BLUES Backyar BBQ

After a great weekend in Detroit I drove into Chicago and headed straight to BLUES on Halsted for their annual Backyard BBQ. With amazing weather, food, (Some of the largest burgers I have EVER seen) and music preformed by Rob Blaine, Carlos Johnson and many more it turned out to be a great night, enjoyed by all who attended. Here's a few photos and a video from the night. Enjoy..

Amazing Carlos Johnson Solo from Chris Monaghan on Vimeo.

Mike Wheeler

Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting Mike Wheeler, a staple guitarist in the Chicago Blues scene. Mike and his wife stopped by the studio for a quick portrait session, helping me inch towards my project goal. What an incredibly amazing couple they are. We didn't have much time together, but I hope to get to know them better over the duration of this project. Thanks guys, Enjoy.

Chris Harper

This past Friday I got to see Chris Harper and his band up at Rosas Lounge on Armitage. I arrived a little late, missing the first set, which was OK considering the quality and length of the second. Heres a few quick shots from the night. Now, I'm off to edit Farm Fest450 photos from Saturday. What an amazing little festival it was. I feel lucky to be there with such a great group of people.

Dan Carelli

Just time for a quick post from my shoot this afternoon with Dan Carelli. Thanks Dan! Off to Rosas Lounge for Chris Harper, Rob Blaine and a drink with Dan.

Wendy Hayes kicks off the Blues Project!

A special thanks to Wendy Hayes for helping me officially kick off this Chicago Blues portrait project! Wendy is an amazing Bass player and singer and it was a great working with her. I think we got some great photos, here's a quick look at a few of the shots. Expect more soon. Guitarist Dan Carelli will be stopping in this afternoon as well for a quick portrait session. Along with Rob that makes 3. If I can keep this pace I may just be able to hit my goal! Also this weekend is the second annual (my first) Farm Fest 450. Headlining this year is Backyard Tire Fire, along with Chicago Farmer, Jaik Willis, Miles Nelsen, Ernie Henrickson, Bubba Fats,and the Herbert Wiser Band. Looking forward to documenting this amazing little fest!