Ken Saydak
Encyclopedia
Ken Saydak is an American
Chicago blues
pianist
and singer-songwriter
. In a long career, Saydak has played as a sideman
to Lonnie Brooks
, Mighty Joe Young, Johnny Winter
and Dave Specter
. Saydak has released three album
s under his own name since 1999. Billboard
once described him as "...a gripping frontman".
, including Winter's Grammy Award
nominated LP, Guitar Slinger
. Following this spell, Saydak became one of the members of the blues rock band
, Big Shoulders
, who issued two albums (produced
by Saydak) before disbanding.
His debut solo album was 1999's Foolish Man released on Delmark Records
.
Saydak has also produced his own albums, as well as Zora Young
's 2000 issue, Learned My Lesson. He has now appeared on over fifty albums.
The Chicago Sun Times reported "Ken Saydak has built an impressive body of work with his three solo albums and his studio work...It's My Soul is his best stand-alone project yet".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Chicago blues
Chicago blues
The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. In a long career, Saydak has played as a sideman
Sideman
A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
to Lonnie Brooks
Lonnie Brooks
Lonnie Brooks is an American blues singer and guitarist. He was born in Dubuisson, Louisiana, United States...
, Mighty Joe Young, Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter
John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
and Dave Specter
Dave Specter
Dave Specter is an American Chicago blues and jazz guitarist.-Biography:Hailing from Chicago's Northwest side, Specter began to learn to play the guitar at the age of 18. His teacher was Steve Freund, who taught Specter between the latter's duties at Jazz Record Mart, and Delmark Records...
. Saydak has released three album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s under his own name since 1999. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
once described him as "...a gripping frontman".
Biography
During the 1980s, Saydak played on tours and albums by Johnny WinterJohnny Winter
John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
, including Winter's Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominated LP, Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger (album)
- Track listing :#"It's My Life, Baby"#"Don't Take Advantage of Me"#"Iodine in My Coffee"#"Trick Bag"#"Mad Dog"#"Boot Hill"#"I Smell Trouble"#"Lights Out"#"Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye"#"My Soul"#"Walkin' Slow"...
. Following this spell, Saydak became one of the members of the blues rock band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, Big Shoulders
Big Shoulders
Big Shoulders was a Chicago based blues influenced rock and roll band, known for their bawdy renditions of popular folk tunes. They were active in the 1980s and 1990s.Their two albums were produced by Ken Saydak, the band's singer and keyboardist....
, who issued two albums (produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Saydak) before disbanding.
His debut solo album was 1999's Foolish Man released on Delmark Records
Delmark Records
Delmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
.
Saydak has also produced his own albums, as well as Zora Young
Zora Young
Zora Young is an American blues singer. She is a distant relative of Howlin' Wolf.Young's family moved to Chicago at age seven and sang gospel at the Greater Harvest Baptist Church...
's 2000 issue, Learned My Lesson. He has now appeared on over fifty albums.
The Chicago Sun Times reported "Ken Saydak has built an impressive body of work with his three solo albums and his studio work...It's My Soul is his best stand-alone project yet".
Albums
- Foolish Man (1999) - DelmarkDelmark RecordsDelmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
- Love Without Trust (2001) - Delmark
- It's My Soul (2005) - Evidence
Other appearances
- 1976 - Mighty Joe Young - Mighty Joe Young - Keyboards
- 1983 - Hot Shot - Lonnie BrooksLonnie BrooksLonnie Brooks is an American blues singer and guitarist. He was born in Dubuisson, Louisiana, United States...
- Keyboards - 1984 - Guitar SlingerGuitar Slinger (album)- Track listing :#"It's My Life, Baby"#"Don't Take Advantage of Me"#"Iodine in My Coffee"#"Trick Bag"#"Mad Dog"#"Boot Hill"#"I Smell Trouble"#"Lights Out"#"Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye"#"My Soul"#"Walkin' Slow"...
- Johnny WinterJohnny WinterJohn Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
- Keyboards - 1985 - Serious Business - Johnny Winter - Piano
- 1986 - Third DegreeThird Degree- Track listing :#"Mojo Boogie"#"Love, Life and Money"#"Evil on my Mind"#"See See Baby"#"Tin Pan Alley"#"I'm Good"#"Third Degree"#"Shake your Moneymaker"#"Bad Girl Blues"#"Broke and Lonely"- Personnel :...
- Johnny Winter - Piano - 1988 - The Winter of '88The Winter of '88- Track listing :#"Close To Me"#"Rain"#"Stranger Blues"#"Ain't That Just Like A Woman"#"World of Contradictions"#"Lightning"#"Looking For Trouble"#"Show Me"#"Anything For Your Love"#"Look Away"#"Mother Earth"...
- Johnny Winter - Keyboards - 1990 - Big Shoulders - Big ShouldersBig ShouldersBig Shoulders was a Chicago based blues influenced rock and roll band, known for their bawdy renditions of popular folk tunes. They were active in the 1980s and 1990s.Their two albums were produced by Ken Saydak, the band's singer and keyboardist....
