Charlie Musselwhite

2019 GRAMMY Nominee NO MERCY IN THIS LAND with Ben Harper
2014 GRAMMY Winner GET UP with Ben Harper
14-time GRAMMY Nominee
33-time Blues Music Award Winner
Many-time Living Blues Award Winner

Fifty years of nonstop touring, performing and recording have reaped huge rewards. Charlie Musselwhite is living proof that great music only gets better with age. This man cut his (musical) teeth alongside Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf and everyone on the South side of Chicago in the early 1960’s. Thank your lucky stars that he is still with us telling the truth with a voice and harp tone like no other.

Ivan Singh

Ivan Singh is a Young Blues Guitarist and Singer from Argentina recently moved to Chicago with great acceptance in the blues community. Today he is one of the Greatest Blues Guitarists in his country and becoming a Rising Blues Sensation in Chicago using his "Lata de Batata" slide guitar (4 strings) to develop a distinctive sound and stand-out style. In a short period of time Ivan Singh have Sharing Stage with many Blues legends in Chicago In addition to tours throughout Argentina, Ivan has also played in many different countries between North America, Europe, Central-South America & Asia.

In 2023 Ivan Singh tour India for "Mahindra Blues Fest" to Performance with Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal and Kingfish.

Buscabulla

Like generations of Puerto Ricans before them, Raquel Berríos and Luis Alfredo Del Valle of experimental pop duo Buscabulla (slang for “troublemaker”) moved to the mainland United States to hustle for their dreams, but a longing for their island ran deep, never escaping their thoughts during the decade they resided there. It was in New York City that the Buscabulla sound was forged, elevated bedroom productions and unique juxtaposition of stylistic highs and lows: Raquel’s textured, high-pitched vocals counterpointed by Luis Alfredo’s poignant bassline; minimalist melodies that evoke throwback salsa and R&B; and whispery re-imaginings of catchphrases from 90s reggaeton and every-day island vernacular. Buscabulla’s first two releases, EP I (2014), produced by Dev Hynes, and EP II (2017), garnered attention and a growing international hunger for the band. However despite their growing successes, in early 2018, in the wake of Hurricane María having wreaked havoc on an island already immersed in economic disarray, Raquel and Luis Alfredo’s longing for their native home became too much to ignore, and they made the decision to move back to Puerto Rico. It was in this context and during this transition that Buscabulla wrote their first album, Regresa. Full of angst and an underlying sense of loss, Regresa, which means “return”, is a bittersweet, introspective, eye-opening journey. Buscabulla calls for self-reflection, awakening and perseverance in the midst of an uncertain future.

French Police

Formed in Chicago, French Police is led by vocalist and guitarist Brian Flores. Their music combines raw energy and introspection, cultivating a dedicated and underground following with their distinctive sound. With the release of their albums “French Police” (2019), “Haunted Castle” (2020), and “BLEU” (2023), they have showcased their artistic growth and have established a sense of identity. French Police has toured in Mexico and North America. Drawing from a variety of influences and inspiration, their music carries a touch of cultural richness, that sets them in a league of their own.

Seun Kuti

Seun Kuti is the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. He has spent most of his life preserving and extending his father's political and musical legacy as the leader of his father's former band Egypt 80. Kuti was born in early 1983. He showed interestin his father's music from the age of five, and at nine began opening Fela's shows, singing a select group of songs with Egypt 80 before his dad took the stage. As a developing saxophonist and percussionist, he entered the formal ranks of the bandbefore he was 12. Fela passed in 1997, and Seun, in fulfillment of his father's wishes, assumed the mantle as head of Egypt 80; he has run it ever since. During his teens, Kuti divided his time between the band and school, participating in African Football. From the time he was 18, he pursued music full-time. His shows were always a mix of his father's tunes and his own. Although the elder Kuti never performed his recorded work on-stage, Seun felt it important that these compositions get a live hearing and added them to his own set.

