Smokestack Lightning to Strike the Chicago Blues Festival

Blues Festival Dedicated to Howlin’ Wolf on the Centennial of His Birthday

The Chicago Blues Festival (June 11-13) in Grant Park celebrates the life and music of Howlin’ Wolf on the centennial of his birthday with special performances and jam sessions. The internationally acclaimed and FREE admission festival is designed to celebrate and remember the blues tradition and heritage. The 3-day festival features five distinct stages that tell the story of the Blues using various Blues music styles.  Daily festival hours are 11am to 9:30 pm daily.

The Chicago Blues Season begins May 1 with Little Walter’s Birthday, and includes Robert Johnson’s birthday and runs through the festival with many citywide events, concerts and tours.   The public is invited to help officially kick off the Chicago Blues Festival at the Blues Press Preview event at 12 Noon on June 7 (Blue Monday) at Daley Plaza. 

In addition, there will be an academic Blues symposium at Dominican University in River Forest, IL, and noon concerts held at Millennium Park as well as a “Special Music Without Borders” collaboration at the Pritzker Pavilion Thursday, June 10, 2010 in honor of Howlin’ Wolf’s birthday.

For more information and the complete schedule of the 27^th annual Chicago Blues Festival, see below or visit the Web: www.chicagobluesfestival.us or call 312-744-3370.

2010 Chicago Blues Festival

Friday, June 11

Smokestack Lightning

Hubert Sumlin photo: Michael Kurgansky

Front  Porch Stage

11:30-1:00       Blues in the Schools featuring Eric Noden, Katherine Davis and the Stone Academy Blues Students and more

            1:30-2:30         Henry Gray and Andy Cornett

            3:00-4:30         Jimmy Dawkins w / Taildragger

            5:00-6:00         Café R & B

6:30-7:30         Big George Brock and the House Rockers with George Brock Jr.

Gibson Guitar Crossroads

            12:00-1:15       Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames

            1:45-3:15         Mary Lane and the No Static Blues Band

            3:45-5:00         Grady Champion

Mississippi Juke Joint

12:30-1:30       Grady Champion

            2:00-3:00         Sam Lay

            3:30-4:30         Stevie J and the Blues Eruption

            5:00-6:00         Adib Hasser

            6:30-8:00         Mississippi Jam

Zone Perfect/Route 66 Roadhouse

            12:00-1:00       Beginning Delta Blues Harmonica Lesson with Joe Filisko

1:30-3:30         Discussing Wolf: 100 Years of Remembrances moderated by Larry Hoffman with Dick Shurman, Betty Kelly. Barbara Marks, Eddie Shaw, Hubert Sumlin, and Josh Hecht.

            4:00-5:00         Wildsang

            5:30-7:00         East of Edens Soul Express

Petrillo Music Shell

5:00-5:55         Howlin’ Wolf alumni featuring Eddie Shaw and the Wolf Gang with  Jody Williams, Sam Lay, Henry Gray, Abb Locke, Corky Siegel and special guest Hubert Sumlin

            6:05-7:00         Otis Taylor Band

7:10-8:10         James Cotton Blues Band

with special guest Matt “Guitar” Murphy

8:20-9:30         Zora Young’s Tribute to Wolf and Sunnyland Slim with special guest Hubert Sumlin

Saturday, June 12

Spoonful

Billy Boy Arnold photo: Jennifer Wheeler

Front  Porch Stage

11:30-12:30     Ramblin’ Rose

            1:00-2:15         Bobby Dixon Blues Band

            2:45-4:00         Nora Jean Wallace

            4:30-5:30         Andre Williams

            6:00-7:30         Johnny and Destiny Rawls   

Gibson Guitar Crossroads

            12:00-1:15       Toronzo and the Cannonball Express

            1:45-3:00         Sugar Blue Band

            3:30-5:00         Sonny Rhodes

Mississippi Juke Joint

            12:30-1:30       Jarekus Singleton w/ Keeshea Pratt

            2:00-3:00         David “Honeyboy” Edwards

            3:30-4:30         Bill “Howlin Madd” Perry with Alphonso Sanders

            5:00-6:00         Dexter Allen

            6:30-8:00         Festival Jam featuring Blue Plate Special

Zone Perfect/Route 66 Roadhouse

            12:00-1:00       Beginning Southern Blues Harmonica Lesson with Joe Filisko

1:30-2:30         Joe Filisko and Eric Noden

            3:00-4:15         Rev. K.M. Williams and the Amazing Trainreck

            4:45-5:45         Larry Hoffman interviews William Ferris

            6:15-7:30         East of Edens Soul Express

Petrillo Music Shell

5:00-6:10         Nellie Tiger Travis and guest

            6:20-7:25         Bobby Parker and the Blues Night Band

7:35-9:30         Chicago Blues A Living History featuring Billy Boy Arnold, Billy Branch, John Primer, Lurrie Bell and special guest Carlos Johnson

Sunday, June 13

Sitting On Top of the World

Sam Lay photo: Jennifer Wheeler

Front  Porch Stage

            11:30-1:00       Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir

            1:30-3:00         Dancin’ Perkins

            3:30-4:30         Ramblin’ Jack Elliott

            4:45-5:45         Guitar Shorty

6:15-7:30         Lubriphonic  

Gibson Guitar Crossroads

            12:00-1:15       Quintus McCormick

1:45-3:00         Gibson Guitar Showdown w/ Carl Weathersby and Larry McCray

            3:30-5:00         Roy Roberts with special guest Barbara Carr

Mississippi Juke Joint

            12:30-1:30       Jimmy Duck Holmes and Terry “Harmonica” Bean

            2:00-3:00         Bobby Rush

            3:30-4:30         Homemade Jamz

            5:00-6:00         Jarekas Singleton with Keeshea Pratt

            6:30-8:00         Mississippi Jam

Zone Perfect/Route 66 Roadhouse

            12:00-1:00       Beginning Chicago Blues Harmonica Lesson with Joe Filisko

            1:30-2:30         Larry Hoffman rambles with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott

            3:00-4:30         Blues Books: University of Illinois Press

            5:00-6:30         East of Edens Soul Express

Petrillo Music Shell

5:00-5:50         Erwin Helfer’s Chicago Boogie Woogie Ensemble

6:00-7:00         Vivian and Vance “Guitar” Kelly and the Backstreet Blues Band

7:10-8:20         Chicago Blues Reunion featuring Barry Goldberg, Corky Siegel, Nick Gravenites, Harvey Mandel and special guests Charlie Musselwhite, and Sam Lay

8:30-9:30         T.K Soul