The building doesn't seem to be of big interest but it is!!! It is most probably the most important building when you think about modern music history!!! This building was the headquarter of CHESS records where between 1957 and 1967 music history has been written! In this building the most of the famous music of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Etta James, Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Ahmad Jamal, Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry and many others have been reorded. Also the Rolling Stones recorded in this studio the song '2120 S. Michigan Avenue' of the album 12x5.
Mastermind of this success was Willie Dixon, a bass player, singer and song-writer and he directed all Blues recordings of CHESS. Unfortunately not too many people know this guy but all of you know a lot of his songs. A small list of his songs: Little Red Rooster (famous by Stones), Wang Dang Doodle, I Just wanna make love to you, I can't quit you baby, I'm your Hoochie Coochie Man, Spoonful (famous by The Cream), Whole lotta love (famous by Led Zeppelin). And not to forget my favorite Willie Dixon lyrics - written for me: Some people look like this/some folks look like that/I may not be good looking/but don't you call me fat/I was built for comfort/I was not built for speed .... (you can find a nice version of this song on the LIVE album of Hans Theesink).
What a great place - I didn't want to leave. The guy who is running the house was also very helpful with additional information and stories about the record label. Unfortunately the shop didn't offer too much of the expected blues CD collections (good for the bourse).
The afternoon I spent - due to the excellent weather and 23 degrees - around the lake and I tried to shoot some fotos for a photo essay concerning the L-Train. I reached an area which is really lovely, looking very british and on every corner I found nice pubs celebrating St. Patrick.
The evening was reserved again for excellent music. In Buddy Guy's Legends club a local group performed typical Chicago Blues and Buddy was also partly on the stage, partly ready for photo shootings, signing his CDs .... For all who are not too familiar with the blues scene: Buddy Guy is most probably one of the top 10 living Blues artists at the moment. On his last two CDs he sang and played with people like Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Carlos Santana. Interesting person, excellent club and also excellent food - the first time that Cajun food made me happy :-)
What a great time in Chicago - now some sleep and tomorrow it's time to go on tour - heading south to the capital of Illinois Springfield and to St. Louis.
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