chess records studio tour

Chicago blues, rock ‘n’ roll landmark Chess Records definitely worth a visit

The building is a narrow façade now next door to a medical clinic and across the street from a parking garage, not too far from soldier field, millennium park and the magnificent mile..

This image shows a section of the Chess Records in Chicago with a piano and covers of albums that were recorded there. Some of the biggest names in blues recorded hits in Chess’ recording studio, including, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry’ and Bo Diddley.

CHICAGO — As we make our way up the narrow, windowless, wooden stairway, we hear the jangly opening beats of The Rolling Stones’ “2120 South Michigan Avenue” playing from a portable speaker behind us. Our tour guide encourages us to “rub a little mojo” from the banister as we make our way up.

We’re visiting Chess Records on Chicago’s South Side, climbing the same set of stairs Mick Jagger and the rest of the band ascended during two days of recording in June 1964.

“This place changed music and the world,” says Janine Judge, the 60-year-old executive director of Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven, the nonprofit foundation that owns and offers tours of Chess Records since it opened to the public in 1997. “I still feel them all here every day.”

By “them all,” Judge essentially is referring to the canon of Chicago blues.

Some of the biggest, most influential artists and hits were recorded at Chess: Muddy Waters, “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man”; Chuck Berry, “Johnny B. Goode”; Bo Diddley, “Who Do You Love”; and Howlin’ Wolf, “Smokestack Lightning,” just to name a few.

The blues originally moved north with Blacks fleeing the Jim Crow South during the Great Migration. The style found a home in this industrial, working-class city.

The exterior of Chess Records on Michigan Aveue. in Chicago. Some of the biggest, most influential artists and hits were recorded at Chess.|

Berry and Chess gave each other their first big break. Berry originally signed with Chess. Then, when he met Waters, he suggested he audition for Chess, and the label quickly rose to prominence as the go-to blues record label.

The Stones, who named their band after a Muddy Waters song, were steeped in that history when they made the studio a mandatory stop during their first U.S. tour nearly 60 years ago. They recorded 14 songs here, including the hit “It’s All Over Now,” the first-ever recorded acoustic version of “Satisfaction,” and “2120 South Michigan Avenue,” which reportedly was recorded as an instrumental only because Mick Jagger was so nervous performing in front of his musical idols that he forgot the lyrics.

Judge weaves these and other stories into her nearly three-hour tour. On a recent crisp, mid-winter day, she was conserving by keeping the heat turned down low, nearly off. As a nonprofit, she primarily relies on tours and gift shop sales to keep the building, designated in 1990 as a historic landmark, operational. She urges visitors to bundle up.

Polish-Jewish immigrant brothers Phil and Leonard Chess (born Fiszel and Lejzor Czysz) were drawn to gospel music at a young age; their dad caught them sitting outside Black churches listening to the choirs inside. As young entrepreneurs, they first bought a liquor store on Chicago’s predominantly Black South Side and then, in 1946, they bought a nearby nightclub called the Macomba Lounge.

Janine Judge, executive director of Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation, Inc., sits in the sound booth in the upstairs recording studio at Chess Records in Chicago. Some of the biggest names in blues recorded hits in Chess’ recording studio, including, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry’ and Bo Diddley.

They soon realized there was a huge and hungry market for recordings by these Black musicians, so they invested in and then bought Aristocrat Records; in 1950, they renamed it Chess Records. They were based at several South Side locations, but their most famous home was here at 2120 S. Michigan, from 1956 until 1967.

The building is a narrow façade now next door to a medical clinic and across the street from a parking garage. The nondescript stretch of Michigan Ave. is not too far from Soldier Field, Millennium Park and the Magnificent Mile. The adjacent Willie Dixon’s Blues Garden is home to free summer concerts.

But much of the building itself remains unchanged. The front door, the lobby that served as a waiting room for musicians, the California redwood paneling — it’s all original. The front plate-glass window needed replacing after Little Walter, Muddy Waters’ harmonica player, reportedly got angry and intentionally rammed his car into the front of the building, Judge says.

The building changed hands a few times after the Chess brothers moved out, but Marie Dixon, the widow of bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon, bought it in 1993. She died in 2016.

Willie Dixon, namesake of the foundation and the studio’s longtime right-hand man who brought in many of the artists and set up recording sessions, died in 1992 at age 76.

The couple envisioned a space to house a museum, recording studio and classes for young people, Judge said.

“The foundation was set up to protect, promote and preserve the blues,” she said.

Willie Dixon wrote about 6,000 songs, more than 600 for Chess Records.

An entire second-floor room is set up to pay homage to Dixon. Hand-written lyric sheets, clothing, awards, even his beat-up bass is on display.

But the highlight of the tour is the recording studio itself, which remains in use today. There’s Dixon’s baby grand piano, guitars and other equipment, but Judge’s passion shines through when she explains the details included by 23-year-old engineer Jack Sheldon Wiener, who originally designed the space, and how she spent 15 years trying to figure out exactly how the acoustic panels were assembled.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t recognize what an honor and a privilege it is to be here every day,” she says as she steps into the darkened sound booth.

She asks visitors to sit in one of the metal folding chairs and imagine a day in 1960 when a 23-year-old Etta James stepped up to a microphone. The Chess brothers believed her bluesy voice had crossover pop appeal, so they brought in an orchestra ensemble for her debut studio album.

