Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues

Celebrating their 30th anniversary with Different Voices: Bringing Worlds Together, the international ensemble Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues includes virtuosos of Americana roots with Blues harmonica, Chinese erhu, Indian tabla and world percussion, and a traditional classical string quartet. Experience the seamless melding of cultures and styles without losing the marked distinctive identity of each. Few can claim to have forged an entirely original genre of music, but in 1966, Corky Siegel did just that. Guiding the blues of Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters out of the smoky cavern of Big John’s and onto the stages of the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic and beyond, the harmonica-playing mad scientist had the tuxedo-and-gown crowd on its feet, clamoring for more of this blues-classical alchemy. Corky Siegel has earned an international reputation as one of the world’s great blues harmonica masters. He is a composer, blues pianist, singer / songwriter, and recent winner of the Lila Wallace/Reader’s Digest/Meet the Composer’s national award for chamber music composition and the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award for Music Composition, Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award, and Chicago Blues Hall of Fame.