By Dan Schlossberg
ConsumerAffairs.com
January 6, 2006
In an apparent effort to defray the chill of the Midwest winter, Chicago plans to provide free musical treats for six straight Sundays starting in mid-January.
"Behind Glass Doors," a mix of jazz, gospel, and blues, begins Jan. 15 with a tribute to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Delores Washington and Annette (Queenie) Lenox, accompanied by Eddie Robinson, will honor the civil rights leader with a tribute to gospel legend Mahalia Jackson.
A week later, the Sunday afternoon series will offer "Chicago Jazz Jams: a Tribute to Little Brother," with Erwin Helfer and Barrelhouse Chuck saluting the jazz/blues mix that marked the music of "Little Brother" Montgomery in the 1950s.
The Delta blues guitar stylings of David (Honey Boy) Edwards return to the Windy City Feb. 5 when the 90-year-old international performer returns to what he calls "Sweet Home Chicago."
James (Blood) Ulmer will blend jazz, blues, and rock sounds when he sings and plas the electric guitar in the fourth segment of the Sunday series Feb. 12.
Jazz musician Henry Butler, a powerful pianist and vocal performer, will bring New Orleans sounds to Chicago with "Going in Mardi Gras" Feb. 19, while "The Blues Are All Right," featuring Artie (Blues Boy) White, closes the series the following week.
Presented by the Mayor's Office of Special Events as part of the sixth annual Chicago Winter Delights program, "Behind Glass Doors" will be held at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park on the designated Sundays from 3:30-5 p.m. The lone exception is the concluding concert, which was moved to the Harold Washington Library because of overwhelming local interest.
For more information, contact Mayor's Office of Special Events, City of Chicago, Room 703, 121 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60602 (Tel. 877-CHICAGO, www.877chicago.com).
---Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ is president of the North American Travel Journalists Association, and a frequent contributor to AAA Traveler and USAirways Magazine.
