Your Complete Guide to the Chicago Blues Scene
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Your Complete Guide to the Chicago Blues Scene |
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CHICAGO BLUES REUNION
May 12, 2017
Arcada Theater, St. Charles, IL
By Linda Cain
The Chicago Blues Reunion is a reunification in every sense of the word
for Barry Goldberg, Nick
Gravenites and Harvey Mandel.
Chicago blues is what united them as teenagers in the ‘60s. It’s what
they bonded over and what cemented their friendship for over five
decades. Every time that Goldberg, Gravenites and Mandel reunite to
perform as Chicago Blues Reunion, it’s more than a concert; it’s a
synergy of the highest order – a joyful homecoming and a celebration of
their camaraderie and of the music they carry in their hearts and souls.
Although they left Chicago for various parts of California long ago, the
blues music that they learned here in their youth has never left them;
in fact it has informed every aspect of their lives and careers.
This fact was driven home, prior to the concert, with the showing of a
15-minute segment from the film documentary,
Born in Chicago, by director
John Anderson. Along with
their like-minded young compadres,
Paul Butterfield and
Mike Bloomfield, they
learned about the blues directly from the architects of the electric
Chicago blues: Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy and Hubert Sumlin,
to name a few. They -- along with
Corky Siegel (who couldn’t
make it to this reunion due to an engagement with
Sam Lay in Milwaukee) --were
the first white musicians to learn classic Chicago blues and bring it to
a wider audience, including the Newport Folk Festival (where Bob Dylan
famously “went electric” backed by Goldberg on keys) and to Woodstock
(where Mandel played
with Canned Heat).
Accolades for these influential Chicago musicians flowed throughout the
Born In Chicago film trailer
(which got its title from a song penned by Nick Gravenites for the Paul
Butterfield Blues Band). No less than Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Keith
Richards, Hubert Sumlin and Steve Miller had words of praise for them.
The film is currently being re-edited in Chicago to include more live
concert footage and is slated to air on Netflix in the foreseeable
future.
The film clip ended, the stage lights came up and the sound of a
harmonica was heard from the wings. The excitement in the audience was
palpable, after being pumped up by the film. The band took their places
as harp blower Rob Stone was
joined by Barry Goldberg on keys and organ, Harvey Mandel on guitar,
Gary Mallaber on drums and
Rick Reed on bass and second
guitarist Andrew Diehl. They
kicked it off with an upbeat instrumental shuffle to warm up.
Former Chicagoan Stone, who now calls Southern Cal home, led the next
two numbers with his big tough vocals and robust, soulful harmonica
playing that was reminiscent of Little Walter.
Goldberg and Mandel each displayed their considerable chops,
while the thunderous rhythm section propelled the classic tunes “Blues
With A Feeling” and “Gotta Find My Baby.”
Stone then introduced Nick
Gravenites, who was given a standing ovation and cheers as he made
his entrance. He grabbed the mic and walked about the stage as he gave a
dramatic sing/talk narrative to introduce his oft-covered song “Buried
Alive In The Blues,” while the band played quietly behind him.
Gravenites wrote the song specifically for Janis Joplin to record, but
she died before she made it into the studio. The band then launched into
the tune as the songwriter belted out the emotion-packed lyrics and
shook his fists for emphasis. Janis, no doubt, would have approved.
Gravenites sat down for his next number, an original song about the
small town where he lives in rural California titled “Since the Gas
Station Left Town.” It was a sad blues song about a sad situation with
folks so desperate for fuel that they’d “sell their children for a tank
of gasoline.” Goldberg’s solo on keys simply soared.
Nick Gravenite’s last number was the one we were waiting for, his
indelible classic “Born In Chicago.” Stone’s wailing harmonica and
Mandel’s crying guitar sent the music soaring while the driving rhythm
section propelled the song’s intensity and Nick’s gruff voice delivered
the message. A standing ovation was given as Nick exited the stage, but
promised to return.
Harvey Mandel’s
set was especially moving. The guitar virtuoso has faced serious health
issues over the last few years and has endured over 30 surgeries, the
last one barely over a month ago. From the stage he greeted his doctor
who was in the audience and thanked him for keeping him alive. Mandel
suffers from a rare form of sinus cancer and his Chicago surgeon
specializes in treating it.
After that serious moment, Mandel launched into his exotic guitar
stylings, filled with his signature string bending, trailblazing neck
tapping and note sustaining techniques. The psychedelic instrumental was
backed by the thumping rhythm section; Mandel then called for each
player to take a solo as Goldberg, Stone, Reed and Mallaber obliged.
