Classical music
At the beginning of the 20th century, the country was home to many musicians fleeing Europe for political reasons: Schoenberg, Prokofiev, Hindemith, Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Bartók, Schoenberg and Martinu composed works influenced by the vitality of their host country during their exile. The United States produced few great classical composers before the advent of Gershwin and his Rhapsody in Blue in 1924. George Gershwin proposed one of the most original musical arrangements between the jazz and ragtime of the 1920s and classical composition. In the field of art music, the United States shines as avant-garde (John Cage) or minimalist (Philip Glass).
Another field in which the country excels is symphony orchestras. The USA boasts five exceptional ones, the famous "Big Five", all conducted by renowned maestros: the Cleveland Orchestra (Franz Welser-Möst), the New York Philharmonic (Jaap van Zweden), the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Andris Nelsons), the Philadelphia Orchestra (Yannick Nézet-Séguin) and, last but not least, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and its maestro Riccardo Muti. Conducted by such greats as Daniel Barenboim and Bernard Haitink, and featuring magnificent soloists, the CSO's reputation is well established. Founded in 1891, the ensemble performs at the Chicago Symphony Center, a superb concert hall facing Grant Park. To hear Riccardo Muti officiate is an enchantment. The city also boasts a major opera house, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, led by Franco-Italian conductor Enrique Mazzola, formerly of the Orchestre national d'Île-de-France. Performances take place at the Civic Opera House, a magnificent Art Deco building dating from 1929 and boasting exceptional acoustics.
He's not a member of the big five, but the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra has remained in top form since Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä took over. It is to him that we owe the best recent interpretations of Sibelius' symphonies. Also, the hall, rather small for an orchestra of this size (2,400 seats), has one of the best acoustics in the country. Another pleasant surprise comes from Detroit, where the Symphony Orchestra performs both classical and jazz standards under the direction of the illustrious conductor Jader Bignamini. The hall, nestled in the sumptuous Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971 and is well worth a visit in its own right.
Jazz
Originating in the worksongs of black slaves in the United States, jazz took shape at the beginning of the 20th century with the exodus of black Americans from the South to New Orleans and Chicago. Jazz became official in 1917, when the Original Dixieland Jazz Band - made up of white musicians, ironically enough - recorded the first Livery Stable Blues in Chicago. It wasn't until a few years later, in 1922, that black musicians were able to take center stage and gain acceptance from a white audience. The King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, originally from New Orleans (but based in Chicago), in which Louis Armstrong made his debut as trumpeter, met with great success. A real springboard for Armstrong's career. His recordings from 1925 to 1928 with his Chicago groups, the Hot Five and Hot Seven, took the original New Orleans jazz to a more sophisticated, improvisatory format, featuring solos and fast tempos, which laid the foundation for the Chicago jazz style.
The arrival of swing in the 1930s transformed jazz into a more rhythmic form of music. Orchestras of a dozen or so people developed, called "big bands" and playing saxophone, clarinet, piano and guitar. New York took over from Chicago, and Duke Ellington, playing for the Cotton Club, won over the public. This swing period was replaced in the mid-1940s by bebop. From then on, musicians played in small groups, giving themselves greater rhythmic and improvisational freedom. Charlie Parker, " Bird ", became the benchmark of this new movement. Illinois-born Miles Davis, who had collaborated with Charlie Parker, returned with Birth of the Cool to a calmer and, above all, more accessible jazz. This movement became known as " cool jazz ". He also pioneered the evolution towards jazz-rock, notably with his albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. From the mid-1960s to the present day, Chicago has cultivated a dynamic and innovative jazz scene, nurturing generation after generation of prodigies such as Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, the avant-garde Art Ensemble of Chicago, Rob Mazurek and Anthony Braxton, and the newly gifted Makaya McCraven.
