Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues
Friday, May. 10 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)
Internationally recognized blues harmonica players, and celebrated composer, blues pianist, singer, songwriter, band leader and author Corky Siegel returns to The Acorn. His ensemble's latest release is Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues – MORE Different Voices.
Few can claim to have forged an entirely original genre of music, but in 1966, Corky Siegel did just that. Guiding the blues of Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters out of the smoky cavern of Big John’s and onto the stages of the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic and beyond, the harmonica-playing mad scientist had the tuxedo-and-gown crowd on its feet, clamoring for more of this blues-classical alchemy. These days, the harmonica virtuoso and composer is continent-hopping with Indian percussion and string quartet in Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues, continuing to bring classical and blues fans shoulder-to-shoulder…and obliterating musical categorization in the process. – Doyle Armbrust
The Chamber Blues ensemble members are: Jaime Gorgojo – violin (Madrid), Chihsuan Yang – violin (Taiwan), Rose Armbrust – viola, Jocelyn Butler-Shoulders – Cello, and Kalyan “Johnny Bongo” Pathak – Tabla (India).
About the Artists
Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductee Corky Siegel is known internationally as one of the world’s great blues harmonica players, and is a celebrated composer, blues pianist, singer, songwriter, band leader and author. Born Mark Paul Siegel in Chicago in 1943, Corky’s professional music career began when he co-founded the now legendary Siegel-Schwall Band in Chicago in 1964 with guitarist Jim Schwall. Corky Siegel has a catalogue of recordings on RCA, Vanguard, Alligator, and million selling blues/classical recordings on the iconic classical label Deutsche Grammophon. At a young age, he learned his craft - personally - at the feet of such legendary first generation bluesmen as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Little Walter, and Otis Spann and all the great blues masters he performed with beginning in 1965. In the earlier days of Chicago blues, he was an essential part in the blues rock revolution, and his surprising and continuing success in bringing together blues and classical audiences (with his symphonic and Chamber Blues recordings and performances) make him a pivotally unique figure in popular music history.
Corky founded Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues, featuring himself on harmonica, piano and vocals, the West End String Quartet of topflight Chicago classical string players, and Frank Donaldson on world percussion instruments. The novel ensemble performed Siegel’s pioneering blues/classical music compositions and released its first album, Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues, on Chicago’s famed blues label Alligator Records in 1994. The album gained rave notices from publications like Billboard and Stereophile, and has been followed by four more albums, the last two receiving DOWNBEAT EDITOR PICK for 2017, DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE’S BEST ALBUMS OF 2022. The latest ensemble includes the newest member tabla virtuoso Kalyan Pathak (India) who has been with the group for 7 years, Jaime Gorgojo from Spain (Violin), Chihsuan Yang from Taiwan (Violin and Erhu), Rose Armbrust (Viola), Jocelyn Butler Shoulders (Cello) who have all been part of the ensemble between 12 and 17 years.
RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.
