Much to the highest power of awesomenessist delight, the band
Chicago performed for over 2 hours at the
Montgomery Performing Arts Centre in downtown
Montgomery, Alabama,
USA on April 30,
2015.
Band members were so energized. It was so contagious that the audience was up out of their chairs singing, waving arms, and I stood as well. How could they keep this up - they play at the
New Orleans Jazz and
Heritage Festival tomorrow!? "
Make Me Smile" is a song written by
James Pankow for the rock band Chicago. Part 1 of
Pankow's 7-part
Ballet for a
Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second
album, Chicago (often called
Chicago II), which was released in
1970. A radio-friendly edit of "Make Me Smile" (incorporating the end of "
Now More Than Ever," the final track from the Ballet) was released as a single in March 1970, becoming the band's first Top 10 record, peaking at number nine on the
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. When Chicago released their compilation album
The Very Best of: Only the
Beginning in
2002, they featured a new edit of the song, with the "Make Me Smile" and "Now More Than Ever" parts segued together again, but without the numerous cuts;—the full intro and the guitar solo of the former part, and the full outro of the latter part, were thus included. Since
Terry Kath's 1978 death, the vocals for live performances were sang
Bill Champlin, until he departed the group in
August 2009. On shows that Champlin did not attend,
Robert Lamm sang the lead vocal. Champlin's replacement
Lou Pardini now sings "Make Me Smile".
Considered one of the longest running and most successful pop/rock ‘n’ roll groups in history, Chicago is the highest charting
American band in
Billboard Magazine’s list of Top
100 artists of all time, coming in at #13.
Lifetime achievements include a
Grammy Award, multiple
American Music Awards, elected as Founding Artists to the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a
Star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Chicago street dedicated in their honor, and Keys to and Proclamations from an impressive list of US cities.
Formed in 1967 in Chicago, the “legendary rock band with horns” released their first album “
Chicago Transit Authority” in
1969. Since then, they have had record sales top the 100,
000,000 mark, and include 21 Top 10
singles, 5 consecutive
Number One albums, 11 Number One singles and 5
Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 36 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 47 gold and platinum awards.
In 2014, their debut album “
The Chicago Transit Authority” was inducted into the
Grammy Hall Of Fame. This was followed by announcement of their 2014 summer tour with
REO Speedwagon, a televised performance on the
2014 Grammy Awards CBS broadcast, and the release of “
NOW” Chicago XXXVI in July 2014.
The Band - Chicago Members:
Robert Lamm -
Keyboard/Vocals - Founding
Member
Robert wrote many of the band’s biggest hits, including “
Does Anybody Really Know What
Time It Is?,” “
Beginnings,” “
Saturday in the Park,” “
Dialogue” & “
25 or 6 to 4.” His vocal
and keyboard performances are instantly recognizable – a huge part of Chicago’s “signature” sound.
Lee Loughnane - Trumpet/Vocals - Founding Member
In addition to playing trumpet, Lee’s songwriting contributions for Chicago have included the hit singles “
Call on Me” from
Chicago VII and “
No Tell Lover” from
Hot Streets, as well as album cuts such as “
Together Again” on
Chicago X and “
This Time” on
Chicago XI.
James Pankow - Trombone/Vocals - Founding Member
James has composed many songs for Chicago, including thehits “Make Me Smile” and “
Colour My World” (both from his suite Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon), “
Just You ‘N’ Me,” “(
I’ve Been)
Searchin’
So Long,” “
Old Days,” “
Alive Again,” and is responsible for most of Chicago’s horn arrangements.
James Pankow - Trombone/Vocals - Founding Member
Trombonist James Pankow has composed many songs for Chicago, including thehits “Make Me Smile” and “Colour My World” (both from his suite Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon), “Just You ‘N’ Me,” “(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long,” “Old Days,” “Alive Again,” and is responsible for most of Chicago’s horn arrangements.
Walter Parazaider -
Woodwinds - Founding Member
Walt’s primary musical role in the band has consisted of playing saxophone, flute, and woodwinds. His compositional contributions include (“It
Better End
Soon: 2nd
Movement”, “
Free Country”, “
Aire”, “
Devil’s
Sweet”, “
Window Dreamin’”).
Parazaider’s highly recognizable flute solo in the Chicago hit “Colour My World” is a Chicago classic.
Jason Scheff -
Bass/Vocals
Tris Imboden - Drums
Lou Pardini -
Keyboards/Vocals
Walfredo Reyes Jr. -
Percussion
Keith Howland -
Guitar/Vocals
http://www.chicagotheband.com/
MVI 7416
- published: 03 May 2015
- views: 425