For a jazz concert in Chicago, you're spoilt for choice. Andy's Jazz Club is one of the city's most popular bars. Since it opened in 1951, its name has been synonymous with a quality scene where established artists rub shoulders with new talent. Much more recent (opened in 2016), Winter's Jazz Club is the newest Chicago club to hit the scene. Jazz every night of the week (or almost), from every angle and in a pocket-sized space. For fans of free jazz and jazz at the frontiers of contemporary and avant-garde music, part of the Pitchfork magazine team has opened the chic and hip Constellation. And when you're in Chicago at the end of summer, it's unthinkable not to drop in on the Chicago Jazz Festival. It's one of the world's biggest events of its kind, where you can see some of the greats - Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Benny Carter and Ella Fitzgerald have all played - and... it's free.
The blues
Given Chicago's importance in blues history(see our feature on the subject), the city is unsurprisingly home to some of the best blues clubs in the USA. Starting with the House of Blues. While the program has become a little more eclectic in recent years, blues is still king within its walls. As an institution, Buddy Guy's Legend is run by the living legend of the blues mentioned on the sign: Buddy Guy. Now in his 80s, he's still a regular on the premises, accompanied on stage by internationally renowned musicians. It's obviously very crowded, but well worth the effort. Less famous, but just as renowned, is Rosa's Lounge, a very pleasant venue featuring local bluesmen. Otherwise, more intimate and quiet, but just as sharp, the Chicago B.L.U.E.S. Bar is a very good alternative to the places mentioned above. Of course, if the world's biggest free blues festival has to be held anywhere, it's in Chicago. It's called the Chicago Blues Festival, and every June it brings the cream of the genre to Grant.
The rock
If the city was the birthplace of the blues, Chicago was not the birthplace of its direct descendant: rock. The genre took shape in Tennessee in the hands of white artists such as Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins, giving a new interpretation to black American rhythm 'n' blues. That said, generation after generation, Chicago remains a buzzing hive from which great bands emerge. From the 1980s with alternative rock stars Smashing Pumpkins to the present day with bands like Wilco, Tortoise and Andrew Bird and labels like Thrill Jockey and Drag City, Chicago nurtures one of the most active independent music scenes in the US. The birthplace of the hyper-influential music magazine Pitchfork, Chicago is home to the annual Pitchfork Music Festival, held in the famous Union Park. It's hip, sometimes too hip, but the program is one of the most cutting-edge in the world. Chicago is also home to Lollapalooza, one of the world's best-known rock festivals, with over 170 concerts on eight stages. Last but not least, Windy City offers more than one street bar for the rock fan. Like the famous Martyr's, very rock in both program and spirit, or Empty Bottle, one of the city's best-loved indie rock venues. And when you're a bargain-hunter, you'll never want to miss a trip to Dave's Records, a cavern filled with tens of thousands of vinyl records in all genres, at great prices.
Rock wasn't born in Detroit, but... almost. It was a local band, the famous Bill Haley & The Comets, who launched rock 'n' roll in 1955 with their first hit Rock Around The Clock. Since then, with every generation, rock stars have been born in and around Detroit, carrying with them something unique. At the end of the 1960s, the MC5 and above all The Stooges (Iggy Pop's band) were to create a raw, savage rock sound, the precursor of the punk that was to come. Around the same time and in the same city, one of the icons of hard rock also emerged: Alice Cooper. More recently, Detroit was also the birthplace of one of rock's last greats, Jack White, former member and founder of the now-defunct band The White Stripes (responsible, among other things, for the worldwide hit Seven Nation Army). Detroit is a rock town through and through, and offers a number of dedicated stages. One of the best is undoubtedly Saint Andrew's Hall, a rock mecca that in its day saw performances by Iggy Pop, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, to name but a few. More intimate, but also more focused on young talent, El Club in Mexicantown is a sure bet. The programming, the decor, the atmosphere, the clientele... everything here is a success. For anyone visiting Minneapolis around June, the Rock The Garden festival, held on the outdoor lawn of the Walker Art Center, features some great artists and plenty of rock.
