PopMatters trekked out to Fitzgerald’s annual American Music Festival to catch legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely play a smoking set with accordionist Joel Guzman. While waiting to soak up the sonic, soulful talent of Joe and Joel live — what a privilege and a pleasure — we caught a bit of traditional New Orleans jazz from the Salty Dogs and NOLA brass band music from the BS Brass Band, too. Eager to hear Ely and Guzman, we only caught part of Rosie Flores and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, but Rosie joined Joe and Joel to perform the second encore. The stomping, shouting crowd just didn’t want to let them go.
We highly recommend this annual event held at one of Chicago area’s best music venues.
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