Big James and Chicago Playboys wrap up summer concerts
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 07/29/2009
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In some circles, Chicago is famous for three things: Hot dogs, the Cubs, and Chicago blues. Wednesday night, it’s exporting one of those to West Lafayette.
Big James and the Chicago Playboys will finish off the Purdue Memorial Union’s summer concert series tonight in front of the Union. The Playboys are a Chicago blues band with a diverse range of influences. In fact, frontman “Big James” Montgomery was influenced to become a musician by a James Brown concert.
“My dad took me to see James Brown when I was 7 years old at the Capital Theater, which is closed now,” said Montgomery, a trombone player. “That night I knew I wanted to play music, wanted to do that with my life. I started with guitar, it didn’t work out, but I started on horn in high school and it just took off.”
Montgomery is not the band’s original frontman; that was Little Johnny Christian, who died in 1993. Before he died, he asked Montgomery to keep the band together, which he has. As Big James and the Chicago Playboys, they have put out several albums, most recently Europe’s blues album of the year, “Thank God I Got The Blues.”
As both trombonist, vocalist and frontman of the band, Montgomery occupies an unusual niche. Hal Yeagy, owner of famous Indianapolis blues bar the Slippery Noodle Inn, likes the band’s composition.
“It’s unique, so people remember it,” said Yeagy, a Purdue graduate. “It’s nice having a horn section; there’s not too many bands out there carrying horn sections anymore.”
However, the Playboys aren’t just unusual for their horn section; they draw on a wide variety of sounds, including soul, funk, R&B, gospel, and contemporary hip-hop and soul.
“It makes it even better,” said Montgomery. “We’re not a typical blues band that just stands in one place and sings; there’s a lot of stepping and dancing. Our show is really high-energy. You’ll see that and I think that comes form all the influences in the band. It’s a real diverse group up there and all that comes out in our music.
“Lots of people say that our music is dying and i feel the way to save it is to get younger people involved. They hear my music and they might go back and support some of the guys that came before me - Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, some of the other people that came before me.”
Big James has performed with some of those people that came before him, including touring with Buddy Guy and performing with Otis Rush, Little Milton, and Albert King. The Chicago Playboys are Mike Wheeler, guitar and vocals; Cleo Cole, drummer; Joe Blocker, keyboards, and Larry Williams, bass.
Big James and the Chicago Playboys perform at 6:30 tonight on the Purdue Memorial Union’s front lawn; the rain location is the North Ballroom. Refreshments will be available. The event is co-sponsored by PSUB and PEFCU.