Chicago Blues Reunion 'Buried Alive in the Blues' album

Buried Alive In The Blues, a CD/HD-DVD set from Chicago Blues Reunion, an all-star collaboration of Chicago music legends who defined the sound of their generation in the 1960's, will be released July 12th from Out The Box Records. Bayside Distribution will handle retail distribution nationally.

The iconic players, who comprise CBR are a who’s who of blues lovers’ household names: Barry Goldberg (Hammond B-3), Nick “The Greek” Gravenites (vocals/guitar), Harvey “The Snake” Mandel (guitar), Tracy Nelson (vocals), Sam Lay (drums/vocals) and Corky Siegel (harmonica/vocals). In their various earlier musical incarnations, they catalyzed the historic transition in popular music from acoustic folk to electric blues-influenced rock. Over the course of time, they have continued to be an inspiration to younger generations that followed the trail they blazed. On Buried Alive In The Blues, which was recorded live in Chicago at Fitzgerald’s last fall, they are backed by a band of top flight pros including Gary Mallaber, Rick Reed and R. Zach Wagner. The CD, produced by Barry Goldberg includes 14 tracks with lead vocals rotating among Gravenites, Nelson, Lay and Siegel.

The lavish packaging includes a 32 page photo booklet, liner notes by Joel Selvin of the San Francisco Chronicle while the DVD includes 30 minutes of the band in performance as well as interviews with the players. Brand new interviews with blues veterans B.B. King and Buddy Guy and newcomer Kyle Riabako are included as is archival footage of classic blues players as well as a “collectors photo gallery” that offers many never before seen photographs of the band members with their friends. These included Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin, John Mayall, Canned Heat and others.

The members of Chicago Blues Reunion have led interconnected professional lives for the past five decades. The title track was written by Gravenites for Janis Joplin who died before she had a chance to record her vocals, although it appeared as an instrumental on her posthumously released Pearl album. Also included is Gravenites’ “Born In Chicago” which was the signature song of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band whose drummer was Sam Lay and whose legendary guitarist, Mike Bloomfield, though deceased, is considered an honorary member of Chicago Blues Reunion, along with Butterfield, in light of the great inspiration they provided each of the members. Gravenites and Goldberg were founding members of The Electric Flag and Tracy Nelson, before moving west to start Mother Earth, was a stalwart of the Chicago folk and blues scene of the 1960s. Harvey Mandel was a protégé of Bloomfield in those days and, later, went on to be part of Canned Heat and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers before launching his own solo career while Goldberg and Bloomfield released an album entitled “Two Jews Blues.” Corky Siegel has long been a Chicago blues fixture from his years with Siegel-Schwall to present day involvement in his Chamber Blues project. Lay and Goldberg also worked together at the Newport Folk Festival, backing up Bob Dylan on the day 40 years ago when he “went electric.”

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Chicago Blues Reunion - Buried Alive in the Blues