A friend of mine recently issued a challenge.A longtime musician, prolific stoner, and general musical omnivore, he never really "got" the Grateful Dead.He's theright age to have caught their late eighties popularbreakthroughin his impressionable years, and has the propensity to chew on some meaty sonic dishes -- he lists punk, krautrock, psych, jazz...

While classic rock continues to live onthrough tribute bands and reunion tours, the music of Jimi Hendrix can't be contained by a single band or artist.The Experience Hendrix Tour seeks to rectify this, allowing multiple guitariststo celebrate Jimi's life by fronting a crack house band. As you might guess, with a ton of talent...

A funny thing happened on the way to this post. I almost didn't publishit.Frequent contributor, photographer Howard Greenblatt, offered photos of Toronzo Cannon's CD Release Party at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn.Now I rarely turn down fine photos, but I just wasn't familiar with Cannon's work, and Howard had already published them on his Facebook...

Infamous Stringdusters brought the Ladies & Gentlemen tour to Park West on Friday night, with special guest Nicki Bluhm. She's making a habit of bluegrass sit-ins in Chicago, we last saw her with Greensky Bluegrass around New Years.Nicki guests on "Still The One" on the tour's eponymous album, but on this night she also...

By: Philamonjaro StudioAs the Whos musical entourage assembled in Chicago for their March 10th United Center concert, hardcore fans came out for an intimate evening with Simon Townshend.In a very different role as second guitarist with The Who, this night Simon performed his own music. A front-and-center set of solo acoustic arrangements peppered with...

Photos: Dale Foster PhotoWhat do you do when you bring your rotating cast, all-improvised show to Chicago?If you're Everyone Orchestra's Matt Butler, you recruit some of Chicago's top jammers to round out the ensemble. Top shredder Marcus Rezak led the charge, but Jesse Clayton (MathGames), and Marty Giercyzk also brought the local flair as...

What if -- suddenly --Neil Young exploded onthe scene at age 40, complete with his very sameprolific master songwriting stroke, an unstoppable propensity to rock the fuck out, and the ability (and willingness) transform himself and his band from tour to tour and gig to gig?Then, my friends, you'd be pretty close to how I...

Photos: Howard Greenblatt - Imagine Pictures"Sweet Home Chicago Blues" was a showcase for Chicago Blues which took place at the Performing Arts Center of Governor's State University in University Park and hosted by Chicago blues harmonica legend Billy Branch. It mixed old and new school blues performers in a format that took the form...

Chicago blues artist Billy Branch has been presenting Blues In The Schools for almost 40 years.The goals of this interactive program include providing students the opportunity to:*Develop collaboration & teamwork skills*Cultivate multi-cultural appreciation*Enhancetheir creative expression*Practicetheir writing skills*Broadentheir horizons*Explore theirmusical interests & aptitudes*Interactwith world class musicians*Increase their understanding...

The weekend after Ween brought their reunion party to the Centennial State, Greensky Bluegrass kept the Brown flowing in Colorado.The band debuted their version of Ween's "Your Party" as the encore to their second of two shows at Avon's Winter Wondergrass festival. They must have liked how it came out, as they referenced it...