GoChicago.com - The Official Chicago & Illinois Tourist Office Website

Home to a diversity of music stars, from blues legends Muddy Waters and Eddy Clearwater to popular icons Smashing Pumpkins and R. Kelly, Chicago is a city that is serious about music. From modern day house to blues, jazz and rock, the city’s unique history has created a melting pot of some of the greatest sounds in the world today. Whether soaking in the atmosphere at its legendary jazz and blues bars, savouring the sublime sounds of its Chicago Symphony Orchestra or enjoying its vibrant summer season of music festivals, no snapshot of the world music scene would be complete without a closer look at this dynamic city.

Blues Capital of the World, Chicago is alive and thriving with one of the largest population of blues musicians on the globe. With roots in the songs of slaves and folk hollers, the sound first developed in Chicago in the 1920s. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 prompted the development of the urban style Chicago is so famous for and which truly broke out in the ’40s and ’50s with the emergence of artists like Muddy Waters - the prime mover of the now infamous Chicago electric blues scene.

The most influential Chicago bluesman, Muddy Waters modernised the Mississippi Delta blues by adding an electric guitar, revolutionising the music’s sound. The son of a sharecropper, Waters moved to Chicago during the ’40s where he signed with Chess Records and released his first single ’Rollin’ Stone’ that went on to inspire and influence the now legendary British rock band of the same name.

Run by two brothers, the record label helped create Chicago’s famous aggressive blues sound and also served as a catalyst for what would eventually become rock and roll with the early signings of Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.

Located near Ontario Street’s ’restaurant row’, Blue Chicago on N Clark St is a safe and friendly club, ideal for catching Chicago blues legends, such as Jody Williams and Eddy Clearwater, and yet-to-be discovered artists.

Renowned blues mecca, Kingston Mines on N Halsted St provides continuous music seven nights a week with bands playing on two stages.

A legendary destination for the Chicago blues scene and owned by the star himself, Buddy Guy’s Legends on S Wabash Ave is the ideal spot for grooving to top local and national acts. Don’t be surprised if Buddy hops onstage in an impromptu jam with visiting rock stars, who’ll often stop in while on tour.

Often overlooked, the Chicago jazz scene and its history are every bit as vibrant and lively as that of the blues. The migration of African-Americans from the South to Chicago during and after World War I set the stage for the development of jazz in the city, with Chicago becoming one of its major centres in the 1920s. Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Benny Goodman and Nat King Cole all lived and worked in Chicago at this time, cutting some of the most influential recordings in jazz history throughout. Current day clubs host everything from smooth vocal sounds to far-out jazz at its best.

The Cotton Club, a fantastic jazz venue on S Michigan Ave, recreates the Harlem original with a tradition of sophistication, elegance and nostalgia.

Premiere music venue, Andy’s Jazz Club on E Hubbard St, features an eclectic mix of mainstream, bebop and swing-jazz combos.

An upscale jazz club on N Ashland Ave, Green Dolphin Street hosts acts of all sorts, from traditional jazz to Latin to big band. The adjoining restaurant has some of the finest and most innovative cuisine in the city.

At Pops for Champagne on N Sheffield Ave, veteran jazz pianists play to tables full of canoodling couples, sipping champagne by firelight.

Deriving its name from the nightclub WareHouse, house music was a genre born in the back streets of Chicago. Popularised by legendary DJ Frankie Knuckles in the early 1980s, the sound broke out of underground clubs towards the end of the decade, making inroads on pop charts the world over before reaching today’s status with its thriving commercial scene. Club goers today can dance the night away in WareHouse namesakes Warehouse III and Warehouse Lounge.

HIP HOP, SOUL, ROCK and GOSPEL also have their place in Chicago with dedicated clubs and bars found all over the city.

MUSICIAL MAGIC - FESTIVAL SEASON IN CHICAGO

With its rich musical background, Chicago is a city that loves to celebrate all things music. Its season of festivals centres around Chicago’s principal downtown park, Grant Park. Nestled between Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan, it becomes a hotbed of activity that makes Chicago a favourite destination for musicians and music fans the world over.

The largest annual blues festival in the world, the Chicago Blues Festival is currently in its 22nd year. Showcasing world class talent with local, national and international performers, the event forms the highlight of the many Chicago festivals. With a half million attendance over four days, past performers include Ray Charles, BB King, Shirley King, Chuck Berry, Ike Turner and Otis Rush. This free event traditionally takes place in the first weekend of June in Grant Park. The 2005 festival is due to take place 9-12 June.

The Chicago Jazz Festival was originally created as a simple tribute to jazz legend Duke Ellington. Now in its 27th year, it has grown to attract local, national and international performers. A result of the vibrant jazz scene in Chicago, the event is held at the very end of summer in Grant Park. The 2005 dates are 1-4 September.

Soulful gospel music, one of the fastest growing musical genres in the US can be experienced at the Chicago Gospel Festival. Now in its 21st year, the event is held in Grant Park in the second week of June. The 2005 dates are 3-5 June.

The Grant Park Music Festival, featuring the award-winning Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus, will open its 72nd annual season in its new permanent home, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Acclaimed by critics and beloved by audiences, the Grant Park Music Festival is the nation’s only remaining free, municipally funded, outdoor summer classical music series.

In its 17th year, the Chicago Latin Music Festival celebrates Latin music from around the globe. Hear Grant Park shake to the sounds of meringue, salsa and ranchero during the third weekend in August. The 2005 event is due to take place between 27-28 August.

Celebrating Chicago’s cultural diversity, the Chicago World Music Festival features traditional, contemporary and fusion music from around the world. Held late in September and set in a variety of venues, musicians and bands travel from around the world to perform and take part in the event’s seminars and workshops. The 2005 date is yet to be confirmed.

Experience bagpipers, storytellers and Celtic culture at the Chicago Celtic Fest, held during the middle of September. Listen to music from the Celtic regions of Cornwall, Scotland and the Isle of Man. The 2005 event is scheduled for 17-18 September.

For more information and great deals on hotels and flights, or to obtain a brochure, call the Chicago & Illinois Tourist Office’s Freephone Brochure Line on 08700 503 410 or visit online www.gochicago.com.

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