Judge requests that visitors not sing along, but she encourages dancing. As the lofty string intro of “At Last!” fills the space, it’s easy to feel transported back in time.

“It’s the only song I play all the way through because she’d be pissed if I didn’t,” Judge says. “What would Chess Records have been without her?”

NOTE: Beginning April 1, Chess Records will be open for tours Tuesdays through Saturdays at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m; $15 suggested donation.

Janine Judge, executive director of Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation, Inc., sits in the former office of Leonard Chess at Chess Records in Chicago. The nonprofit foundation owns and offers tours of Chess Records, where the biggest names in blues recorded hits there.

Chess Records in Chicago: The Most Prolific Recording Studio

– by tom schaffner, singin’ the blues of the city at chess records in chicago .

Several decades ago, in a small terra cotta structure located at 2120 S. Michigan Ave., a recording studio helped propel a Chicago record label into one of the most famous in the music business. But w hat happened to Chess Records in Chicago, the city’s most prolific record company in the 20th century?

In 1968, Leonard and Phil Chess, founders of the firm, sold it to a company called GRT, which promptly turned around and sold it to Sugar Hill Records in the mid-1970s.  MCA Records, part of the entertainment conglomerate that counts among its holdings Universal Pictures, now owns the 10,000 hours of Chess recordings and is presently reissuing the Chess artists to newer, younger audiences.

More than anywhere else in the world, Chess Records in Chicago was famous for popularizing the blues and helping introduce it to the mass market — both domestically and overseas.  And this introduction, according to many in the music industry, literally changed the course of music history.

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The Story of Chess Records in Chicago

It began in 1946 when the Chess brothers were operating a dingy bar at 3905 S. Cottage Grove called the Macamba, which was a dark, smoky lounge where musicians often hung out.  Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker and Ella Fitzgerald sat in the house band.

Leonard Chess, acting on a hunch, left the club to establish his own record company, recording people who played at the Macamba.  Leonard’s first artist, on a label he called Aristocrat, was Andre Tibbs, who sang the “Union Man Blues.”

Before the end of the decade, the Chess label was established and the firm had moved into its two-story headquarters on South Michigan Ave., about 20 blocks south of the Loop.

The sound the Chess brothers were after was a kind of electrified-Southern, or Mississippi Delta blues.  It was a distinctive sound, featuring a hard-driving beat that, depending on the artist, might include a little gospel, some jazz or what later would become known as “soul.”  And the brothers searched throughout the South to find exactly the right type of artists to record.

The Success

Among the legendary musicians who climbed the long flight of stairs to Chess’ second floor recording studios on Michigan Avenue were Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, Ramsey Lewis, Etta James, Frontella Bass, Willie Dixon, the Rev. C.L. Franklin and his daughter Aretha and Chicago’s legendary Muddy Waters.

By the late 1950s, business at Chess Records in Chicago was booming and the company began to add other labels, including Argo, Checker, Cadet and Cadet Concept.  Chess was becoming known as the international headquarters for the blues.

And the sounds coming out of the Michigan Avenue studios were extremely influential, particularly in Britain. In Liverpool, rhythm and blues records were in great demand among local youth and particularly among two young rock band members named Lennon and McCartney.

In London, another rock-star-to-be, Keith Richards, met a young musician by the name of Mick Jagger in a record shop because he noticed Jagger had a Chess records album under his arm. Later, when Richards and Jagger put together a rhythm and blues-based rock band, they called themselves the Rolling Stones after a Chess-recorded Muddy Waters cut called “Rolling Stone.”

A few years later, when the Rolling Stones were on their first tour of America, they stopped in to record tracks for the “12 x 5” album at Chess Records in Chicago.  One of the cuts earned the title “2120 S. Michigan Ave.,” a kind of dedication to the place that produced the music that influenced them the most.

“I recorded some of my biggest hits at that address,” said rock pioneer Chuck Berry in the Chicago Sun-Times .  “I have a lot of memories of it.  They were great days of great music.”

The Legacy 

Although Chess Records in Chicago vanished from the local scene when the company was purchased by GRT in 1968, the building where it all took place on south Michigan Avenue still stands today.  It achieved landmark status from the City of Chicago in 1990. 

Today the building is owned by the estate of legendary blues artist Willie “Wang Dang Doodle” Dixon and it has become a museum.  The organization that operates it is called the Blues Heaven Foundation , which raises funds for music scholarships, helps supplement the income of blues musicians and helps promote the blues legacy.

Chess Records, 2120 S. Michigan Ave. can be seen on our “Prairie District:  Street of the Elite” tour.

Holder of two journalism degrees, including a masters from Northwestern University, Tom Schaffner is a native of the Chicago area and has spent nearly 50 years as a writer, editor, publisher and professional communications consultant. He was also the founder, editor, and publisher of the Chicago File, a newsletter for former Chicagoans. Tom is also the co-owner of  L Stop Tours .

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Chess Records

Top ways to experience Chess Records and nearby attractions

• Cermak–McCormick Place • 3 min walk
• Cermak–Chinatown • 8 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

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Chess Records - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Chess Records to reopen for tours next month

Beginning April 1, Chess Records will be open for tours Tuesdays through Saturdays at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. $15 suggested donation.

