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"For groups like the Rolling Stones ... names like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf were exotic inspirations. For Siegel-Schwall they were the guys that played with them on 43rd Street."
- Lin Brehmer - Music Director for WXRT Radio Chicago.
Along with the first-wave British Invasion bands like The Rolling Stones, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and stateside groups like The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Siegel-Schwall Band were instrumental in The Great Blues Revival of the 1960's. Like Paul Butterfield, Siegel-Schwall were Chicago-based, serving as the house band at the famed Pepper's Lounge. They earned their spurs backing greats like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and Willie Dixon.
From 1966 until they disbanded in 1974, they ranked among the most important forces in reaching the baby boomer audience that sustains the blues to this day. The Siegel-Schwall Band also pioneered the cross-fertilization of Chicago blues with other forms, performing Bill Russo's "Three Pieces For Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra" in 1968 with the San Francisco Symphony and The Boston Pops. Corky Siegel has continued this expansion of the blues with his project, Chamber Blues.
In 1988, the group reunited for a concert broadcast by popular radio station WXRT in Chicago, which resulted in a live recording on Alligator Records. Siegel-Schwall continues to tour and to write new songs, and their newest recording "Flash Forward" was released on Alligator Records in 2005.
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Corky Siegel - Harmonica, Piano, Vocals
Corky Siegel has earned an international reputation as one of the world's great blues harmonica masters.
In addition to his role as a co-founder of Siegel-Schwall, Corky has received acclaim for his recording of William Russo's Street Music with Seiji Ozawa and the San Francisco Symphony. More recently, Corky has created "Chamber Blues" - an original hybrid of blues and classical music.
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Jim Schwall - Guitar, Vocals
As co-leader of the Siegel-Schwall band, The Boston Globe has called Jim "undoubtedly the best electric guitarist in the country." Jim has a a PhD. in music, and divides his time between performing, teaching, and studying art. Jim has also had many critically acclaimed shows of his photography work. He still plays the classic electrified Gibson B-25 acoustic guitar which he's used extensively since acquiring it in 1959.
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Sam Lay - Drums, Vocals
Sam's unique style of drumming can be heard on over 40 recordings for the famed Chess Records label. He's played with everyone from Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters to Bob Dylan - - most notably on the "Highway 61" album. Sam's stellar drumming earned him entry into both The Blues and The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and he was honored by the Recording Academy January 2002 for the " Legends and Hero's Award" for his significant musical contributions.
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Rollo Radford - Bass, Vocals
Rollo began his professional career at the age of 19 with the legendary jazz vocalist Dinah Washington. In addition to Siegel-Schwall, Rollo has worked with innovative jazz master Sun Ra, Top 40's sensation Martha and the Vandellas, New Orleans favorites The Neville Brothers, and rock 'n roll legend Chuck Berry. Rollo now divides his time between performances and teaching troubled youths in Chicago schools.
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