A Chicago film production company believes it has an incredible idea for a blues themed television series. James Dill, Executive Producer and CEO of 24 Seven Concepts, who is also known as Jimmy Warren, host of America’s Blues Radio and a blues artist himself, came up with the concept of the show, “America’s Blues Brews & BBQ.” With Warren as host, the show will take viewers from coast to coast to some of the most iconic blues venues in the country, combining travel, food and the blues into one unforgettable experience. This project aims to not only introduce but to help preserve the blues along with these iconic people and places for generations to come. The production company has created seven demo reels for the show that have received a great response.
The series was created to be twelve standalone episodes each featuring one well known blues venue. Viewers experience the legacy and history of the venues while hearing from the blues artists and legends that have called the venue a home on the road. One episode opens with a crowd standing outside the Chicago famed, Rosa’s Blues Lounge. Named Chicago’s friendliest blues club. People are excited to experience a true blues legend performing at this intimate club. Host Jimmy Warren and three time Grammy nominee Billy Branch are discovered playing pool and discussing the importance of clubs like Rosa’s. Branch explains that Momma Rosa and Tony Rosa are family and Momma calls him and others like Melvin Taylor her sons. Not to mention momma is one hell of a cook!
Tony Rosa shares with Warren the deep history of Rosa’s and the incredible story behind its opening. “I’ve known Tony for years but I never knew it was because of a personal invitation from Jr. Wells that got Tony to move from Italy to Chicago and eventually open Rosa’s” explained Warren. The cameras turn and the party begins. Billy Branch begins to explode on stage as the audience reacts in excitement. Viewers experience portions of the live performance as well as many other moments from the biggest influences in blues. In each episode you will get a true feel for what the blues are all about. However it’s not just blues, you experience the sounds, sites, food, the beer and the people of each venue and community it serves.
Some of the interesting moments viewers will experience include: a never before interview with Bruce Iglauer (Alligator Records); Thomas Ruf (Ruf Records) and Richard Rosenblatt (Vizztone Records) together talking shop; Bob Corritore sharing his massive blues vinyl collection in his home; Candye Kane performing at the Rhythm Room (AZ) and talking candidly about her struggles. Others include are: Bill Wax, Tony Colter (B.B. King’s Bluesviille on SirrusXM), Billy Boy Arnold, Nick Moss, Curtis Salgado, Toronzo Cannon, Devon Allman, Mud Morganfield, John Nemeth and many more.
During the 2013 BMA’s in Memphis, Tennessee, the crew filmed several key players in the blues industry, including label executives and blues artists and traveled to Clarksdale, Mississippi to film at Ground Zero, the iconic blues venue owned by Morgan Freeman; the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona, owned by Bob Corritore and Rosa’s Blues Lounge in Chicago.
Whenever the crew has filmed, Dill says he has found great support from fans. The show’s web site, has had 1.3 million visitors to its site and over a half a million people viewed the show’s YouTube videos in the first 90 days of launching. Even though people like the idea of the show and the concept, Dill says he’s been told that the blues market is so small and networks haven’t been willing to take the risk on a series just yet. Dill feels that networks should view the show as more than entertainment and travel, looking at the project’s historical significance. The company has also considered partnering with private individuals for financial backing to eliminate some of the dependency on cable networks.
For now the America’s Blues Brews & BBQ series is on the shelf but the producers are enthusiastic that we will see on the screen someday soon. To learn more, please visit: www.24sevenconcepts.com