By KIM CURTIS | Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — As we make our way up the narrow, windowless, wooden stairway, we hear the jangly opening beats of The Rolling Stones’ “2120 South Michigan Avenue” playing from a portable speaker behind us. Our tour guide encourages us to “rub a little mojo” from the banister as we make our way up.

We’re visiting Chess Records on Chicago’s South Side, climbing the same set of stairs Mick Jagger and the rest of the band ascended during two days of recording in June 1964.

“This place changed music and the world,” says Janine Judge, the 60-year-old executive director of Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven, the nonprofit foundation that owns and offers tours of Chess Records since it opened to the public in 1997. “I still feel them all here every day.”

By “them all,” Judge essentially is referring to the canon of Chicago blues.

Some of the biggest, most influential artists and hits were recorded at Chess: Muddy Waters, “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man”; Chuck Berry, “Johnny B. Goode"; Bo Diddley, “Who Do You Love”; and Howlin’ Wolf, “Smokestack Lightning,” just to name a few.

The blues originally moved north with Blacks fleeing the Jim Crow South during the Great Migration. The style found a home in this industrial, working-class city.

Berry and Chess gave each other their first big break. Berry originally signed with Chess. Then, when he met Waters, he suggested he audition for Chess, and the label quickly rose to prominence as the go-to blues record label.

The Stones, who named their band after a Muddy Waters song, were steeped in that history when they made the studio a mandatory stop during their first U.S. tour nearly 60 years ago. They recorded 14 songs here, including the hit “It’s All Over Now,” the first-ever recorded acoustic version of “Satisfaction,” and “2120 South Michigan Avenue,” which reportedly was recorded as an instrumental only because Mick Jagger was so nervous performing in front of his musical idols that he forgot the lyrics.

Judge weaves these and other stories into her nearly three-hour tour. On a recent crisp, mid-winter day, she was conserving by keeping the heat turned down low, nearly off. As a nonprofit, she primarily relies on tours and gift shop sales to keep the building, designated in 1990 as a historic landmark, operational. She urges visitors to bundle up.

Polish-Jewish immigrant brothers Phil and Leonard Chess (born Fiszel and Lejzor Czysz) were drawn to gospel music at a young age; their dad caught them sitting outside Black churches listening to the choirs inside. As young entrepreneurs, they first bought a liquor store on Chicago’s predominantly Black South Side and then, in 1946, they bought a nearby nightclub called the Macomba Lounge.

They soon realized there was a huge and hungry market for recordings by these Black musicians, so they invested in and then bought Aristocrat Records; in 1950, they renamed it Chess Records. They were based at several South Side locations, but their most famous home was here at 2120 S. Michigan, from 1956 until 1967.

The building is a narrow façade now next door to a medical clinic and across the street from a parking garage. The nondescript stretch of Michigan Ave. is not too far from Soldier Field, Millennium Park and the Magnificent Mile. The adjacent Willie Dixon’s Blues Garden is home to free summer concerts.

But much of the building itself remains unchanged. The front door, the lobby that served as a waiting room for musicians, the California redwood paneling — it’s all original. The front plate-glass window needed replacing after Little Walter, Muddy Waters’ harmonica player, reportedly got angry and intentionally rammed his car into the front of the building, Judge says.

The building changed hands a few times after the Chess brothers moved out, but Marie Dixon, the widow of bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon, bought it in 1993. She died in 2016.

Willie Dixon, namesake of the foundation and the studio’s longtime right-hand man who brought in many of the artists and set up recording sessions, died in 1992 at age 76.

The couple envisioned a space to house a museum, recording studio and classes for young people, Judge said.

“The foundation was set up to protect, promote and preserve the blues,” she said.

Willie Dixon wrote about 6,000 songs, more than 600 for Chess Records.

An entire second-floor room is set up to pay homage to Dixon. Hand-written lyric sheets, clothing, awards, even his beat-up bass is on display.

But the highlight of the tour is the recording studio itself, which remains in use today. There’s Dixon’s baby grand piano, guitars and other equipment, but Judge’s passion shines through when she explains the details included by 23-year-old engineer Jack Sheldon Wiener, who originally designed the space, and how she spent 15 years trying to figure out exactly how the acoustic panels were assembled.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t recognize what an honor and a privilege it is to be here every day,” she says as she steps into the darkened sound booth.

She asks visitors to sit in one of the metal folding chairs and imagine a day in 1960 when a 23-year-old Etta James stepped up to a microphone. The Chess brothers believed her bluesy voice had crossover pop appeal, so they brought in an orchestra ensemble for her debut studio album.

Judge requests that visitors not sing along, but she encourages dancing. As the lofty string intro of “At Last!” fills the space, it’s easy to feel transported back in time.

“It’s the only song I play all the way through because she’d be pissed if I didn’t,” Judge says. “What would Chess Records have been without her?”

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A Trip To The Chess Recording Studio In Chicago

It’s the place where the magic was made, The legendary Chess recording Studio, located at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago, an address immortalized by The Rolling Stones in their only instrumental track, and recorded at that very address.

