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South Michigan Avenue An American Blues Band Non Illigitimis Carborundum |
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2120 South Michigan Avenue
is a 5-piece blues band in the tradition of the great Chicago bands of the 1950's and '60's.
In fact, the band takes its name from the Chicago address of Chess Records, the studio where
Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter Jacobs and others recorded the great songs that
form the backbone of our repertoire.
But 2120's song list isn't confined to just Windy City blues. We play Texas and Memphis blues, too, as well as R&B classics and bluesy ballads. In the same set you might hear both "Fever" and "Born in Chicago;" Chuck Berry's "Nadine" plus the classic "Mystery Train;" Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me" followed by the Memphis sound of "Next Time You See Me" and the Texas T-Birds sound of "Rock With Me Tonight." Our featured vocalist, Sunny Crownover, thrills audiences with her powerful renditions of songs like Bonnie Raitt's "Love me Like a Man." And we always get the crowd shouting with our version of the great Muddy Waters' tune, "Got My Mojo Workin'." 2120's sound blends straight-ahead Stratocaster electric guitar and amplified harmonica with an on-the-money rhythm section. Sunny Crownover and Charlie Sawyer take turns on vocals, sometimes joining forces on humorous and soulful duets. We also spice up our repertoire with some three-part harmony. The main thing is that 2120 South Michigan Avenue swings. You can dance to our music, or just sit and listen over dinner and drinks, but you'll enjoy the show whether you've got the blues or not. Recent Press on 2120: Boston Phoenix: Cellars By Starlight by veteran entertainment reporter Ted Drozdowski. "[2120] invoked the spirits of harmonica kings Little Walter Jacobs and Junior Wells with close-to-the-bone renditions of 'Last Night,' 'Blues with a Feeling,' and 'Snatch It Back and Hold It,' all powered by Sawyer's beautiful bent harp notes and [Peter 'HiFi'] Ward's subtle perfection...2120 South Michigan Avenue had the Chicago sound covered." Other comments on 2120 musicians: Guitar great Ronnie Earl, Metronome Magazine, September, 2003 "My favorite youger guitar player is Mai Cramer's husband Peter 'Hi-Fi' Ward...After Mai died I invited him to come to the Sit 'n' Bull and he played some of the most traditional, beautiful, not flashy blues guitar that I hadn't heard since I was seeing Louis Meyers with Muddy Waters." Blues historian and harmonica great Adam Gussow on Charlie Sawyer's harp playing "What impressed me most, and instantly, was the originality of your [harmonica] voice...[and] your rhythmic concept is like nobody else's...You have... a unique and instantly recognizable tonal signature." |