This book was okay, the story was good. I would recommend this book to my friends too. I don't ready these type of books but this one caught my attention

Windy City Blues is a jazz story. Yet, the real story is the lives of Negroes and whites in Chicago in the 1950’s. Red leaves the south and moves to Chicago to make music. He leaves behind a world where he had to use a separate bathroom, sit in a different area while waiting for a bus, and so much more. Thinking the north would be different he quickly realizes that it is not all that different than what he left behind. I found it interesting how accepting he was of his place in Chicago. He accepted that the life he was living is what he should expect. I felt like he could have pushed a little harder to get what he dreamed but yet knew there would be repercussions to doing so.


The Chess Brothers, which ran Chess Records, were heroes to me. They not only stepped up and support the minorities when others were turning their backs but they understood that their musicians were actually part of their families. They respected, took care of, and went beyond that of a boss. The brothers paid them fairly, promoted them tirelessly, and helped them out in their personal and professional lives.


I listen to music all day long. My radio is always on yet I have not listened to much jazz music. Windy City Blues makes me want to find a jazz station and just listen all day long. The music aspect intrigued me. I knew nothing about how records were made, sold, and promoted in the 1950’s. When I finished this book I found myself wanting to learn more about the history of jazz in Chicago, the producing of music in Chicago, and Chicago itself during the 1950’s.

This just wasn't for me, unfortunately. I went into this with such high expectations, only to be bummed about most of the story's aspects in the end. This just wasn't my cup of tea.

LOVE this blues-y setup in Chicago! Rosen never disappoints and this is another must read from her. The characters were wonderfully developed and the details in the background and setting were exquisitely written. Definitely recommended!

Stevie‘s review of Windy City Blues by Renee Rosen
Historical Fiction published by Berkley 28 Feb 17

Regular readers of my reviews will know that I’m always keen to find more books in which one or more protagonists is of a different race, ethnicity, or religion to those we find most commonly in the mainstream, particularly where historical fiction is concerned. This latest novel from Renee Rosen gives us an entire central cast who fit one or other of those boxes, with most of them coming from a wide spectrum of Jewish and/or African American backgrounds.


It’s not uncommon, of course, for minority communities to inhabit the same neighbourhoods; usually as one group becomes established and starts to spread out across a wider area of the metropolis, so a different, newly mobile, population begins to take their place. So it was with Chicago in the 1940s to the 1960s, in a situation I’ve seen over here as well. As the Jewish former immigrants became successful and began to seek better living environments, so the African Americans from further south and more rural areas began to move in, and. for a time at least, the two groups overlapped in one neighbourhood.

For Leeba and the Chess brothers, these years are a magical time to be growing into adulthood: surrounded by the music of their new neighbours and with an increasing ability to travel into other parts of the city in order to seek new jobs and new friends. Leeba finds work in a music store, while her friends become businessmen with first a club, hosting live music and more than the occasional bar fight, and then by owning an increasingly large share of a record company specialising in the music played by their Black neighbours. Red Dupree, meanwhile, travels north from New Orleans to seek fame as a musician. His path crosses first with Leeba and then with the Chess brothers, whom she soon finds herself working for at their new offices.

Red and Leeba begin a slow courtship, against the wishes of Leeba’s family, and Leeba encourages the Chess brothers to record Red’s songs. While other musicians find fame, Red encounters opposition to his relationship with Leeba from many of those living around the home they make together. Eventually this has severe consequences for his career, but that downturn drives him to take a forceful role in the Civil Rights Movement, and to bring Leeba along with him.

There’s a lot to like about this book, which mixes real people and real events with fictional characters and their lives. At times I felt myself yearning for either a more biographical account of some of the factual characters, or a story that concentrated more on the fictional protagonists, while keeping the historical characters in more cameo roles. Overall, however, I liked this book a lot, and it’s encouraged me to look more closely at aspects of US history I haven’t studied since school (what our timetable called Religious Studies often veered into Social History). As for Rosen, I’ll definitely continue to follow her releases, no matter what period or aspect of history she chooses to write about next.

Grade: B

It’s Chicago in the 1960s in Renee Rosen’s novel, WINDY CITY BLUES (Berkley). Leeba Goski finds herself in the middle of a musical and social revolution. She doesn’t exactly fit in, but her love of music is not lost on her childhood friend, Leonard Chess, who offers her a job at his new record company.
What starts as low-level assistant job turns into  more than Leeba ever dreamed of. She becomes a songwriter and crosses paths with legendary performers like Chuck Berry and Etta James. But it’s Red Dupree, a black blues guitarist from Louisiana, who captures her heart and changes her life.

Their relationship is unwelcome in segregated Chicago and they are cut off from Leeba’s Orthodox Jewish family. Yet in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, Leeba and Red discover that, in times of struggle, music can bring people together.

