Here’s the first vid from Dre Day ’11 at Chicago’s legendary Double Door. The Jordan Years with the help of Que Billah reinvent Tha Shiznit, enjoy!

- Mr Andersen

Man this week is getting crazy! Dre Day rehearsals the next two nights at WTR, if you’re near North Ave & Humboldt and hear some banging Dre you are close. . . Anyway, this year we are  pleased to announce the special guests sitting in with The Jordan Years. Before I get to all of that though let me give a HUGE shout out to Wes Restless for hand picking all of the guests himself and I could not be more excited, seriously that is not a roll of dimes in my pocket!

Dre Day ’11
The Jordan Years featuring Wes Restless
w/Special Guests:
Gina Bloom
Matlock
Shadow Master MC
Phillip Morris
Robust
Que Billah
Mic Terror
Ill Legit
ADaD
Hollywood Holt
Alo
Just Jay
Greenweedz
Cosmos
Ang13
Wondur
Vitamin D
The Primeridan
Mass Hysteria

See you Friday!

-Mr Andersen

That’s right, The Jordan Years are off to a slamming start for 2011! The band is finishing up 6 songs at WTR and will be hitting the stage starting New Years at Elbo Room! Be sure to check out some or all of the shows!
Here’s TJY performing their hit “The Winner” live at the West Town Recording Halloween Bash ’10.
The Winner by WestTownRecording

Welcome 2011 by closing out 2010 jamming to The Jordan Years and FATBOOK at Chicago’s Elbo Room, only $60 for presale including OPEN BAR, 2 awesome bands, a DJ, and of course loving the one you’re with. $75 at the door, so be sure to get the presale. Facebook event page here!

Friday January 14, 2011 will be a very special day, The Jordan Years will be performing with the Diplomats of Solid Sound to mark the 8 year anniversary of Chicago’s Darkroom. DOSS have been on my radar for many years now, in fact they got their start in 2001 after releasing their first 7″ single “Bullfrog Boogaloo“. DOSS have been keeping it funky ever since, backing up Chicago soul man Andre Williams for the Pravda Records / Vampisoul release “Aphrodisiac” in May 2006,  and the group has even shared stages with Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Robert Walter, Wilco, The New Mastersounds and The James Taylor Quartet. In 2010, DOSS released their “What Goes Around Comes Around” LP on Italian label Record Kicks. This show is going to be amazingly funky!!!

Last year The Jordan Years had the great pleasure of playing house band to Dre Day ’10, an evening of music inspired by Dr Dre. The band were joined by Chicago’s top MCs including Psalm One, Ang 13, Wondur, Vitamen D, ADAD, Shadow Master MC, Ill Legit, Phillip Morris, etc. Not sure how we will top that!!!

TJY were asked back, this time the event will be held at legendary Chicago venue Double Door, Friday February 18, 2011! More details to come!

Here’s one of my favorite performances from Dre Day ’10, enjoy!

- Mr Andersen

Wow, year 5 already! I still remember hanging with Mike Ryan and the Small Change crew right after Vitamen D won the first annual Rhyme Spitters and Jah Safe won the second year. It was like hanging with Hip Hop royalty, you know the type of royalty that crashes on your couch for a few weeks. . .

Much love to Rich Seng and crew! Who drops out of seminary school and goes on to produce Rhyme Spitters and Miss Wicker Park Beauty Pageant? Rich does.

Check out the event, I will be in the house to see what looks like every notable emcee in the city. Really, look at who is going to be there!  Lyric, Vic Spencer, Strike III, Simeon of the Primeridian, Phillip Morris, Malakh El, Skech 185, Sam I Am, Ang 13, Shadow Master, RHYME Fest, Prime, NEO, Drunken Monkee, Solow Redline, Vitamen D, Jitu, Lungz, Facta, P.R.ism, Anyi, & JUICE!

Here’s a video from year one featuring Vitamen D & Sudan, D kills it!!! 

-Mr Andersen

Alright all underage golden shower jokes aside, I am a sucker for R Kelly. Do you know how much booty I’ve gotten while listening to Rob? And do you know how many of them were “OF” age? No really, I can’t remember…

Kidding aside, “When a Woman Loves” is awesome in a 50′s meets today kind of vibe. Yes I love me some dusties and it may be a little too contemporary R&B for your typical XRT audience, but give it a chance and maybe you’ll put it on repeat like I have. . .

Want to hear more like this? Come to Double Door next Wednesday September 29th for the Chicago Soul Showcase featuring THE JORDAN YEARS, THE CONGREGATION, THE SOMETIMES FAMILY, and KEITH AND THE COMPLICATIONS.

-Mr Andersen

“I’m forever indebted to her cause”

WHAT: CHICAGO SOUL SHOWCASE, an evening of Windy City soul featuring The Jordan Years, The Congregation, The Sometimes Family and Keith and The Complications at Double Door. These four bands are teaming up to show that soul music is alive and well in the city that’s rhythm and blues legacy was built by the brothers Chess and cemented by innovators such as Curtis Mayfield.

EVENT DETAILS:
Wednesday, September 29th 2010, 9pm
Double Door
1572 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL
Tickets: $7 / 21+
Advance tickets available at Ticketfly.com: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/13377
Read the rest of this entry →

The Jordan Years are very excited to be a part of the Chicago Soul Showcase at the legendary Wicker Park club Double Door! Mark your calendars, hire a baby sitter, call in sick the next day, whatever it is going to take, just be there! This will be the last TJY gig before locking in to the friendly confines of West Town Recording to work on the next batch of recordings, so no gigs for a minute folks!

Chicago Soul Showcase WITH-

Keith and the Complications (9-9:30PM) -From what I hear on the KnTC myspace page we are in for a night of up tempo soul/funk tunes that will keep your feet stomping and the crowd singing. There’s some Jamie Lidell influence as well as old Sam and Dave for sure. . .

The Sometimes Family (9:45-10:30PM) – Numerous friends have told me about The Sometimes Family and I never looked into them until now, shame on me! Great female pop/soul falling nicely between the likes of Dusty Springfield and Rachael Yamagata with maybe even some Cardigans flavor.

The Congregation (10:45-11:30PM) – I recently had the pleasure of recording Gina and co at WTR and am very excited to witness The Congregation live. Gina’s voice is a wonderful mix of Etta James and Janis Joplin with the band keeping it steady and soulful underneath.

The Jordan Years (11:45-12:30AM) – Of course this is the best band of the night, wait I am in this band so I am biased. Anyway TJY recently permi-borrowed the horn section of reggae/dub/hip hop group and TJY friends, Dubasaurus. We are using this night to test out some new horn flavor before hitting the studio to record our next record!!!! No gigs are being booked until the recording is done so please come see the last TJY show until Winter!

Wednesday September 29, 2010
Double Door
1572 N Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL
21+ / $7 / 9PM

- Mr Andersen

A little pregame party before the North Coast Festival this weekend in Chicago’s Union Park. North Coast Fest is like Pitchfork, only with bands that I like!

Have seen New Mastersounds on numerous occasions and will be seeing them twice this weekend!! 2:30PM Saturday 9/4 at North Coast Fest and again on 9/4 at 10PM at Double Door!

-Mr Andersen

The Jordan Years will be hitting the stage one last time before Summer turns to Autumn. Please come out and show your love, The Jordan Years have been working with a horn section and will be debuting the Bull Horns at this gig.

Also performing The Congregation, The Sometimes Family, and Keith & the Complications! A lot of bands with “the” in their names. . .

Wednesday September 29, 2010
Doors: 8:30PM / Show: 9PM
21+ / $7