Siegel-Schwall Band

Infobox musical artist
Name = Siegel-Schwall Band


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Img_size = 250
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Background = group_or_band
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Origin = Chicago, Illinois, USA
Genre = Blues
Blues rock
Years_active = 1964–1974 1987–present (limited appearances)
Label = Vanguard Records RCA Records Alligator Records
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.chamberblues.com Corky Siegel's Planet]
Current_members = Corky Siegel
Jim Schwall
Rollo Radford
Sam Lay
Past_members = Joseph Davidson
Russ Chadwick
Shelly Plotkin
Notable_instruments =

Siegel-Schwall Band is the name of a blues band from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1964 by Corky Siegel (harmonica) and Jim Schwall (guitar).

Band history

Corky Siegel and Jim Schwall were both students at Roosevelt University, where Siegel studied saxophone music and Schwall studied guitar music. Schwall's background was mostly in country music, while Siegel was more interested in blues. They combined these two genres, producing a lighter sounding blues as compared to Butterfield Blues Band or John Mayall. The band originally was the house band at Pepper's Lounge, but changed to Big John's in Chicago after the Butterfield Blues Band began touring. In 1965, Sam Charters signed the band to Vanguard Records.

In 1966, the band released their first eponymous album, and began a national tour in 1969. While they weren't as commercially successful as Butterfield or Mayall, the band was still able to perform at large venues such as Fillmore West. Also around that time, the Siegel-Schwall Band became the first blues band to ever perform with a symphony, performing "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra" with the San Francisco Symphony. After four albums with Vanguard, the band signed to Wooden Nickel (RCA Records). The band won a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover in 1973 for their second eponymous album.

The band broke up in 1974 after releasing the album "R.I.P. Siegel/Schwall", and reunited in 1987. Alligator Records signed them, and they released a live album. The band continues to tour occasionally, usually during summer because Jim Schwall took a job as a professor of music. Schwall also unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Madison, Wisconsin. The Siegel-Schwall Band also released an album on Alligator Records in 2005, entitled "Flash Forward", which was a top 15 hit on the "Billboard" Blues Albums chart.

Discography

*"Siegel Schwall Band", Vanguard Records, 1966.
*"Say Siegel-Schwall", Vanguard Records, 1967.
*"Shake", Vanguard Records, 1968.
*"Siegel-Schwall 70", Vanguard Records, 1970.
*"Siegel-Schwall Band", Wooden Nickel (RCA), 1971.
*"Sleepy Hollow", Wooden Nickel (RCA), 1972.
*"953 West", Teldec Records, 1973.
*"Three Pieces for Blues Band and Orchestra", Polydor Records, 1973.
*"Live: The Last Summer", Wooden Nickel (RCA), 1974.
*"R.I.P. Siegel/Schwall", Wooden Nickel (RCA), 1974.
*"The Siegel-Schwall Reunion Concert", Alligator Records, 1988.
*"Flash Forward", Alligator Records, 2005.

External links

* [http://www.chamberblues.com/ Official band website]
* [http://www.wirz.de/music/siegdsc.htm Illustrated Siegel-Schwall Band discography]