Cool post Eric.I spend a lot of time in
Chicago digging the Blues & Jazz scene.
Mostly small lounges & bars in the West
and South Side neighborhoods well away from the usual tourist haunts & sterile
joints on the North Side.Anyway,the last
time I was there I went to Eddy's place
on Milwaukee "Reservation Blues Club".
It is a pretty cool little joint.Door $$
isn't too bad,drinks are reasonable,the
sound is good,the crowd a good mix of
young/old,black/white & tourists/locals.
Worth checking out if you're in Chicago
as it isn't as trendy overpriced as the Kingston Mines,Legends,etc.Plus Eddie is
usually holding court there if he is in town and not gigging somewhere else.He's
a real nice guy and still rocking his ass off to boot.Again,great post.

Thanks HW, I was going to mention the club in the post but it closed in September!

With the increasing demands of his performing/touring schedule and his new high-profile release, "ROCK 'N' ROLL CITY" (Bullseye Blues & Jazz/August 12, 2003), Chicago blues legend EDDY 'THE CHIEF' CLEARWATER has reluctantly decided to close the doors of his restaurant/music club "EDDY CLEARWATER'S RESERVATION BLUES", 1566 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wicker Park, Chicago, IL on MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2003. Always hands on in the day-to-day operation of the venue, Clearwater and his wife Renee Greenman no longer can devote the time and energy necessary in running the club.

EO,Thanks for letting me know about the
closure of the "Res".I went there in Aug
2003(saw Vance Kelly and The Backstreet
Blues Band)and had a pretty good time.I
got to meet Eddy but didn't get to hear
him play.I saw it was still listed in the Chicago Reader's club listings (as of last week)and I assumed(wrongly)that
it was still open.Guess that's the way
it goes.Eddy is really good live and he
is a real underrated guitarist.

sort of an approachable Chuck Berry, or something

EO,Thanks for letting me know about the closing of
the"Res".I was there back in August 2003(saw Vance
Kelly and The Backstreet Blues Band)and had a good
time.I got to meet Eddy C. but didn't get to hear
him play that night.I've seen him before at a club
on N.Halsted:"B.L.U.E.S".I saw that it(Reservation
Blues)was still listed in the "Chicago Reader's"
club listings(as of last week)and I just assumed
(wrongly)that it was still open.Eddy Clearwater is
a really good showman and an extremely underrated
guitarist.Hopefully,with this new release he will
get the recognition that he deserves while he is
still alive.

WHOOOOOOOOOOPS!!! I didn't mean to post that twice sorry!