Mike Wheeler has been playing the blues for almost 30 years and has played with Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Shemekia Copeland, Jimmy Johnson, Son Seals, Willie Kent and a who's who of today's Chicago Blues!!. Mike is an extraordinary blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He wrote most of the material Self Made Man including the title track where he sings "I'm a self made man and I made myself have the blues". Mike is accompanied by his regular group including Brian James, keyboards; Larry Williams, bass; Cleo Cole, drums and special guest Omar Coleman, harmonica on three songs. Others songs include "Get Your Mind Right", "Movin' Forward", "I Don't like It Like That", "Here I Am".

We like our blues with a dose of funk, soul and all other kind of stuff, says Omar Coleman. Eventually these supposedly separate genres run into each other especially with the new generation of blues artists taking over. Even though it was only available for the second half of the year Omar's Delmark debut Born & Raised was #15 on Living Blues magazine's top radio albums of the year. In the LB review of the album Roger Gatch said "The album bears the mark of an artist who is appropriately confident in his abilities as a singer, harmonica player and songwriter and who is steeped in the classic blues sounds of his home city yet unafraid to take them in a more contemporary direction."

Founded in 1953 by Bob Koester, Delmark Records continues to record jazz and blues under his leadership. This special celebratory CD package features previously unissued performances by blues legends and new songs from Delmark's current line-up of exciting talent. Tracks include an unissued Junior Wells song from the South Side Blues Jam session featuring Otis Spann; Magic Sam from a 1968 live performance, a sneak preview of the full CD slated for November; an alternate take from the Little Walter Trio featuring Muddy Waters which has never been on CD; Toronzo Cannon, Studebaker John, Linsey Alexander, Quintus McCormick, Lurrie Bell, Eddie C. Campbell and much more.

This is the first album for Young on an established American label, which is surprising since she is one of the most creative blues singers in Chicago; born in West Point, MS & raised in Chicago, where she grew up singing gospel - after years in the R&B "chittlin circuit," she switched to blues & has shared the stage with B.B. & Albert King; here, she's joined by guest guitarist James Wheeler.

Eddie C. Campbell brings his unmistakably individual, engaging and memorable verve and variety and his command of the Chicago blues tradition to "Tear This World Up", his most fully realized chapter in a highly regarded discography which has generated covers by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Lee Atwater and a Christmas staple. Eddie has long been a master of classic Chicago blues, but always his own man, turning out venues worldwide with funk and rock & roll as well as blues, all with his rich, wide-ranging vocals, the trademark reverb drenched sound of his vintage metallic purple Fender Jazzmaster guitar and creative song writing.

Sleepy John Estes was one of the most individual of all recorded blues singers. He sang with phrasing that fairly dripped with expressiveness in a high crying tone that seemed often like he was speaking to the listener. The songs he wrote were well suited to this treatment, dealing frequently with his and his neighbors' lives. - Gerald Brennan. This session is from July 19, 1974. None of these performances have ever been issued before. Estes, vocals, guitar; Hammie Nixon, vocals, harmonica, kazoo.

Blues guitarist first started his own band way back in 1963, backing many greats as they passed through Chicago, inc. Al Green, Johnny Taylor, Etta James & others - this, his 2nd Delmark album, further establishes him as a tasteful & talented bandleader & recording artist.

Jimmy proved himself as one of the best contemporary blues artists in the late '70s & early '80s, with 2 killer albums on Delmark; produced by the legendary Ralph Bass (James Brown, T-Bone Walker, Little Esther Phillips) in 1977, this album is Chicago blues at it's best, featuring Jimmy's soaring gospel-inflected vocals, creative guitar & fresh songwriting.

