Terry Blade is a Chicago-based, multi-genre singer-songwriter who infuses his music with perspectives from his black queer experience. His work has earned significant recognition, including the 2023 American Songwriter Song Contest Blues Category win, four Telly Awards, and nominations for Hollywood Music in Media and Josie Music Awards. Drawing comparisons to Phillip-Michael Scales, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Buffalo Nichols, Blade’s work has garnered attention from notable music publications like American Songwriter, Earmilk, and The Boot.
Terry Blade has released a new album “Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues.” The album opens powerfully with “Nothin’ But the Blues,” featuring a historic 1977 recording with Theresa Needham. This innovative track combines what sounds like archival interview material with newly added musical elements – swampy harmonica and acoustic guitar work that perfectly frames the historical narrative about Chicago’s Southside.
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“Getting’ Tired of You” showcases Blade’s skill of traditional blues elements while telling a compelling story. The bluesy guitar riffs provide a solid foundation for Blade’s deep, raw vocal delivery that commands attention. The song’s narrative, inspired by Harlem crime boss Madame Stephanie St. Clair, explores themes of power dynamics and inevitable downfall. Blade’s ability to channel historical figures through blues storytelling demonstrates impressive artistic vision.
“Tell ‘Em” by Terry Blade hits you with this wonderfully optimistic vibe, carried by bright guitar riffs and soaring vocal work that just transports you straight to a smoky, intimate bar setting. The high-emotion delivery mixed with the bluesy elements creates this perfect vintage atmosphere while keeping things fresh and engaging. It’s like witnessing a live performance where raw talent meets pure emotion.
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“Be Around No More – Original” packs such a punch despite its shorter length. The raw acoustic riffs lay down this irresistible foundation while Blade’s vocal work just grabs you by the soul. You can’t help but move to its subtle headbanging rhythm. What makes this track particularly striking is how it handles its theme of walking away. The emotion in Blade’s delivery perfectly captures that moment of finally breaking free – you can hear the weight lifting in every note.
Blade closes the album with a powerful anthem “Fallen Sons – Original” that builds from a dreamlike chorus into something truly monumental. The gradual layering of subtle beats and riffs creates a rich foundation that perfectly supports what unfolds into a deeply moving tribute. The jazz undertones added throughout the arrangement, adding sophistication to the song’s emotional weight, while Blade’s deep, commanding vocals deliver every line with profound gravity.
The song’s narrative masterfully bridges two worlds of American violence – from Wild West showdowns to Chicago’s urban struggles. Through vivid explanation like “You walk ten paces, then you turn and shoot,” Terry Blade draws a haunting parallel between historical and contemporary violence, suggesting that while the settings change, the human cost remains the same. As an album closer, “Fallen Sons” serves as both a culmination and a reflection, bringing together the album’s themes of history, struggle, and survival into one powerful final statement.
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Enjoy listening to “Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues” by Terry Blade here.
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