- Organ, piano, accordion, vocals - 1991 - Nickel History - Big Shoulders - Organ, piano, accordion, vocals
- 1991 - Bluebird Blues - Dave SpecterDave SpecterDave Specter is an American Chicago blues and jazz guitarist.-Biography:Hailing from Chicago's Northwest side, Specter began to learn to play the guitar at the age of 18. His teacher was Steve Freund, who taught Specter between the latter's duties at Jazz Record Mart, and Delmark Records...
with Bill Smith - Organ, piano - 1991 - Let Me In - Johnny Winter - Piano
- 1993 - Fortune Tellin' Man - Jesse FortuneJesse FortuneJesse Fortune was an American Chicago blues singer and barber.-Biography:Born in Macon, Mississippi, Fortune was trained as a barber before moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1952. In Chicago, he worked as a barber during the day and a blues singer at night...
- Organ, piano - 1994 - Blueplicity - Dave Specter - Organ, piano
- 1994 - Gotcha! - Barkin' Bill SmithBarkin' Bill SmithBarkin' Bill Smith was an American Chicago blues and electric blues singer and songwriter. Although he was born in Cleveland, Mississippi, Smith spent his latter years in Chicago.-Biography:...
- Piano - 1994 - One to Infinity - Tad RobinsonTad RobinsonTad Robinson is an American soul blues singer.Robinson was born and raised in New York City, United States, attending school at Indiana University's school of music and graduating in 1980...
- Organ, piano - 1995 - Had My Fun - Karen CarrollKaren Carroll (musician)Karen Carroll is an American Chicago blues singer. She was born to parents Mack Carroll and Alberta Simmons Carroll . Her godparents were the jazz guitarist George Freeman and blues vocalist Bonnie Lee.Carroll started singing in church at the age of six...
- Organ, piano - 1995 - Sweetheart of the Blues - Bonnie LeeBonnie LeeBonnie Lee was an American Chicago blues singer. Known as 'Sweetheart of the Blues', she is best remembered for her lengthy working relationships with Sunnyland Slim and Willie Kent...
- Organ, piano - 1995 - Wild Cards - Al Miller - Organ, piano
- 1996 - Left Turn on Blue - Dave Specter - Organ
- 1996 - Long Way to Ol' Miss - Willie KentWillie KentWillie Kent was an American blues singer, bassist and songwriter.-Career:Kent was born in Inverness, Sunflower County, Mississippi....
- Piano - 1996 - Live at Blue Chicago - Johnny B. MooreJohnny B. MooreJohnny B. Moore is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a member of Koko Taylor's backing band in the mid 1970s, but has recorded nine solo albums since 1987...
- Keyboards - 1997 - 700 Blues - Lurrie BellLurrie BellLurrie Bell is an American blues guitarist and singer. His father was renowned blues harmonica player, Carey Bell.-Career:...
- Organ, Piano - 1997 - Troubled World - Johnny B. MooreJohnny B. MooreJohnny B. Moore is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a member of Koko Taylor's backing band in the mid 1970s, but has recorded nine solo albums since 1987...
- Piano - 1998 - Blues Spoken Here - Dave Specter and Lenny Lynn - Piano
- 1998 - Kiss of Sweet Blues - Lurrie Bell - Organ, piano
- 1998 - Make Room for the Blues - Willie Kent - Electric piano
- 1998 - Ready - James Wheeler - Piano
- 1999 - Knockin' at Your Door - John PrimerJohn PrimerJohn Primer is an American Chicago blues and electric blues singer and guitarist.-Biography:He played guitar at Theresa's, a club in Chicago, between 1974 and 1980. He was influenced by Muddy Waters' former sideman, Sammy Lawhorn, who taught him to play slide guitar...
- Organ, piano - 2000 - Can't Take It - James Wheeler - Organ, piano
- 2000 - Learned My Lesson - Zora YoungZora YoungZora Young is an American blues singer. She is a distant relative of Howlin' Wolf.Young's family moved to Chicago at age seven and sang gospel at the Greater Harvest Baptist Church...
- Organ, piano, producer - 2000 - Royal Blue - Koko TaylorKoko TaylorKoko Taylor sometimes spelled KoKo Taylor was an American Chicago blues musician, popularly known as the "Queen of the Blues." She was known primarily for her rough, powerful vocals and traditional blues stylings....
- Piano - 2000 - Speculatin - Dave Specter - Piano
- 2002 - In the House: Live at Lucerne, Vol. 1 - Bob Stroger - Piano, vocals, producer
- 2004 - Have a Little FaithHave a Little Faith (Mavis Staples album)Have a Little Faith is the Anti Records debut of veteran soul singer Mavis Staples.-Track listing :# "Step Into the Light" # "Pops Recipe" # "Have a Little Faith" # "God Is Not Sleeping" # "A Dying Man's Plea"...
- Mavis StaplesMavis StaplesMavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
- Choir, chorus - 2008 - Tell Me Why - Alex Wilson - Hammond organ