In early 2011 I had a business trip to Chicago and of course I was keen to check out some blues. So I emailed ahead to some of the people I was meeting asking for advice on where to go and who was playing. Fortunately I found a kindred spirit who checked out some options and offered to show me around. So after a big American burger and a few beers we went along to a concert to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Robert Johnson's birth. It was called Blues at the Crossroads and the concert was at the Chicago Orchestra Hall and I felt quite lucky to have been there that night.
A band from Colorado underpinned the night as a selection of bands played a selection of Robert Johnson songs. Blues legends Hubert Sumlin and David "honeyboy" Edwards came in in their own right supported by Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm. At the time Sumlin was 80 and was hooked to an oxygen machine as he played and Edwards was 95 and played sitting down. They played about 10 songs between them or a little under half the night. Amazing. By the end of the year both had died so I felt doubly lucky to have seen these two legends. Sumlin was of course Howling Wolf's guitarist and Edwards claims to have been with Robert Johnson on the night he was murdered. Here he is playing Sweet Home Chicago and here is an interview with him about Johnson.
After the show we headed to Buddy Guy's blues bar where the man himself was holding court at the end of the bar. After I bought my beer I was about to go over and say hi when he seemed to disappear - a lost chance - but I did get to see him live a few years later when he played a great set in Singapore. At any rate we finished a good night listening to a local band and staggered back to the hotel.
Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm provided the backing for the two legends and interchanged instruments all night. Cedric has blues blood in him being raised by his grandfather RL Burnside. I bought their album 2 Man Wrecking Crew shortly after the show and it is a good mixture of blues with some modern beats in it as well.
A band from Colorado underpinned the night as a selection of bands played a selection of Robert Johnson songs. Blues legends Hubert Sumlin and David "honeyboy" Edwards came in in their own right supported by Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm. At the time Sumlin was 80 and was hooked to an oxygen machine as he played and Edwards was 95 and played sitting down. They played about 10 songs between them or a little under half the night. Amazing. By the end of the year both had died so I felt doubly lucky to have seen these two legends. Sumlin was of course Howling Wolf's guitarist and Edwards claims to have been with Robert Johnson on the night he was murdered. Here he is playing Sweet Home Chicago and here is an interview with him about Johnson.After the show we headed to Buddy Guy's blues bar where the man himself was holding court at the end of the bar. After I bought my beer I was about to go over and say hi when he seemed to disappear - a lost chance - but I did get to see him live a few years later when he played a great set in Singapore. At any rate we finished a good night listening to a local band and staggered back to the hotel.
Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm provided the backing for the two legends and interchanged instruments all night. Cedric has blues blood in him being raised by his grandfather RL Burnside. I bought their album 2 Man Wrecking Crew shortly after the show and it is a good mixture of blues with some modern beats in it as well. 
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