With “traditional” blues as their foundation, some artists and educators working to introduce the music to the next generation see plenty of room to improvise.

Chicago blues great Billy Branch says a concert in Grant Park got him hooked on the music many decades ago. His latest album is “The Blues is My Biography.” ...

Chicago Blues Revival Executive Director Diamond M. Dixon hopes Chicago will take a page from other cities like Nashville and ...

Ryan Coogler’s horror blockbuster Sinners is the story of the Smokestack twins, brothers returning to the Jim Crow south ...

As we move torridly into the 80's with the newer, younger voices in rock exploring the roots of their music and simplifying their presentations, Jimmy Johnson serves as a vibrant link to the past. His ...

After absorbing a wave of lavish City Council tributes last week, blues legend Buddy Guy stood up to give a short, quiet ...

Legendary Chicago blues bar Rosa's Lounge in Logan Square is launching its very own record label. Rosa's Lounge has been in business for more than 40 years, and hope their new record label will help ...

From can’t-miss staples like the Chicago Blues Festival and the Taste of Chicago to citywide farmers markets and outdoor ...

The announcement set the schedule for Chicago’s 2026 lineup of festivals and events, continuing through celebrations for the holiday season.

The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced. When Michael Charles was asked what the odds were that he would perform on the same date at the same ...

Rooted in the Mississippi Delta, the blues sprang from spiritual music and field hollers, spinning a cultural thread that followed the Great Black Migration from South to North. Sheer joy of ...