The Stones chose to record at Chess because it was the home base of many of the artists who inspired them. As they say on their website, “Chess Records, formed in the early 1950s by and run by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, was one of the great American record labels. They produced and released many important singles and albums, which are now regarded as central to the blues and rock music genre.

“At one time, Chess Records was considered “America’s greatest blues label” with notable acts including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Etta James, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. Willie Dixon was one of the main producers, songwriters and arrangers of the signature “Chess Records Sound”.

“Chess Records was based at several different locations on the South side of Chicago, Illinois. The most famous location was 2120 S. Michigan Avenue from around 1956 to 1965. During those years, acts such as Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded at the legendary studio.

“In 1993, Willie Dixon’s widow, Marie, purchased the building which was then renovated and re-opened in September 1997 with a dedication ceremony. It is now home to Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation . “

While your PopCulteer was in Chicago last month, our hotel was just around the corner from this landmark, and before we hopped the train home, we had to stop in and see this vital piece of musical history.

Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation is open Tuesday-Saturday from Noon until 4 PM, with tours every hour from Noon to 3 PM. You start in the lobby and walk though the entire building, winding up in the actual recording studio that was used to record so many major hit records.

The second reason is that, very soon, the recording studio will be re-opened as a working studio where people can record music. When we were there the old studio control board was out being refurbished, and the plan is to restore all the analog recording equipment to perfect working order. They don’t want to just give away studio time that will be going for a premium once they’re up and running.

To be honest, when I saw that shooting video was prohibited, I was a bit relieved. I’ve pretty obsessively shot video of every cool thing that I’ve done, almost since the beginning of PopCult, and sometimes shooting the video takes away from the experience of actually being in cool places or at fun events. I was perfectly content to soak in the experience, and only took a handful of photos (which are allowed).

The only drawback was that, at the end of the tour, when my lovely wife Mel asked if it was okay to sing and try out the amazing acoustics of that fantastic room with the vaulted ceilings and specially designed walls, I couldn’t shoot any video of the moment. I did grab a photo, though. Mel, after waffling a bit while deciding what to sing, took my request of Gershwin’s “Summertime.”

Trust me, Mel sounded amazing standing in the spot where Etta James recorded “At Last,” singing into the very same microphone (which wasn’t on, but still. Mel made it sound like it was).

Anyone with any interest in American music owes it to themselves to visit Willie Dixon’s Blues Foundation. You can find out more about it HERE . If you live in Chicago and haven’t been there yet, what the hell are you waiting for?  It’s a short walk from two different L stops on Cermak, so you can take the Red, Green or Orange line there with no problem. You can even eat at White Castle after the tour.

We plan to go back next summer, and stick around for one of the free Thursday concerts next door in Willie Dixon’s Blues Garden. I think we are allowed to shoot video there.

Here are a few photos of our trip to the Chess Recording Studio.

I want to stress that these pictures only scratch the surface of the dozens of displays and artifacts located in Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation .  You will find everything from Koko Taylor’s dresses to Chuck Berry’s pants to life masks of over thirty blues and rock legends. There’s a gift shop, the offices of the Chess Brothers, what used to be the loading dock, now filled with memorabilia, the rehearsal hall, the recording studio and even the walls of the hallways and stairwells are covered with rock and blues history. It’s an amazing place for any music lover to visit.

And that is our PopCulteer this week. As always, check back every day for fresh content and all of our regular features.

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Chicago blues, rock ‘n’ roll landmark easily overlooked

Framed album covers appear on the wall at Chess Records in Chicago on Feb. 27, 2022. Some of the biggest names in blues recorded hits in Chess’ recording studio, including, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry’ and Bo Diddley. (Kim Curtis/AP)

As we make our way up the narrow, windowless, wooden stairway, we hear the jangly opening beats of The Rolling Stones’ “2120 South Michigan Avenue” playing from a portable speaker behind us. Our tour guide encourages us to “rub a little mojo” from the banister as we make our way up.

We’re visiting Chess Records on Chicago’s South Side, climbing the same set of stairs Mick Jagger and the rest of the band ascended during two days of recording in June 1964.

“This place changed music and the world,” says Janine Judge, the 60-year-old executive director of Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven, the nonprofit foundation that owns and offers tours of Chess Records since it opened to the public in 1997. “I still feel them all here every day.”

By “them all,” Judge essentially is referring to the canon of Chicago blues.

Some of the biggest, most influential artists and hits were recorded at Chess: Muddy Waters, “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man”; Chuck Berry, “Johnny B. Goode"; Bo Diddley, “Who Do You Love”; and Howlin’ Wolf, “Smokestack Lightning,” just to name a few.

The blues originally moved north with Blacks fleeing the Jim Crow South during the Great Migration. The style found a home in this industrial, working-class city.

Berry and Chess gave each other their first big break. Berry originally signed with Chess. Then, when he met Waters, he suggested he audition for Chess, and the label quickly rose to prominence as the go-to blues record label.

The Stones, who named their band after a Muddy Waters song, were steeped in that history when they made the studio a mandatory stop during their first U.S. tour nearly 60 years ago. They recorded 14 songs here, including the hit “It’s All Over Now,” the first-ever recorded acoustic version of “Satisfaction,” and “2120 South Michigan Avenue,” which reportedly was recorded as an instrumental only because Mick Jagger was so nervous performing in front of his musical idols that he forgot the lyrics.

