Chicago Blues Challenge Finals comes to an exciting conclusion at Buddy Guy’s Legends, on Sunday, November 7, 2010.  Music starts at 7:00 pm.  The finals will feature first and second place winners from the band competitions:  Charlie Love, Rob Blaine & Big Otis Blues, Chainsaw Dupont, and Doug James & the Pocket. They will be pitted against “Wild Card” competitors Charles “Delta Blues Hog” Hayes and J.B. Ritchie.  With six great blues bands and only one winner, this will be an explosive night of Chicago Blues.

We will also showcase our Youth Competition winners Jemiah “On Fire” & the Red Machine and our Solo/Duo winners Donna Herula & John Jochim.

It is sure to be a great night of blues, as our final six bands will be putting their best foot forward in order to impress the judges and win over new fans. Please come to support the Windy City Blues Society, as we raise money to send the final winning band down to Memphis in February for the 2011 International Blues Challenge! Only $15 at the door will get you great sets from eight great performers! So get a baby sitter, set the DVR, and get out Sunday, November 7, 2010 for a night of great Chicago Blues.

700 S. Wabash Ave.  Chicago, IL  (312) 427 – 1190

Buddy Guy’s LEGENDS, 700 S. Wabash Ave. Chicago, IL

Chicago Studio Club presents J.B.Ritchie

Friday, May 28, 2010!

J. B. Ritchie Power Blues Trio and special guests kick off Memorial Day Weekend! Join us from 9:00 pm until 1:00 am!

Live at the Dunn Inn, 3456 N. Pulaski, Chicago, IL. No cover (tip the band!) and reasonably priced libations of all kinds. It’s gonna be fun, oh yeah.

These photos were taken at a Chicago Studio Club Live Music event at the Dunn Inn, 3456 N. Pulaski in Chicago. The J.B. Ritchie Power Trio had several guests and these photos are of JB’s guest, the very gifted violinist, John Ling.

Friday, April 9, 2010 9:00 pm No cover. Donations to band are encouraged.

J.B. Ritchie breathes new life into the blues! With his Teardrop Records debut release of Power Blues, guitar virtuoso J.B. Ritchie shows off his blistering slide guitar licks on some great old blues classics. J.B. s’ renditions of these classics as well as a couple of original tunes gives the listener a  real power blues experience like only the J.B. Ritchie band can.

J.B. Ritchie Power Blues CD tunes:

Rocket 88

She’s Nineteen Years Old

Howlin For My Darlin

Champagne And Reefer

Trouble No More

Messin With The Kid

Hoochie Coochie Man

Shake It For Me

Nervous Breakdown

You Don’t Gotta

Little Red Rooster

Shake Your Money Maker

J.B. Ritchie

Mark’s House of Rock and Roll

Sat., Dec. 12, 2009

9:00 pm

322 N. Milwaukee

Wheeling IL

224-676-0327 

This thirty five year veteran of the Chicago Blues Scene draws interest through his original style. Paying tribute to the masters of the genre, including Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Willie Dixon, and Howlin Wolf. J.B. Ritchie’s "Power Blues" is a good crash course in leather and jeans blues. It’s been a long time coming for this Chicago area blues man, but wait no more, J.B. Ritchie and Power Blues is here!

Frank Bandy poses with some blues fans from Helsinki Finland.

Frank Bandy signs autographs for the Finnish Blues Fans.

Teardrop recording artists Frank Bandy and J.B.Ritchie chat with one of their biggest blues fans who came to the Harlem Avenue Lounge specifically to meet J.B. and Frank that very night . . . from Finland!!

Left to Right:  Frank Bandy, a Fin fan &  J.B. Ritchie!

Friday, October 2, 2009 — 8:00pm

325 Meier Drive     /  East Dundee IL  /    847-836-1394

DIAMOND JIMS, 325 Meier Drive, East Dundee, IL.

F Y I   – -   Click on pix  . . .   you MAY go places!

  If you are ON Harlem Avenue, facing OGDEN AVENUE, this would be your view. The address for Harlem Avenue Lounge is 3701 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn, IL. That White Castle you see there is ON the actual corner of Harlem & Ogden, and its parking lot/drive-thru are next to an alley between it and Harlem Avenue Lounge. You can turn into this alley and there are a couple of spaces to park in, but only a couple, right there on the side of the alley-next to the guard rail dividing White Castle from the alley. The only reason we say this is because we did all of this & just want to help. Easiest just to turn around (no parking behind the lounge) (which is where you ENTER to get inside) and back out of the alley as there is PLENTY of street parking RIGHT ON Harlem Avenue. FOR FREE!

Here you are on Harlem Avenue – right on the alley, walk a ways down the alley to the back entrance.

 See the back door in the above photo, there is the chair where a very nice fellow named Dave was sitting. The bathrooms are by the back door. Next, the pool table / game area.

     Next is the bar and at the front of the bar, the stage! We went on a Friday night to see the J.B. Ritchie Power Trio. The owner Ken was there working away with his bartendress for the evening, Angie! Everyone was so  nice – we had a blast!

L to R: Frank Bandy (bass), Greg Haar (drums) and on guitar and vocals, singing from his new POWER BLUES CD, Teardrop Recording Artist, J.B. Ritchie!

We met Greg Haar for the first time last night and he is such a great guy. He says he isn’t techno-savvy but he has 2 daughters to help along with all of this internet type action  – - so kudos girls! Show this to your dad! Also we learned that Greg makes these wild tie-dyed shirts on his own!  He told me the entire procedure which I was delighted to hear about since I have never done it myself.  So in addition to being a talented drummer in the J.B.Ritchie Power Trio, he is a creative man, a tolerant father and appreciates the likes of the Chicago Studio Club!

Keep your eye on this page for the LIVE VIDEO of Greg Haar on drums -  coming soon!   For now though, check Greg out!!!

FYI  – -   Click on Pix – -  you MAY go places!

Harlem Avenue Lounge

Friday, August 7th 2009

9:30 pm

3701 S. Harlem Avenue

Berwyn  IL  60402    (708) 484-3610

J.B. Ritchie slide guitar, Frank Bandy  bass &  Marty Binder on drums.

Fat Daddy’z
Saturday, July 25th
9:00 PM
176 West Jackson
Seneca  IL  61360
815-357-8700
Starlight’s Theatre & Lounge
Saturday, August 1st
8:30 PM
314 First Avenue
Sterling  IL  61081
Smiling Moose
Sunday, August 2nd
4:00 PM
10731 State Road 42
Newton  WI  53063
(920) 726-4865
Stella’s Speakeasy
Saturday, August 8th
8:30 PM
515 East Main Street
Stoughton  WI  53589
608-877-1364
Broken Spokes Roadhouse
Sunday, August 9th
2:00 PM
W9698 Hwy 14
Darien  WI  53114
262-724-5400