Numero Group along with WFMU Radio have made available for free download a collection of 60 songs recorded from 1908 through 1980 that tells the story of the history of recorded music in Chicago.

Numero archivist/producer Michael Slaboch gives a little background on the tracks and how the project came together, as well as a complete track listing below.

The history of recorded music in Chicago during the 20th century was broad and deep, traversing sonic areas both familiar and unknown.  The earliest crude recordings on Edison cylinders date back to the turn of the century and carry on through the rise of 78s, 45s and LPs cut at major studios like Universal Recording Co., RCA, and Chess by many artists who would become musical icons and household names.  But there was no shortage of smaller studios, like P.S. & Paragon, that had great recording equipment and incredible engineers like Malcolm Chisolm and Paul Serrano behind the consoles for ambitious, and lesser known but equally as talented musicians to lay down tracks at well into the ’70s and beyond.

The City of Chicago asked its Cultural Historian, Tim Samuelson, along with my Numero Group colleague Rob Sevier and myself to create a 3 hour mix from the earliest sourced recording through 1980 – just before the rise of Chicago’s house music scene.  Below is an MP3 of our mix we presented at Millennium Park’s Audio Picnic series, it’s an aural journey of a city whose recording output & legacy has influenced and changed the scope of the history of music around the world for centuries to come.  Enjoy!

Tracklist:

Introduction – Chicago That Toddling Town

1908 – I’m Afraid To Go Home In The Dark – Billy Murray
1916 – Some Sweet Day – Marion Harris
1919 – Darktown Strutters Ball – James Reese Europe’s Hellfighters Band
1923 – Made A Monkey Out Of Me – Original Memphis Five
1924 – Night Hawk Blues – Coon-Saunders Nighthawk Orchestra
1924 – Mecca Flat Blues – Priscilla Stewart and Jimmy Blythe
1926 – Sunset Cafe Stomp – Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five
1926 – Doctor Jazz – Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers
1926 – Banjorino – Dixieland Jug Blowers
1927 – Miss Annabelle Lee – Paul Whiteman’s Rhythm Boys
1932 – Bugle Call Rag – Mills Brothers
1932 – If You See My Savior- Thomas A. Dorsey
1937 – New Shake Em’ On Down – Big Bill Broonzy
1939 – Rural Rhythm – Hoosier Hot Shots
1944 – Little Joe From Chicago – King Cole Trio
1945 – Chicago Breakdown – Big Maceo
1947 – Ora Nelle Blues – Little Walter
1948 – I Can’t Be Satisified – Muddy Waters
1949 – Tennessee, Tennessee – Homer & Jethro with Chet Atkins
00:54:00
1952 – Red Hot, Chili Mac – The Morocco’s
1955 – Dirty Bird – The Flips
1956 – Saturn – Le Sun Ra & His Arkestra
1956 – So Long – The El Ray’s w/ Willie Dixon
1958 – You’re Breaking My Heart – The Daylighter’s
1958 – Lover’s Reunion – The Dontells
1958 – Teenagers Letter Of Promises – Juanita Rodgers
1958 – Twirl – The Vongayles
1959 – Double Trouble – Otis Rush
1960 – The Shepards – Tragic
1961 – Apache War Dance – Earl Hooker
1961 – The Opals – Hop Skip & Jump!
1961 – Ricky Allen – Cut You A Loose
1962 – Gorrila – The Ideals
1962 – Tell Her To Come On Home – Little Mack
1962 – Sadness & Madness – The Conquistadors
1964 – When I’m With My Baby – The Magnetics
1965 – I’ll Never Say Goodbye – The Vontastics
1966 – A Lover’s Reputation – Denise LaSalle
1966 – The Girl I Threw Away – The Knaves
1967 – Devastator – Stormy
1967 – Nona – Vincent Chapelle
1968 – A Portrait Of God’s Love – Cindy & The Playmates
1968 – You’re In My Mind – Graf Zeppelin
1968 – Greyhound Bus Jingle
1968 – Don’t Waste My Time – The Daughter’s Of Eve
1968 – The Great Train Robbery – The Little Boys Blues
02:03:00
1969 – Kent Schneider – Church Is Within Us
1969 – Untitled – Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble
1969 – Puppet On A Chain Pt.1 – Third Creation
1970 – Like A Ship – T.L. Barrett
1971 – Dignitaries Of Hell – Coven
1972 – I’ll Get You Back – Renaldo Domino
1973 – Jesus Will Help Me – Gospel Comforters
1973 – Jenny – Heaven & Earth
1974 – It’s Free! – The Bishops
1975 – Never Coming Back Again – The Final Solution
1975 – Talking To Myself – Hollins & Starr
1979 – How To Love – Dedrick LaMar
1979 – Boogie Child – Spirit Touch
1980 – Where’s My Dog – The Buzzards

Coming off the heels of their successful and sold-out performance at the Park West last April, the local independent label Numero Group will be taking it’s Eccentric Soul Revue on the road, starting with a show at Lincoln Hall this Saturday.  

The tour is being co-sponsored by Shlitz and will include many special guests at stops along the way.

Added to the roster from the Spring concert is local singer Linda Balintine, whose ultra-rare 45″ appeared on, Eccentric Soul: The Bandit Label and Sharon Clark who was featured on the compilation, Eccentric Soul: The Yodi Label.  Another addition, Pastor TL Barrett and his choir  who are featured on the upcoming release, Good God! Born Again Funk, is slated to kick the show off with a song from the album.  

Returning to the stage are local soul legends Syl Johnson, Renaldo Domino and The Notations.  Once again Chicago’s own JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound will serve as house band delivering soul and funk grooves all night long.  Tickets are selling out fast, so tell your friends on the East Coast to get on the ball and check out some Windy City legends.

The Numero Group Eccentric Soul Revue Tour:

Saturday Nov 7th
Lincoln Hall
Chicago, IL
Special Guests:
Linda Balintine, Sharon Clark, & Pastor TL Barrett
18+/Doors 8pm
Tickets: Lincoln Hall
–
Sunday Nov 8th
Crofoot Ballroom
Pontiac, MI
Special Guests:
Bobby Cook & Velma Perkins
All Ages/Doors at 7pm
Tickets: Ticketweb

–
Monday Nov 9th
Lincoln Theater
Columbus, OH
Special Guests:
Marion Black & The Four Mints
All Ages/Doors at 7pm
Tickets: Lincoln Theater and Ticketmaster
* No service fees with cash at box office*

–
Tuesday Nov 10th
9:30 Club
Washington D.C.
All Ages/Doors at 6pm
Tickets: 9:30 Club and Brown Paper Tickets

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Friday Nov 13th
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY
Special Guest:
Missy Missy Dee
18+/Doors 8pm
Tickets: Music Hall of Williamsburg and Ticketmaster
* No service fees with cash at Music Hall or Mercury Lounge*

–
Thursday Nov 12th
Grand Ballroom, Manhattan Center
New York, NY
Special Guest:
Missy Missy Dee
All Ages/Doors at 7pm
Tickets: Grand Ballroom and Ticketmaster
* No service fees with cash at Mercury Lounge*