Still, the weather is supposed to be pretty nice here in Chicago this weekend. Granted, you would think the world was going to end the way the weather people are going on about the thunderstorms that are supposed to come through here on Friday into Saturday. Still, what better place …read more

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Yet another weekend is upon us folks. Yes, time to look around town and see what’s going on as far as music for the weekend. I hear they are predicting rain as far as weather anyway, so why the heck not check out a great jazz or blues show?
I want to, as always, acknowledge the help and assistance from radio station WDCB for the events and information provided below. Once again, without them, this blog would be impossible. There is no way in hell I would go door-to-door at the various blues and jazz …read more

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Well, the weekend has arrived yet again and that is a good thing. That means it is once again time to take a look around the Chicago area and see what is going on in the various blues and jazz clubs. As usual, I am also making an attempt to show you what shows are going on in the suburbs.
I have been walking on air since I found out radio station WDCB has read and maybe even regularly reads my blog. I have no idea who there does, but I think of them collectively. This is …read more

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I love writing this blog. When I started, I just hoped a few folks who were devoted to, primarily, jazz would stop by and read a few things and I would have been happy. However, I have been surprised by how much this site and this blog has grown. I was delighted when Scooter Pietsch approached me, via e-mail, asking if I would like to review the new album for the Sad Salamanders entitled “Cigarettes and Fishnets.”
Now, I write movie, DVD and television reviews for another website. I get approached there all the time by filmmakers …read more

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Well, the weekend is here again and if you don’t mind dodging hail, lightning bolts and funnel clouds, you may want to head out and check out a live performance. There are a lot of great musicans out there in the jazz and blues genres that don’t necessarily have record contracts and such. This weekend, though, the weather dude is predicting storms. The same system that brought exciting tornado footage from Oklahoma is now crossing the Chicago area. So, that just adds a little extra spice to the whole going to the show thing.
I have to …read more

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Chicago is an interesting town.  It is a city that seems to be slowly expanding and expanding.  I guess that is not particularly new.  Most places call that “urban sprawl.”  Considering the number of independent cities that have officialy become suburbs and, therefore, part of the “Chicago Metro Area” I call it “significant improvement.”  Then again, I am biased.  I grew up within the city limits.
What this means is that there is great music even out in the ‘burbs.  When you visit Chicago, you are probably very tempted to stay downtown and just walk everywhere.  This is a pretty good …read more

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Here in Chicago the weather is finally turning from the brutal thing it was all winter into something almost pleasant.  You still need a jacket, but it may almost be time to put away the one that makes you look like the Michelin Man.  That means festival season will be starting soon.  While the big ones are the Blues Festival that kicks it off and the Jazz Festival that ends it, there are smaller ones all over the suburbs.  I will be keeping an eye out for those very soon.
No festivals are scheduled for this weekend for you jazz and …read more

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Well, the weekend is here and once again it is snowing here in Chicago.  At the same time I am still fighting off the Martian Death Flu or whatever the heck it is I have.  I feel like something you might have stepped on while walking through the woods or something.  So, here are some of the things going on in and around Chicago as it relates to jazz and blues music. 
Thanks again, as always, to WDCB for their assistance with this list:
JAZZ
March 21, 2008
Prohibition Orchestra of Chicago
Bill’s Blues Bar, Evanston
March 21, 2008
Bobby Lewis R&B Band
Pete Miller’s – Evanston, Evanston
March …read more

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