Folk music
Perhaps it's because the Great Lakes region has been (and remains) particularly fertile for folk music. Some of the genre's greatest names have flourished here, starting with its brightest star: Bob Dylan. A legendary singer, Robert Allen Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan, was born in May 1941 in Duluth, northern Minnesota, and grew up in Hibbing, a mining town in central Minnesota. He brought folk music to its peak in the early 1960s, with hits like Like a Rolling Stone . With a string of instant classics, he almost single-handedly defined the genre, poetically using folk's " white blues " to convey the protest fever of the 1960s. It was in this context, during the anti-Vietnam War protests and student movements, that he made his breakthrough, launching his global hit Blowin' in the Wind and producing his best albums: The Freewheelin', Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited. But popular pressure was too strong, and his image as a militant rebel didn't suit him. He was constantly besieged by hordes of fans camped outside his house. In 1966, he withdrew from public life after a motorcycle accident. He gradually rejected the image he had created for himself, trying to surprise and even disappoint his most unconditional fans by varying styles and influences. It wasn't until 1975 that he made a real comeback with his excellent album Blood on the Tracks. Today, he continues to tour, and if opinions are divided, his songs still enthrall crowds, who easily forgive him his somewhat distant concerts. On October 13, 2016, Bob Dylan entered legend once again, becoming the first musician-performer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature since the prize was created in 1901, for his contribution to the great tradition of American song.
While the militancy of the genre will fade with age, folk music still revolves more or less around the same pattern, and many of its current stars hail from the Great Lakes region: Bon Iver, Wilco, Andrew Bird, Sufjan Stevens and Frontier Ruckus.
The soul
If the history of soul music has been rather timid on the Chicago side - except for a handful of big names: Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, Sam Cooke - it's masterful in Detroit. In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. founded the Motown label (Motor Town) and made Detroit the capital of soul music. Home to a staggering number of global hits, Motown gave the world artists such as the Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and The Temptations. In fact, it would be a shame to pass through Detroit without paying a visit to the Motown Museum. Housed in the former home of the legendary Berry Gordy, this is where the label's first - and already glorious - hours were recorded.
The pop
Pop music heavyweights come from the region, and not the least, a veritable royal family! Madonna, aka The queen of pop, was born in Bay City, Michigan. Michael Jackson, also crowned The king of pop, hails from the small industrial town of Gary, Indiana, just outside Chicago. And let's not forget His Purple Majesty, Prince, also known as The Kid from Minneapolis.
Louise Ciccone aka Madonna began studying dance and theater at an early age, before moving to France, where she met French disco singer Patrick Hernandez. Together they formed the group Breakfast Club, in which Madonna plays drums and sings. Back in Detroit, on the Great Lakes, in 1980, she released her first hit, Everybody, which proved a big hit in American nightclubs. Holiday, released in 1983, was her first international hit: the Madonna phenomenon was launched. This was followed by Like a Virgin, a single that went to number one in the U.S. charts for eleven consecutive weeks. In 1989, her new video Like a prayer, mixing erotic and religious themes, caused a scandal. The media furore only increased Madonna's popularity, and she became a formidable businesswoman. Today, she continues to release albums, surrounded by successful producers, and her tours are veritable shows.
Michael Jackson's father discovered early on that his son and several of his children (there were nine at home) had a definite talent for music. By the time Michael was 5, and his brothers almost 10, he had them rehearsing. The Jackson 5 were born. They performed in Gary's bars and quickly became famous. Joe Jackson soon moved the family to Detroit to concentrate on their career, giving up his factory job to become their agent. In 1970, the Jackson 5 became nationally known with their album Diana Ross Presents: The Jackson 5, with the song I Want You Back. In 1971, Michael went solo, but remained a member of the group. In 1979, he released Off the wall, which topped the charts, notably with the song Rock with you. He followed this up with a string of successful albums, Thriller (1982) with Billie Jean, Beat it and Thriller, whose music videos made music history. In Billie Jean, the artist performs his trademark moonwalk for the first time. In 2009, he prepared a tour, This is it, which was never to see the light of day, as the artist died on June 25 of the same year. Considered the greatest pop star of the 1980s-2000s, he was honored worldwide by millions of fans.
