Caption: A classic blues image: Memphis Slim at the piano, Credit: Raeburn Flerlage
Image by: Raeburn Flerlage 
A classic blues image: Memphis Slim at the piano 

Blues Unlimited #115 - Blues Piano from the Windy City

Series: Blues Unlimited
From: Steve Franz
Length: 01:58:59

Embed_button
Join us as we take a look at some of the fine piano players who worked and recorded in Chicago over the years -- from Curtis Jones, Roosevelt Sykes and Big Maceo, to Memphis Slim, Little Johnny Jones, and Otis Spann. Read the full description.

Memphis-slim_small Join us as we take a look at some of the prime movers and shakers of blues piano who worked and recorded in Chicago over the years -- from Curtis Jones, Roosevelt Sykes and Big Maceo, to Memphis Slim, Little Johnny Jones, and Otis Spann.

Each episode of Blues Unlimited is designed to be a self-contained "evergreen" show, to be run at any time you choose.

Also in the Blues Unlimited series

Caption: Blues guitarist Wild Jimmy Spruill, caught live in action.

Blues Unlimited #157 - Red Hot Blues Guitar (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

On this episode of Blues Unlimited, it's two hours of pure electric Blues guitar hedonism. We've pulled out a bunch of our favorite records that all basically have one thing ...
Caption: A Casey Bill Weldon release showing the distinctive graphics of the Bluebird line

Blues Unlimited #156 - Bluebird Blues (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

Join us for a look at the Bluebird label. Launched as a budget imprint during the height of the Great Depression, it quickly became home to blues icons like Tampa Red, Sonny ...
Caption: A definitive recording in the history of Chicago Blues, featuring Muddy Waters, Leroy Foster, and Little Walter at the top of their game.

Blues Unlimited #155 - We Three Kings: Muddy Waters, Leroy Foster, and Little Walter (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

On this episode of Blues Unlimited, we aim the spotlight on a key transitional period in the history of post-war Chicago Blues, by focusing on the early recordings of three ...
Piece image

Blues Unlimited #154 - Down Home Gospel Favorites (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

Join us for two hours of down home Gospel favorites. From raw and gritty obscurities, to other worldly spirituals and a few classics along the way, it's an uplifting ...
Caption: One of the distinctive album covers from the Bluesville line

Blues Unlimited #153 - Prestige and Bluesville Keyboard Legends (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

Join us for a look at some of the keyboard legends that recorded for the Prestige and Bluesville labels in the early to mid 1960s. Classics from Roosevelt Sykes, Sunnyland ...
Caption: One of the distinctive album covers from the Bluesville line

Blues Unlimited #152 - Bluesville Folk and Country Blues (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

Bluesville was a label that got its start in 1959, and issued a remarkable series of albums -- almost 90, altogether -- during the height of the Blues "rediscovery" period. ...
Piece image

Blues Unlimited #151 - Chess Records: The Early Years (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

On this episode of Blues Unlimited, we aim the spotlight on one of the most famous independent record labels of all time -- Chess Records. Officially founded in 1950, we take ...
Piece image

Blues Unlimited #150 - Chicago Blues from Norman Dayron (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

On this episode of Blues Unlimited, we aim the spotlight on two fine LPs that came out on the Takoma label back in 1980, all recorded in Chicago in the early 1960s by a young ...
Caption: Slim Green, one of the "Cats from Fresno", Credit: Ray Topping/Ace Records Collection

Blues Unlimited #149 - Down Home Rhythm Rockin' Blues (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

No particular theme, just two hours of pure non-stop rhythm rockin' fun as we play a bunch of our Down Home favorites, featuring Boyd Gilmore, Charley Booker, Woodrow Adams, ...
Piece image

Blues Unlimited #148 - Excello Records (01:59:01)
From: Steve Franz

In this episode of Blues Unlimited, we pay tribute to the great Nashville label, Excello, which issued some superb early '50s R&B, and also the legendary Louisiana Swamp ...

Piece Description

Join us as we take a look at some of the prime movers and shakers of blues piano who worked and recorded in Chicago over the years -- from Curtis Jones, Roosevelt Sykes and Big Maceo, to Memphis Slim, Little Johnny Jones, and Otis Spann.

Each episode of Blues Unlimited is designed to be a self-contained "evergreen" show, to be run at any time you choose.

Broadcast History

1st local broadcast on April 20, 2011, on KXCI 91.3 FM

Timing and Cues

Hour 1: 00:00 to 1:00:54
In Cue: "Welcome to Blues Unlimited..."
Out Cue (at 59:54): "...another hour to go, right after this break."