Along the way, Seun began to add his own twist to the music, digging deep into various African traditions to reflect the continent's struggles and cultures. His debut recording, Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80, was initially issued by WM Recordings in 2008, and later picked up for distribution by Mr. Bongo. While many outside Africa criticized it for using the Egypt 80 name, critics embraced its musical drive and improvisational fervor. Mr. Bongo also released his Many Things set later that year, whichdrew more praise than criticism. Seun toured globally and played for enthusiastically receptive audiences in Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Paris, London, Tokyo, and especially Lagos. In 2011, He cut From Africa with Fury: Rise forKnitting Factory Records. It was co-produced with Brian Eno and John Reynolds. The set proved to be his breakthrough; it landed on both Billboard and digital International Charts. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 toured the globe relentlessly, often playing multi-hour shows that were as heavy on group improvisation as they were on composition. The music never deviated from the overtly political. The younger Kuti continued to state that" Fela will always be number one," despite the fact that he was shifting and transforming Afrobeat with his own growing, evolving musical signature. "As the son of Afrobeat icon Fela Kuti, Seun Kuti carries a torch for infectious grooves and political songwriting." - NPR

Tiny Desk Contest Winner: The Philharmonik

Hailing from Sacramento, Calif., The Philharmonik is a producer, singer, rapper and multi-instrumentalist whose music has a palpable sense of urgency and depth. Talented and versatile, passionate and personal, The Philharmonik is an undeniable creative force.

Band: Christian Gates (The Philharmonik); Moriah Wenzel; Alicia Huff; Courtney Miller; Samuel Phelps; Darius Upshaw; Connor Chavez; Jimmy Toor; Jeffery Archie

Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain with Rakesh Chaurasia

Béla Fleck
Few musicians in any category seem as uncategorizable as Béla Fleck. After initially making his mark with the progressive bluegrass group New Grass Revival, Fleck proceeded to take his instrument, as New York Times critic Jon Pareles noted, “to some very unlikely places.” He formed the Flecktones, a groundbreaking group whose repertoire ranged from fusion to Bach; the group celebrates its 46th anniversary this year. In addition, he has played jazz with Chick Corea, American roots with his partner, banjoist Abigail Washburn, written concertos for banjo and orchestra, and created a documentary film and album, Throw Down Your Heart, that examined the banjo’s African roots. Along the way, he has won 18 Grammys across 10 categories.

Zakir Hussain
The pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso of our time, Zakir Hussain is appreciated as one of the world’s most esteemed and influential musicians, one whose mastery of his percussion instrument has taken it to a new level, transcending cultures and national borders. A child prodigy, accompanying India’s greatest musicians and dancers from his early years, and touring internationally while still in his teens, Zakir has been at the helm of many genre-defying collaborations including Shakti, Remember Shakti, Masters of Percussion, Diga, Tabla Beat Science, CrossCurrents, Sangam and Grammy-award winners Planet Drum and Global Drum Project. A revered composer and educator, Zakir is the recipient of countless honors, most recently the 2022 Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy, the 2022 Aga Khan Music Award for Lifetime Achievement, and in January, 2023, the title of Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award.

Edgar Meyer
Aptly described by The New Yorker as “the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument,” double bassist and composer Edgar Meyer is at home in a broad spectrum of musical styles. A MacArthur Fellow and Avery Fisher Prize winner, he is eminently at home within classical music, both performing traditional works and also his significant catalog of original solo, chamber, and orchestral pieces. His 30-year relationship with Yo-Yo Ma has yielded seven recordings together, and his upcoming projects include a duo recording with jazz bassist Christian McBride and a recording of all four of his concertos with the Knights and the Scottish Ensemble, produced by Chis Thile.

Rakesh Chaurasia
Like Zakir Hussain, Rakesh Chaurasia comes from Indian classical music royalty. His uncle, Pandit Hariprasad Chaursia, is widely considered the greatest bansuri player in India, and Rakesh — who started playing at age five — is deemed his most brilliant student. Not only has he mastered the techniques of Indian classical music, he has developed additional techniques allowing him to venture into other styles of playing, particularly with his crossover band Rakesh and Friends. A composer as well as flautist, he has written and performed on numerous Indian movie soundtracks, and in 2007 was awarded the Indian Music Academy Award.

