The one word that comes to mind on October 11, 2025 is. . . YIPES!
On our minds: the great city of Chicago!
Yes, Chicago, home of Second City a.k.a. the First Family of Comedy, the Chicago Cubs (at this writing still hanging on in the MLB playoffs, unlike my injury-riddled San Francisco Giants) and Chess Records.
Pre-eminent among Chess Records' many ambassadors to the world: bandleader-bassist-songwriter-vocalist Willie Dixon.
One of this writer's all-time favorite albums was recorded at Chicago's North Park Hotel. Chicago music titan Gene Ammons, tenor saxophonist and son of boogie-woogie piano king Albert Ammons, is in top form!
Speaking of Gene Ammons, he is arguably our favorite among the numerous greats who waxed albums and singles for Chess Records. Ammons had the first of two records released by Leonard Chess on the newly-formed Chess Records label in 1950, titled "My Foolish Heart" (Chess 1425); the second release was "Rolling Stone" by Muddy Waters (Chess 1426). Gene recorded the excellent Soulful Saxophone album for Chess. His epic Live! In Chicago album, recorded at The DJ Lounge in Chicago for the Argo label, is a must for any music fan.
Other musical masterpieces from Chess Records include
- Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight
- Etta James - At Last!
- The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
- Soundtrack to Rock, Rock, Rock
- Go Bo Diddley (1958)
- The Best of Little Walter
- The Real Folk Blues - Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker
- The Best of Muddy Waters
- Down And Out Blues - Sonny Boy Williamson
- Willie Mabon - I'm Mad
- John Lee Hooker - The House Of The Blues
For more, watch The Chess Records Story.
While listening to The Complete Miles Davis Quintet At The Plugged Nickel, must note that Ted Bogosian has produced and directed a terrific documentary about one of the venues (like The Plugged Nickel) that presented jazz, blues, cabaret artists and stand-up comedy in the Windy City, Mister Kelly's.
Albums, many outstanding, by Muddy Waters, Sarah Vaughn, Anita O' Day, Mort Sahl, Richard Pryor, The Smothers Brothers, Barbra Streisand, Cass Elliot, Bill Cosby, Freddie Prinze and Ella Fitzgerald were recorded there.
On this October day in appalling 2025 at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog, we tip our borrowed Chicago Cubs caps, hopefully previously owned by Mike Krukow, to Mister Kelly's and the city of Chicago, where a portion of East 36th Street near Cottage Grove Avenue is Sam Cooke Way. Kudos, bravos, huzzahs, good luck and countless inflatable animal costumes (along with documentary filmmakers) to the Windy City!
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