Barrelhouse Chuck Brings Chicago Blues to the Suburbs
By LJ Molinari-The Lowdown, October 2001

We pulled into the parking lot at Austin's, 481 Peterson Road in Libertyville, on a Wednesday night to see Blues pianist, Barrelhouse Chuck. The parking lot was surprisingly full for a Wednesday night. Dave (our photographer and resident music expert) and I walked up to the front door just as an elderly couple was leaving the restaurant. The unmistakable sound of the Blues squeezed out the door behind them. My pace quickened.

We grabbed an open table near the front and kicked back. In an instant, our waitress was getting out drink order and we got down to business. The stirrups wagon, and horseshoes hanging on the wall seem like strange surroundings to see a blues band. At first, I was a little leery of the place. A Southwestern motif and a blues band (never the twain shall meet?) just didn't seem right. After drinking down my first Heineken, it dawned on me. Not only was I listening to the Blues, for virtually free (the band welcomes tips!), on a Wednesday night, it was damn good Chicago Blues! Austin's was quickly vaulting to the top of my list for places to go on a Wednesday night!

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Barrelhouse Chuck (Charles Goering), started his musical training at age 5 when he learned to play the drums. Later, he switched to piano and truly found his calling. After hearing a Muddy Water's record, "Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" featuring Otis Spann on the piano, Chuck's life changed forever. He bought every blues record he could find.

Before long, he formed his own band and was opening for such legends as Willie Dixon, B.B. King and Bo Diddley. It was at this time that he and some friends started following Muddy Waters around the country (aptly dubbed "Mud Heads").

In 1979, Chuck drove 24 hours straight from Florida to Chicago to see Sunnyland Slim (arguably one of the best blues piano players to pound the ivory). Soon Sunnyland took him under his wing and under the tutelage of this piano master, the blues fire burned in his belly.

Chuck immersed himself in the Blues culture, hanging around with the likes of icons such as Pinetop Perkins, Lafayette Leake and Little Brother Montgomery. This became the perfect environment to hone his piano skills.

Over the last twenty years, Barrelhouse Chuck has had himself a grand career. Playing all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and touring Europe on a regular basis, and has also appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival over a half dozen times. Additionally, Chuck has played with, or recorded with, most of the great, Blues artists of our time.

During a break, we spoke with Chuck who immediately apologized for his performance. Dave and I stared at each other trying to figure out what he was talking about. Apparently, Barrelhouse Chuck injured one of his hands, in a fit of over-exuberance on the piano. "I'm at about 50% right now," he said, He could have fooled us. If this was only half, I can't wait to see him at full strength!

If you like good Blues music in a very comfortable setting, check out Barrelhouse Chuck at Austin's each and every Wednesday. A couple of the guys playing with Chuck, John Carpenter (drums) and Kevin Guin (Bass) have been jamming for over 16 years. Although the rest of the band, Dave Mueller (Guitar), Tom Sances (Guitar), and Jim Burke (Harmonica) have not played together as long, you'd swear they had. They are as tight as any Blues band you'll see downtown, minus the hefty cover charge.

Barrelhouse Chuck's newest CD, 25 Years of Chicago Blues Piano, is excellent. Tribute songs such as "Salute To Sunnyland Slim" and "Farwell to S.P. Leary" really portray that Chicago Blues feeling. I can tell you it's well worth the $15 (available on his website: www.barrelhousechuck.com).

By the way, because I'm an idiot, and didn't know what a Barrelhouse was, I looked it up. According to Webster, a barrelhouse is a disreputable drinking establishment or an early style of jazz characterized by free group improvisation and an accented two-beat rhythm. Oh!

This review is copyright © 2001 by LJ Molinari-The Lowdown, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission.

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