Another untimely death was that of Prince in 2016, found dead in Paisley Park, his Minneapolis home. A singer and musician who rose to global stardom in the 1980s, he composed and played funky pop and had an eccentric genius: high heels, finery, make-up... His greatest hits include 1999, When Doves Cry, Kiss and Purple Rain. An exceptional musician, he plays all the instruments in some of his songs.
Hip-hop
Chicago rap is more a heterogeneous constellation of fabulous talent than a scene with a common foundation. Pêle-mêle, we find some of the most important names in the genre, such as the zany Kanye West, the text-based rappers Common, Chance The Rapper or Open Mike Eagle, the speed records of Twista or the sexy R'n'B of Jeremih. That said, in addition to a slew of talented artists, there's a Chicago sound, and even a style: drill. It's the city's darker side. Originating on the South Side, the deprived and particularly dangerous part of Chicago, this style is slow, heavy, repetitive and highly anxiety-provoking, just like the neighborhood that gave birth to it. Big names on the scene include Chief Keef, King Louis and Lil Durk.
In Detroit, a city eternally marked by its glorious industrial past, it's often said that you can hear the sound of the working class in its music. And this is particularly true of its rap, with its signature sound. In addition to Eminem, the mega-star emblem of local hip-hop, there's Big Sean, who has become a star, the eccentric and often incredible Danny Brown, and also a cult artist, the late J Dilla. A brilliant composer and producer, he brought many elements of jazz and techno to hip-hop, turning it into a curious and bewitching hybrid object. Check out his band Slum Village. And why not pick up a vinyl of his work at Paramita Sound in the downtown district. A very pleasant place to listen to rap music in town is The Old Miami, with its renowned live shows where all Detroit artists play (and have played). Much bigger, the headliners always play at the giant Majestic Theatre complex, nestled in an imposing 1915 Art Deco building.
Electronic music
It's good to know that, along with Berlin (to a lesser extent), Chicago and Detroit are the most important and respected cities in the history of electronic music. And why? Because house music was born in the former and techno in the latter. Yes, it was in Chicago that house music was born, in a club called The Warehouse, which gave it its name. The daughter of disco - which reached its apogee in the late 1970s and established DJ culture - house music adapted gospel and soul to the dancefloor in the early 1980s, speeding up the rhythm, making it more mechanical and adding rhythm boxes and synthesizers. In the hands of pioneers like Frankie Knuckles - the first of the first - and Marshall Jefferson, Larry Heard and Mr. Fingers, a feverish music took shape that quickly invaded New York and then Europe. French electronic superstars Daft Punk are directly influenced by Chicago house. The capital of the genre, Chicago is still home to some excellent places to dance to house music. One of the most popular - judging by the queues - is Smartbar. Almost as old as house music itself (opened in 1982), it has played host to all the big names of the era, and today invites the stars of the genre who, scalded by the prestige of the venue, always give it their all. Less iconic, but just as popular, Berlin is one of the city's best LGBT clubs, and often boasts a very good program. Otherwise, for good house music (and much more) in a slightly chic setting, The Whistler is the place to be. The people are beautiful, the waiters pleasant, the DJs talented and the cocktails devilish!
While Chicago gave life to house music, Detroit responded in the mid-1980s with its own sound: techno. Cooler, more robotic and futuristic, it was initiated by a trio of friends who went on to become legendary: Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. Fans of house music, they created a parent style inspired by the industrial environment of their city. Quickly followed by a second wave of pioneers, this new music was exported within a few years. Leading figures such as Jeff Mills and Carl Craig emerged, admired today as living legends. Completely transformed - into a version known as "minimal" - by the Berlin scene in the 1990s, techno gradually conquered Europe to become the party music of choice. Proud of its heritage, Detroit regularly celebrates the genre with events such as Movement. Created in 2000, Movement is one of the most important international gatherings of the electronic music scene. It's held every year over Memorial Day weekend, and numerous pre and after-parties are also organized around the city. Otherwise, the Marble Bar programs many of them, a chance to see Detroit's young techno talents as well as the pundits of the genre who love the place and drop in to play regularly. And of course, fans of the genre won't leave town without picking up a few gems at Detroit Threads, a great record shop where you can always find nuggets.
