- Sjel
- Chicago harpist Omar Coleman plays Rosa’s Lounge on Sunday.
The city’s blues clubs will be going strong throughout the festival, and at least a few venues that don’t typically focus on the blues will get in on the action. On Saturday, Reggie’s Music Joint hosts Muddy Waters’s son Mud Morganfield, a participant in Sunday’s Muddy tribute at Petrillo; on Sunday evening, Chicago elder statesman Jimmy Johnson will hold forth there. Also on Saturday, Jarekus Singleton headlines at SPACE in Evanston.
Back to the blues clubs, though: Saturday at Buddy Guy’s Legends, veteran guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Cash McCall makes a rare Chicago appearance on a bill headlined by keyboardist Booker T. Jones of Stax Records house band Booker T. & the MGs. And at Rosa’s Lounge on Sunday, young Chicago blues harpist and singer Omar Coleman hosts a release party for his debut album, Born & Raised (Delmark).
A few neighborhood venues that don’t advertise widely deserve mention too. At the Odyssey East, vocalists Sydney Joe Qualls and New Orleans Beau share the evening with various guests every Friday and Sunday, backed by the Source One Band with ace bassist Joe Pratt and esteemed guitarist Sir Walter Scott. The Water Hole showcases Elmore James Jr. on Friday and Jo Jo Murray on Saturday. The Hot City Lounge features Murray every Thursday; on Fridays the bill is split between vocalists Little Harvey and Mzz Reese (pronounced “Reesie”), who also headlines Sunday at Gene’s Playmate Lounge. Also on Sunday, former Muddy Waters drummer “Killer” Ray Allison (now a singer and guitarist) plays at For the Good Times Lounge. As always, call ahead to make sure a show is happening.
John Primer See Friday. 9:30 PM, Buddy Guy’s Legends, 700 S. Wabash, 312-427-1190, $15
Jo Jo Murray 9:30 PM, Hot City Lounge, 7432 S. Racine, 773-224-9583, free
Billy Branch, Eddie Shaw See Sunday for Branch and Friday for Shaw. 9:30 PM, Kingston Mines, 2548 N. Halsted, 773-477-4646, $15
Jimmy Burns Band 10:15 PM, Rosa’s Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, 773-342-0452, $15-$20
Chicago Women in the Blues Festival: Blue Road, Holle Thee Maxwell, Shirley King, Liz Mandeville, Mz. Peachez, Donna Herula, Tracee Adams, Ramblin’ Rose, Dia Madden, TK “Tequila Kid,” Shirley Johnson See Sunday for Holle Thee Maxwell. 8 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club, 2105 S. State, 312-949-0120, $10-$30, 17+
Eddy “the Chief” Clearwater, Linsey Alexander, Corey Dennison See Sunday for Clearwater. 6 PM, Buddy Guy’s Legends, 700 S. Wabash, 312-427-1190, $20
Elmore James Jr. 9:30 PM, the Water Hole, 1400 S. Western, 312-243-7988, free
Jamiah “On Fire” & the Red Machine 9:30 PM, Rosa’s Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, 773-342-0452, $15-$20
Jimmy Johnson & Rico McFarland 9:30 PM, B.L.U.E.S., 2519 N. Halsted, 773-528-1012
Little Harvey, Mzz Reese 9:30 PM, Hot City Lounge, 7432 S. Racine, 773-224-9583, free
Sydney Joe Qualls, New Orleans Beau 9:30 PM, Odyssey East, 9942 S. Torrence, free
Toronzo Cannon & the Cannonball Express See Saturday. 9:30 PM, B.L.U.E.S., 2519 N. Halsted, 773-528-1012
Booker T. Jones, Cash McCall, Matthew Skoller 6:30 PM, Buddy Guy’s Legends, 700 S. Wabash, 312-427-1190, $45
Mud Morganfield, Rockin’ Johnny Band 8:30 PM, Reggie’s Music Joint, $15
Jo Jo Murray 9:30 PM, the Water Hole, 1400 S. Western, 312-243-7988, free
Jarekus Singleton & Jimmy Burns See Saturday for Singleton. 9 PM, SPACE, Evanston, $15-$27, all ages
Sugar Blue Band 10 PM, Rosa’s Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, 773-342-0452, $15-$20
Carl Weathersby, Vance Kelly 9:30 PM, Kingston Mines, 2548 N. Halsted, 773-477-4646, $15
“Killer” Ray Allison 9:30 PM, For the Good Times Lounge, 5545 S. Damen, 773-498-3313, free
Billy Branch, Mike Wheeler, Guy King See Sunday for Branch. 6 PM, Buddy Guy’s Legends, 700 S. Wabash, 312-427-1190, $20
Omar Coleman 9:30 PM, Rosa’s Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, 77-342-0452, $15-$20
Jimmy Johnson, Billy Flynn, Bob Stroger, Marty Binder, Dave Katzman, Brother John Kattke 10 PM, Reggie’s Music Joint, 2105 S. State, 312-949-0120, $15, $10 in advance
Mzz Reese 9:30 PM, Gene’s Playmate Lounge, 4239 W. Cermak, 773-590-9127, free
Claudette Miller, Linsey Alexander 9:30 PM, Kingston Mines, 2548 N. Halsted, 773-477-4646, $12
Sydney Joe Qualls, New Orleans Beau 9:30 PM, Odyssey East, 9942 S. Torrence, free
Marty Sammon Blues Band 9:30 PM, B.L.U.E.S., 2519 N. Halsted, 773-528-1012