Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout, featuring Billy Branch, James Harmon and Hummel, plus special guest Steve Freund and the Blues Survivors will rock the Jazz Base with some swingin' blues.

Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout series was started in 1991. It has grown to become an international event, having played festivals and theatres like Nottonden Blues Fest (Norway), San Francisco Blues Fest, Chicago Blues Fest, Ultimate Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Pocono Blues Fest, Mississippi Valley Blues Fest, American Music Fest, BB King's Club (NYC), Heritage Blues Fest, King Biscuit Blues Fest, El Dorado Blues and Brews (Reno, NV), Edmonton Blues Fest, Yoshi's NiteClub, Monterey Jazz Fest, North Atlantic Blues Fest, and many other venues.

Mark Hummel is a road warrior -- a true Blues Survivor. Along the way, he has crafted his own trademark harmonica sound -- a subtle combination of tone, phrasing and attack, combined with a strong sense of swing. Hummel has achieved wide recognition through nearly constant touring in the US, Canada and Europe.

Billy Branch has followed a very non-traditional path to the blues. Unlike many blues artists, he isn’t from the South. Billy was born in Chicago in 1951 and was raised in Los Angeles. He first picked up a harmonica at the age of ten and immediately began to play simple tunes.

Billy returned to Chicago in the summer of ’69 and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in political science. It was during these years that he was introduced to the blues.

James Harman is a one of a kind showman, vocalist, song writer, harp player and wiseguy. He has had his original songs used in 17 movies and has been nominated for 19 pestiferous W. C. Handy awards. He played harmonica on many ZZ Top releases and live with them on many international TV shows. He currently tours almost all springs, summers and falls working in as many as 23 different countries.

Guitarist, producer and bandleader Steve Freund, praised by Rolling Stone for his "masterful, no-nonsense guitar work" has relocated to the West Coast following 18 years as one of Chicago's most respected musicians.

Widely sought after for his knowledge of and fluency in the Blues idioms, Freund has earned a reputation as one of the hottest players on today's blues scene.

In 1978, he became Sunnyland Slim's main guitarist, playing just about every gig with the piano legend until the time of his death.