Sweet Home All Stars
Only at the Palmhouse, 619 Howard Street, Evanston
April 18th 2024 6:00 pm
Register Today for Sweet Home Uptown 2024
Enjoy Voice’s “Bring Chicago Home” Blues Playlist on YouTube
About the Band
The Sweet Home All Stars come together at the Voice of the People’s fourth annual celebration of history and fundraiser. The seven-piece band features legendary guitarists and mainstays of the local music scene, including Chicago natives, kids of the blues and Uptown residents. They include headliners of Chicago’s most prominent blues venues, where they show off great vocals and contributions of violin, bass and sax. The Sweet Home All Stars will provide soulful background for reception/dining, and in post-program jam, honor the traditions of Chicago Blues with European and Left Coast influences, including crowd-pleasing danceable favorites.
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Our group leader and organizer this year is “L’il Frank” Krakowski, a grammy award winner with bandmates for the “2011 Traditional Blues Album of the Year”. He’s a South Bend resident and regular at Chicago Blues Clubs, including the Checkerboard Lounge at a young age. Frank has played guitar for the greats, including Hubert Sumllin, Little Arthur Duncan and frontman of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Kim Wilson.
Dave Herrera is an independent artist starting from the grass roots. Country with a rock and urban pop vibe. He is all over the place with his music, it is something different. Herrera cites Guns & Roses, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson among his influences, attributing the iconic rock band for bringing out his “fun and upbeat side” while the country legends taught him how to write about life in a meaningful way.
Anne Harris is an American singer, songwriter, violinist, recording artist and actress based in Chicago, Illinois. Her music has been described by various writers as incorporating a variety of influences, including traditional Celtic music, American folk-rock, Afrobeat soul, and chamber music. For lack of a specific genre label, her work has been dubbed “conscious music” which refers to music and lyrics that have some basis in a spiritual, humanist philosophy. The Chicago-based artist combines her mastery of the violin, incredible dance moves, and deep musical knowledge into a stage show that fans rave about.
Brother John has been a resident musician at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago for over 30 years. Through his work with Chicago blues greats Buddy Guy & Otis Rush, he has jammed with Eric Clapton, Steve Miller, auditioned for the Black Crowes (in 1998, but they hired Jimmy Page instead), and acquired ringing endorsements from many other musicians of renown. For example: Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant had seen John play with Otis Rush at the Jazz Café in London. When Plant and Kattke met in person at the United Center in Chicago, Plant told Kattke: “You play a mean guitar!” George Benson came to the jam session that Kattke hosts at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago. After hearing the opening set that John played with his band, Benson told him: “You’re fearless! I thought I was fearless! You’re fearless!” Brother John is also a brilliant vocalist and pianist. He has been influenced by all traditional blues artists in his guitar and singing styles and draws piano influences from varied styles ranging from Professor Long Hair to Ray Charles.
Why do they call “EG McDaniel” a “Son of the Blues”? He’s a cousin to Bo Diddly and son of Chicago blues icon, Floyd McDaniel, famous vocalist and guitar player, and Bessie Jackson, a singer and jazz pianist. His father sang with the legendary Ink Spots in 1930 and with such greats as Cab Calloway, Fats Waller and Billie Holiday. Known as Greg in the music community or Eddy to neighbors in Uptown, EG McDaniel is a seasoned musician in his own right, learning at the feet of the greats, and regularly playing and venues across Chicagoland.
Jason “J Roc” Edwards holds down percussion for the Sweet Home All Stars. A vocalist, drummer and music producer, this musician is a Chicago native, but with notoriety also on the European music scene. There he was one-fourth of the “artist of the year”, Golden Europe Award and platinum selling group “4 The Cause”, whose remake of Ben E King’s hit “Stand by Me” garnered worldwide attention.
Last but not least is “Sideman” Jonny Viau is widely considered to be one of SoCal’s best saxophone players. His primary influence and inspiration was King Curtis, sax player who famously supported Aretha Franklin’s “RESPECT”. He’s known Mike Rohrbeck, Voice’s Executive Director, since he was four years old.
Sweet Home Uptown 2024 will be a musical experience for attendees and networking extravaganza, with housing, services, real estate and financial institutions in attendance, northside alders and legislators, cook county assessment and appeals officials expected to attend.