By Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
SON OF THE BLUES
B
www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com
F R I D AY, F E B 1
Eric Lindell & the Sunliners
plus special guest Anson Funderburgh
illy Branch's presence is so ubiquitous on blues recordings that it's
a jolt to realize that 15 years have
passed since he and his crack Son's of
the Blues band have recorded an album
of new material. Years of guest appearances, collaborations and acting as the
unofficial spokesperson for the Chicago
blues community, have kept him busy
but he's still managed to produce a
multi-faceted album that represents
where blues has been and where it's
the news," with enough Mississippi grit
to make Muddy (Waters) proud. As the
first song that introduces the CD, it
serves notice that Billy ain't playing at
all. If there were heads to be challenged,
they would all be neatly cut.
Even when he was starting out as a
kid from Los Angeles, enthralled by the
Chicago blues, Billy always took his
music seriously. "When I first came on
the scene, I wouldn't say a word. I was
taking it all in," he recalls. "I was learn-
T H U R S D AY, F E B 6
Originals and covers inspired by the music of Levon Helm.
Electric Dirt
plus
Andon Davis Trio
F R I D AY, F E B 7 • R E C O R D R E L E A S E S H O W
Billy Branch
Roxy Swain • Brother George • Dave Kay
S AT U R D AY, F E B 8
Webb Wilder
plus special guests
The B elvederes
T U E S D AY, F E B 1 1 - I N
VoiceBox with
THE
S I D E BA R
Cathy Richardson
Stories Inspired By Songs Inspired By Stories!
T H U R S D AY, F E B 1 3 - I N T H E S I D E B A R
Axes of Evil featuring Chris Neville,
David Blamires and Jon Paul
F R I D AY, F E B 1 4
Valentine's Day & EP Release Show
Everybody Says Yes
Featuring
Meghan Murphy
S AT U R D AY, F E B 1 5
Tommy Castro
and the
Painkillers
F R I D AY, F E B 2 1
Hackinsaw Boys
plus
Jonas Friddle & the Majority
S AT U R D AY, M A R C H 1
The Zimmerman
The music of Bob Dylan:
with special guest Robbie
Fulks
T U E S D AY, M A R C H 4
Fat Tuesday Party with
C.J. Chenier & the
Red Hot Lo uisiana Band
plus
Roy Rubenstein's Chicago Hot 6
MAR
Coming Feb 15: American English
18 illinoisentertainer.com february 2014
going. "I do feel a sense of responsibility
to uphold the blues because I was so fortunate to have the opportunities to
befriend and play with the true blues
legends," Billy told IE. Profoundly influenced by the iconic Chess producer,
bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon,
who mentored him as a young bluesman, Billy has shaped his career around
maintaining the integrity and heritage,
of the Chicago blues genre.
Blues Shock (Blind Pig), an 11-track
showcase of sharp blues craftsmanship,
serves up quite a few surprises. "I had
complete autonomy," he says. "I wrote
the songs, chose the songs, and arranged
them. We were actively working on this
album for a year and a half. We were
prepared when we went in the studio."
And it shows. Not only does the album
highlight Billy's masterful harp runs, but
it displays the individual talents of the
SOB's in an unexpected array of musical
influences. The opening track alone
reveals percolating rhythms peppered
with blasts from the Chicago horns and
as a standout conga solo that Billy
weaves around with harp and deeply
intoned chants/raps. With lyrics from
Billy's former UIC professor, blues poet
Sterling D. Plumpp, Billy brandishes
the words; "I am the man/who makes
ing. I was serious in my approach and
very conscious of my opportunity." It's
hard to believe that this intensity stems
from the off the wall harmonica interest
of a shy 10-year-old. "I taught myself to
play at 10. I always had my harm ۚX