During the 1960's when the great heroes of the Blues were playing Chicago dive bars and generally unappreciated, Germans Horst Lippman and Fritz Rau organized a tour of Europe for these American musical legends. In 1962, the American Folk and Blues Festival emerged from their efforts, and it continued annually through 1972, packing European theaters and concert halls with adoring fans and giving giants like Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, and others their due. The AFBF introduced Europeans to the blues and helped to spark a blues-rock revolution in young rockers like the Yardbirds, Animals, and the Rolling Stones, changing the history of rock and roll. The Blues Project was honored to join with the Original Chicago Blues All-Stars and the Blues Kids Foundation in celebrating this Chicago-German connection on Saturday, April 27th in Daley Plaza in Chicago!
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One of my favorite moments of the year is our time at Blues Camp in Chicago. The Blues Kids foundation puts on a week long camp that includes daily instruction and performance opportunities in really cool locations around the city. A huge thanks to Fernando Jones and everyone involved in the Blues Kids foundation for inviting us to be a part of the fun. Our Blues Project contingent managed to also sneak in some other fun and educational stops throughout the week like the Chicago History Museum's Blues Exhibit, The Dusable Museum of African American History, Buddy Guy's Legends, and Chess Records. Can't wait until next year!
The Blues Project was honored to perform at Zao Island for the Livin' it Up Music Festival in support of Porter County Special Olympics alongside the Newports, Chris and Lou, Ripley Street and others. Enjoy some photos from the event courtesy of Carol Bushby!
One of the best shows of the year is always at Gabis Arboretum (formerly Taltree). This year we were joined onstage by the legendary Wayne Baker Brooks who got our collective mojos working!
The Blues Project was honored to be a part of the fifth annual Stars Over Valpo musical review to benefit WVLP this year. Representing the Blues Project were Isaiah Vargas and Jack Wilburn who performed a rousing rendition of the Robert Johnson classic, "Sweet Home Chicago." Other musical acts supporting the non-profit local radio station included Chad Clifford, Ripley Street, Nicole Lee, Waz, Jim Chaddock, and many others. Thanks to Paul Schreiner, John King, and everyone at WVLP for including us in this very special evening. Read more about the show and see photos from the event via ValpoLife: www.valpolife.com/entertainment/tv-movies-music/69379-local-radio-station-wvlp-and-dozens-of-local-musicians-play-to-packed-house-for-fifth-annual-stars-over-valpo-concert
The Blues Project was honored to be the featured performers at Blues For Beds this past Saturday night at Living Hope Community Church in Valparaiso. Living Hope's youth group organized this show to benefit Family Promise in Porter County and raised over $1700, doubling their goal. Its always a special thing when kids can put their time and talents together to make our community a better and more welcoming place. Kudos to Annalee Cvelbar, Amanda Allen, Lexi Hisaw and all the kids from the Living Hope youth group who worked so hard to make this event happen.
Unfortunately, the Blues Project concert finale scheduled for March 16th has been canceled. Please be patient as we look to the future.
The Blues Project is gearing up for another year, and we want YOU to be a part of it! The Blues Project is a musical community of students, teachers and professionals who collaborate to perform some of the most important music in American History - blues, soul, and rock and roll. If you love to sing or play guitar, drums, piano, trombone, or virtually anything else, we want you to join our band! But it's not only musicians that we're looking for; we also need artists, photographers, stagehands, and other volunteers to make the magic happen.
Many thanks to Homenclature Furniture store in Valpo for hosting an absolutely amazing fundraiser for the Blues Project yesterday! It was a day of perfect weather, awesome people, and good music all to raise money for the Blues Project, and I want to personally thank everyone who came out to support us. The Blues Project played 14 shows in 2017, and this was a perfect way to wrap up a long year. It was truly humbling to see all the great folks who pitched in to support the Blues Project; it made it feel more like a party with all my favorite people there. Thanks to everyone who performed or chipped in to make yesterday such a success. Lets do it again next year.
For all of you Facebookers, be sure to like and follow our new Facebook page, The Blues Project - Valparaiso, to find out about new gigs, photos, videos, and other information related to the Blues Project! |
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