Jamie Guzman<PH: 708-862-2550> Date: Date: Tues, 29 Jul 1997
Dear Chancellor Broski:
I have a great fondness for Maxwell Street. I was born in Mexico City and heard blues music there and I wanted to be a blues musician. I came to Chicago in 1987 to visit with my friend and also to live in Chicago to learn the blues. Chicago was the place for Blues in the world.
I soon went down to Maxwell Street. I heard about Maxwell Street in Mexico. All the big names, the big guys in blues played there. So, I had to go there to. Then I went there and I felt a real bluesy feeling. The music was for real. People were playing from their guts. To play blues you need to have the soul blues feeling and it was there on Maxwell to absorb. It was also like being home in Mexico with all the vendors and familiar foods there. The food I got there could be just as good as the food back home. It was authentic.
I went there a lot and also went to many blues bars in Chicago. That is where I learned all I know. I play blues harp and guitar. For the last year and half I've been playing professionally with the Willie James Maxwell Street Blues Band. We play all over the city. But I have been playing for a long time; half my life. I am now 32.
Maxwell Street is a landmark spot for Blues and for many peoples. The memories of the musicians are important and some new musicians may come from and be influenced by that music and history. Maxwell Street is not just a local landmark. It is famous all over. In my Mexico it is famous and in many other parts of the world.
It seems that people in the U.S. take a lot for granted. They don't honor their history or culture as much as they should. Please preserve Maxwell Street. Never let the blues die.
I feel it is a great honor, as a Musician, to be playing in the United States, playing the blues and I thank everybody for helping me and supporting what I do.
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