|
|
|
|
know the blues... Artists
Who Is Bob Levis? Last summer I had gone to Rocky's to listen to Steve Ditzell play. I was quite impressed with the talent of a guy who was sitting in with Steve. He was playing the guitar and, better yet, he was playing the blues. This was my first introduction to Bob Levis. Bob Levis is a blues guitarist from Chicago. He was born in Chicago in 1951. At the age of 12 he became interested in the guitar so he enrolled in music school. He quit after a while because his main interest was just to play the guitar. He started learning from Sam Franco who taught him to play Louie Louie on the first day. He did not learn it well but he could recognize the song at least. It was a good feeling for Bob. At 14 the neighborhood kids got a band together playing and learning WLS "silver dollar songs" or the top 40. They eventually got paid gigs at churches, Boys Clubs and the Jewish Community Center. It was fun and they made money too! Then the blues came to Bob in the form of Spider in My Web by Ten Years After. This song was his introduction to the twelve bar blues and became a catalyst for Bob's future in playing blues. At Alice's Revisited, a non-alcoholic club where Bob and his band rehearsed in the basement, Bob got the opportunity to listen to Muddy Waters with Pinetop Perkins who were playing upstairs. This greatly impressed him. Once both bands were playing the same tune Chicken Shack . Soon Bob's band was told by the owner to hold it down. While mending an injured leg after being hit by a car, Bob would listen and play to Albert King records all day. This was his first big influence. Next, Bob met Little Sonny Wimberly who played funk, blues and disco at the Checkerboard Lounge. Sonny got Bob gigs at Teresa's Lounge, Queen Bee, etc. in Chicago. Another defining moment was when Bob, in his mid 20s, met Otis Rush. Bob soon determined that it was his goal to play and tour with the Otis Rush Band. He pestered Otis for weeks every Friday and Saturday to let him sit in with them and it wasn't long before Bob was playing with Otis Rush. He first paid gig with Otis was at the north side Wise Fools Club. This playing relationship with Otis was from 1975-1980 during which time he toured Europe and Scandinavia and was included on Otis Rush's recordings, the first one being Cold Day in Hell in 1976 and Let's Talk It Over in 1977. During this period Bob also played with Lonnie Brooks and recorded on his albums Living Chicago Blues Vol.2 and Blues Delux which were both nominated for Grammy awards. Other albums on which Bob can be heard feature artists such as Robert Covington, Karen Carroll, Johnny B. Moore and The Ken Saydak Band. In 1980 Bob formed a band, The Fabulous Fishheads, which was the first Kingston Mines house band. The band included three Bobs who were Bob Levis, Bob Covington and Bob Anderson who had played with James Cotton. Bob's band played there for 20 years, 4 nights a week. He also played with Dion Payton during this period. In the year 2000 Bob was back with Otis Rush, once again touring in Japan, Scandinavia and New York. While in Japan and Europe, Bob noticed that the fans really appreciated the players and the blues, especially the Chicago style blues. After the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, the music scene really slowed down and Bob returned to Chicago. In 2002 Bob and his wife moved to Rockford looking for a change not far from Chicago. Since moving here, Bob has renewed some old acquaintances: Steve Ditzell (when Steve played with Koko Taylor and Junior Wells), Dave K and Bea Brady and Vic Herold who all play in the Rockford area. Now Bob can be seen sitting in with various blues players such as Steve Ditzell, Dave K, The Blues Hawks, Lucky Peterson, Pistol Pete and Eddie Shaw at our local establishments that support the blues such as Big Cities, Leisure Tyme, Rocky's, Old Chicago and Lungo's Landing. Bob is pleased to see that the Rockford blues scene is as busy as it is and that there are good places to play. If you are into the blues, you will probably eventually see him sitting in with the bands mentioned. I would also like to tell Bob I'm sorry for taking his solo spot the first time at Rocky's, but I won't as he gets more stage time than I do anyway. Thanks Bob. Submitted by Joe Poluyanskis AKA Harmonica Joe |
