FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Delmark Recording Artist Johnny Burgin Teams with Rising Blues Piano Star Ben Levin

Saturday November 19, 2022, 7:00 PM -11:00 PM at Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall in Milwaukee

Blues Guitarist and Singer Johnny Burgin only makes it to Milwaukee once or twice a year. Don’t miss his exciting and hard-hitting Chicago blues show! This time it’s a double bill with 22-year old up and coming blues piano man Ben Levin.

Johnny Burgin and Ben Levin may have a thirty year age difference, but they share the same musical mission to play traditional blues as purely as they can. Both sought out original Chicago blues masters to learn from and work with– Johnny did his time in the 90s with Howlin’ Wolf/Paul Butterfield drummer Sam Lay and Muddy Waters pianist Pinetop Perkins, while Ben Levin’s latest Vizztone recording features 90 year old bass legend Bob Stroger, Alligator recording artist Lil’ Ed and the dynamic octogenarian guitar slinger Lil’ Jimmy Reed. Ben also worked with, recorded and had a close friendship with fellow Cincinnati native Phillip Paul, the drummer on hundreds of recording sessions for the legendary R & B/Blues label King records. Burgin and Levin have both learned from the Blues artists that came before, and carry on those traditions with renewed energy. Mr. Paul passed away in January of this year at the age of 96.

EVENT DETAILS:

Saturday November 19, 2022

Johnny Burgin and Ben Levin

Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, 1920 S 37th St, Milwaukee, WI,

7:00 PM to 11:00 PM / Cover $10

For more information, see the Facebook invite here.

Ben not only rocks the house with some powerful piano in the vein of Professor Longhair, Pinetop Perkins and Otis Spann, but he handles the crowd with the coolness and humor of a veteran performer. As well he should: he played 150 shows a year since he was 15 years old. Ben’s been on a roll in ’22, with a BMA nomination for Best Piano Player, a coveted slot on the Joe Bonamossa Mediterranean Cruise last August, and several headlining Festival appearances. He’s managed this all while finishing up a Bachelor’s degree in History from University of Cincinnati.

Johnny Burgin is a Chicago Blues guitarist, BMA and Blues Blast Award nominee, blues educator and Delmark recording artist. Johnny’s never-ending, jam-packed touring and recording schedule has led to diverse collaborations from Blues legends like Charlie Musselwhite and Billy Boy Arnold to the first American compilation of the underground Japanese blues scene, the No Border Blues CD and podcast. Vintage Guitar praised Johnny’s “stellar guitar playing”. Although Johnny now lives in Norfolk VA, he is well remembered by Midwest audiences from the hundreds of Midwest shows he played while living in Chicago.

Johnny and Ben worked together last summer at the Pinetop Perkins Workshop in Clarksdale, MS. Ben was a teaching assistant, after having spent many previous summers as a student Johnny was the guitar instructor, working alongside longtime Muddy Waters guitarist Bob Margolin. Johnny and Ben did a successful tour on the East Coast in late July now they’re bringing their collaboration to these series of shows in Skokie, Milwaukee and Rockford, introducing Ben to a wider Midwest audience. Johnny is relishing his new-found ability to mentor younger players, especially of Ben’s caliber. “Ben’s a real natural onstage and he’s worked hard to develop his talent to the fullest. Pinetop Perkins would be proud!” Johnny said of Ben. Blues fans will love this team up of an accomplished blues guitarist at the height of his powers and a young pianist at the beginning of a promising career.

Video:

For more information:

EPK:

Press Contact:

Johnny Burgin, (630) 432-4940, rjohnnyband@gmail.com; Kevin Johnson, (773) 539-5001, Delmark Records, promo@delmark.com