The Arab Blues

The Arab Blues traces a trajectory between tradition and innovation, we embody the call of tradition and the response of the diaspora.

The synthesis Rami and Karim create is an auditory expression of not only the power and persistence of tradition but equally the validity of its transformation under the unique cultural conditions we inhabit.

The basis of our work is the Turath, the canon of classical Arab compositions and improvisational techniques. This rich heritage consists of melodic and rhythmic exposition and instrumental interaction at countless levels of depth.

We interpret these forms in the context of the sounds of the contemporary North American metropole. In this project, the equally lush traditions of Blues and Jazz in Chicago provide the context of how we approach and assimilate the Turath.

This marriage of forms is fruitful because of the emotional range of the Blues and the improvisational flexibility and ingenuity of Jazz.

The Arab Blues was developed by Lebanese-Egyptian oud and guitar player Rami Gabriel through a research fellowship at the Center for Black Music Research, two Illinois Artist grants, and a decade of experience as a jazz and blues musician in Chicago.

Native Egyptian percussionist Karim Nagi, a 2-time beneficiary of the Doris Duke Building Bridges grant for Muslim Artists, a TEDx speaker, and accomplished teacher completes this duo with his energetic & lyrical rhythms on Riqq, Tublah and alternatively assembled drum-set.

Chicago inspires us to amplify and expand the sound of our Arab folk traditions. Here, we are discovering the trajectory of our community's music; the future of our past sound. We are participating in this city's musical possibilities by celebrating and embodying the potential of the immigrant experience.

GZA (w/ The Phunky Nomads)

GZA/The Genius is a founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. GZA boasted some high-profile appearances on the group's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), including one of only two solo tracks, "Clan in da Front."

GZA's 1995 solo effort, Liquid Swords, produced entirely by RZA, met with critical and commercial acclaim, and is largely considered one of the best albums to come out of the Wu-Tang camp. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums of all time. Steve Huey of Allmusic called him "one of the best lyricists of the 1990s," while the editors of About.com ranked him #17 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), making him the highest-ranking Wu-Tang Clan member on the list.

GZA’s subsequent solo projects were all received to great critical acclaim: Beneath the Surface (1999); Legend of the Liquid Sword (2002); Grandmasters (2005) with DJ Muggs (the producer for hip-hop group Cypress Hill) which saw GZA using chess as a metaphor for the rap game; and finally, Pro Tools (2008) featured production from past collaborators RZA, Mathematics, and True Master.

Yaya Bey

New York-bred R&B vocalist Yaya Bey conjures a comprehensive self-portrait on her new studio album, Ten Fold. Where her previous works were earnest and mindful, Yaya’s new LP is definitive, harkening back to aspects of her past while examining the future of the world that surrounds her with a stream-of-conscious intentionality. Over rapturous production from Corey Fonville of jazz group Butcher Brown, Karriem Riggins, Jay Daniel, Exaktly and Boston Chery, Yaya delivers a free-spoken masterpiece that speaks to the intricacies of persevering through a year punctuated by grief and loss, life-altering milestones and everything in between.

