Jim Schwall

Jim Schwall (born November 11, 1942) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as a co-founder and member of the Siegel-Schwall Band.

Musical career

Jim Schwall was born in Chicago, Illinois, and currently resides in the Madison, Wisconsin area. A singer-songwriter, he plays guitar, as well as mandolin, bass guitar, and other instruments. He studied music at Roosevelt University. There he met Corky Siegel, and became interested in blues music. Schwall and Seigel formed a blues duo in 1964, playing at Chicago bars and clubs. They performed regularly at Pepper's Lounge and at Big John's, where well known, established blues musicians such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Willie Dixon would often sit in. The duo expanded to a quartet and became the Siegel-Schwall Band. Schwall's amplified Gibson B-25 acoustic guitar was a distinctive component of the band's sound.

The Siegel-Schwall Band became quite popular, and by 1967 were touring nationally, performing at large venues like the Fillmore West and sharing the bill with well-known rock bands. Between 1966 and 1974, they released ten albums. They were also noted for their collaborations with Seiji Ozawa, combining blues with classical music. After 1974, they disbanded, but the band re-formed in 1987. They still play occasional live dates and have released two albums of new material.