Siegel–Schwall Band
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The Siegel–Schwall Band was a prominent American electric blues group originating from Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1964 by Corky Siegel (handling piano, harmonica, and vocals) alongside Jim Schwall (guitar, mandolin, vocals), the band produced ten albums prior to their initial breakup in 1974. They reunited on several occasions between 1987 and 2016, during which they released two further albums.
History
Siegel and Schwall first connected while studying music at Roosevelt University. Merging Siegel's passion for blues with Schwall's roots in country music, they developed a more accessible blues style than some of their contemporaries, such as the Butterfield Blues Band. The founding members also included Shelly Plotkin on drums and Jos Davidson on bass, both of whom had associations with Steve Miller and the Ardells.
The band held the position of house band at Pepper's Lounge located on Chicago’s South Side, where they performed alongside notable Chicago blues figures like Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and Muddy Waters. Following the departure of the Butterfield Blues Band from the local circuit, Siegel–Schwall transitioned to Big John's in Old Town.
In 1965, Sam Charters brought them under contract with Vanguard Records. Their first album was released in 1966, followed by a nationwide tour in 1969. Although their commercial impact did not match that of peers such as Butterfield or Mayall, they played at significant venues including Fillmore West. A landmark achievement was their pioneering collaboration with a symphony orchestra—the San Francisco Symphony—performing William Russo’s "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra," under the baton of Seiji Ozawa.
After issuing four albums through Vanguard, the band signed with Wooden Nickel Records, a Chicago-based label distributed by RCA. Their initial release on Wooden Nickel garnered a Grammy Award in 1973 for Best Album Cover.
The ensemble disbanded in 1974 following the release of R.I.P. Siegel/Schwall. They reunited in 1987 under Alligator Records, which issued a live reunion album in 1988. The band continued to tour sporadically, often during summer months due to Schwall’s commitments to academia and political activities in Madison, Wisconsin. Their 2005 album Flash Forward achieved a position within the top 15 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart.
Following the breakup, Siegel formed the Happy Year Band alongside drummer/vocalist Sam Lay, guitarist Albert Joseph, and bassist Rollo Radford. He later founded Chamber Blues, an ensemble blending strings, tabla, and harmonica/piano, featuring jazz drummer Frank Donaldson. Siegel remains active as both a recording artist and educator based in Chicago and authored the book Let Your Music Soar: The Emotional Connection in 2007.
In 2014, the Siegel–Schwall Band toured with members including Siegel, Schwall, Radford, Lay, and Sambo Arthur Irby. Drummer Sam Lay passed away in January 2022 at age 86; Jim Schwall died in June 2022 aged 79.
Discography
Studio and live albums
- The Siegel–Schwall Band (1966, Vanguard)
- Say Siegel–Schwall (1967, Vanguard)
- Shake! (1968, Vanguard)
- Siegel–Schwall '70 (1970, Vanguard)
- The Siegel–Schwall Band (1971, Wooden Nickel)
- Sleepy Hollow (1972, Wooden Nickel)
- 953 West (1973, Wooden Nickel)
- Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra (1973, Deutsche Grammophon)
- Live: The Last Summer (1974, Wooden Nickel)
- R.I.P. Siegel/Schwall (1974, Wooden Nickel)
- The Siegel–Schwall Reunion Concert (1988, Alligator)
- Flash Forward (2005, Alligator)
Compilation albums
- The Best of Siegel–Schwall (1974, Vanguard)
- Where We Walked (1966–1970) (1991, Vanguard)
- The Wooden Nickel Years (1971–1974) (1999, Varèse Sarabande)
- The Complete Vanguard Recordings and More (2001, Vanguard)
- Vanguard Visionaries (2007, Vanguard)