Voices that won’t be silenced
Terry Blade embraces Blues as a force that continues to thrive and evolve. As a Black queer artist, he doesn’t just perform the genre—he injects it with new perspectives and personal experiences, creating an album that feels alive with tension, reverence, and reinvention. "Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues" is more than an homage; it’s a bold reclamation of a sound that continues to evolve, shaped by its past but not confined by it.
This album immerses itself in the rich and layered history of Chicago Blues, not just through sound but through the voices of those who built it. Figures like Theresa Needham, Muddy Waters Jr., Jimmy Walker, Lefty Dizz, and Willie Monroe are not simply referenced—they speak through the archival recordings Blade has painstakingly unearthed. Sourced from the Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Collection at the U.S. Library of Congress, these 1977 interviews are stitched into the album, allowing listeners to experience the blues as something both historic and immediate, personal and universal.
One of the most poignant tracks, "Tell ‘Em," channels the rage and resilience of those whose lives have been shaped by racial injustice. Inspired by the real stories of Cyntoia Brown, William “Marc” Wilson, and Isaiah Brown, the song transforms blues into protest, refusing to let the past’s struggles fade into distant memory. Blade’s voice delivers a raw intensity that demands attention, making clear that the themes of oppression and survival that defined early Blues are still painfully relevant.
Musically, "Chicago Kinfolk" breaks expectations without losing its roots. Blade’s artistry effortlessly moves between eras, drawing from traditional Blues techniques and contemporary influences. His reimagining of a song recorded by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup in 1946 highlights his deep connection to the genre’s history, yet his delivery and production make it undeniably his own. Crudup’s restless spirit—the drive to innovate and resist stagnation—finds an echo in Blade’s fearless approach.
What makes this album compelling is its refusal to treat history as static. "The Blues is Pressure does more than showcase a great pianist; it turns a simple moment—Jimmy Walker's laugh—into an intimate bridge between generations. Blade recognized something familiar in that laughter, something reminiscent of his late grandfather, and in doing so, he transformed the track into an act of remembrance as much as celebration.
A particularly striking moment in the album comes with "Nothin' But the Blues," which features an interview with Theresa Needham, the woman who ran the legendary Theresa’s Tavern. In an era where women in Blues often went uncredited or overlooked, Needham carved out a space of authority, personally handling rowdy patrons and curating a scene that nurtured generations of musicians. Blade doesn’t just acknowledge her; he lets her speak for herself, ensuring that her role in Blues history is remembered properly.
At a time when much of the music industry prioritizes fleeting trends, "Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues" is an act of preservation and defiance. It honours tradition while refusing to be bound by it, making the case that the Blues isn’t a genre of the past—it’s a living, breathing force that still has stories left to tell. And Terry Blade is determined to make sure those stories are heard.
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