Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues

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since; his latest thinking on the subject will be on display at the Ark on Friday, June 17. Simply as a remnant of the idealistic 1960s that hasn't been completely trampled or corrupted, the Chamber Blues group — violins, viola, cello, percussion, and Siegel on harmonica, piano, and occasional vocals — would be worth seeking out. Yet Chamber Blues is more than just that.

Joining the language of the Mozart-era classical string quartet to that of the blues is very tricky, even though the two forms essentially share basic harmonic procedures. Mutual mimicry isn't fusion. Who would really want more than once to hear the classical string players trying to imitate Little Walter's harmonica? Or, for that matter, the harmonica playing Mozart?