Break (60 second music bed): 59:54 - 1:00:54

Hour 2: 1:00:54 to 1:58:59
In Cue: "Welcome back to the show..."
Out Cue (at 1:56:03): "...next time, right here on Blues Unlimited."

Hour 2 Note: from 1:56:03 to 1:58:59, an instrumental by Big Maceo, "Chicago Breakdown," closes the show.

Musical Works

Title Artist Album Label Year Length
Early In The Morning Little Johnny Jones with Tampa Red Tampa Red - Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Vol. 14. Document 1951 03:14
Worried Life Blues Big Maceo The Bluebird Recordings 1941-1942. RCA/Bluebird 1941 02:57
Lonesome Bedroom Blues Curtis Jones Complete Recorded Works Vol 1. Document 1937 03:06
Tired of Your Reckless Ways Blind John Davis with Tampa Tampa Red - Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Vol. 11. Document 1940 02:53
I See My Great Mistake Memphis Slim The Bluebird Recordings 1940-1941. RCA/Bluebird 1940 02:57
This Tavern Boogie Roosevelt Sykes Complete Recorded Works Vol. 8. Document 1945 02:38
Kid Man Blues Big Maceo The Victor/Bluebird Recordings 1945-1947. RCA/Bluebird 1945 02:39
Get Ready To Meet Your Man James (Beale Street) Clark Columbia 36948 [78 rpm]. Columbia 1945 02:54
Angels in Harlem Doctor Clayton Angels In Harlem. P-Vine 1946 03:09
Johnson Machine Gun Sunnyland Slim The Aristocrat of the Blues. MCA/Chess 1947 02:54
Harlem Bound Memphis Slim Complete Recordings, Vol 2 1946-1948. Blues Collection 1947 02:45
Big Town Playboy Little Johnny Jones The Aristocrat of the Blues. MCA/Chess 1949 02:57
Vicksburg Blues Little Brother Montgomery Early Rhythm & Blues 1949. Biograph 1949 03:15
Rock It Roosevelt Sykes Chicago Boogie. Delmark 1950 02:59
Mother Earth Memphis Slim Chess Blues. MCA/Chess 1950 02:44
Blue Coat Man Eddie Boyd Long Man Blues. Delmark 1951 02:35
I'm Mad Willie Mabon Blowing The Fuse - 1953. Bear Family 1953 02:37
Untitled Instrumental Henry Gray & Morris Pejoe Chess Blues. MCA/Chess 1953 02:23
Sweet Little Woman Little Johnny Jones Elmore James - The Classic Early Recordings 1951-1956. Ace 1953 03:00
Cool Playing Blues Curtis Jones Cool Playing Blues - Chicago Style. Relic 1953 02:57
My Baby's Gone Lazy Bill Lucas Chicago Blues - The Chance Era. Charly 1953 02:44
Nothing But Trouble Eddie Boyd Chess Blues Piano Greats. MCA/Chess 1953 03:12
Up The Line Little Johnny Jones Messing With The Blues. Ace 1953 02:40
Worried About My Baby Sunnyland Slim Sunnyland Slim 1952-1955. Classics 1954 03:00
Little Piece of Mind Memphis Slim Memphis Slim U.S.A.. Delmark 1954 02:58
Five Spot Otis Spann Wrinkles - Classic and Rare Chess Instrumentals. MCA/Chess 1954 02:43
Poison Ivy Willie Mabon House Rockin' Blues. Ace 1954 02:54
Be Mine Alone Sunnyland Slim Sunnyland Slim 1952-1955. Classics 1955 02:43
That Ain't Right Henry Gray Hand Me Down Blues - Chicago Style. Relic 1955 02:28
I'm In Love With You Baby Otis Spann Chess Blues Piano Greats. MCA/Chess 1956 02:36
Five Long Years Eddie Boyd Chicago Blues - The Early 1950s. Blues Classics 1958 02:44
Suitcase Blues Little Brother Montgomery I Blueskvarter Vol 2. Jefferson 1964 04:10
Can't Do Me No Good Otis Spann The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions. Blue Horizon 1968 02:23
Otis In The Dark Otis Spann Otis Spann Is The Blues. Candid 1960 04:37
Chicago Breakdown Big Maceo The Victor/Bluebird Recordings 1945-1947. RCA/Bluebird 1945 02:58

Related Website

http://bluesunlimited.podomatic.com