The skies threatened on the second day of the Chicago Blues Festival at Millennium Park. I recalled last year's rain blip that caused a delay, and C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band were preempted from the lineup. They were scheduled for this year, and I was hoping for some bayou flavor on a hot Chicago day. The skies cleared in time for some fun on the bayou in the Pritzker Pavilion.
Chenier is the son of Clifton Chenier, aka "The King of Zydeco." CJ played saxophone in his father's band and took on the Bandolini accordion after Clifton died.The Red Hot Louisiana Band brought a hefty portion of Louisiana flavor and a solid 40 minutes of fast two-stepping music in 4/4 time, with a couple of waltz tempo songs. The band included a guitar, drums, bass, and a frottoir (the scrubbing part of a washboard, played with spoons or other metal implements). The set was filled with Zydeco standards such as "Jambalaya (on the Bayou)" and "It's About Time I Got Over You." The finale was "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley for a bit of Rastafarian heat.
Next up were two legendary bluesmen. Charlie Musselwhite and Elvin Bishop took the stage like men who had seen more of the world than most. Musselwhite is still rocking his harmonica at 82, and Elvin Bishop clocks in at 82. Musslewhite came to Chicago in the early 60s and lived in the basement of the Jazz Record Mart on Illinois Street. Bishop came to town around the same time, and they met while busking on Maxwell Street. The duo played with legendary blues singers in Chicago at South and West Side clubs, including Paul Butterfield, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush, and many others, who made Chicago a Blues mecca.
Bishop has a droll patter. Some of his best lines were, "We've been around since the Dead Sea was sick." "I'm old school. I thought that Instagram was when you called your dope dealer, and he brings you some sh!t." They played some classics with Musselwhite on harmonica and Bishop on the electric guitar. Bob Welsh was on piano and guitar to round out the trio. "Another Mule is Kicking in Your Stall," "Rock Me Baby," and "Can't Even Do Wrong Right." Bishop threw in a couple of jabs at the current resident of the White House that were well-received by the Chicago audience.
The closing act for day two was an all-star tribute to 55 years of Alligator Records. The label's founder, Bruce Ilgauer, was presented with a City of Chicago proclamation by Mayor Brandon Johnson. Ilgauer brought out the Alligator Records staff for acknowledgment. He then remained on the stage to emcee the tribute. First up was Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials. Lil' Ed was resplendent in an all-pink ensemble, his customary fez bedazzled with pink sequins. The group performed songs from their 2026 Alligator release, Slideways. "The Flirt in the Carwash Skirt" and "Bad All By Myself."
Guitarist Tinsley Ellis took the stage next. Ellis spent decades playing electric blues guitar. He played acoustic guitar for his country-tinged blues set, which included "Baby, Move Back to Sunnyland" and "Talahassee Blues." It was like sitting on a porch on a warm evening, mellow and stirring. The finale was a powerhouse trio of Ronnie Baker Brooks, Toronzo Cannon, and Nick Moss, backed by the Ronnie Baker Brooks Band.
Brooks has long stepped out of his father, Lonnie Brooks's, shadow and become a masterful blues singer and guitar player. He was joined by another Chicago treasure, Toronzo Cannon, who grew up on the South Side and used to drive the Green Limousine, aka a CTA bus. I can imagine the fodder he collected over the years for songs. Veteran guitarist Nick Moss joined them to make up a trio of blistering guitar work from musicians who have made their "Blues Bones" here in Chicago. Cannon's "I'm Your Something to Do Man," Brooks's "Stuck on Stupid (I Ain't No New Kind of Fool)," and extended jams got the crowd up and jumping. They ended with "Sweet Home Chicago," which goes all the way back to Robert Johnson, the crossroads legend. In one of the many special moments, Brooks "James Browned" Cannon by draping the Chicago flag over his shoulders. It was clear that these musicians have a brotherly relationship, and there is love in the Blues world.
Night two of the 2026 Chicago Blues Festival was a blast. I got some Louisiana (my ancestral home), Elvin Bishop, and Charlie Musselwhite were worth the sojourn through Chicago traffic, and the finale was more satisfying than a Chicago tavern-style pizza.
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