Mandel grabbed his guitar’s whammy bar and led the band into an eerie
version of the gospel classic “Wade In The Water.”
He kept the momentum going as Goldberg played a solemn organ
intro to “Christo Redentor” and Stone played along with a plaintive harp
melody. Mandel and Stone traded ethereal sounding notes; the band piped
down for Mandel’s dramatic big finish. It was a breathtaking set that
certainly left some with a lump in their throat.
Harmonica virtuoso Sugar Blue
and bassist Ilaria Lantieri
(a.k.a. Mrs. Sugar Blue) were introduced by Stone as he and Rick Reed
exited. The sound of Blue’s harp echoed from the wings as he strutted
onstage, playing Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Help Me.” Ilaria swayed and
laid down the bottom behind him. Blue moved to the front of the stage
for a multi-octave, reed blowout solo. Goldberg and rhythm guitarist
Andrew Diehl got in nice solos, as Blue pulled out another harp from his
iconic bandolier and signaled to the drummer to step it up. He finished
with a mesmerizing solo that earned a robust standing ovation.
Ilaria kicked off the next tune with the familiar bass line for the
Rolling Stones “Miss You,” which got us boppin’ in our seats. As she
danced and dipped the neck of her guitar, Blue belted out the lyrics and
blew out those indelible notes that helped make this song a classic hit
for the Stones. It was an exhilarating treatment of a great song that
earned another standing ovation.
After a break, the band assembled back onstage at 9:50 p.m.
Rob Stone sang and played a
dynamic and bouncy version of Little Walter’s “I’m Just Your Fool,” a
tune famously covered by the Rolling Stones on their latest CD
Blue and Lonesome.
Nick Gravenites
returned, as promised, to sing “Fantasy World,” a tune he wrote in
memory of Bloomfield, Butterfield and others, who lived fast and died
too young.
Nick then led the band for a rousing version of the rockabilly nugget “Drinkin’
Wine,” that even got bassist
Rick Reed up to the mic to sing “wine wine wine, spo-dee-oh-dee.”
Nick gave Harvey a hug as he exited to a standing ovation.
Mandel
played all up and down the neck of his flame colored guitar, as Mallaber
chugged away on drums, to “Freak of Dawn,” a sonic excursion that was
freaky indeed.
Sugar Blue
and Ilaria returned for “Bad
Boys Heaven,” a traditional Chicago blues tune set to a slinky beat by
Ilaria on bass. Blue quieted the band to play a majestic solo, and then
“kissed” his harp -- a clever technique. He called on Mandel to assist,
and he played a killer guitar solo. Blue stepped out for another
thrilling solo that had us roaring our approval. He moved right into
Sonny Boy’s “Don’t Start Me To Talkin’” and brought the house down.
The entire ensemble assembled on stage for the finale, a rollicking
version of “Sweet Home Chicago,” that featured a harmonica duet between
Stone and Blue, a furious solo by Mandel and some hot licks from
Andrew Diehl, who was
smiling like a kid in the candy store.
The show ended at 10:30 p.m. in the Arcada Theater, but an “after show”
panel discussion ensued on the third floor in the Club Arcada Speakeasy.
As loyal fans loaded into the elevators, the Chicago Blues Reunion
alumnae assembled onstage, seated in chairs to ready to reminisce and
take questions from the blues fans. They
proved to be lively raconteurs who kept the audience thoroughly engaged.
Timm Martin and
John Anderson spoke about
the new version of their film
Born in Chicago which is in the final editing stage to include “less
talking heads and more music.”
Barry Goldberg
reminisced about how Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf kindly and gently
taught a group of daring underage white teenagers about the blues,
lessons that have remained the cornerstone of all their lives and
careers.
Nick Gravenites
recalled his days as a student in the same remedial high school as
Goldberg and Bloomfield where they were bound together by the blues.
Thanks to a kind teacher (“she was a vivacious redhead”) who recognized
Nick’s talent as a writer, he was able to enroll at University of
Chicago on the South Side. Here is where he first encountered Muddy
Waters playing at Pepper’s Lounge, which became his new hangout and gave
him plenty of wild tales to write about.
Harvey Mandel
spoke about another club, Curly’s Twist City, where he was first taken
by Sammy Fender. There, he got to jam with Buddy Guy “hundreds of times”
and witness plenty of “head cutting” competitions. He also related the
amusing tale of his “first toke” at age 15, courtesy of Barry Goldberg.
Thanks to this Chicago Blues Reunion, parts 1 and 2, the satisfied
audience went home supplied with plenty of great new memories of their
own.
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