Lately the Chicago Blues Festival has been taking heat for booking so few big-name artists, and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events seems to have noticed: this year celebrities like Buddy Guy, John Mayall, Mavis Staples, and Koko Taylor are playing the Petrillo Music Shell. Also at Petrillo are several less famous but equally important figures–former Howlin’ Wolf sideman Hubert Sumlin, neotraditionalists Billy Branch and Erwin Helfer, and still-vital Chicago veteran Jody Williams.
As in past years, the Petrillo Music Shell showcases national acts and top-tier locals. The Juke Joint, on Columbus north of Jackson, emphasizes relatively intimate presentations. The Crossroads, at Jackson and Lake Shore Drive, concentrates on electric blues, while the Front Porch, south of Jackson and west of Columbus, focuses on acoustic and traditional styles. The Best Buy Showcase, on Columbus south of Jackson, as usual features a surplus of ham-handed bar bands (a notable exception is pianist Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, who plays on Sunday). The Route 66 Roadhouse, which hosts panels and workshops, is on the north side of Jackson, just east of the Petrillo entrance. All events are free. –David Whiteis
Erwin Helfer’s introspective, nuanced approach to the blues is intriguingly informed by jazz, ragtime, and even classical music–but the veteran Chicago pianist is just as familiar with Pine Top Smith as he is with Thelonious Monk, and he can pound out a joyous, insistent boogie or low-down 12-bar grind with the best of them. Helfer is also an educator, and has taught countless aspiring blues musicians how to navigate the 88s. He plays solo here. BD
Fernando Jones
5 PM
Blues in the Schools
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Among the current crop of young Hendrix-influenced guitarists, Toronzo Cannon is one of the more articulate: no matter how wild he gets, he’s always saying something in his solos, not just slinging notes around for the sake of it. His vocals are equally expressive, whether he’s testifying on a soul-tinged number or braying a blues anthem–further evidence of his professionalism and focus. DW
