Stefan Hillesheim Band – FitzGerald's, Berwyn, April 1, 2025

By Mark Plotnick

Photos: Jim Summaria

Stefan Hillesheim & Darryl Wright

Stefan Hillesheim Band  - Fitzgerald’s Sidebar, Berwyn, April 1, 2025

By Mark Plotnick

Photos: Jim Summaria

It was “Bluesday Tuesday” night at Fitzgerald’s with the Dave Specter Band (with special guests Jimmy Burns and Sheryl Youngblood)  on the main stage playing to a packed house and a live broadcast to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of this monthly blues event instituted by Tom Marker and WDCB radio a decade ago.

And in the Sidebar was the after-party starring the Stefan Hillesheim Band, a lively and eclectic quartet that proved that no matter one’s ancestry, race, or creed, the blues connects us all.

The prodigious talents and chemistry between these musicians from Germany (Stefan Hillesheim on guitar and vocals), Japan (Sumito “ARIYO” Ariyoshi on electric piano) and Chicago (Darryl Wright on bass and Dionte “I Live 2 Groove” McMusick on drums) was on  display throughout the band’s twenty song, two-hour set.

Stefan Hillesheim: From Koblenz to Chicago

Born in Koblenz, Germany in 1987, Stefan Hillesheim heard his first blues recordings around the age of six. His father introduced him to Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher and Jeff Beck. Later on, the fledgling musician would add Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf and Albert King to the roster.

Feeling awkward as a kid, blues music was a way for the young German to express himself. He later developed an interest in classical music, taught and played gigs. But his favorite musicians were American blues and soul artists. He felt a need to get closer to the source.

At age twenty-seven, Hillesheim moved to the City of Angels and attended the prestigious Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He excelled but later remarked, “You can’t really learn how to play in schools. I learned more about music during the Sunday services when I played gospel churches in South Central Los Angeles. That was my true school.”

After making headway as a session player, he set his eyes on the Windy City.  He was fascinated with the journey taken by rural acoustic blues artists as they made their way North to urban centers like Chicago where the music required amplification. Hillesheim noted, “It’s like the connecting link between old country blues and rock ‘n’ roll…the best of both worlds.” 

In 2022, he and his wife relocated to Chicago where the blues community was warm and welcoming. He made friends with local blues musicians. The Chicago area felt like home.

The Setlist

Hillesheim, ARIYO, Wright and McMusick (stage and social media name) made their way through the Sidebar’s long narrow room. They briefly mingled before taking the stage. I asked Stefan about a setlist and he responded matter of factly, “No set list.”

After tune ups and sound checks, the first song took shape. “On Down the Highway” was the first of ten originals selected randomly for tonight’s performance. With a ceramic slide on his pinky finger, Hillesheim played a Delta-style blues riff and sang the opening lyrics in unison.

Another original song followed. The up-tempo, minor key blues “My Poor Heart” began with deliciously funky chords goosed along by Darryl Wright’s syncopated bass line and Dionte McMusick’s percussive punctuations.  

Integral to the song were the keyboard skills of ARIYO. Hunched over his Yamaha CP electric piano, ARIYO added color, texture, polyrhythmic syncopation and creative improvisation throughout the evening. The Japanese native arrived in Chicago in 1983 and has toured internationally with major blues artists, including late legend Otis Rush, while guesting on a long list of recordings including his own. He’s a Chicago Blues Hall of Famer and a longtime member of Billy Branch’s Sons of Blues band. His playing is steeped in the tradition of older blues piano styles while incorporating his own imaginative and modernist approach.

Five-string bassist Darryl Wright is a Chicago Blues Hall of Famer and session man who has toured with Mavis Staples and others. Dionte McMusick (real surname Skinner) is a newer member of Billy Branch’s Sons of Blues band, but the three have been part of Hillesheim’s regular band for the past several years.

Back to the show. Stefan thanked everyone for coming out, introduced the aforementioned players and joked about his original songs being mostly famous at home. The bandleader then kicked off one of my favorite Freddie King songs titled “Big Legged Woman.” Hillesheim paid homage to the “Texas Cannonball” with an aggressive guitar attack King was known for.

 “I love the tip, I love the top, I love you better than a hog loves slop, ‘Cause you're a big legged woman with a short, short miniskirt. Promise me darlin' you'll never make me feel like dirt.”

