The band CHASE was created in 1970 by Bill Chase, Ted Piercefield, Alan Ware, and Jerry Van Blair, all veteran jazz trumpeters. They were backed up by a rhythm section consisting of Phil Porter on keyboards, Angel South on guitar, Dennis Keith Johnson on bass, and Jay Burrid on drums. Rounding out the group was Terry Richards, who was featured as lead vocalist on the first album. In April 1971, the band released their debut album CHASE which contains Chase’s best-known song, “Get It On,” released as a single that spent thirteen weeks on the charts beginning in May 1971. The band received a Best New Artist Grammy nomination and the album went Gold. Chase released their second album, ENNEA, in March 1972; the album’s title is the Greek word for nine, a reference to the nine band members. The original lineup changed midway through the recording sessions, with Gary Smith taking over on drums and GG Shinn on lead vocals.

Following an extended hiatus, Chase reemerged early in 1974 with the release of PURE MUSIC, their third album. Keeping the four-trumpet section headed by Bill Chase, including Joe Morrissey, Jim Oatts, Jay Sollenberger, Walter Clark on drums, John Emma on guitar, Wally Yohn on keyboards, Dartanyan Brown on bass and vocals, Jim Peterik of the Ides of March, also sings on two songs on the album.

On August 9, 1974 while en route to a scheduled performance at the Jackson County Fair in Minnesota, Bill Chase died in a plane crash at the age of 39. Also killed, along with the pilot and a female companion, were Wally Yohn, Walter Clark, and John Emma.

In 2007 Joe Morrissey contacted surviving original group members with a reunion proposition, and Chase Revisited was then born. Since then, the group has been selectively performing with members from all released albums, augmented with some of the best world-class jazz-rock musicians available, bringing this uniquely exciting music back to life.

M13 is a Chicago-based, 13-piece ensemble, whose original compositions and arrangements by saxophonist/bandleader Aaron McEvers defy common convention and classification. Jazz may be at its core, but this is no swing band. The amalgamation of styles within their sound is varied and unapologetic. Original compositions are somewhat programmatic, evoking a sense of storytelling through melody-driven arcs, fresh orchestration and improvisation. This recipe yields a surprisingly accessible sound, appealing to listeners with a variety of musical tastes. At times subtle and delicate, at others wonderfully aggressive, M13’s music and musicianship has set them apart, establishing a style of their own. Word of mouth from their residency at Quenchers Saloon grabbed the attention and acclaim of Chicago Public Radio’s 848 show and CL-TV’s popular “Metromix” show, who both featured M13 on their programs.

Featuring husband and wife team Gary Gand on guitar and Joan Gand on keys, Blue Road is the ultimate blues backup band for all the fantastic vocalists in the festival.