Chicago: The Blues Capital of the World

When you think of Chicago what comes to mind? For some it's the Cubbies, or deep-dish pizza, or even the city that helped put Al Capone on the map. But for music aficionados Chicago is the Blues capital of the world. That's right, Blues. Artists like Willie Dixon, Elmore James, Big Walter Horton, and the incomparable Muddy Waters all honed their skills and made their careers in the Chicago nightlife of smoky rooms and dim lights. But Blues music wasn't started in Chicago, so how did it get there?

The Mississippi river delta is the birthplace of the Blues, a style of music born out of the hard life lived in the American deep south at the turn of the 20th century. The Delta Blues had since the days of American slavery, but in the early twenties it came to life as record companies discovered the potential of this raw and passionate music. Some of the big names back in the day included Mississippi John Hurt, Hound Dog Taylor, and Big John Williams.

Then came two world wars that would change the landscape of Blues music forever. The economic hardships and resurgent discrimination facing southern blacks after WWII made northern cities like Chicago, Cleveland, and Buffalo suddenly look pretty attractive. One by one the migration began with Chicago being the favorite destination due to it's booming industry and job opportunities. Nearly a million southerners ended up in the Windy City...and they brought the Blues with them.

In their new environment artists like Buddy Guy and Bo Diddley began experimenting with amplified instruments and the heavy Chicago jazz influence. They soon expanded the Delta standard of 6-note, minor blues scales to include major scales, 9th chords, and new vocal styles. Before long Chicago Blues had an identity all it's own. From there the music grew with the city and is as popular today as it ever was.

So next time you're in Chi-town, grab a deep-dish, take in a Cubs game, and finish the night at a great Blues joint. You'll be glad you did.

 

The main ingredient in "recipes" for learning music

There are different "recipes" for learning music. Whether your interested in learning to play the guitar, piano, drums, or any other instrument, the main ingredient is always practice.

There are many people who are self taught musicians, as well as many others who have taken lessons to become proficient at one instrument or another. There are also those who have learned to read sheet music and tablature, and others who can't read music who can play things just by listening to music and picking out the notes themselves. The main thing to remember for anyone who is interested in learning music is to not give up if you can't pick something up right away. Just like many other things in life, even if you are a born natural, some things may be harder to achieve than others. With practice and patience, however, those obstacles can be overcome and once the technique is perfected those troubles will be a thing of the past.

There are people who give up on an instrument just because they can't get the fingering of a chord down correctly or learn how to play a song overnight. Again, it must be stressed that the main ingredient for any "recipes" for learning music has to be practice! Some notes or songs are just harder than others. This means they will take more time to get down, but by sticking with it your musical aspirations can be achieved.

Even someone who is a vocalist must dedicate time to practice. While they may not have to learn to play a particular instrument, any good vocalist knows that it takes time to learn the words to any song, as well as the timing, key and rhythm so they can sing in the proper spots at the proper tone. Even though they might not have to learn to play any music, they still need to practice to do their job and sound their best.

There may be different recipes for learning music, but the three key words are practice, practice, practice.