Severn Records recording artist, Tad Robinson, is one of the leading voices of modern soul-blues music. From his NYC roots and his Indiana and Chicago musical upbringing, Tad has caught the attention of the scene with his 10 Blues Music Award nominations (the Grammys of blues music) and his recordings for the Severn label as well as his earlier work on Delmark Records. He tours widely in the U.S. and has played in over 20 countries worldwide with performances at some of the most important international blues festivals. With harmonica chops inspired by Junior Wells and Junior Parker and a voice that compares to Otis Redding, Syl Johnson, Al Green, and Teddy Pendergrass, Tad ranks as one of the most unique and talented members of the international blues and soul communities.

In 2004, Robinson was signed to a record contract with Maryland-based soul/blues focused, Severn Records, a turning point in his career. His recordings include guest appearances by the Memphis Horns, Otis Clay, Anson Funderburgh, Johnny Moeller, Alex Schultz, Devin B. Thompson, and the Hi Rhythm Section.

Ken Saydak, a native of Chicago, Illinois, has enjoyed a fifty-year career as a musician, writer, vocalist, and producer. He currently hosts a two-hour weekly blues program. The Trinidaddio Blues Houron KCRT-FM, a commercial station near his home in southern Colorado.

Ken is the pianist, organist, and accordionist on over seventy albums by national and international artists. A co-producer of the two Rounder Records CDs with his 1990’s American roots band, Big Shoulders, Big Shoulders and Nickel History. He has also produced his latest SnailWorx albums, both of his Delmark CDs, along withblues singer Zora Young’s critically acclaimed 2000 release, Learned My lesson (Delmark), and bassist, Bob Stroger’s solo debut, In The House, recorded live at the Lucerne Blues Festival in Switzerland.

The list of artists who have enlisted his talents both on the stage and in the studio include Johnny Winter, Otis Rush, Willie Kent, Bo Diddley, Lonnie Brooks, John Primer, Mighty Joe Young, Billy Boy Arnold, Sam Lay, Dave Spector, James Wheeler, Tad Robinson, Lurrie Bell, Mississippi Heat, Bonnie Lee, Steve Freund, Zora Young, Johnny B. Moore, Karen Carroll, Eddie Shaw, The Cash Box Kings, Billy Flynn, Barkin Bill Smith, Jesse Fortune, Bandallamas, Alex Wilson, Paul Filipowicz, Al Miller, Billy Boy Arnold and Ron Sorin.

Mel began his musical apprenticeship years in the early 1970’s as a solo artist opening for such blues greats as Albert King, Otis Rush, Albert Collins, Freddy King, and others. This led to tours with Legendary Blues Band, Little Smoky Smothers and Blind Bryan Lee.

He has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with the likes of Junior Pettis, Sunny Land Slim, Zora Young, and also Bo Didley. He can also be heard as a guest artist on “Royal Mint”, a recording by “Cash Box Kings” on Alligator Records

Over the years Mel has become a much sought-after headliner and sideman mainstay in the Midwest being truthful to the music he has been so deeply influenced by

Born and raised in Chicago and one of the few guys who are into the blues who come from Chicago, most come from somewhere else, He started listening to blues in the sixties. I remember going down to Maxwell Street when I was a young kid. My parents were factory workers so we didn’t have a lot of money so they used to buy stuff at Maxwell Street and I remember specifically going down there when my parents bought lamps there and I remember coming out of this store carrying the lamp, I must have been five or six years old, and seeing these guys with harmonicas and stuff jumping around outside of the store. It made an impression on me.

Over the years I’ve recorded with Muddy Waters, Rockin’ Johnny, Studebaker John, Mud Morganfield, the Blues Harmonica Projects, Little Mack Simmons, Big Mojo Elem, Tail Dragger, Easy Baby, Classie Ballou, Ronnie Hawkins, Maxwell Street Kings for Delmark, Harmonica Hinds, John Primer and a whole load of others.

Rick was with Muddy Waters from 1980 through to 1983. The first thing Muddy said to Rick was do you have a passport. He didn’t at the time but he wanted us to fly out the following Monday. He told me to go to the office and tell them I was working with Muddy Waters and I would get a passport. So, I went to the office and told them this and I got a passport the same day.

Rick has shared stages as the bassist/guitarist or has recorded with Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Kenny Aronoff, Stephen Stills, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, Jimmy Thackery, Albert Cummings, Sam Lay, Carey Bell, Eddy Clearwater, AC Reed C and so many others through the past 50 years!

Born Dec. 9, 1950, in Frankfort IN his future musical endeavors began with the purchase of an electric guitar at Sears Roebuck in 1963. The dream of playing surf instrumentals soon gave way to the British Invasion of the 60's and into the incredibly special times of social revolution and artistic evolution of the next decade.

In the 70’s Rick found himself immersed in the tremendously important times of blues music at ground zero........Chicago. It was here he found The Bob Riedy Blues Band featuring Sam Lay and Carey Bell. And so began the blues segment of a long and world winding road.

Bass playing had become his most noted position, especially during the 9 world touring years as bassist with Walter Trout However remains an outstanding blues and rock guitarist in his own right.

Jon started playing drums in Chicago at age 16 in the band Blues by Five, which was the first blues band to play at the then named, Kingston Mines Café in Chicago. He joined the Bob Reidy Blues band in 1975 backing Sam Lay, Carey Bell, Eddy Clearwater, Otis Rush, Johnny Littlejohn, Chuck Berry, Magic Slim, Billy Boy Arnold and Hubert Sumlin along with other local Chicago blues artists. That led to stints with different bands and musical styles from rock to rockabilly to country.

He has been involved with many notable blues recordings for Delmark Records along with other local and European labels including: Blues by Five - 1975; Eddy Clearwater -Two Times Nine 1981 (Baron); Matt Lucas - Chicago Sessions 1981 (Congo); Dave Specter - Blue Bird Blues 1991 (Delmark); Tad Robinson - One to Infinity 1994 (Delmark); Bonnie Lee - Sweetheart of the Blues 1995 (Delmark); Karen Carrol - Talk To The Hand 1997 (Delmark); Tad Robinson - Last Go Around 1998 (Delmark); Ken Saydak - Foolish Man 1999 (Delmark); Jimmy Johnson - Peppers Hangout (rec 1977) 2000 (Delmark); Matt Lucas - Back in the Saddle Again 2007 with James Burton and Charlie Musselwhite (Ten O Nine); Bob Riedy Blues Band - Live from Chicago (rec 1977) 2007 (Chicago Sound Recordings); Bob Riedy Blues Band - Late Freight (rec 1979) 2007 (Chicago Sound Recordings); Brian Pepper - Lost Days 2008 (Ten O Nine); Delmark Records 40th Anniversary (Delmark); Delmark Records 45 Years of Jazz and Blues (Delmark).

Jon has been a constant promoter of the Chicago Blues, and good music from many genres. He has worked with and recorded many artists on his Ten O Nine record label through the years.