Bill Lupkin and the Chicago Blues Coalition

Bill Lupkin and the Chicago Blues Coalition - "Live at the Hot Spot" - 2000 - Blue Loon

Recorded live at the Hot Spot bar in harp-master Lupkin's home ground, Fort Wayne, Indiana, with his band, consisting of an on-the-money rhythm section and a couple of hired guns from Chicago, both well-known blues recording artists themselves, Billy Flynn and Barrelhouse Chuck. The material consists of popular blues standards, and the performance here is more than a few notches above average. Reminiscent of the West Coast harp players on their early recordings.

What the critics are saying

"Bill Lupkin was Jimmy Rogers' pick for harpman for many a tour, and he's backed up a long list of Chicago's finest over the years. This disc finds him fronting a very esteemed group of blues vets in front of an appreciative audience. Pretty close to perfection for a live CD, Lupkin and his band prove to be one of the best 'live' bands on the contemporary scene, and his harp skills put him in the top 5 or 10, depending on who you ask. Four bottles for a very impressive disc. Harpaholics will consider this a 'must have' CD" - Real Blues

TRACKS

1. Blow Wind Blow
2. Man or Mouse
3. Black Night
4. R & M Blues
5. Where You Goin'
6. What Have I Done Wrong?
7. That's Alright
8. Intros
9. Business Man
10. Got Me Nervous
11. Early in the Mornin'
12. Long Distance Call
13. Mean Mistreater

MUSICIANS

Barrelhouse Chuck - Keyboards
Mark Fornek - Drums
Bill Lupkin - Harp, Vocals
Billy Flynn - Guitar, Vocals, on Long Distance Call, & Mean Mistreater
Steve Lupkin - Bass

REVIEWS

This disc finds him (Bill Lupkin) fronting a very esteemed group of blues vets in front of an appreciative audience. Pretty close to perfection for a live CD, Lupkin and his band prove to be one of the best “live” bands on the contemporary scene, and his harp skills put him in the top 5 or 10, depending on who you ask. © Andy Grigg - Real Blues Magazine

Bill Lupkin is a veteran vocalist/harmonica player who recorded with Jimmy Rogers in 1972 before giving up music as his full time career and returning to his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana to run a stained glass business. However, Lupkin has kept his chops sharps and has now released a live album that was recorded live at the Hot Spot in Fort Waqyne, Indiana. The backing band on the disc is made up of Mark Fornek on Drums, Steve Lupkin on bass, Barrelhouse Chuck on piano and Billy Flynn on guitar. All the players have long been associated with the Chicago blues scene and the experience shows as the band plays as an enseble with no one member dominating the proceedings. The disc starts off with a version of Muddy Water’s “Blow Wind Blow” which quickly serves to show that this is a traditional Chicago blues band and not a group of recycled rock and rollers trying to play the blues. The next song “Man or Mousel” features a great groove sparked by some monster harp work from Lupkin. Throughout the disc, Lupkin proves that the years he spend running his business have not diminished his ability to play the harp, as demonstrated by his prowess on the slow blues of “Where You Goin.” As well as contributing solid harp playing to the disc, Lupkin is also a capable vocalist with a voice well suited for the material he covers. The final two tracks on the disc find guitarist Billy Flynn taking over the vocals and proving that he is also a very good vocalist as well as a world class guitarist. Like the great Chicago blues masters who have come before them, they understand that true Chicago blues comes from a group effort rather than relying on flashy soloing. Highly recommended. © Barry Gober from Blues Onstage

SHORT BIO

Chicago blues singer/harpist Bill Lupkin was born in Fort Wayne, IN in 1947; first exposed to the music of key influences like Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Jimmy Reed by his older brother, he began playing the drums at 17, moving to harmonica two years later. Upon relocating to the Windy City in 1968, Lupkin joined the Aces, followed by a lengthy stint backing Jimmy Rogers; he continued playing the local circuit in the years to follow, eventually forming his own backing band, the Chicago Blues Coalition, which for a time included teen guitar phenom Lil' Frank Krakowski. Lupkin's debut album Live at the Hot Spot appeared on Blue Loon in late 1999. © Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide