Speakin' of the Blues: and This Is Free June 4, 2009

Filmmaker Mike Shea's classic 1964 work 'And This Is Free,' a remembrance of Chicago's famous Maxwell Street, was recently re-released on DVD by Shanachie Entertainment. While the film had no narration, it achieved cult status by engagingly capturing the flavor, characters, and blues music of Maxwell Street. Though that era is gone (a large portion of the area is now part of the campus and a private housing development at the University of Illinois at Chicago), Shea's film remains worthy viewing as a fascinating piece of history. During the program, presented in cooperation with The Mayor's Office of Special Events, City of Chicago, blues aficionado Barry Dolins will offer live comments and remarks.