Content in this magazine
Blues and West Side
The blues is the rhythm that flows under and through so much of our music. But often the blues is overlooked. That’s true on the West Side where the genre…
Katherine Davis: Life in pictures
Austin’s Katherine Davis has lived her life in the blues. West Side archivist Kenn Cook, Jr. visited Davis, shot current photos of Davis and collected images of artifacts of her…
Guided by the blues god
Hearing blues singer, songwriter, and recording artist Katherine Davis credit the ‘blues gods’ with whispering her forward through the twists and triumphs of her long career, one can feel the…
The life and rhythm of Blues drummer Timothy ‘Badboy’ Taylor
On Chicago’s West Side, where the blues once seeped through floorboards and screen doors like a living thing, and your mother, father and nearly all your siblings are blues musicians,…
Larry Taylor, West Side bluesman, shares story of family’s music lineage
West Side Blues legend Larry Hill (Bluesman) Taylor, fondly recalls the times (the 1960s, 1970s and 80s) when the blues artists in his family and other legends were part of…
Food from the gods that feed Black souls
Sweet potatoes, greens, ham hocks, chowchow, fried chicken, and potato salad were staples on Black Southern tables long before anyone thought to label the everyday cuisine “soul food.” These dishes…
Black Boy Joy brings childhood and community to life in North Lawndale
From April 3 to May 2, Black Boy Joy transformed the Lawndale Pop-Up Spot into a reflection of childhood, family and community, as North Lawndale resident and artist Lavontae Alexander…
International Jazz Day spotlighted Chicago’s West Side
Chicago took center stage for International Jazz Day on April 30, hosting a global celebration. The programming showcased and honored the city’s deep-rooted jazz legacy. Various jazz performances were held…
Forty Acres Fresh Market plants its roots in Austin
When Forty Acres Fresh Market opened its doors in September 2025, the full-service grocery store filled a gap for customers in the Austin neighborhood with fresh produce, a butcher counter…