For immediate release, May 28, 1999
Contact: Professor Steve Balkin, Roosevelt University, 312-341-3696
1. Maxwell Street Video Documentary. A week visit by Nowmedia from England.
2. Two performances by Maxwell Street veteran Johnnie Mae Dunson, at the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park on Friday, June 4, 1999 at 2:30 and 4:30.
3. Painted Blue: An exhibition of artwork by Roberto Valadez (who has roots in Maxwell Street). The opening reception is on, Friday, June 4th, 1999, from 6:30 til 9:30 at the HIDEOUT.
4. A performance by Maxwell Street veteran Piano C. Red at the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park on Saturday, June 5, 1999, at 2:30 PM..
5. An Blues jam in the old Maxwell Street neighborhood, Sunday morning, June 6, 1999 from 9:30AM to 1:00PM, outside, at the northeast corner of Maxwell and Halsted.
1. Video Documentary - during the period from May 29 to June 7, a Nowmedia crew from the England will be visiting Chicago to make a documentary video with the working title, The Struggle for Maxwell Street. They will be in the old Maxwell Street area, City Hall, UIC Campus, and the homes of Blues musicians and activists. For more info, visit <http://www.openair.org/maxwell/brits.html>.
2. Two performances by Maxwell Street veteran Johnnie Mae Dunson, at the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park on Friday, June 4, 1999, during the day.
The first performance will be at the THE JUKE JOINT STAGE at 2:30PM.
The second performance will be at THE AIWA FRONT PORCH STAGE at 4:30 as part of the Tribute to Jimmy Reed "Big Boss Man".
At both performances, Johnnie Mae will be accompanied by her son, the great blues guitarist Jimi (Prime Time) Smith. Mr. Smith will also be playing on Saturday, June 5 at THE BEST BUY SHOWCASE STAGE at 1:00PM..
Also featuring at the Jimmy Reed tribute is Roy Hightower, Eddie Taylor Jr., and his mom, Vera Taylor.
Johnnie Mae has been very active with the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition. She wrote and performed a Maxwell Street Blues Lament and Save Maxwell St. plea to Mayor Daley and UIC Chancellor Broski. You can hear this by going to <http://www.openair.org/maxwell/jmdra.html>.
3. Painted Blue: An exhibition of artwork by Roberto Valadez. Mr Valadez <VALADEZR@aol.com> has roots in the old Maxwell St. area and does painting of Blues musicians.
The opening reception is on, Friday, June 4th, 1999, from 6:30 til 9:30. No cover. Music by Maxwell Street veterans, Mr. Pitiful and the Bluesbusters, with special guest Pat Rushing. This is at the HIDEOUT, 1354 w. Wabansia, Chicago 60622; tel. 773.227.4433; exhibit runs through June 29th. The Hideout <http://www.hideoutchicago.com> is located near the North Ave. Home Depot. Mr Valadez's homepage is at <http://members.aol.com/Valadezr/>
"As a child my family and I would often go to the old Maxwell Street Market. This is where I first heard the Blues. My paternal grandfather came to Chicago in the 20s. He settled in the Taylor/Halsted area. The coming of the University of Illinois at Chicago forced him to move. My father was born in Chicago in 1932. He was baptized at San Francisco de Assis Church, on Roosevelt and Newberry, in the Maxwell Streeet area." (Roberto Valadez, May 25, 1999).
4. A performance by Maxwell Street veteran Piano C. Red at the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park on Saturday, June 5, 1999, at THE ROUTE 66 STAGE at 2:30 PM..
Piano C. Red regularly played at the old Maxwell Street Market by the Johnny Dollar catfish stand, up until its closing in 1994. He played at several community protests to stop the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) from tearing down this historic Blues landmark which he considers 'the soul of Chicago'.
5. An Blues jam in the old Maxwell Street neighborhood, Sunday morning, June 6, 1999 from 9:30AM to 1:00PM, outside, at the northeast corner of Maxwell and Halsted, across of Original Jim's Hot Dog Stand, about a mile south of the Sears Tower. Learn where the Chicago Blues Festival came from.
This historic event is hosted by Frank 'Little Sonny' Scott Jr. ( of the Everyhour Blues Boys) and the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition. Performers and attendees of the Chicago Blues Festival have been invited.
This event will feature Dancin Perkins' band, Mr. Pitiful and the Blues Busters. Frank Scott says, "This is a going to be an old fashioned, on-the-street Blues Jam session -- Blues legends and veterans but anybody can sit in. We want to raise awareness of the need to save Blues landmarks. This is our way of praying for our heritage to be saved. Maxwell Street is sacred, made holy by the poor people who came here and, out of their hard life and times, gave electric blues to the world."
Opening the jam session will be 1940s Maxwell Street veterans, Jimmie Lee Robinson and Johnnie Mae Dunson (if she is feeling Ok).
This may be the last time live Blues is heard on Maxwell Street. By attending this event you can join the world wide movement to help save Maxwell Street!
For more information visit <http://www.openair.org/maxwell/jam1.html> and <http://www.openair.org/maxwell/preserve.html>.
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