Protoje

Born and raised in Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica to singer Lorna Bennett and former calypso king Mike Ollivierre, Protoje blends hip hop, soul and jazz into his native sounds of reggae and dancehall. The musical prodigy, along with a collective of artists, began getting mainstream attention for their addictive melodies and conscious lyrical messages in a movement dubbed the “reggae revival.” Around this time, his 2014 breakthrough anthem “Who Knows” ft. Chronixx was heard blaring through every street, sound system and party. Publications such as VOGUE, i-D, Rolling Stone and The FADER declared him one of the brightest talents out of Jamaica. He has performed on Later...With Jools Holland, NPR Tiny Desk, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon & The Late Show with Stephen Colbert #PlayAtHome. Jorja Smith, Alicia Keys, Wiz Khalifa, Pa Salieu, Popcaan, Chronixx and Koffee are just a few of the artists he has collaborated with musically. His song "Switch It Up" with Koffee shined as the 2nd Song Selected on Barack Obama's 2021 Summer Playlist. He has toured with Ms. Lauryn Hill, headlined sold out shows and appeared on major festivals including Roots Picnic (U.S.), Coachella (US), Glastonbury (UK), Afropunk (US), Reading & Leeds (UK), Sole DXB (Dubai) and Lollapalooza (Chile), reaching audiences far and wide with his genre-fusing sound. He also founded his own label and management company Indiggnation Collective, "a significant incubator for Jamaica's new emerging soundscape" (NYLON) which signed talent from the island. In 2020, he inked individual deals for himself and Indiggnation Collective artists Lila Iké, Sevana and Jaz Elise with RCA Records. Protoje is an artist acutely aware of the passage of time, as evident by his album discography: 7 Year Itch, The 8 Year Affair, Ancient Future, A Matter Of Time, In Search of Lost Time and Third Time's The Charm. He received his two Best Reggae Album GRAMMY nominations for 2018’s A Matter Of Time and 2022’s Third Time's The Charm.

Madison McFerrin

Independent artist and musician Madison McFerrin has come into her own. Madison holds a fruitful and robust solo career with three self produced EPs and numerous performances and curatorships across the country and internationally. Madison’s distinct vocal and meticulously layered stylings of a capella and self-harmonizing culminate in work that blends the genres of R&B, pop, soul and jazz, all with a sense of softness. Her genre-bending work has led to Questlove dubbing her early sound “soul-appella,” AdHoc to describe her work as “an oasis of serenity,” and The FADER noting how Madison’s “warm harmonies feel effortless.”

Corinne Bailey Rae

English singer/songwriter/musician Corinne Bailey Rae shot to stardom with her self- titled #1 U.K. debut album in 2006, featuring the global hits “Put Your Records On” and “Like A Star.” Over the course of her career she has released four critically acclaimed studio albums—Corinne Bailey Rae, The Sea, The Heart Speaks in Whispers, and Black Rainbows—and earned two Grammy Awards, two MOBOS, and has been nominated for multiple awards including the BRIT Awards, Mercury Music Prize and BET Awards. Her work for film and television includes the theme to Stan Lee’s Lucky Man (SKY1), “The Scientist” for Universal Pictures’ Fifty Shades Darker opening title and soundtrack which charted globally, and in 2020 her song “New to Me” was performed in the film The High Note by Tracee Ellis Ross. Bailey Rae has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Mary J. Blige, Al Green, Herbie Hancock, KING, Paul McCartney, Kele Okereke, Eric Benet, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Questlove, Salaam Rami, RZA, Tyler The Creator, Paul Weller, Richard Hawley, Stevie Wonder, Tracey Thorn, Pharrell, Logic, Mick Jenkins and many more.

Terrace Martin

A five-time GRAMMY-nominated artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist from LA’s Crenshaw District, Terrace Martin is renowned as one of the world’s leading jazz musicians AND hip-hop producers. This singular standing is captured on his countless influential collaborations including Kendrick Lamar (good kid, M.A.A.D. city & To Pimp a Butterfly), Stevie Wonder, Travis Scott, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock, and Leon Bridges’ “Sweeter” (performed at the DNC). From his own acclaimed releases like the protest anthem “PIG FEET”, and his GRAMMY-nominated, star studded album, DRONES (featuring Kendrick, YG, Leon Bridges, Cordae, and more) to the GRAMMY-nominated Dinner Party (The musical supergroup of Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder), and his most recent single "Chucks (feat. Channel Tres)". Among the most versatile creatives in a generation, Terrace's path is leading him in parallel with the greats like Quincy Jones or Dr. Dre, while also launching his vibrant, progressive, genre-crossing record label record label Sounds of Crenshaw.