Concert Review: Chicago Blues Reunion

by John Lannon

Although not all natives of Chicago, the Chicago Blues Reunion rolled into the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, with their mojo working. Led by vocalists Nick Graventies, Tracy Nelson, and Sam Lay and an all-star line-up featuring guitarist Harvey "The Snake" Mandel, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and harmonica player Corky Segal, the band conjured up memories of the mid 1960s Chicago bands of Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield.

If the audience was expecting some old worn out trip down memory lane, they were soon disappointed. The group was at the top of its game and ventured into both old and new territories. Nick Graventies kicked off the show singing his aged composition “Born in Chicago”, a song with a message that still resonates with crime rates up in the inner cities. Graventies followed up the tune with another song he penned for Janis Joplin for her Pearl album. Sadly, Janis died just before she was scheduled to lay down the vocals for Nick's “Buried Alive with the Blues”.

Tracy Nelson's singing was a revelation. With a long list of limpid female song stylists to choose from these days, its refreshing to hear a woman belting out some serious blues like a Red Hot Momma. Her next choice proved just the opposite of the lyrics she cranked out on "I Need All the Help I Can Get". This lady's packin' heat and the only help she might need is a fire hose.

Not to be undone, guitarist Harvey Mandel stepped up to the plate manhandling his Parker guitar featuring his "psychedelic blues guitar" as Graventies coined Mandels' riffs. While Harvey's blues work was interesting, he could have offered up a little more blues and a little less psychedelic action for my taste. Barry Goldberg joined in on piano and organ showing off a commanding display of keyboard agility, producing some incredible boogie stylings. All along the musical path, Corky Seagal dug in with some earthy blues harp.

Seagal took the helm playing and singing “I’m a King Bee” and the audience was hooked.

Finally, some-time drummer and full-time vocalist Sam Lay, moved into a Chuck Berry rock medley while guitarist Austin Crow snuck in some searing solos on his Les Paul.

Nick Graventies came back on stage and revived his Electric Flag classic “Wine”, featuring Tracy and Sam on backup vocals and some great guitar work by Harvey Mandel. The other members of the rhythm section, veteran session men bassist Rick Reed and drummer Gary Mallaber also got their solo licks in.

Near the end of the set, the group made its way back to Chicago blues with Lay offering up the Muddy Water’s classic "Got My Mojo Working". Sam and the song have a history. He sang it years before on Paul Butterfield's 1966 classic East-West album, as well as played drums on the original vinyl recording with Muddy. The audience was full bore into the Reunion, enthusiastically singing the response to each of Sam's calls.

You'd think that with a group made up of leaders that there would be a bit of oneupmanship going on. Not here. The Chicago Blues Reunion is professional in all respects and apparently driven with a single unifying goal aimed at giving their audience a single night's treasure - a great musical experience. Mission accompished.

Related Links
Chicago Blues Reunion
Harvey Mandel
The Birchmere
Photographer Michael G. Stewart

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