Chamber Blues in the Heartland

By Susannah Bielak, Arts Midwest

Corky Siegel Photo by Peter Amft.

In the past few months, Rhythm and Brass jammed with senior citizens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Claudia Acuña conducted a jazz workshop for over 150 girls in Rockford, Illinois. Tibetan Monks performed sacred music in Keokuk, Iowa. And Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues wowed students and community members alike in Big Rapids, Michigan and Hartford and Eau Claire, Wisconsin. There is a world of connections occurring in the midsection of America. Support from the National Endowment for the Arts, via a program called the Heartland Arts Fund, is what allows many of these connections to happen. The Heartland Arts Fund supports and initiates tours in the 15-state heartland region by regional, national, and international artists and companies in dance, music and theater.

The Heartland Arts Fund is a collaborative venture of Arts Midwest and Mid-America Arts Alliance. It brings together the artistic and financial resources of the two regions to enhance community cultural life and increase public participation in the arts. The Heartland Arts Fund provides an easy-to-use, reliable source of fee support for presenters such as performing arts centers, arts councils, or colleges or universities from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, plus Mid-America Arts Alliance’s six states. It brings top-quality performances and educational residency activities to regional audiences of all ages. It also expands the potential market and revenue opportunities for performing artists.

In the words of one presenter, the Heartland Arts Fund brings invigorating high-caliber artists to communities that might not otherwise have the chance to experience them. Not only do the artists perform, but they also engage members of the local community in lectures, workshops, demonstrations, and collaborations. Following is one taste of the kinds of artists and communities that are connected through the Fund.

Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues, Chicago, IL

"How many of you go to the symphony orchestra?
How many of you tour the south side of Chicago for the depths of the blues? Tonight is an excursion into a juxtaposition!"

 Corky Siegel

Composer, blues harmonica player and pianist, singer/songwriter, and recent winner of the Lila Wallace- Reader’s Digest Meet the Composer national award for chamber music, Corky Siegel is a master of contrasts. Corky started with the legendary Siegel-Schwall Band in the 60’s and 70’s, performed with blues masters like Willie Dixon, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, and Howlin’ Wolf, recorded with Seiji Ozawa and the San Francisco Orchestra, and proceeds to perform as a soloist with orchestras worldwide–including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony in Japan, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Members of his ensemble are Frank Donaldson, Mark Agnor, Jeff Yang, Richard Halajian, and Jill Kaeding. Frank Donaldson, percussion, turned professional at fifteen, was the percussion soloist with the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, the drummer with the Ramsey Lewis Trio for eleven years, and is currently on the faculty of Columbia College and tours with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. Mark Agnor, violin, toured extensively in the U.S., Europe, and Asia with the Mantovani Orchestra and has played with a number of other orchestras. Jeff Yang, violin, started playing at age five and has since played with various leading symphony orchestras. Richard Halajian, viola, has played with multiple orchestras and also plays mean renditions of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Jill Kaeding, cello, is known for her versatility in all mediums of chamber music, has toured extensively as a guest soloist, and also has played rock music with Lyle Lovett and Ray Charles.

Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues. Photo by Jennifer Girard.

Together, Corky, Richard, Mark, Frank, Jill, Richard, and Jeff comprise Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues— a genre-blending combination likened to a mix of Muddy Waters and Mozart. Imagine a classical string quartet. Rather than playing Mozart or Beethoven, they play a jazzy blues. Now add an innovative percussionist and a blues harmonica player who are both well versed in classical and blues styles. This is the sound of Chamber Blues.

Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues have taken part in PBS broadcasts, National Public Radio programs, and have been showcased in publications of Billboard, Down Beat, Jazziz, Musician, and Stereophile. In the winter and spring of 2002, Chamber Blues toured the Midwest with the help of the Heartland Arts Fund.

The State Theatre, Eau Claire, WI

November 8, 2001

Late fall finds Corky Siegel and his ensemble in a former vaudeville house in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. "The State," once acknowledged by Hollywood stars like Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin as "the brightest gem in a glittering chain of amusement palaces" went through a decline in the early 80’s and major renovation five years later. Since its reopening, The State has been visited by over 50,000 people annually and hosts a 1,000 seat auditorium, an art gallery, a dance studio, set construction and rehearsal areas, and offices for community arts organizations.

On the afternoon of November 8, Suzuki music students and members of teenage theater groups join Corky and his band in The State’s auditorium for a workshop. Corky begins with the basics, asking: "What makes music so uplifting? What is it about music that is so infectious?" He and his band proceed not only to question the students, but to provide them with a barrage of answers as they weave in and out of classical, blues, hoe-down, and rock music. The band members discuss their style, training, and mindset as they seamlessly sample and meld the various genres.

Several hours later, the band is back onstage. They’ve been joined by Randy Sabien, a renowned jazz violinist and native Wisconsinite. The audience is a seasoned mix of 16 — 70 year olds, many of whom know Corky from his Siegel-Schwall days. The musicians take them on a different ride as the Delta converges into the Danube.

Corky moves swiftly between harmonica and piano, intermittently howling a blues wail. Frank works the tabla and washboard. Jeff, Mark, Jill and Richard create lopsided balances and breathtaking rhythms as they court and cajole others through opuses and zydeco rags. Interspersed in the savory and explosive combinations is musical tête-à-tête between Randy and Corky.

As described by Peter Provost, the executive director of The State, "it was a perfect marriage of the group and space. Corky Siegel and his group, if anything, reminds me of what would have happened in the early days of blues. It felt loose, but controlled. Very unique.

"We’re very broad and fairly commercial in our programming. We step out every so often and bring these kinds of eclectic performances through just to keep the audiences honest. This is what we need to get them to try something, like it, and keep coming back. That’s really where the Heartland Arts Fund feeds into my programming. It allows me a chance to step out and get some really cool challenging pieces and bring it to my audiences."

