The region will miss 'Big Jack!'

Northwest Indiana's music community lost another beloved member of its ranks May 4, when veteran music maker Jack Adams Sr., 75, of Highland, passed away.

These puppies have a musical bite and a region connection

Have you ever heard of Snarky Puppy? Neither had I until earlier this week.

Local Scene: The "Earl" of Old Town leaves quite a legacy behind

The world lost two icons of folk music last week, starting April 22 when news broke of guitarist/vocalist Richie Havens, who with a strum on his guitar in the farm field in upstate New York, kicked off a history-making musical weekend as the opening act of Woodstock died of a heart attack. H…

Local Scene: Bad Cadillac dances as Juice sets in

Northwest Indiana’s Bad Cadillac has been rocking every Sunday night for the past several months at Goodfellas Bar & Grill in Cedar Lake, but this Sunday will be an extra special night for the nearly two-year-old quintet and their fan base.

Region music community loses a longtime friend

It is with sadness I report the passing of longtime drummer Anthony “Tony” Nicoletto, 65, of Valparaiso. Tony was a well respected and well known member of the regional music community for many years.

The day my daughter critiqued a film for Roger Ebert

When Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert died last week at the age of 70, this columnist immediately flashed back when my job included sharing downtown film screenings with Ebert, his then rival/partner Gene Siskel, and other media folks. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, along with covering popul…

Local Scene: Rocker helps others find “Happily Ever After” lives

Michael McDermott wholeheartedly believes in “happily ever after” stories. The singer/songwriter/guitarist has battled many personal demons and points to his own life as proof a person can get through the darkest, stormiest days to find a rainbow waiting for them.

Local Scene: Late region drummer inspires fundraising for diabetic kids

On Saturday the memory and musical life of a local drummer – Mike Ratley -- now two years gone will be celebrated while kids who are now suffering with the ailment that contributed to Ratley’s untimely death will be helped.

Local Scene: The Scoreboard rocks back to the 1960s

Former Gary teens and region rock icons of the 1960s, Oscar & The Majestics, perform a 9 p.m. show of retro rock from the era on Saturday at Bridges Scoreboard (121 N. Griffith Blvd, Griffith). The group has done limited live shows since reforming with their original line-up to promote t…

“Tails Of Love” wag as local rockers unplug to help animals.

Longtime regional music favorites Ripley Street, best known for cranking out high-volume rock ‘n’ roll shows at area festivals and night clubs, will have their hearts plugged in and their instruments unplugged for a special acoustic performance Sunday afternoon at Maxine’s Restaurant in Mich…

Chicago-rooted jammers are Freddy once again.

The Freddy Jones Band – a group born in Chicago during the 1990s and renowned worldwide for their roots-rock jam-heavy performances in the tradition of groups like The Band and The Allman Brothers -- will return to their “home turf” after a long absence for two shows.

New music series debuts at Fitzgerald's Night Club

When “The Local Scene” column spotlighted the ongoing Big Band music series at Fitzgerald’s Night Club (6615 West Roosevelt Road) in Berwyn, the email response from readers was strong. It seems quite a few folks were in search of a venue that offered up such vintage sounds.

Local Scene: Local music scene flush with news this week

There’s a flurry of regional music news to report this week - new local artist recordings, sad news of a popular music retailer closing, good news of another area music retailer being saved from the same fate, the loss of some talented folks, and more.

New regional band blends folk and urban sounds

Stone Blind Valentine is the brand new acoustic project of longtime Chicago musicians Emily Hurd, Colby Maddox, and Gregg Ostrom. Hurd has been writing and recording as a popular Midwest solo artist for a few years and in late 2012 released a collection of Christmas songs embraced by Nationa…

Two regional concert series return for 2013 season

The coming of a new year brings new shows to area venues and among the most anticipated series of shows by region music lovers are those brought to the college town of Valparaiso each year by regional promoters who are first and foremost music fans.

Unreleased recordings hint at where Hendrix might have been headed

Region fans of the late great Jimi Hendrix will be delighted to know an album of previously unreleased recordings by the iconic Seattle guitarist who would have turned 70 this past Nov. 27, is forthcoming via Experience Hendrix LLC (which manages the music, name, image and likeness of Jimi H…

Celebrating 21 years of big band tradition in Berwyn

The Bill O’Connell Chicago Skyliners Big Band celebrates 21 years of monthly performances Sunday at Fitzgerald’s night club in Berwyn,Ill., where they have been a popular attraction the second Sunday of every month since 1991.

Buddy Guy tops the news in Chicago blues

Chicago blues guitar legend Buddy Guy -- a recipient of a prestigious Kennedy Center Honors award aired earlier this week alongside Dustin Hoffman, Led Zeppelin, Natalia Makarova and Indiana’s own David Letterman -- has released “Buddy Guy: Live At Legends” via Silvertone/RCA Records.

Marrakesh Express outgrowing “Tribute” status with new album

Marrakesh Express – Northwest Indiana’s long popular Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young tribute group – has completed and released a self-titled 11-song collection featuring their versions of seven CSN&Y songs, plus four original tunes.

Region rocker now making new music on the West Coast

Dyer native and rock guitarist, Joe Perez, chased his rock ‘n’ roll dream all the way to California last year, where he found some kindred creative spirits to make music with as the Banshee Bones.