Brother Jacob & His Blues Crew Opens UIC’s 24th Annual Blues Cabaret
Brother Jacob & His Blues Crew, a blues band featuring a young African American blues singer, who has emerged on the scene with 10 years of performing already under his belt, will serve as the opening act for the University of Chicago’s (UIC) 24th Annual Blues Cabaret on Feb. 28 as part of the school’s Black History month celebration.
Jacob Schulz, 21, currently resides on Chicago’s South Side in the Bronzeville community with his elderly godmother whom he credits as the person who influenced his love for the “blues”-- introducing him to the “soulful” story-telling genre, at an early age, as she baby sat him as a young child.
“Blue music attached itself to me or I to it” said the young performer who is often referred to as an “old soul and counts legendary blues singers Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Arthur Burnett), Koko Taylor, Bobby Rush and Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) among his favorites and share their stories during his stage performances. “Blues is what I feel deep down in my soul.”
As for his name, which doesn’t automatically announce his ethnicity, Schulz said, “I get that question all the time about my name. My grandfather is German. To look at my full name, Jacob Daniel Schulz, you would think that I was Jewish.”
As a young boy, Schulz said his godmother listened to Pervis Spann’s “The Blues Man” show on WVON.
At age 11, the young Blues performer met Blues Professor Caleb Dube of Depaul University who reportedly was so impressed by Schulz’s knowledge of the Blues that he invited the young aficionado to lecture to his students.
Addressing to the Depaul Students, Schulz spoke about the history of the Blues and would say things such as “Hound Dog wasn’t Elvis Presley’s song, that was Big Mama Thornton’s tune!”
On June 10, 2004, Schulz made his official debut as a Blues Singer at the Chicago Blues Festival.
A long way from the time of his predecessors’ ‘heyday,’ Schulz used the internet as a guide to research Blues music.
As time progressed, Schulz became more active in the Blues world, sitting in at open jams and becoming acquainted with the legends he looked up to, who, also supported and encouraged him to continue singing the Blues.
"It is imperative that we keep the Blues alive,” Schulz said. “I want to sing the Blues because it's just always been a part of me. So I'll keep the Blues alive through my singing."
Schultz who has performed with some of the biggest names in the Blues industry, released his own debut album, “Blues from Below” last year and currently attends UIC where he is studying urban and public affairs.
Zora Young, a distant relative of blues legend Howlin’ Wolf, has been a featured performer seven times at the Chicago Blues Festival, is the featured performer for the UIC show scheduled for 7 p.m. at the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Rd.
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