It was Mississippi meets Chicago at an epic celebration for veteran bluesman John Primer who just made 80. “Grown in Mississippi,” Primer came up to the Windy City at the tender age of 18 and made his mark on the blues world in a big way. He’s done everything from playing with Muddy and the Stones at the old Checkerboard Lounge to winning a boatload of awards and garnering three Grammy nominations. He’s also fronted a bunch of incredible bands and remains a popular draw simply by giving it his all at every show.
So, it was only fitting that Primer’s 80th birthday celebration be held at Chicago’s most juke-like blues club, Rosa’s on Armitage. Rosa’s long-time owner, Tony Mangiullo, might hail from Italy but that Mississippi juke joint vibe permeates from every corner in what is rightfully known as “Chicago’s Friendliest Blues Bar.” This convivial club and Logan Square mainstay have been hosting great blues since 1984.
This was the setting for a pair of sold-out shows on Saturday, March 8th in honor of Primer’s milestone. Ever the entertainer, a nattily dressed Primer came out in full frontman mode as he kicked off the evening with the impeccable backing of his Real Deal bandmates. That would be Steve Harrington Bell on harp, Lenny Media on drums, and Melvin Smith on bass. This tight and talented band provided the perfect accompaniment to Primer’s slick guitar licks, Mississippi-drenched vocals, and down-home stage presence.
But Primer’s blues roots run wide and deep, so there was a rotating cast of stellar musician friends who had been waiting in the wings to play with him. First up was frequent collaborator, harmonica ace Bob Corritore, who had flown in from Phoenix especially for the occasion. This dynamic duo put on an electrifying version of “Crawlin’ Kingsnake,” which is up for a Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Album – and rightfully so.
Another special guest was the ageless Bob Stroger, who is going on 95 and continues to be one of the best bass players in the business. The soon-to-be Blues Hall of Fame inductee took his turn as a vocalist on “Pretty Girls,” which was yet another pretty cool moment on a night where there were many. In fact, the magical moments lasted well past the Daylight Savings time change as octogenarians Willie Buck and a bedazzled Mary Lane came up to strut their stuff and show off their impressive pipes well after the stroke of midnight.
But there were several more memorable collaborations on tap at Rosa’s. Former Real Deal Blues band member Tom Holland, who learned many a blues lick under Primer’s tutelage, was on stage with his old mentor for much of the night. Primer and Matthew Skoller also go way back. They met in 1982 and have toured and recorded together over the years. Skoller was third in a line of extraordinary harp players to play behind Primer on his big night.
The cavalcade of talented musicians continued with appearances by Marc Edelstein and Tony Wittrock. These two members of Donna Herula’s band are no strangers to the Rosa’s stage as Herula and Primer have often joined forces there. There was also an unannounced appearance by dynamic rising blues star Ivan Singh, who backed up Mary Lane on guitar for a few tunes. Primer’s youngest daughter, Aliya, showed that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as she displayed a vocal maturity on Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind” and “Te Ni Nee Ni Nu.”
In addition to hitting all the musical high notes, there was also food, cake and a birthday singalong, orchestrated by Primer’s wife and manager, Lisa. But the icing on the cake was her announcement that Primer’s new CD Grown in Mississippi will be released next month. This represents a return to the legendary blues man’s roots since the album features a full slate of Magnolia-state based artists including Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, Lightnin’ Malcolm. Deak Harp, Watermelon Slim, and others.
The release party for Grown in Mississippi will take place during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi on Thursday, April 10th. Here, Primer will again take center stage at an All-Star Blues CD release party to kick off the 22nd incarnation of this popular “only in Mississippi” festival.
One of Primer’s favorite sayings is “Nothing but a chicken wing,” so it’s heartening to see him winging it in fine fashion as he flies into a new decade of playing, performing and making new music. Because, after all, you can’t paint the blues without the Primer.
