Is is blues? Is it Classical?

Dr. Jaime Gorgojo (violin) from Spain • Chihsuan Yang (violin and erhu) from Taiwan • Jeff Yang (viola) • Jocelyn Butler Shoulders (cello) • Kalyan Pathak (tabla) India • Holly (management) and Corky Siegel (harmonica, piano, vocals, compositions) Read about collaborators

"Gritty Chicago Blues and rarefied classical chamber music ...a crowning achievement." - CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues. ANGEL FOOD CAKE. This work is call and response between classical and blues filmed live at SHURE STUDIOS Chicago

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THE GENRE: Few can claim to have forged an entirely original genre of music, but in 1966, Corky Siegel did just that. Guiding the blues of Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters out of the smoky cavern of Big John’s and onto the stages of the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic and beyond, the harmonica-playing mad scientist had the tuxedo-and-gown crowd on its feet, clamoring for more of this blues-classical alchemy. These days, the harmonica virtuoso and composer is continent-hopping with Indian percussion and string quartet in Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues, continuing to bring classical and blues fans shoulder-to-shoulder…and obliterating musical categorization in the process. – Doyle Armbrust

Corky Siegel Bio


CORKY SIEGEL - WINNER OF THE LILA WALLACE NATIONAL AWARD FOR CHAMBER MUSIC COMPOSITION

THE COMPOSER: Corky Siegel has earned an international reputation as one of the world's great blues harmonica masters. He is a composer, blues pianist, singer / songwriter, and winner of the prestegious Lila Wallace/Reader's Digest/Meet the Composer's national award for chamber music composition and the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award for Music Composition, Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award, and Chicago Blues Hall of Fame.  Along with the members of the ensemble and the illustrious guest collaborators Chamber Blues continues to break new ground in its more than 35 years of innovation.

Dr. Jaime Gorgojo (violin) Spain • Chihsuan Yang (violin) Taiwan • Rose Armbrust-Griffin (viola) • Jocelyn Butler Shoulders (cello) • Kalyan Pathak (tabla) India • Corky Siegel (harmonica/piano/vocal/compositions)

Cantor Pavel Roytman • Marcella Detroit • Frank Orrall • Ernie Watts • Howard Levy • Tracy Nelson • Rollo Radford • Lynne Jordan • Sandeep Das • Toronzo Cannon • Michael Miles • Mathew Santos • Randy Sabien • Sons of the Never Wrong • Sue Demel • Symphony Orchestras • and in the memory of Sam Lay .

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