WILLIE BUCK WAY

Blues harmonica legend Carey Bell created his own style after learning from the masters Big Walter Horton, Little Walter Jacobs and Sonny Boy Williamson II. a veteran of both Muddy Waters' and Willie Dixon's bands, Carey Bell is on the short list of today's blues harmonica superstars. Carey celebrated his 70th birthday just after this recording and is still going strong. Lurrie Bell, Carey's eldest son, has recorded albums with his father starting with 1977's "Heartaches and Pain". Since the release of "Mercurial Son" the amazing guitarist has been dazzling audiences around the world. Thirty years after first recording together Carey & Lurrie Bell have reunited for this album.

By the late 1920s, Biddle Street was the site of most blues activity in St. Louis; 13 of the 19 songs here are never before released performances - features Speckled Red, Henry Brown, Stump Johnson, Jame Crutchfield & Lawrence Henry.

Blues vocalist/songwriter/bandleader/harmonica player Little Arthur Duncan is now in his 73rd year and is not slowing down one bit. On this brand new August 2007 recording Arthur's performance is powerful and amazing. He is accompanied by his band the Backscratchers - Illinois Slim and Rick Kreher on guitar; Michael Azzi on bass; and Twist Turner on drums. With special guest vocalist Little Al Thomas. Recorded and videotaped at one of Chicago's friendliest blues clubs, Rosa's Blues Lounge. Also available: Singin' with the Sun (Delmark 733).

Memphis Slim's United recordings deserve special acknowledgement because, to put it bluntly, they're his best. "Memphis Slim U.S.A." (DMK #710) presented the last two of his four United sessions. Now, this CD brings listeners the complete first two sessions plus two auditions. There's much new to savor here, including 11 never before released tracks containing two real revelations: super-guitarist Matt "Guitar" Murphy's first recorded vocal "Cool Down Baby" with a jaw-dropping guitar intro, as well as the initial 1952 version of "The Come Back" played as a straight slow blues cut lacking the stop time arrangement. It's piano blues at it's best.

As a teenager John Grimaldi worked in the family plumbing business that sometimes took him to Chicago's Maxwell Street open-air market. There he saw musicians playing raw, amplified blues. After seeing Hound Dog Taylor perform John knew he had to play slide guitar. Under the spell of these music experiences he started performing as Studebaker John in the '70s. Almost forty years and a dozen albums later Studebaker John is still creating new songs, (Kingsville Jukin' is over an hour of all new originals) still rockin' the blues the way they did on Maxwell Street. The band also features Rick Kreher, guitar; Bob Halaj, bass and Steve Cushing, drums.

Delta Bound celebrates Mississippi Heat's 20th year of creating wonderful blues music and their 10th recording! Fourteen original songs, twelve by leader and harmonica player Pierre Lacocque, and two written and/or arranged by lead vocalist Inetta Visor. While the record is a solid electric blues album, you will also find acoustic blues, a catchy New Orleans tune as well as a stunning version of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" written by Nina Simone and made famous by the Animals in 1965. Special guests include Heat alumnus and original member, singer Deitra Farr who delivers on three awesome songs, zydeco giant Chubby Carrier, guitarists Billy Flynn and Carl Weathersby.

Estes, Hammie Nixon and Yank Rachell reunited for the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, 40 years after first teaming up. They also recorded this NY session, but it went unissued 'til 2002; this treasured blues time-warp features 80 Highway; Special Agent; Government Money; Worried Mind Blues; Mary Come on Home; Up and Down, and 11 more!

This live album offers twelve brand-new originals and two covers done by artists who don't play together regularly, performed for a packed house of enthusiastic fans. The band had just one night to nail it - which made this recording a crazy, but thrilling, high wire act! Johnny drew from the great Bay Area blues talent pool that lured him to the West Coast back in 2016. Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite's driving boogie-woogie harp on California Blues is an absolute highlight. You could feel a jolt of electricity run through the crowd when Portland, Oregon-based Rae Gordon took the stage. The end result is a raw, fresh, and original all-star set of blues, shot through with live energy. Recorded 1.5.19 at Redwood Cafe, Cotati, CA.

