Bessie's Blues / Killing Floor - Jim Schwall / Andy Ewen Band

Jim Schwall, Guitar, Mandolin, singer-songwriter - is the co-leader of the Siegel-Schwall Band, "one of the best acts in America", - Billboard Magazine. The Boston Globe has called Mr. Schwall "undoubtedly the best electric guitarist in the country." In the 1960's, the Siegel- Schwall Band was signed overnight by Vanguard Records and later RCA. During the late 1960's and early 1970's the band drew capacity crowds to the most popular clubs and auditoriums in the U.S., while their records received world acclaim. Along with their peers, Paul Butterfield and Charlie Musslewhite, Siegel-Schwall introduced Chicago blues to the large rock audience. At the suggestion of world-renown Music Director, Seiji Ozawa, Siegel-Schwall recorded an historic landmark work William Russo's Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra with Seiji Ozawa conducting the San Francisco Symphony on premier classical label Deutsche Grammophon. This 1971 recording was a block-buster in sales world-wide, and scored very high on the Billboard charts. In 1974, at the height of their career, Siegel-Schwall disbanded. In 1988, the group reunited for a reunion concert for popular radio station, WXRT in Chicago, which resulted in their 13th recording, this time live on Alligator Records. The Chicago Tribune cheered the recording as, "...something to celebrate", and Billboard calls it a "...stellar live performance." Mr. Schwall has recently received a PhD. in music, and has divided his time between performances and as a Professor of Music. Currently, Mr. Schwall lives in Madison where he was a candidate for Mayor of that city, as well as a high school subsititute teacher and a grad student in art at the University of Wisconsin. He has had many critically acclaimed shows of his photography work, and still plays the classic electrified Gibson B-25 acoustic guitar which he's used extensively since acquiring it in 1959. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE MY GIRL - Siegel - Schwall Band

The Siegel–Schwall Band is an American electric blues band from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1964 by Corky Siegel (harmonica and piano) and Jim Schwall (guitar), and still tours occasionally. Corky Siegel and Jim Schwall met each other when both were music students at Roosevelt University. Siegel, originally a saxophonist, was interested in blues, while Schwall's background was mostly in country music. They combined these two genres, producing a lighter sounding blues as compared to Butterfield Blues Band or John Mayall. The Siegel–Schwall Band included Shelly Plotkin on drums and Rollo Radford on bass. Radford had previously played with Martha and the Vandellas and Sun Ra. They were the house band at Pepper's Lounge on Chicago's South Side. Every important Chicago blues musician sat in with Corky and Jim at Pepper's, including Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Billy Boy Arnold, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Otis Spann, Bo Diddley, Lazy Lester and Sam Lay, just to name a few. The band moved to Big John's in Old Town after the Butterfield Blues Band began touring and left a vacancy. In 1965, Sam Charters signed the band to Vanguard Records. In 1966, the band released their first eponymous album, and began a national tour in 1969. While they weren't as commercially successful as Butterfield or Mayall, the band was still able to perform at large venues such as Fillmore West. Also around that time, the Siegel–Schwall Band became the first blues band to ever perform with a symphony. They performed "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra" with the San Francisco Symphony. The piece was written by William Russo and conducted by Seiji Ozawa. After four albums with Vanguard, the band signed with Wooden Nickel, a Chicago label distributed by RCA. Their first release on the label won a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover in 1973. The band broke up in 1974 after releasing the album R.I.P. Siegel/Schwall, and reunited in 1987. Alligator Records signed them and released a live reunion album in 1988. The band continues to tour occasionally, usually during summer because Jim Schwall is now a professor of music. Schwall also ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Madison, Wisconsin. The Siegel–Schwall Band released a second album on Alligator Records in 2005, entitled Flash Forward, which was a top 15 hit on the Billboard Blues Albums chart. In 1975, Siegel formed the Happy Year Band with Sam Lay, Albert Joseph on guitar and Rollo Radford on bass. Siegel later formed the ensemble Chamber Blues with a string quartet, tabla and harmonica/piano. This unusual group features Frank Donaldson, a 20-year veteran drummer with jazz musician Ramsey Lewis. Siegel continues to record, has earned several composing honors and is a regular performer and lecturer in the Chicago Public Schools. In 2007 he wrote a book, Let Your Music Soar: The Emotional Connection. “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”