The Blues musicians of old Maxwell Street invite everyone to attend the first Blues jam of the year (weather permitting) on Sunday, April 29, 2001 near the corner of Maxwell and Halsted Street, across from Original Jim's Hot Dog Stand.

The music will start at 11AM with Blues DJ Frank 'Little Sonny' Scott Jr. playing some of his old Blues records and accompany them with this percussive Blues house keys. Bands will be playing at 1PM and go to at least 4PM but probably later.

This event is hosted by Mr. H., Bobby 'Top Hat' Davis, Jimmie Lee Robinson (The Lonely Traveler), Lill Scotty, Lajune, James Washington, M.K. McGee, Al Harris, Charles Earwin, JM, Ruby Harris (King of the Blues Violin), and Frank 'Little Sonny' Scott Jr.. These guys are well-connected in Blues circles and they often bring surprise guests, like last year having Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith (Muddy Water's drummer) and Johnnie Mae Dunson (Jimmy Reed's drummer and songwriter) sit in.

Another part of this Blues jam event will be having a birthday party for Jimmie Lee Robinson, who will be 70 years old. All are invited to sing Happy Birthday to Jimmie Lee and have a piece of cake. Mr. Robinson was born and raised in the area and played with most the Chicago Blues legends down here and is a legend himself.

Frank Scott Jr. will bring some of his folk art posters that he made for a recent show at the Art Institute's Gallery 2. And maybe Tyner White will come and play the Stratazooki, his wooden toy violin for children that Mr. H also plays when not singing or going wild on the harp. You can also expect to hear Jimmie Lee Robinson sing his Maxwell Street Tear Down Blues, and Bobby Davis to sing his new Maxwell Street Blues song that he wrote on Maxwell Street and debuted on his cable TV Show, Bobby Davis Top Hat, which recently won the award for Best Blues Show on Cable TV from Fox Channel 32. Jimmie Lee Robinson will be bringing his new CD, All My Life (released by APO) to autograph.

Frank Scott Jr. says, "There are still of lots of buildings that should be saved. We are friendly but we won't go away. I played down here in the 1950's and met my wife here. Jimmie Lee Robinson and Johnny Mae Dunson played here in the 1940s. There's lots of history here. Students like us. They can even sit in with us if they want and learn the Blues. People are always stopping by."

Jimmie Lee Robinson remarks, "UIC got plenty of land here. I don't see why they can't save and fix up these old buildings and let the hot dogs stands stay, and the tailor shops, and the people stay. Don't students need these too? We are the soul of Chicago. We were on the Discovery Channel. Please don't let us die."

Steve Balkin of the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition comments, "Even at this late date, we are hoping for a reprieve and compromise from UIC and Mayor Daley. There are still 36 historic buildings remaining and several businesses. These will not interfere with the programmatic or space needs of UIC. The Lower East Side of New York was just placed on the National Register. Maxwell Street should be there too. This Second City mentality has got to stop! Blues is Chicago's signature music and is first rate, and the Maxwell Street Polish is its signature food. It's insane that Chicago hosts the largest corporate sponsored Blues Festival in the world in downtown Grant Park but is allowing UIC to destroy its birthplace down here on Maxwell Street."

To raise awareness of this, Mr. H will be hosting a 48 Blues Marathon on old Maxwell Street during the Chicago Blues Festival, starting on Friday night, June 8 at 9PM and going straight through continuously to Sunday June 10, ending at 9PM on Sunday. Says Mr. H., "Blues Fans and musicians from the official Chicago Blues Festival are invited to come and join us. We are not about musicians in one place and the audience over there. This is Blues in and for the community. We are all one. We need to raise awareness all over the world and join forces. This needless destruction has got to stop. I'll be playing harp till my lips bleed."

Come down, support the cause, grab a Polish, listen to some Blues, and clap your hands or dance.

For more information, visit the website <http://www.openair.org/maxwell/preserve.html> or <http://maxwellstreet.org>.

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