There's a manic joy in Corey's playing. He laughs in recognition of an exceptional riff, and shakes his head from side to side to acknowledge he's hit the groove he's looking for. Corey is constantly in motion and attuned to the music and the band members. He's worked hard to bring this all together. Here is the result. Really good music-honest, fearless, and without restraint. Ain't no "cain't" in Corey. Let's DO this thing! 13 new original songs include "Getcha' Pull!", "Tugboat Blues" and "Room To Breathe". & #13; �"I've never seen anybody play the blues with more feeling and with more passion than Corey Dennison. " -Tom Marker, Producer and Host of Blues Breakers on WXRT and Blues Time on WDCB

For some, the harmonica is not much more than an inexpensive plaything, but as the artists featured here amply demonstrate, the expressive range of the harmonica is as deep and wide as any other musical instrument in the blues, rivaled only by the human voice. These are among the very greatest blues players ever to pick up the instrument, from world renowned legends like Junior Wells (heard here on a previously unreleased take), Big Walter Horton and Little Walter, through undeservedly obscure players whose fame barely stretched beyond their own neighborhoods. This CD contains the best harp players on Delmark, and also includes previously unissued tracks.

Let's Live It Up is Mississippi Heat's third recording for Delmark. For this outing, the band recorded 14 new original songs, eleven by leader, harmonica player Pierre Lacocque. Special guest John Primer sings on 3 cuts. Another great blues guitarist Carl Weathersby and keyboardist Chris "Hambone" Cameron can be heard throughout the album. Inetta Visor sings on 8 tunes, while singer Rhonda Preston delivers two songs. The Chicago Horns, percussionist Ruben Alvarez, and background vocalists also appear on this exciting and best Mississippi Heat recording to date. More Mississippi Heat on Delmark: One Eye Open, Live at Rosa's (CD DMK 783, DVD DMK 1783), Hattiesburg Blues (DMK 795).

Best known for "That's All Right" and two other songs covered by Elvis Presley, bluesman Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup was born in Forest, Mississippi. Crudup visited Chicago in 1939 as a member of the gospel group The Harmonizing Four and stayed to work as a solo artist but was not successful. He toured the country in 1948 with Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James. This session was recorded November 10, 1969 and features Jimmy Dawkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Crudup's guitar was amped through the same rotating Leslie speaker that Buddy Guy used on Junior Wells' Hoodoo Man Blues (DMK 612) for seven of the nine songs here. There's also a talk section between Crudup and producer Bob Koester.

The music of Omar Coleman, like Chicago itself, contains multitudes. Rooted in the blues, spiked with R&B urgency, and resonant with deep-soul passion, it both moves the heart and galvanizes the feet - "grown folks' music," as they say, but full of the enthusiasm, fire, and dedication of a young man making his mark on the world. The stories his songs tell are drawn from real life, rich with affirming humanity. Fourteen original songs, most either written or co-written by Omar, include "I Was A Fool" and "Wishing Well" with guest Mile Wheeler, "Man Like Me" and "You've Got A Hold On Me" with guest Toronzo Cannon, "Tell Me What You Want" and "Slow Down Baby" with guest Dave Herrero.

Both critically acclaimed and the best-selling newly recorded album for Delmark in recent times, 2012's Been There Done That put Linsey Alexander in the blues spotlight. "Throughout Alexander sings with a conviction and verve that few can equal. This should be his breakout recording." Gary von Tersch, Big City Rhythm & Blues Similar to the first album, Come Back Baby is full of delightful new originals including "Little Bit of Soap", "Booty Call", "Call My Wife", "Things Done Changed", "Too Old To Be A New Fool" and the title track. Once again Linsey led his nine-piece band live in the studio with special guest Billy Branch on harmonica.

A 23 track explosion of nuclear-powered Chicago blues from 1958-60 from the vaults of Atomic-H Records, feat. Eddy Clearwater, Sunnyland Slim, Morris Pejoe, Henry Gray, Jo Jo Williams, Little Mack Simmons & others.

Live European performance from 1994, made not long before McDaniel's passing away in 1995, feat. guitarist Dave Specter & the Bluebirds, 11 tracks.