We're excited to announce that after two years, The Blues Project will be back up and running thanks to a new partnership with Front Porch Music in Valparaiso. Blues Project alumni and current instructor at Front Porch, Isaiah Vargas, has teamed up with another Front Porch instructor, Jordan Collier to reboot the Blues Project for 2024 and beyond. The original mission of the Blues Project remains, but the program has undergone a few logistical changes. Participants will sign up for an 8 week musical journey that will culminate in two concerts - one at Front Porch and then a finale at another local venue that will rotate for each session. Students will be assigned songs based on their current level of mastery and will perform in an ensemble with other students and instructors at these concerts. As before, the historical significance and cultural context of the songs will be highlighted during these performances. New songs will be included in each session and new participants added, so each session will be a new adventure in the blues. The partnership with Front Porch allows for direct connections to seasoned musical instructors from the legendary music store as well as easy access to gear and other necessary musical equipment. We are excited to see where this new incarnation of the Blues Project will go and the musical opportunities that it can afford to the regions burgeoning stars. Sign up at: https://www.frontporchmusic.com/bluesproject
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Its been a rough year for all of us with the Pandemic, and we haven't had the opportunities to get together to play the blues like we usually do. Since the blues might be some of the best therapy around these days, we decided to put on a virtual show to benefit those blues musicians who have had their livelihoods affect by the lockdowns. Blues Project members recorded songs of their choosing from the safety of their own home, and Zach Hall edited them all together to create our first concert event of the year. Enjoy our "Quarantine Blues Project" and be sure to contribute via the link in the YouTube link. On Friday, Dec. 20, The Blues Project played their first ever Christmas show to a packed house at Living Hope Community Church, and it was a great success. Joined by local legends Chad Clifford, John Derado, Paul Schreiner, Michael Shaefer-Murray, Chad Burton, John Scott and Brett Deardorff, the Blues Project played a cornucopia of classic Christmas tunes spanning blues, soul, gospel and rock. The event was put on to benefit Project Zongo, an organization founded by a former Valparaiso University law student that works to build sustainable and sanitary housing for the Zongo neighborhood in Ghana. The concert was able to raise over $1000 to go towards starting construction on their first apartment complex. Thanks to all who donated and came out to support the cause. A special thanks to Mix Master Mary Cvelbar who kept everyone sounding good all night long from behind the board. Merry Christmas!!
Don't miss the Blues Project when they open up for Grammy Award winning artist, Mike Farris, at Gabis Arboretum on Saturday Sept 14th. We go on at 7 followed by Mike Farris and his band at 8:30. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the event. Bring your lawn chairs and settle in for an amazing night of music under the stars.
The Blues Project got the chance to grace the Michigan Street Stage at Popcorn Fest this year, and it was truly a blast. Jules and the Cellar Door (Blues Project alumni Julia Dalton and Bobby Gallowitch) put together an amazing set before us, and we filled the next three hours with classic blues, soul, jazz and rock music. Thanks to everyone and Valpo Events and Front Porch music for giving us an opportunity to share the stage and be a part of this great Valparaiso tradition! Its been a couple years since we've got shirts made, so its time to rectify the situation. I'm going to place a shirt order on Tuesday, Sept 3 so that the participants in our Taltree show will have one to wear for that concert on Sept 14. Any student who participated in a Blues Project concert this year will be receiving a baseball style Blues Project jersey with a customized name on the back free of charge. The link to the form below will have a mock-up of the design and a place to specify size and the name you want on the back. Since this needs to be in on Sept. 3, please get your shirt order in ASAP. If you have multiple kids in the project, please fill out the form multiple times. There is an second link below to purchase additional shirts if you so desire. Feel free to share that link with others who might want a shirt. Let me know if you have any questions. Participant Form (free shirt): https://forms.gle/hAjUWpWepuSg3emPA Order Form for to purchase additional shirts: https://forms.gle/mmwBfBmdvwHhj1NE7 The 10th anniversary of Blues Camp was a huge success, highlighted by performances at the Old Town School of Folk Music, Navy Pier, Reggies, and Hard Rock Cafe. A huge thanks goes out to Fernando Jones and the folks at the Blues Kids foundation for always treating us so well and inviting us to be a part of camp each year. Being immersed in the blues for a full week along with other musicians from around the country is an invaluable learning experience and we are beyond grateful for the opportunity. In addition to the musical adventures with the camp, the Blues Project got to tour historic Bronzeville with Harold Lucas from the Black Metropolis Tourism Council and see ground zero for the great migration. It was especially exciting to see the home of Muddy Waters and talk about a possible collaboration in the renovation and restoration of that part of city. Mark your calendars for the first week of July in 2020 if you're interested in joining us for Blues Camp next year!
We couldn't have been more happy to celebrate Independence Day with the folks at Chess Records in honoring the late Willie Dixon. We sho' 'nuff pitched a Wang Dang Doodle in the Blues Garden outside the historic studios along with Big Lew and the Crew. I can't think of a better way to honor our county's heritage than to celebrate the blues, a truly American music, and the heroes that brought it to Chicago.
The Blues Project journeyed to Three Oaks, MI to party with the folks from Journeyman Distillery on June 29th for their annual Corsets, Whips, & Whiskey festival. It was a warm and beautiful afternoon for some putting, sipping, eating, and playing the blues. We were ecstatic to have been asked to play and really enjoyed their distillery. Looking forward to their new location coming soon in sweet home Valparaiso!
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