In this final episode of Exploring the Blues in Chicago, Brett David Stewart assembles a panel of fellow podcasters with an admiration for Chicago blues. Joined by Phil Rood and Peter Fisher, Stewart discusses helms a discussion about what makes the blues so special. How does it find its way into our lives? What makes it stay? At the end of the day, fans’ love of … Continue reading 5: Blues Fan Round Table
In this episode of Exploring the Blues in Chicago, Brett David Stewart sits down with music journalist, author, and liner note writer, Bill Dahl. He has written liner notes for hundreds of albums, even receiving a Grammy nomination for his work on Rhino’s fiftieth anniversary collection of Ray Charles’ music. Dahl has worked as a music journalist for a variety of publications, including the Chicago Tribune … Continue reading 4: The History
In this episode of Exploring the Blues in Chicago, Brett David Stewart learns what the life of a Chicago blues artist is like through two fascinating interviews. Frank Bang and Derrick Procell both discuss their trajectories through the blues community, the triumphs and tribulations that followed, the future of their genre, and much more. Frank Bang is a long-time member of the Chicago blues scene. From … Continue reading 3: Chicago Blues Artists
In this episode of Exploring the Blues in Chicago, Brett David Stewart sits down briefly with Keith Dixon of the Blues Heaven Foundation to discuss the important role independent record labels played in the formative years of Chicago blues. Dixon’s grandfather was Willie Dixon, and the foundation is located at the old Chess Records building and studio. Furthermore, Stewart discusses the blues with Bruce Iglauer, the … Continue reading 2: The Independent Label
In the debut episode of Exploring the Blues in Chicago, host Brett David Stewart introduces the program and its overarching endeavor: to shine a spotlight on the Windy City’s most beloved music genre. This podcast will feature a series of interviews from industry professionals, artists, and fans to craft an understanding of the past, present, and future of Chicago blues. Before delving into those interviews, however, … Continue reading 1: Introduction
In the fifth episode of Silver Screens & Politics, Brett Stewart and Dominic Cichocki delve deep into ‘The Bystander Theory,’ a 2013 film that attempts to explore theories on the JFK assassination. A film that’s nearly impossible to find, we stumbled upon it in a video store, much to our future dismay. ‘The Bystander Theory’ is the perfect mix of sub-par acting, horrible script writing, … Continue reading 5: “The Bystander Theory” Has No Theory
In the fourth episode of Silver Screens & Politics, Brett Stewart and Dominic Cichocki delve deep into ‘Wilson,’ the 1944 Woodrow Wilson biopic directed by Henry King. While it bombed at the box office, the shiny, oh so shiny, portrait of the 28th president of the United States won a slew of Academy Awards, including honors for screenwriting and special effects. At two and a … Continue reading 4: “Wilson” Is a Technicolor God
For five days in January of 2017, Brett David Stewart visited the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., to cover the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. On his journey, Stewart encountered protesters and supporters alike, hosted a series of live reports from the Washington Mall, and moderated discussion panels for several podcasts. This is one of Stewart’s reports from that … Continue reading Inauguration Report: Live on the Ground
In the third episode of Silver Screens & Politics, Brett Stewart and Dominic Cichocki delve deep into ‘The Wind and the Lion,’ the 1975 film directed and written by John Milius. The film fictionalizes a historical story of President Theodore Roosevelt working to get back an American citizen who has been kidnapped by a Moroccan Sheikh. Milius’ creative liberties make this tale one of action … Continue reading 3: “The Wind and the Lion” and the Wonder Bread
In the second episode of Silver Screens & Politics, Brett Stewart and Dominic Cichocki delve into Gabriel Range’s 2006 film, ‘Death of a President.’ This highly controversial docudrama catalogs the hypothetical assassination of President George W. Bush and its aftermath. Is it poor taste to make a film that explores the death of a sitting president? Is ‘Death of a President’ even convincing in that … Continue reading 2: Press Sec. Alex Jones (“Death of a President”)
Tilting Windmill Studios 