Judge weaves these and other stories into her nearly three-hour tour. On a recent crisp, mid-winter day, she was conserving by keeping the heat turned down low, nearly off. As a nonprofit, she primarily relies on tours and gift shop sales to keep the building, designated in 1990 as a historic landmark, operational. She urges visitors to bundle up.

Polish-Jewish immigrant brothers Phil and Leonard Chess (born Fiszel and Lejzor Czysz) were drawn to gospel music at a young age; their dad caught them sitting outside Black churches listening to the choirs inside. As young entrepreneurs, they first bought a liquor store on Chicago’s predominantly Black South Side and then, in 1946, they bought a nearby nightclub called the Macomba Lounge.

They soon realized there was a huge and hungry market for recordings by these Black musicians, so they invested in and then bought Aristocrat Records; in 1950, they renamed it Chess Records. They were based at several South Side locations, but their most famous home was here at 2120 S. Michigan, from 1956 until 1967.

The building is a narrow façade now next door to a medical clinic and across the street from a parking garage. The nondescript stretch of Michigan Ave. is not too far from Soldier Field, Millennium Park and the Magnificent Mile. The adjacent Willie Dixon’s Blues Garden is home to free summer concerts.

But much of the building itself remains unchanged. The front door, the lobby that served as a waiting room for musicians, the California redwood paneling — it’s all original. The front plate-glass window needed replacing after Little Walter, Muddy Waters’ harmonica player, reportedly got angry and intentionally rammed his car into the front of the building, Judge says.

The building changed hands a few times after the Chess brothers moved out, but Marie Dixon, the widow of bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon, bought it in 1993. She died in 2016.

Willie Dixon, namesake of the foundation and the studio’s longtime right-hand man who brought in many of the artists and set up recording sessions, died in 1992 at age 76.

The couple envisioned a space to house a museum, recording studio and classes for young people, Judge said.

“The foundation was set up to protect, promote and preserve the blues,” she said.

Willie Dixon wrote about 6,000 songs, more than 600 for Chess Records.

An entire second-floor room is set up to pay homage to Dixon. Hand-written lyric sheets, clothing, awards, even his beat-up bass is on display.

But the highlight of the tour is the recording studio itself, which remains in use today. There’s Dixon’s baby grand piano, guitars and other equipment, but Judge’s passion shines through when she explains the details included by 23-year-old engineer Jack Sheldon Wiener, who originally designed the space, and how she spent 15 years trying to figure out exactly how the acoustic panels were assembled.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t recognize what an honor and a privilege it is to be here every day,” she says as she steps into the darkened sound booth.

She asks visitors to sit in one of the metal folding chairs and imagine a day in 1960 when a 23-year-old Etta James stepped up to a microphone. The Chess brothers believed her bluesy voice had crossover pop appeal, so they brought in an orchestra ensemble for her debut studio album.

Judge requests that visitors not sing along, but she encourages dancing. As the lofty string intro of “At Last!” fills the space, it’s easy to feel transported back in time.

“It’s the only song I play all the way through because she’d be pissed if I didn’t,” Judge says. “What would Chess Records have been without her?”

Beginning April 1, Chess Records will be open for tours Tuesdays through Saturdays at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. $15 suggested donation.

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• Record Row Concert Series

​This year marks Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation's 20th Y ear of providing FREE Blues

Live from Willie Dixon's Blues Garden

Join us in the Chess Records building for this special event on October 22, 2022, 4-7 pm.

• Historic Chess Studio
• 2023 Record Row Concert Series Schedule
• Sessions at Chess
• (DE)TOUR Live Stream
• Rolling Stones at Chess
• Scholarships

Copyright 2013. Blues Heaven Foundation . All rights reserved

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The Story Behind Chess Records, Chicago’s Legendary Music Label

With the passing of Phil Chess, co-founder of Chess Records , in late 2016, Culture Trip takes a look back at the story of the legendary independent label that brought the Chicago blues of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf and the rock and roll of Chuck Berry to the world’s attention in the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s.

Phil and Leonard Chess were born in Poland as Fiszel and Lejzor Czyż, arriving in America in 1928 and settling in Chicago where their father was working in the liquor trade. The brothers first got involved in the nightclub scene of the South Side in 1938, running a series of jazz clubs that culminated in the opening of the Macomba Lounge, which played host to many blues artists who were migrating to Chicago from the South.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BO3AUtyBgGK/?taken-at=253760654 Wanting to properly record and promote music so that it would not only appeal to the black community but also a wider audience, they bought a stake in Aristocrat Records in 1947. Each brother had a role within the business: Leonard was the talent scout and actively involved in the making of the music, with Phil overseeing the business side of the club and the offices of the label. Within a brief period, Aristocrat Records was on the map thanks to Muddy Waters, who had hits with “I Can’t Be Satisfied,” “I Feel Like Going Home,” and “Rollin’ Stone.” His success attracted more players to the city and the label, including the hugely influential Willie Dixon and Little Walter.

In 1950, the brothers became the sole owners of Aristocrat Records and renamed it Chess Records. The following year, they looked to build on their success by searching for talent outside of Chicago and became acquainted with Sam Phillips, who would later found Memphis’s Sun Records. Their greatest find in Memphis was Howlin’ Wolf, who, along with Waters, soon became the biggest name in Chicago blues.

