Who jazz-rocked it harder? Early Chicago or Blood Sweat and Tears?

**BeBob** · 11-16-2017, 02:40 PM

Like you, Mr. B, I have my parents to thank for my early music education. My parents were a bit older. They were members of The Greatest Generation, and form them a night out on the town meant going to a dance hall where a big band was playing. As a kid I remember watching them do the Lindy Hop. Then there was my Grandmother. When I'd go over to her house in Mayfair I remember her having The Lawrence Welk Show on the TV. If it weren't for those influences then I would have become stuck in that rut of popular AM hit radio, because back then all we had were AM radios, WLS was the nation's biggest popular music station and it's repertoire was very limited. Those were the days when more people listened to AM than FM, and album rock broadcasting didn't really exist yet. I think that Chicago really helped to change what was being heard on AM radio at the time. IMO that was a good thing.

**teeps** · 11-16-2017, 04:37 PM

Neither do I think of either group (BS&T and Chicago) as jazz-rock. More like bigband-rock. Probably because of the nature of the horn arrangements. Which to my ear differs from the role of the horns of Tower of Power, Phil Collins in the '80s or Earth Wind & Fire (not that I would put these three in the same box).

**lammie200** · 11-16-2017, 07:55 PM

You all should check out Terry Kath's daughter's bio-doc. Really well done.
I grew up 90 miles outside of Chicago in SW Michigan. CTA and Chicago were huge influences and I saw the band a couple of times. Not really early, but before the P. Cetera show began. I could dig a 2 and a half minute romp for a radio single, but I lived for the long tracks that Chicago put out. I am sure that they were iconic even for people that would just listen in passing. It was real music.

**guido5** · 11-16-2017, 08:16 PM

Terry Kath could do this (be patient it is slow to get going...):

Any other questions?

**cosmic gumbo** · 11-17-2017, 04:09 AM

I do have to admit that compared to John Philip Sousa, the early 70's kids in marching band did get pretty darn wound up about having Chicago tunes to march to....and it continues to this very day. Let me tell you that the publishing revenue for marching band ain't no joke, and the Chicago and BS&T composers are lucky to have that market.

**Stevebol** · 11-17-2017, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by lammie200

You all should check out Terry Kath's daughter's bio-doc. Really well done.
I grew up 90 miles outside of Chicago in SW Michigan. CTA and Chicago were huge influences and I saw the band a couple of times. Not really early, but before the P. Cetera show began. I could dig a 2 and a half minute romp for a radio single, but I lived for the long tracks that Chicago put out. I am sure that they were iconic even for people that would just listen in passing. It was real music.

The top R&B cover band in the country is from Chicago. They have the groove and the harmonies. Takes a little while to get going here but it's good;

**Stevebol** · 11-17-2017, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by neatomic

nobody rocked the horn section harder than sly and the family stone...they influenced everybody...from james brown, fela, marley to electric miles on down...

"all the squares go home!"

cheers

Sly and War were the first funk bands. War gets overlooked.

**destinytot** · 11-17-2017, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Stevebol

The top R&B cover band in the country is from Chicago. They have the groove and the harmonies. Takes a little while to get going here but it's good;

Fantastic.

**destinytot** · 11-17-2017, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Stevebol

They are good. It's a shame that mistress culture destroyed R&B on the west coast and the far east.

Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster's Daughter: Shoko Tendo, Louise Heal: 8601400301074: Amazon.com: Books

I'm going to read that.

My 'Soul Samurai' went to pot, but it's coming back stronger -smaller, funkier, with more instrumentals (and probably fewer vocals). Rehearsing on 28th.

**destinytot** · 11-17-2017, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by Stevebol

The top R&B cover band in the country is from Chicago. They have the groove and the harmonies. Takes a little while to get going here but it's good;

"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" - word. Especially when musicians are doing it for the love of music, not money. That's contagious.

**Stevebol** · 11-17-2017, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by destinytot

"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" - word. Especially when musicians are doing it for the love of music, not money. That's contagious.

It's all corporate and fake in the southwest US.

**jimraygilliam** · 11-17-2017, 01:47 PM

They were both so different it’s hard to compare for me. While Kath just blew me away I was drawn more to BS&T. Especially like the Jerry Fisher vocals. Here’s one of my favs...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Stevebol** · 11-17-2017, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by destinytot

I'm going to read that.

My 'Soul Samurai' went to pot, but it's coming back stronger -smaller, funkier, with more instrumentals (and probably fewer vocals). Rehearsing on 28th.

Good luck with the band.
The book brings up bad memories for me. It also helps put the past behind me. It's not well written but it might be of interest to some.

**Stevebol** · 11-18-2017, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by destinytot

I'm going to read that.

My 'Soul Samurai' went to pot, but it's coming back stronger -smaller, funkier, with more instrumentals (and probably fewer vocals). Rehearsing on 28th.

It's a great story but depressing. Half the book is about her getting her ass kicked. She hates gambling and she hates Osaka. She doesn't live there anymore.