CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL OPENS THURSDAY JUNE 05, AT THE RAMOVA THEATRE

Ramova Theatre

3520 S. Halsted Street

6:00pm

Bobby Rush

9-10:15 p.m.

Bobby Rush is the avatar of “folk-funk”—blues-fueled storytelling and stage shows that hark back to such legendary traveling revues as the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and Silas Green from New Orleans, updated with rhythmic and melodic stylings that have made him a favorite among hip-hoppers as well as blues and soul-blues lovers. He’s best known for his performances with his full band, featuring star turns by spangle-bedecked dancers along with his own comedic routines, which deliver worldly wisdom and aphoristic lessons couched beneath the wry, sometimes playfully risqué, humor of his storylines. This performance, though, will feature him in a solo setting, giving him the opportunity to showcase his skills on guitar and harmonica, as well as his prowess as spinner of tales. Combining the intimacy of a one-man show with his infallible knack of captivating a crowd regardless of venue or setting, Rush will always entertain, amuse, inform, and elucidate. (David Whiteis)

7:30-8:30 p.m.

Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues

Billy Branch was taught by some of Chicago’s most legendary harmonica masters including Junior Wells, James Cotton, Big Walter Horton, and Carey Bell. Around 1977, determined to honor their heroic legacy, he formed his Sons of Blues. Now in its fifth decade, the S.O.B. has remained a blues powerhouse. To see Branch perform with this band is to experience a living journey through the history of blues harmonica, spiced with rhythms, harmonies, and lyrics that reflect the influence of soul, R&B, pop, and more. Branch is also an esteemed blues educator, conducting Blues in the Schools workshops for students nationwide. With a catalogue of at least 22 albums and CDs and a performing and touring schedule that might tire someone decades younger, Branch exemplifies the spirit of the modern-day bluesman. (DW)