The year 1955 was another good one for Chess, signing legendary artists Bo Diddley and Sonny Boy Williamson, as well as a little-known guitarist and singer called Chuck Berry, whose first single “Maybellene” would go on to sell over a million copies and kickstart the rise of rock and roll music. They branched out further with subsidiary labels Checker and Argo, signing vocal groups such as The Flamingos, jazz artists and recording gospel music, as well as producing their first LPs in 1958.

Throughout the 1960s, Chess and its subsidiaries were prolific and hugely successful. Alongside the continued popularity of Waters, Wolf and Berry, young artists like Buddy Guy, Etta James and Otis Rush came on board to begin their own long and influential careers. Meanwhile, the brothers got involved in radio, initially to push their own acts, but Leonard eventually left Chess to concentrate on radio in 1968. Chess Records effectively ended the following year when the brothers sold the label to General Recorded Tape. Leonard Chess tragically died just a few months later, and Phil retired from the music business several years later.

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The brothers were honored for the huge impact they had on the music industry a number of times over the years, being inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and receiving The Recording Academy’s Trustees Award . Upon learning about Phil Chess’s death in 2016, the final word went to Buddy Guy, who told the Chicago Sun-Times , “…You can take a walk down State Street today and see a portrait of Muddy that’s 10 stories tall. The Chess Brothers had a lot to do with that. They started Chess Records and made Chicago what it is today, the Blues capital of the world.”

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Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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22nd Voronezh chess festival Alekhine Memorial Master Open

Our festival takes place yearly, it is supported by Voronezh region governor, Voronezh region government, Association of Chess Professionals. 130 players are expected in the Masters section.

Live games with analysis will be provided daily with the best chess software competing in the Top Chess Engine Championship – Komodo, Houdini, and Stockfish.

More live chess Finnish Championship 2018 / Forni Di Sopra 2018

REGULATIONS (2018) 1. Chess 960 (Fischer chess) – 10.06 (Sunday). Start at 11:00. 7 rounds swiss, 15 minutes + 3 seconds per move. Entry fee – 600 RR. Prizes (in thousands of RR): 12/9/7/6/5/4/3/2/2/2/1/1/1. Special prizes.

2. Rapid tournament – 11.06 (Monday). Start at 10:15. 9 rounds swiss, 15 minutes + 2 seconds per move. Entry fee – 1500 RR. Prizes (in thousands of RR): 30/22/18/14/10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2. Special prizes.

3. Blitz tournament – 17.06 (Sunday). Start at 16:00. 9 rounds swiss, 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move. Entry fee – 750 RR. Prizes (in thousands of RR) 15/12/10/8/6/5/4/3/3/3/2/2/2. Special prizes.

4. “Master open” (Elo > 2200). Stage of ACP Tour 2018, Russia Cup 2018. 12-21.06. 9 rounds swiss; 90 minutes per 40 moves + 30 minutes to the end + 30 seconds per each move. Entry fee: 2000-10000 RR. Free for GM. IM, juniors (2001+), ladies, seniors (1957-), foreign players have to pay 75%. Prizes (in thousands of RR): 200/140/100/80/60/50/40/35/30/25/22/22/22. Special prizes for foreigners (30/20/13/7), juniors, ladies, seniors. Opportunity to achieve IM and GM norm.

5. “FIDE open” (Elo <= 2200) 12-20.06 9 rounds swiss; 90 minutes per game + 30 seconds per move. Entry fee: 2000-5000 RR. Prizes (in thousands of RR): 30/25/20/17/15/12/10/9/8/7/6/6/6. Special prizes.

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Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation

Unleashing the power of alekhine defense: voronezh variation.

Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is a dynamic and aggressive opening that challenges both Black and White to think strategically and creatively. In this article, we will analyze the moves of the opening and explore the different possibilities and potential pitfalls for both sides. Join us as we delve into the complexities of one of the most daring openings in chess.

This line (17 moves) is played in approximately 1 out of every 1000 games

Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is a chess opening that starts with the moves 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 cxd6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Rc1 O-O 9. b3. This opening is known for its aggressive nature and the focus on undermining White's center.

One of its strengths is the early development of Black's pieces, particularly the Knight on d5 which can control the center and put pressure on White's position. On the other hand, it can be difficult for Black to defend the position if White coordinates their pieces well, making it a challenging opening to master.

The Voronezh Variation specifically focuses on advancing the g-pawn to support Black's dark-squared Bishop and prepare for a possible kingside attack. By playing this variation, Black gives up some control over the center but gains dynamic play on the flank.

In sum, Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is a bold choice for Black that requires courage and a willingness to take risks on the board. With careful preparation and understanding of the plans, it can be a potent weapon in Black's arsenal.

Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation , move by move

The opening move 1.e4 is a common starting move in chess as it aims to control the center of the board. It also allows for the pawn on e2 to be developed and makes way for the king's bishop to be developed. The move also puts pressure on Black's pawn on f6 which could lead to various tactical opportunities. By playing 1.e4, White aims to gain an early advantage in the game and take control of the center of the board.

