Chicago Has The Blues????

More fallout from the University of Chicago study that I posted about HERE on August 15th. This new article from the Chicago Sun-Times, asks a legitimate question: Why isn't Chicago one of the music capitols of the United States? Or for that matter the world?? (Click here) Seriously, a town the size of Chicago, and its suburbs shouldn't have a problem. According to the Times article, they need some sort of city or government office to help promote music. I am not sure I am in agreement with that, considering the corrupt nature of Chicago politics. Perhaps a better solution would be for a group of people to get together and form a coalition of like minded music groups. This has worked in Austin, and it is trying to work in Des Moines. Just seeing the live entertainment options this year in Downtown Des Moines is testament that someone is listening. I also would build on Chicago's history of Jazz, and Blues. Jazz came to Chicago from New Orleans, as King Oliver, and latter Louis Armstrong came up to play the speakeasy's of the mob. The blues came north with the large number of African American who moved north to work in the factories, and packing plants during WWI. Chicago has a rich history of African American music. Take advantage of it, and use it, isn't Chicago home of the blues anyway??????

Chicago Rated 5th In Hired Musicians

The third largest city in the United States apparently only has the fifth largest group of working musicians according to a survey put out by the University of Chicago. This survey is interesting however, I have no way to access it. I found this out from blogger James Porter of Time Out Chicago Magazine. Porter disagrees with the findings and I have to agree with him that some of the results seem out of sync. For instance Country Western musicians make up 5.1% of the population while Blues musicians make up only 3.6%!

However, before I get to out on a limb here, I would like to see the data. I have a feeling, (just a feeling:-) That perhaps these numbers are union musicians. The music union is pretty strong in Chicago, so perhaps they are using union membership for their numbers.

So Hopefully I can find some time this weekend to dig around on the net for the numbers, or if someone runs across the study send it my way. I don't want to jump all over the University of Chicago unless I can study the data. Also the University of Chicago is an outstanding university, so I can't see them releasing something half-baked.