Not only did Corky’s visit allow Peter to bring an invigorating world-class ensemble to Eau Claire, but it let him personally bring a surprising finale to the evening. Along with Randy Sabien, Corky had announced a mystery special guest. As the group finished one of their last numbers, Corky called for Peter to come onstage. "They said ‘why don’t you jam with us’ and I did. They played a basic blues. I sang a hipified version of Amazing Grace. We just drove it. We did a little R & B, stretching out a mixture of jazz and blues and melding in the Chamber sounds." The impromptu collaboration was a success. In the words of Holly Tucker, Corky’s personal manager, "We had no idea that this man had that kind of voice on him and neither did his community." Together, the arts administrator and blues harmonica player brought the house down.

Schauer Arts and Activities Center, Inc., Hartford, WI

February 14, 2002

Valentine’s Day and Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues are at the Schauer Center. The Schauer Arts and Activities Center, Inc. is the only facility of its kind and magnitude in Hartford, a rural community of approximately 11,000 located 40 miles from Milwaukee. Housed in a building that formerly hosted one of the largest beet canning operations in the nation, the Schauer Center is a multifaceted arts complex showcasing dance, music, theater and multi-disciplinary work. The 2001 — 2002 season included The American Players Theatre, Riders in the Sky, and the Missoula Children’s Theatre.

Arriving to the auditorium for the Chamber Blues workshop, "Music and the Joy of Diversity," 600 elementary students from Hartford and outlying school districts are met by Bach, Hendrix, and Muddy Waters.

Corky leading Suzuki music students in a Chamber Blues workshop.Photo courtesy Corky Siegel.

The goal of this interactive performance, in the words of Corky Siegel, is "to give students the feeling that diversity is cool. We do it by trying to clean the slate of preconceived notions of music." They do it by having fun.

"Kids have opinions. We start by asking them to call out what kinds of music they know. ‘Who knows rap? Country? Blues?’ Kids applaud and boo–they already have negative associations with music different than what they know. At this point, we tell them ‘unfasten your seatbelts – this is not for your comfort or safety.’"

Chamber Blues and Randy Sabien, who has joined them for a surprise matinee appearance, proceed to demonstrate the mix of divergent forms of music. As described by Tom Robbins, the executive director of the Schauer Center, "Corky made a lot of parallels between diversity among different ethnic groups and diversity in music. Drawing those parallels made the music much more approachable and more friendly. He drew the kids in just as well as he drew the adults in during the evening."

Contrary to The State Theatre’s audience, most of the attendees of the Schauer Center’s evening performance are unfamiliar with Chamber Blues. Nonetheless, the band quickly reaches fever pitch. Frank creates rapid rhythms as Jeff and Mark synchronize violins and Richard and Jill weave a funky classical sound with their viola and cello. One moment Corky is on the floor crying into his harmonica; the next, he’s crooning "this jungle is no place to be for a man like me." Randy’s swing jazz style melds with the dynamic sounds of the band as he and Corky tease each other through solos. The show is a success.

Faith Quant, a registered nurse and president of the Schauer’s board, left elated. "We’ve had country here and musical theater. This was different. This was spirited and this was skilled. People who had been saying ‘Corky Siegel? Who’s Corky Siegel?’ were telling us that this was the best thing in the series. This was enjoyed by everyone in the audience."

Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI

April 18, 2002

It’s spring and Chamber Blues have traveled to Big Rapids, Michigan, a town of 12,000 in Mecosta County 45 minutes away from Grand Rapids. Historically associated with its logging industry, Big Rapids is now known for Ferris State University, a 4-year career university over 125 years old and the town’s largest employer. Approximately 10,000 students attend Ferris State to learn vocations ranging from auto mechanics to lighting design. Chamber Blues have come to entertain them all.

As told by Michael Terry, the executive director: "Our philosophy is that the kids’ past experience with performing arts is a high school musical, if that. So, we try to bring things in that will be accessible–something that the students will be able to relate to, yet will stretch them into new areas that they hadn’t considered before. Of all the artists we’ve brought in, I think that Corky is the best example of this."

For this event, Chamber Blues make accessible not only their unique style but their practical experience. A musical performance requires more than performers. The learning experience can extend backstage as well, and in this case, the sound crew for the night are students. They arrive at the performance hall prior to the show for a technical workshop. After Corky gives them a lecture on dynamic variation, the band’s sound designer, Mark Sarantakos shares his knowledge. The students inquire into his varied menu, ranging from producing live sound to working on TV production with David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Michael Jordan. Questions shift as the students receive hands-on instruction on everything from mixing sound to how to time spotlight cues.

With the crew set, Corky and his group go on for an audience mixed evenly between students, staff, and community members. Joining them onstage is blues icon Sam Lay, former member of the Siegel-Schwall band, drummer for Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, and Bob Dylan, and recipient of the 2001 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Hero Award.

With interludes from Sam’s rich baritone singing songs like "I’m Built for Comfort, Not for Speed," Corky and the band once again create their lush marriage between classical and blues music. They intermix "Raw Umber" and other Chamber Blues numbers with Muddy Waters’ "Mojo" and other blues standards. According to Michael Terry, "Universally, people were astounded and amazed. They really did think that this was the best show we had all year–impressed with the performance, musicality, and showmanship."

After the show, the lobby is full. Frank is giving impromptu lessons to members of the audience. A long line of students, staff and community members wait for autographs. The fusion of the Chamber Blues has been appreciated once more. Thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts and the Heartland Arts Fund, they and other musicians will continue to bring their music to communities large and small across the Midwest.

For more information on Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues, go to www.chamberblues.com

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