The move 1...Nf6 is a common response to the opening move 1.e4 as it immediately puts pressure on White's pawn on e4 and threatens to attack it with the knight. It also allows for Black's knight to be developed early in the game and controls the center of the board. Moreover, it prepares for possible attacks on the kingside and allows for Black to take control of the game from the opening phases. By playing 1...Nf6, Black aims to equalize the position and gain momentum in the game.

The move 2.e5 is a common response to Black's opening move 1...Nf6, as it immediately attacks the knight and forces it to move or be traded. It also aims to gain control of the center of the board and puts pressure on Black's position. By playing 2.e5, White creates pawn structure weaknesses in Black's position that can be exploited later in the game. It also makes way for White's pieces to be developed effectively and gain momentum early in the game. In sum, the move 2.e5 is a strong continuation of the opening and a common response to Black's move 1...Nf6.

In the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation, the move 2...Nd5 is a common response to White's move 2.e5, as it immediately attacks the pawn on e5 and forces White to decide how to defend it. It also allows for Black's knight to be developed effectively, putting pressure on White's central control. By playing 2...Nd5, Black aims to regain control of the center of the board and equalize the position. It also prepares for possible exchanges and allows for Black to continue developing their pieces. In sum, the move 2...Nd5 is a strong and flexible continuation of the opening and a common response to White's move 2.e5.

The move 3.d4 is a typical response to Black’s move 2...Nd5. It establishes strong control of the center, supports White’s pawn on e5 and prepares for piece development. By playing 3.d4, White blocks Black’s knight from going to its most desirable square, c6. White also creates the option of potentially advancing the pawn to d5 if Black doesn’t respond properly. Additionally, the move 3.d4 allows for White to open up lines for the light-squared bishop and queen, which can be used later in the game to launch attacks. In sum, the move 3.d4 is a solid continuation of the opening and positions White for a flexible and aggressive mid-game strategy.

The move 3...d6 is a natural response to White’s move 3.d4 as Black seeks to take control of the center of the board and support their knight on d5. By playing 3...d6, Black also prepares for possible attacks on the kingside and helps to prevent a possible pawn advance to e5 from White. This move can also lead to potential exchanges in the center that will open up lines for Black’s bishops and queen. In sum, 3...d6 is a flexible and solid move that is often played in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation.

In the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation, the move 4.c4 is a common response to Black’s move 3...d6. It immediately challenges Black’s control of the center and aims to create potential pawn weaknesses in Black’s position. By playing 4.c4, White also prepares for effective piece development and pins Black’s knight on d5 to the queen. This move can also provoke Black to capture the pawn with 4...Nb6 which will lead to an exchange and open up the b-file for White’s rooks. In sum, the move 4.c4 is a strong continuation of the opening and positions White for a flexible and aggressive mid-game strategy.

The move 4...Nb6 is a common response to White’s move 4.c4 in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation. It immediately attacks White’s pawn on c4 and aims to create potential pawn weaknesses in White’s position. Additionally, it allows for Black’s knight to be developed to a more active square and frees up Black’s d7 square for the development of the light-squared bishop. The move 4...Nb6 also allows for Black to potentially capture White’s bishop on c8 and gain control of the b-file with their rook. In sum, the move 4...Nb6 is a flexible and effective move that positions Black for solid mid-game strategy.

The move 5.exd6 is a common response to Black’s move 4...Nb6 in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation. It creates doubled pawns for Black and aims to open up lines for White’s pieces. By playing 5.exd6, White also removes Black’s knight from the board and forces Black to capture with a pawn. This can lead to further pawn weaknesses in Black’s position and can be exploited in the mid-game. Additionally, it leaves Black with a decision to make regarding their c-pawn as capturing on d6 with the pawn will leave the c-pawn isolated. In sum, the move 5.exd6 is a solid continuation of the opening and positions White for a flexible and aggressive mid-game strategy.

In the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation, the move 5...cxd6 is a common response to White’s move 5.exd6. It establishes Black’s pawn structure and opens up lines for their bishop on c8. By playing 5...cxd6, Black also prevents White from controlling the center with a pawn on d6 and preserves their own pawn structure. This move can also lead to possible trades in the center that will open up lines for Black’s pieces. In sum, the move 5...cxd6 is a solid and flexible continuation of the opening and positions Black for effective mid-game strategies.

The move 6.Nc3 is a common response to Black’s move 5...cxd6 in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation. It immediately develops White’s knight and prepares for piece development on the kingside. By playing 6.Nc3, White also puts pressure on Black’s pawn on d6 and aims to position their knight on a more active square such as d5 or e2. This move can also potentially lead to an attack on Black’s vulnerable kingside if Black is unable to respond effectively. In sum, the move 6.Nc3 is a flexible and solid continuation of the opening that positions White for a strong and aggressive mid-game strategy.

The move 6...g6 is a common response to White’s move 6.Nc3 in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation. It immediately develops Black’s bishop on g7 and prepares for possible attacks on White’s king on the kingside. By playing 6...g6, Black also supports their pawn on f7 and prepares for possible exchanges on the f6 square. This move can also lead to a potential fianchetto of Black’s king’s bishop which can be used to create pressure on White’s queen’s knight on c3. In sum, the move 6...g6 is a flexible and effective move that positions Black for solid mid-game strategy.

