Words: Robin Zimmerman | Photos: Michael LepekFrom the new Muddy Waters mural on State Street to inspired appearances by second-generation performers, the Windy Citys vibrant blues legacy was on full display at the 33rd Annual Chicago Blues Festival.2017 marked the inaugural year at the Millennium Park location. But, as blues fans made their way around the...

By: Steven Jurgensmeyer, Founder/Editor at AllMusicBooks.comIt was a trend started forever ago, in jazz dens, bluegrass festivals and folk haunts. Fans would recordsecretly and not so secretlytheir favorite musicians of the day, who plied their trade set after set, night after night. The Grateful Dead famously took that notion to the Nth...

By: Nick DraperWhen it comes to Yonder Mountain String Band, a Colorado-based jamgrass band that manages to balance both a modern and throw-back sound, most acolytes will lead with tales of their live performances. They bring true talent and emotion on stage, traits that have netted them no shortage of boosters over the years....

By: John "Nunu" ZomotIt's been 50 years year since the Summer Of Love, and also 50 years since Jimi Hendrix opened for (*ahem*) The Monkees.It's odd how some things are mythologized, while others discounted, but it was evident at City Winery last week that The Monkees indeed made music that stood the test of time.  ...

We were promised more for Jerry's 75th birthday celebration -- it looks like we're getting it.GarciaLive Volume Nine: August 11, 1974  featuring a band anchored by Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders (Round Records/ATO Records) will release just a few days before the big day (July 28 release, August 1 birthday).The two set show...

Square Roots Festival July 7-9 Headliners To WatchNikki Lane An extremely talented and often overlooked talent in the country singer-songwriter scene, Nikki Lane blends a twangy western style with well-crafted songwriting to create a sound thats hard to dislike.Meat Puppets Consistently amongst the best live acts around, Meat Puppets have a long-standing legacy...

The Hideouts Picnic On The Porch series returns this summer, bringing eight shows to the beloved venues front patio.Focusing primarily on local acts, the lineup includes a set from Ryley Walker and Bill MacKay, folk trio Big Sadie, and multiple performances from The Flat Fives Kelly Hogan, including one with Nora OConnor.These shows...

By: Philamonjaro StudioDespite severe storm conditions, Ravinia Festival presented "An Evening with Pat Metheny".  Weather didn't dampen the fans' enthusiasm for a night of initmate jazz.At 61, Metheny shows no signs of waning.  His is still at his peek performance, playing with the same enthusiasm that has made him among the most...

On TV features a quick recap of some of the music were playing at the Tomorrows Verse headquarters. Who: Rundfunk-Tanzorchester Ehrenfeld (or Radio Dance Orchestra of Ehrenfeld)What: A 15-piece orchestra from Cologne covers Daft Punks Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger in an intensely accurate style.You Need To Know: Though this orchestra still utilizes a...

Nathaniel Rateliff, Charles Berry Jr. & Charles Berry III perform Big Boys on The Tonight ShowRateliff performed with the late Chuck Berrys son and grandson on guitar on a blistering version of Big Boys from Berrys recent posthumous release, Chuck. With extra help from The Roots, the song captures the spirit and energy of the...