The blond, pony-tailed guitarist plays with his head and his heart. The “head” component tells you he’s studied his influences by inserting a signature riff, phrase or technique. The “heart” part is the emotional component that plays out in real time depending on mood and band interaction. This combination results in his own style of playing and singing. Stefan’s explanation is simple:  “I want my vocals to compliment my guitar playing and vice versa. Like having a conversation.” 

Two more blues classics followed. The first paid homage to Eric Clapton and his version of fan favorite “Further on Up the Road.” He then turned to the frequently covered Elmore James staple “It Hurts Me Too.” It’s one of the first blues songs that influenced Hillesheim, who calls James his favorite blues singer and slide guitar player. During his rendition, the guitarist moved to the front of the stage and sang sans microphone while ARIYO contributed a beautiful piano solo.  

The band followed with Robert Johnson’s “Dust My Broom” released in 1937, but it’s the Elmore James version that serves as a slide guitar primer for anyone who’s ever attempted to fret guitar strings with a glass or steel tube. This raw and primal blues is a metaphor for a quick escape or even something sexual. Robert Johnson took it to his grave. For me, the song’s irresistible shuffling rhythm conjures up (I won’t divulge why) images of cartoonist Robert Crumb’s “Keep on Truckin’” figures who first appeared in the underground comic book Zap Comix back in 1968.   

Resembling a surfer dude, the bandleader took another opportunity to introduce the band, not surprising, since he considers himself a “band guy” whose goal is to be part of a successful band rather than chasing individual achievements. He also gave a shout out to esteemed blues musician Dave Specter who played earlier on Fitzgerald’s main stage.

“When I’m Gone,” the title track of Hillesheim’s 2023 CD, featured an unhurried and deep Delta blues groove with an infectious slide riff.  Although not as flashy or as powerful a vocalist as the late Johnny Winter, there’s a similar authenticity to his playing and singing. Like Winter, it’s clear that Stefan “feels” the blues in a special way.

The band then took a musical detour by paying tribute to the Jimi Hendrix (original) and Derek and the Dominoes renditions of “Little Wing.” Hillesheim was deep in the moment as he unleashed bits of Hendrix, Clapton and Duane Allman, then rotated his guitar…brought it to his face…and picked fretted notes with his teeth. This song never fails to emote sadness in my heart, but in a beautiful way.

Up next was the joyful and upbeat, “You’re My Family.” This Allman-Esque number could have been a track on the 1973 LP Brothers and Sisters by the Allman Brothers Band. ARIYO’s piano playing was straight out of the Chuck Leavell playbook, once again demonstrating the range of style options in his toolbox.

After some self-effacing humor about his nearly undetectable German accent, he treated the Sidebar audience to his autobiographical “Seduced by the Blues.” The song is a narrative about his attraction to the genre, and his journey back to the music that first spoke to him.  Mid-song, he stopped to acknowledge a Chicago radio legend who had just entered the room -- namely Tom Marker, longtime champion of blues music. Moving to the front of the stage, Stefan tossed out some Albert King style licks and winced with each stinging note. There was genuine “give and take” energy going on between artist and audience.   

At the set’s halfway point, Stefan turned the microphone over to bassist Darryl Wright. The Chicago Blues Hall of Famer took lead vocal on “Fanny Mae,” a Buster Brown blues classic that crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Rhythm’ n’ Blues Chart back in 1960. Wright added some scat-rapping as he “slapped and plucked” improvised bass lines. 

This might be the appropriate moment to remark about the evening’s vocal mix that sounded muddled on occasion. Perhaps it was my location in the room, the sound engineering or the acoustics. Maybe it was me? Enjoying the lyrics was challenging at times. Thanks to Stefan for helping me out with two song titles.

Along with Rosa’s Lounge, another important venue in the songwriter’s career was the subject matter for the tune “Harlem Avenue Lounge.” It was written for the late Kenny Zimmerman, one of the first club owners to book Hillesheim after his Chicago arrival. As the song neared its conclusion, the guitarist beckoned the audience to repeatedly sing the words “Harlem Avenue Lounge” until he was satisfied with the result. On Hillesheim’s Live at Rosa’s Lounge CD, he affectionately described Zimmerman as a “hoot with a great sense of humor.” Sadly the storied Berwyn blues bar is permanently closed.