In the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation, the move 7.Be3 is a common response to Black’s move 6...g6. It immediately develops White’s light-squared bishop and prepares for castling on the kingside. By playing 7.Be3, White also prepares for possible exchanges in the center and positions their bishop on a more active square where it can influence the center and kingside. This move can also allow for White to potentially apply pressure on Black’s pawn structure and put pressure on the weakened f7 square. In sum, the move 7.Be3 is a flexible and aggressive continuation of the opening that positions White for solid mid-game strategies.

The move 7...Bg7 is a natural response to White’s move 7.Be3 in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation. It immediately develops Black’s king’s bishop and aims to control the center of the board. By playing 7...Bg7, Black also prepares for possible exchanges and openings on the kingside, allowing Black to position their pieces more effectively. This move can also allow for Black to potentially pressure White’s pawn on e5 or their light-squared bishop. In sum, the move 7...Bg7 is a flexible and solid continuation of the opening that positions Black for strong and effective mid-game strategies.

The move 8.Rc1 is a common response to Black’s move 7...Bg7 in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation. It immediately develops White’s rook and prepares to double rooks on the c-file. By playing 8.Rc1, White also prepares for possible exchanges on the c-file and can position their rooks more effectively. This move can also allow for White to potentially pressure Black’s queen’s knight on b6 or crush Black’s pawn structure with a pawn push to c5. In sum, the move 8.Rc1 is a flexible and aggressive continuation of the opening that positions White for strong mid-game strategies.

In the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation, the move 8...O-O is a common response to White’s move 8.Rc1. It immediately castles Black's king to safety and prepares for possible attacks on the kingside. By playing 8...O-O, Black also gains time to move their rook on h8 to the center and prepares for a possible pawn push in the center or an attack on the queenside. This move can also prevent any potential pin of the knight on d5 by White’s bishop on e3. In sum, the move 8...O-O is a flexible and solid continuation of the opening that positions Black for effective mid-game strategies.

The move 9.b3 is a common response to Black’s move 8...O-O in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation. It immediately prepares for the development of White’s dark-squared bishop to b2. By playing 9.b3, White also seeks to gain control of the a4-e8 diagonal and prevent any potential Black attacks on the queenside. This can also potentially prepare for a pawn push to c4 in the center which can pressure Black’s pawn structure. Additionally, it prevents any Black knight jumps that threaten the c3 square or the pawn on a2. In sum, the move 9.b3 is a flexible and effective continuation of the opening that positions White for solid mid-game strategies.

How to play the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation

Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation starts with 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 cxd6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Rc1 O-O 9. b3.

To play this opening successfully, Black needs to focus on developing their pieces as quickly as possible, particularly the Knight on d5.

Black should also be looking to pressure White's position, with an emphasis on undermining their control over the center. A well-timed pawn push on the flank can also help to create opportunities for play.

However, it's important to be aware of the potential weaknesses of the opening, particularly the possibility of not being able to defend the position effectively. Careful preparation and precise execution of the plans will be key to success.

In sum, Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is a dynamic and aggressive opening that requires bravery and strategic thinking from Black to secure the advantage.

How to counter the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation

Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is a challenging and aggressive chess opening that requires careful consideration from White to counter effectively.

To begin, White can look to establish control over the center, pushing pawns and developing pieces, so as to put pressure on Black's position and limit their options.

It's also important to be aware of the potential weaknesses of Black's position, such as the potential inability to defend properly and the risks associated with playing aggressively. Capitalizing on these weaknesses can help White to secure the advantage.

Playing a solid opening, like the Ruy Lopez, can also help to limit the opportunities for Black to establish a foothold on the board.

In sum, the key to countering Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is to be patient, focused, and strategic, with a long-term plan in place to outmaneuver Black and control the position.

Pawn structure in the Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation

The pawn structure in Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is characterized by a focus on control over the center and aggressive play from both sides.

With pawns pushed forward, the opening can lead to a complex and dynamic game, as both Black and White strive to gain control of the position.

White's center pawns create a solid foundation, supported by the pieces, while Black looks to establish pressure on the flanks with their advancing pawns.

However, the potential weaknesses of Black's position, such as the lack of control over the center, can be exploited by White with careful play.

Ultimately, the pawn structure is fluid and changes throughout the game, with each side seeking to gain the advantage and control the position.

The papachess advice

Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is an opening that can lead to complex and exciting games full of opportunities for dynamic play and strategic thinking. While it requires careful preparation and understanding, it can be a potent weapon in Black's arsenal.

For White, countering the opening requires patience, focus, and a long-term strategy, with an emphasis on controlling the center and exploiting Black's potential weaknesses.

Throughout the game, the pawn structure remains fluid and adaptable, changing with each move and offering opportunities for both sides to gain the advantage.

Despite its challenges, mastering the opening can be a rewarding experience, offering the chance to surprise opponents and showcase one's skills on the board.

Whether playing as Black or countering the opening as White, Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation is an opening that will test one's abilities and offer endless possibilities for chess enthusiasts and casual players alike.

Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation in brief

Eco code : B03

Early development

pressure on White's position

dynamic play on flank

focus on undermining White's center

Requires courage and risks

can be challenging to defend

gives up some control over center

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