Guests at Germany Week in Chicago were feeling the blues thanks to the city’s own The Original Chicago Blues All Stars, who joined forces with Fernando Jone’s Blues Kids and Scott Cvelbar’s Blues Project for a live blues concert!

Drummer Jimmy Lee Tillman stressed the importance of the blues in American history, saying “Learn the blues! Learn the history of the blues and you’ll find the history of America.”

Though it originated in the US, blues music has had a global impact. In fact, The Original Chicago Blues All Stars played their first ever gig in Germany at the Berlin Jazz Festival, where they debuted the song “Tear Down the Berlin Wall.”

Following the concert, blues musicians from both countries, including three-time Grammy nominee Billy Branch, author Terry Abrahamson, and Klaus “Mojo” Kilian sat down with German Consul General and blues aficionado Herbert Quelle for a panel discussion. Topics included the impact of Horst Lippmann’s and Fritz Rau’s American Folk Blues Festival on the music scene in Europe and how it put the Blues in the global spotlight.

After the discussion, Berlin-based pianist Frank Muschalle, one of Europe’s most sought-after boogie-woogie musicians, took to the stage to perform a solo concert.

While warming up, Muschalle was joined on stage by Billy Branch, the harmonica player of The Original Chicago Blues All Stars, for an impromptu, improvised jam session!

Check out the full Germany Week program here!