A few songs later, the Steve Morris/Dixie Dregs period lookalike tore into one of the most iconic opening rock ‘n’ roll riffs ever. ( I’ll give Layla a runner-up vote). Just how iconic is Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode?  A gold disc with the recording resides on both of NASA’s Voyageur spacecraft out there in interstellar space…just waiting for intelligent life to beam back, “Send more Chuck Berry.” Thank you Steve Martin and Saturday Night Live! 

Stefan Has Anxiety

As a Green Card holder who is working on his naturalized U.S. citizenship, Stefan’s Reggae-inspired song “Anxiety” revealed subtle political relevancy despite the artist declaring otherwise. But then he quipped, “You know what it means.”

Hillesheim’s next song not only paid homage to blues great Albert King but also demonstrated how deep the blues is buried in his soul. During “I’ll Play the Blues For You,” the guitarist sang sweetly as he played subtle, King-like licks before turning on the afterburners and bringing in some Stevie Ray Vaughan inspired fire into the mix. It was a moving performance.

His next song delivered a message that all married couples can relate to. “I Always Get To Hear From You” featured a rhumba tempo with some playful slide guitar work and drum fills. But the best takeaway from this song is the storyline, “You know I really love you baby, it doesn’t mean you’re always right.” The next time you or your main squeeze have a difference of opinion, remember this line and tell them, “Stefan Hillesheim sent me.”

Although there were many inspired guitar solos throughout the evening, the slow minor blues drama “Better Man” delivered some of Stefan’s most inspired licks – from contemplative to five-alarm fire. Perhaps it was Stefan’s guitar pickup settings that made this solo stand out. Short stinging guitar notes alternated with pleading lyrics:

“Done you wrong, there’s no denying it. You say it’s over, but it’s not such a crime. You know I don’t deserve another chance, but please let me be a better man…a better man.”    

Was I the only one in the room who heard a bit of inspiration from Eric Clapton’s song “Old Love?”    

Hillesheim paused after ‘Better Man” to remind people to hang around for a few more songs. Bassist Darryl Wright had another turn at lead vocals with the 1985 Robert Palmer song “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On.”

The evening closed out with two barn burners. Hillesheim dug into his reggae bag with the Bob Marley original and Eric Clapton cover of “I Shot the Sheriff.”  Caught up in the infectious rhythm, I couldn’t stop myself from singing the lyrics. As with Clapton’s version, Hillesheim rocked the song while keeping to its reggae roots. 

Sporting a SRV hat, the guitar slinger gently reminded Sidebar patrons about a voluntary cover charge and a tall wooden tip box near the front of the stage. According to CBG editor Linda Cain, it looked like something you’d come across in a church or funeral parlor. Linda and I dropped our appreciation into the well-used box hoping others would follow – especially those who are familiar with Hillesheim’s song “Put Some Respect On My Name.”  Here was an opportunity to do just that.

Before closing out the show, the bandleader remarked, “You’ve been a wonderful audience.  This is our last song.” He proudly reintroduced the band and declared, “Here’s one of the first songs I learned and we’re going to put a little spin on it.” 

“All Along the Watchtower” began in low gear and then out of nowhere, kicked into Hendrix mode. The show ended with Stefan advising all to “Get home safe.”

After the show, I chatted with ARIYO about his life in Japan and then asked Stefan (both very amiable) about the aggressive tempo shift in the closing song. He said, “I surprised myself going into Hendrix mode.” Now that’s authenticity.

When he came to this country, Stefan Hillesheim could have auditioned for one of America’s television talent shows with his compelling backstory and musical gifts. But he chose to go it the old-fashioned and more challenging route: achieving recognition and success song by song, gig by gig, album by album. Get out and see him perform, buy his CDs or download his songs. You’ll want his music around anytime you’re feeling the blues or having a party.

###

Jim Summaria began professionally photographing rock concerts in 1973 at the age of 19 when he became the staff photographer for the Chicago rock concert promoter Flip Side Productions. Jim's photos have been published in numerous books, magazines and CDs. His rock ‘n’ roll photos have been viewed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum and Hall of Fame on Rt.66 and the Grammy Awards. Jim and writer Mark Plotnick co-authored the books Classic Rock: Photographs From Yesterday & Today and the October 2024 release ‘70s Chicagoland Rock Concerts, available on Amazon.

###