Join us this coming Sunday afternoon for a special re-broadcast of Blues Stream to help benefit theKalamazoo Black Arts and Cultural Center. Settle in at 12:30 CST with a bit of blues harmonica and guitar jam streamed live from St. Julian’s wine cellar. At 1:00 PM CST, we present Blues Stream with Larry McCray & Chicago Blues Network artists Billy Branch, John Kattke, Dave Specter, and Katherine Davis.
Billy Branch (Photo by Peter M. Hurley) is one of the featured performers you can watch for free this Sunday for Blues Stream at 12:30 CST. See you there!
Katherine Davis Featured in “Take Care with Art After Dark” at SMART Museum ZOOM Event on February 24th at 6pm
Take Care with Art After Dark Cabrini Dance Party Wednesday, February 24, 6–7:30 pm CST
“Join renowned Blues musician and educator Katherine Davis for an interactive virtual workshop that explores the creative ecology of public housing by way of dance songs from the 1960s. Inspired by images from the Smart Museum of Art‘s collection and presented in collaboration with the National Public Housing Museum, the workshop mixes music and stories from Cabrini-Green. Embrace the sock hop vibe and join in from home—get on your dayglo, your glam, and your glitter velvet goldmine platform ankle boots or come in your pajamas, ready to learn some dance moves…” – Learn more
Katherine Davis is a featured performer at Chicago Blues Network Trading 4s Concerts. To watch her perform on Trading 4s CLICK HERE, or click “play” on the video below:
Trading 4’s No.3 Livestream: Katherine Davis & Paul Kaye
This is a song featured in this Trading 4s Concert:
“Music is love and love is music if you know what I mean, people who love music are the happiest music I’ve seen.” – “I Believe in Music” (by Mac Davis)
Learn from the Chicago Blues Masters Take a Tour of the Blues with our Instructors
We’ve got 2 new videos to help you learn to play the blues. To keep exploring, our Lesson Package includes access to 45+ videos and weekly LIVE Zoom meetings with Instructors like Dave Specter, Johnny Burgin, Brother John Kattke, Harlan Terson, Joanna Connor and Billy Flynn.
Dave Specter: Chicken Shack – Guitar Lesson
Johnny Burgin: The Myers Bros w/ Little Walter Lesson
JOHNNY BURGIN grew up in the South and went to University of Chicago with the intention of becoming a writer. A different path unfolded when a fellow DJ at the college radio station took him out to a West Side ghetto club to hear the blues singer Tail Dragger. It was a conversion moment where the blues came to life for Johnny and he fell headfirst into the vibrant Chicago blues scene. Choosing the blues clubs over the library, Johnny eagerly absorbed the lessons from the blues masters who practiced their craft nightly. Through persistence and practice he gained a spot in Tail Dragger’s band, and started doing gigs in town and on the road with traditional blues veterans like Jimmie Lee Robinson, Sam Lay, and Pinetop Perkins. What at first he’d only dared to dream about coalesced into three concrete goals: to play in Europe, record his own CD, and to book his own gigs every weekend. A Monday night residency at The Smoke Daddy in Wicker Park along with featured vocalist Jimmy Burns turned out to the key: before long, Johnny’s band packed the club every Monday with a younger, hip crowd. The residency’s success led directly to a record deal with Delmark, steady local club work, and his first of many European tours– he’d done it!
Photo taken @ CHICAGO BLUES NETWORK streamed performance, 2020.
– Peter M. Hurley
Mr. Hurley is a contributing photographer and writer for Living Blues Magazine and the staff photographer for Chicago Blues Network. His recent book Blues Legacy: Tradition and Innovation in Chicago, in collaboration with Blues historian and author David Whiteis, showcases his work in the field. His passion for blues music began with the Chess Studios’ sound of Bo Diddley and continues to this day. Visit Peter’s Website here.
Take Blues Lessons with Chicago Blues Masters: Guitar, Bass and Keyboard Players Welcome!
“Lockdown” offers a rare chance to study directly with Chicago Blues Masters like Billy Flynn, Johnny Burgin, Joanna Connor, Dave Specter, Brother John Kattke and Harlan Terson. They’d normally be touring around the world–but have the time to teach you now, at home. Take advantage of this with “At Home Chicago Blues” lessons:
“At Home Chicago Blues” Lesson Package includes:
Weekly, live Zoom-based office hour led by Faculty member
Welcome email and contact from the At Home Chicago Blues Faculty member
45+ video lessons from At Home Chicago Blues Faculty Members
Tabs and/or short history of the song from the Faculty member’s point of view
The opportunity to connect with other musicians in the program
Lessons are $23.95 per month, but start out with 4 months for the price of 3, only $71.85 for your first four months of At Home Chicago Blues Lessons.
