Corky Siegel performs solo at The Acorn in Three Oaks

Cheryl Morey, South Bend Tribune
·2 min read
A young fan listens up close as Corky Siegel performs June 24, 2023, at Dewey Canon Park in Three Oaks. The blues musician returns to the southwestern Michigan village Nov. 11, 2023, to perform a solo show at The Acorn.
A young fan listens up close as Corky Siegel performs June 24, 2023, at Dewey Canon Park in Three Oaks. The blues musician returns to the southwestern Michigan village Nov. 11, 2023, to perform a solo show at The Acorn.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

THREE OAKS — Corky Siegel performs a solo, 60-year-career concert at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 at The Acorn, 107 Generations Drive.

A founding member with guitarist Jim Schwall of the blues-rock band The Siegel-Schwall Band in the 1960s, the pianist and harmonica player is a Blues Hall of Fame inductee.

From 1966 to 1975, Siegel-Schwall released 10 albums, including a collaboration with Maestro Seiji Ozawa and the San Francisco Symphony, “William Russo’s Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra.”

After reforming in 1988, the band released two more albums: 1988’s “The Reunion Concert” and 2005’s “FlashForward.”

Shown performing June 24, 2023, at Dewey Canon Park in Three Oaks, Corky Siegel returns to the southwestern Michigan village Nov. 11, 2023, to perform a solo show at The Acorn.
Shown performing June 24, 2023, at Dewey Canon Park in Three Oaks, Corky Siegel returns to the southwestern Michigan village Nov. 11, 2023, to perform a solo show at The Acorn.

Siegel released three solo albums between 1976 and 1983 before founding Chamber Blues, an acclaimed ensemble that performs his classical-blues compositions and arrangements.

With Chamber Blues, he has released five albums, including 2017’s “Different Voices” and its continuation, 2022’s “MORE Different Voices.”

Siegel, who turned 80 on Oct. 24, also released two solo albums in 2022: “Songs for Truth and Harmony” and“Something Wrong.” He recently made “Songs for Truth and Harmony” available for free streaming and download at corkymusic.com.

During the pandemic he presented over 160 live streams called “Life’s Dreams” that included performance and interviews with internationally renowned personalities such as Alvy Rey Smith (founder of Pixar and code writer of “Toy Story”) and composer/musician David Amram.

Shown performing June 24, 2023, at Dewey Canon Park in Three Oaks, Corky Siegel returns to the southwestern Michigan village Nov. 11, 2023, to perform a solo show at The Acorn.
Shown performing June 24, 2023, at Dewey Canon Park in Three Oaks, Corky Siegel returns to the southwestern Michigan village Nov. 11, 2023, to perform a solo show at The Acorn.

He’s currently recording his Symphony No. 6 with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and in January, he will perform a series of concerts with orchestras in Germany to celebrating 50 years since the release of William Russo’s “Street Music: A Blues Concerto,” which he premiered and recorded with Ozawa.

Masks are encouraged but not required.

Tickets are $65-$40.

For more information, call 269-756-3879 or visit www.acornlive.org.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Corky Siegel performs solo at The Acorn in Three Oaks