Hour four of this week’s Blues Before Sunrise shifted the spotlight to the streets and clubs of Chicago, where the postwar blues sound took shape. This set highlighted the powerhouse figures who defined electric Chicago blues in the 1940s and 1950s, artists who bridged the country blues roots of the South with the amplified sound of the city. It was a gritty, unapologetic hour, filled with harmonica blasts, piano thundering, and songs that carried the weight of working-class life.
The hour began with Jazz Gillum, one of the great harmonica players of the pre- and postwar eras. His “Blues What Am” set the tone with a stripped-down sound rooted in the South but alive with Chicago’s edge. Gillum’s harmonica style was direct and forceful, making him an essential bridge between earlier folk-blues harp traditions and the amplified fireworks that came later.
Otis Spann followed with “Otis in the Dark,” an instrumental that showcased his mastery of the piano. Spann, who served as the longtime pianist in Muddy Waters’ band, was one of the most expressive blues pianists in history. His playing combined rolling boogie-woogie bass lines with mournful treble runs, embodying both strength and subtlety.
Then came Howlin’ Wolf with “Who’s Been Talkin’.” Wolf’s voice was like no other—gravelly, commanding, and filled with primal force. This track reminded listeners why he stood as one of the titans of Chicago blues, a figure whose performances felt closer to a sermon or a storm than a conventional song.
Gillum returned with “I’m Not the Lad,” balancing Wolf’s ferocity with a more melodic harp-driven performance. Otis Spann countered again with “Country Boy,” deepening the mood and proving why his piano work became the gold standard of Chicago blues accompaniment.
The harmonica took center stage again with Little Walter’s “It Ain’t Right.” Walter revolutionized the instrument by amplifying it, turning it into a lead voice that could compete with electric guitars and drums. His tone was both cutting and smooth, making him one of the defining architects of the Chicago sound.
Gillum came back with “Look What You Are Today,” a song that balanced moral storytelling with his confident harmonica lines. Spann followed with “Worried Life Blues,” a track originally popularized by Big Maceo but reinvented with Spann’s deep, soulful touch.
A highlight of the hour came with Robert Jr. Lockwood’s “Sweet Woman from Maine.” Lockwood, the stepson of Robert Johnson, carried a direct connection to Delta roots but carved out his own identity in Chicago with a smooth, jazz-influenced guitar style. His presence in this set showed the diversity within Chicago blues, where some artists leaned raw while others polished their sound with finesse.
Gillum continued the rotation with “Jazz Gillum’s Blues,” while Spann countered with “The Hard Way,” each reinforcing their distinct voices — harp and piano, grit and groove. Sunnyland Slim added a blast of intensity with “Johnson Machine Gun,” his piano thunder embodying the raw energy of the Chicago scene.
As the hour built toward its close, Gillum’s “It’s All Over Now” provided a final word from the harmonica man, while Spann delivered “This Is the Blues,” a definitive statement about the genre itself. The hour wrapped up with Little Johnny Jones’ “Big Town Playboy,” a rollicking piano-driven anthem that stood as one of the quintessential Chicago blues recordings.
This fourth hour captured the essence of Chicago’s postwar sound — urban, electric, and relentless. With harmonica heroes, piano masters, and gravel-voiced giants, it showcased a period when the blues was both evolving and cementing itself as one of America’s most powerful musical forms.
Hour 4 Playlist
- Blues What Am – Jazz Gillum
- Otis in the Dark – Otis Spann
- Who’s Been Talkin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
- I’m Not the Lad – Jazz Gillum
- Country Boy – Otis Spann
- It Ain’t Right – Little Walter
- Look What You Are Today – Jazz Gillum
- Worried Life Blues – Otis Spann
- Sweet Woman from Maine – Robert Jr. Lockwood
- Jazz Gillum’s Blues – Jazz Gillum
- The Hard Way – Otis Spann
- Johnson Machine Gun – Sunnyland Slim
- It’s All Over Now – Jazz Gillum
- This Is the Blues – Otis Spann
- Big Town Playboy – Little Johnny Jones