“Music is the common language of all peoples on earth. It helps us understand each other in ways that the other arts cannot. We all get the blues sometimes,...be they sad, or happy blues!”

Nigel Mack: Hi-Energy Blues Attack!

Chicago blues ‘triple threat’ (slide guitar, harmonica & vocals) Nigel Mack delivers a high-energy show that fuses classics with the punch of contemporary original blues. These are talents honed by years of relentless touring in support of his critically acclaimed recordings. Originally based in Canada, Nigel began touring the US in 1992 & has called the 'Windy City' home since 2003. 'Nigel Mack Blues Attack' perform regularly at such legendary Chicago clubs as ‘Buddy Guy’s Legends’ and 'House of Blues’. They have appeared at the ‘Chicago Blues Festival’ numerous times and logged over 1.5 million miles of touring across north America and Europe. Mack’s original compositions have been featured on internationally syndicated television sound-tracks. His dynamic stage show is a favorite at clubs and festivals everywhere!

(Nigel Mack / Photo by David Tepper)

‘Back In Style' (2023) was the latest album by Chicago’s 'triple blues threat'. It delivers a blistering fusion of traditional and contemporary blues harp & slide guitar. Recorded in Chicago by Grammy & Blues Award winning Engineer/Producer Michael Freeman, 'Back In Style' features standout performances by some of the 'Windy City's' finest blues musicians! The 12 original songs of album build upon Mack’s lineage as a musician, songwriter & record producer, featuring high-quality production, while embracing the honesty of the blues!

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the music influenced your views of the world?

I grew up in a house of varied musical styles; our parents turned their four kids on to such artists as Charlie Parker, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Henry Mancini, Peter Paul & Mary, Trini Lopez, Bach, Mozart, CCR and The Beatles, just to name a few. We got to see how music was a worldwide language!

What moment changed your life the most?

Our neighbors played in a local folk/jugband. Witnessing their backporch rehearsals poured fuel on the fire that my parents had helped light

How do you describe your sound and songbook?

My band is called the 'Blues Attack' and is stylistically inspired by the James Cotton band of the 80's. Cotton's band would go from hard-charging funk to gut-bucket blues in the blink of an eye. So my band's focus is on original high-energy blues, leaning more towards funk than rock, yet still remaining faithful to traditional blues. We perform a lot of original material from my four albums.

What keeps a musician passionate over the years in Blues?

I draw a lot of inspiration from the world around me, from the real-life struggles of people I see and meet.

What would you say characterizes Canadian blues scene in comparison to US scene?

Just like in the states, connections are deep and life-long. Canada's blues scene is geographically large, yet demographically small. So each region is a it bit more physically isolated from the other.

“I grew up in a house of varied musical styles; our parents turned their four kids on to such artists as Charlie Parker, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Henry Mancini, Peter Paul & Mary, Trini Lopez, Bach, Mozart, CCR and The Beatles, just to name a few. We got to see how music was a worldwide language!(Nigel Mack / Photo by da Roman Sobus)

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past?

We used to make a decent living doing it. Two month tours were not uncommon. Artists could hit the road, play a lot of shows and  sell a lot of CDs. I was on the road 250 nights a year for years, racking up over 1.5 million miles of touring. Back then, before the internet, instant access to the world wasn't possible and so music really meant something to folks. I also miss many dear friends; great artists and fans alike that have passed away.

What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

As long as there are young artists 'picking up the sword', we shouldn't fear the future of the blues. 'Cause folks will always have the blues. I love in seeing people falling back in love with vinyl albums.

Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career that you would like to tell us about?!

So many highpoints and great memories to choose from! A pivotal one was getting 'the call' out of the blue from the late 'Professor' Eddy Lusk in 1992, inviting me to join his band as a 'special guest' for the Chicago Blues Festival, at a time when there no Canadians playing Chicago. That week opened doors that led to me making the jump from touring western Canada to becoming established as a US national touring act, completing 20 coast to coast US/Canada tours in the next ten years!

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

The stage can teach you many lessons, if you are open to learning. For example: Lesson #1 - Always keep your head up and your eyes open if possible, because you never know what or who might be headed your way! Lesson #2 always aquaint yourself with the location of the nearest exit. Because you never know when an emergency may arise. Lesson #3 - be super nice to all the staff wherever you play and tip your bartenders and servers well.

The road can teach you an entirely new, but interwoven set of lessons. Lesson #1 - always opt for a 4 lane highway, even if it's a longer distance, because there's a far lower chance of having a head-on crash. Lesson #2 - whenever possible, don't drive late at night after the show. Because all that's out there are deer and drunks!  Lesson #3 - always leave extra 'squish' time when leaving out for a show. Because you never know when an emergency may arise and delay you.

“To celebrate being human in this age of AI threatening our jobs and perhaps our very existence as a species! A robot may be able to beat us at table tennis, but it can never feel what we feel and share that feeling with other humans! Live music, played by real musicians will continue to be the glue that holds us all together!” (Photos: Nigel Mack)

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

I'm constantly observing the world around me and listening to what sounds are trending in popular culture. My writing reflects those observations. One example is my song, 'A Place To Call Home' from the 'Back In Style' album. The images of entire families fleeing the Syrian civil war and leaving their cherished homes got me thinking about the millions of people throughout the world in similar circumstances. They exist all around us; cooks, waiters and the former doctor I met. Unable to afford to get accredited to practice medicine in the US, he now drives a cab to support his family.

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?

Music is the common language of all peoples on earth. It helps us understand each other in ways that the other arts cannot. We all get the blues sometimes,...be they sad, or happy blues! I sing BB King's 'Sweet Little Angel', to celebrate how I feel about the gal in my life. Other times I'll sing something like 'Goin' Down Slow'. It all depends on how I'm feeling, or the mood of the day.  Hopefully, by hearing the blues people will see that we are not alone in our suffering, or our joy.

What is the role of music/musicians in today’s society?

To celebrate being human in this age of AI threatening our jobs and perhaps our very existence as a species! A robot may be able to beat us at table tennis, but it can never feel what we feel and share that feeling with other humans! Live music, played by real musicians will continue to be the glue that holds us all together!

Nigel Mack - Home

(Nigel Mack / Photo by David Tepper)