Renée is the bestselling author of  WHITE COLLAR GIRL, WHAT THE LADY WANTS: A NOVEL of MARSHALL FIELD and the GILDED AGE and DOLLFACE: A NOVEL of the ROARING TWENTIES, as well as the young adult novel, EVERY CROOKED POT. She lives in Chicago.
http://www.reneerosen.com

My Review: 4.5 stars

Windy City Blues is a compelling story of Chicago’s unique and deep-seated roots in Blues music and the impact it had on all future music. There is a perfect blend of imagined and well developed characters that create the fictional storyline alongside the real characters such as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and Etta James. During this time period, after WW2, we see the starting seeds of the Civil Rights Movement planted. This topic is well explored and worked as a perfect backdrop for the novel.

Many Southern musicians found themselves in Chicago where the infamous Maxwell Street was the melting pot for immigrants. Rosen brought this neighborhood to life with rich descriptions of food, sounds and music. It is there, on Maxwell Street, that the fictional plot line starts as the main protagonist, Leiba, an Orthodox Jew and talented pianist, finds love with Red Dupree, a black musician. It’s through their mixed race relationship that the Civil Rights Movement comes into play as well as their talent as musicians, which brings them closer with Leonard and Phil Chess, owners of Chess Records.

I must confess that although I enjoy music, I wasn’t familiar with the Blues let alone its significance in Chicago. The historical detail this book provides is astounding. I found myself Googling the musicians that were recorded by Chess Records as well as more information on the Chess brothers themselves. So much of today’s music is due to the influence of the Blues and the vision these two Polish immigrant brothers had for what was then called “race music”.

With good pacing and many threads to the storyline, Renee Rosen has once again offered us a novel about Chicago’s rich history. I am a transplant to Chicago (as is the author) and due to her last three novels I’ve learned so much about this beloved city. She digs deep into the research and presents it to the reader with superb skill and substance. This will make a great book club choice with so much to discuss.

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago so I'm always fascinated by the history of this magnificent city. I know that the Blues has a great hold on the city but I never knew all the history and while Ms. Rosen doesn't get to it all in one novel, I feel like I have a lot more knowledge than I did before. She does a fantastic job of weaving the true history in with some unforgettable fictional characters.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

A deeply human look at the rise of Chicago Blues and its influence on Rock-n-Roll, Windy City Blues is full of historical tidbits, real and imagined characters, and the race struggles in the years leading up to the Civil Rights Movement. It is a story of ambition, sacrifice, love, circumstance, and art.

Windy City Blues initially caught my attention, as a musician and music lover, with its tale of brothers Leonard and Phil Chess’s rise in the music world. How unlikely was is that two Jewish immigrants from Poland could bring “race music” to the masses and become power houses of the music industry? Rosen obviously did her research, and it shows in her deft handling of the technical side of record making and marketing, the musicians of the era, and the racial prejudice and rights struggle that people of color (and other ethnicities) faced. This book should come with its own soundtrack.

Leonard and Phil Chess are fascinating people (My only complaint is Leonard’s continuous use of M*@&er F@&$er. It is a constant throughout the entire book). It is amazing how many talented and influential musicians darkened their door over the course of their career as Chess Records. I especially enjoyed Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones “cameo” near the end of the book.

As interesting as the Chicago Blues and its metamorphosis to R&B and eventually Rock-n-Roll are, the path of characters Leeba and Red is the star of the novel. As a mixed race couple from very different backgrounds, she is Jewish from Chicago and he is black from Louisiana, one might think that they do not have much in common. However, their love of music, mutual feelings of being outsiders, and love for each other make all of their obstacles seem surmountable. Readers cannot help but root for this couple’s happy ending. We follow them through the ups and downs of about twenty years of their relationship – prejudice, heartbreaking circumstances beyond their control, personal heartache, career success, and their passion for civil change.

I really enjoyed Windy City Blues. It is powerful on many levels, and Rosen puts a face to the music, not just the bigger than life personas of the stars but the deeply personal human faces and their stories.

What an epic story, but it doesn't span too much time, but it feels like it - in a good way! Leeba is a young jewish girl living in Chicago, IL and hasn't quite found what she wants to be doing for the long term. At the same time a talented guitarist moves up from the south to Chicago to hopefully make it big. It is the 1950s and their friendship is somewhat welcome in Chicago, but definitely not where he came from and in this time, the music scene globally is changing.

I love historical fiction and usually the historical fiction that I read is REALLY historical, so only going back 60 years is kind of fun and different. I also loved the focus on the evolution of music - I am far from musically talented but I love learning about how the times of history can affect the social times.

One of the reasons I love reading historical fiction is the opportunity to learn something without feeling like you are learning something!

Another thing I love about reading historical fiction is when it makes me look up online things or people in the book. I was all over google and youtube looking up videos and things about the musicians in this book and how record labels were changing and evolving at the time. My favorite was listening to the music and really feeling how much of a change this music would make on peoples lives - such a fun way to read a book.

I have one of Renee Rosen's back list books on my wish to read list and after reading this book it will be jumping up a few notches - White Collar Girl may be read very soon!

Another favorite author of mine. The author does a wonderful job of infusing such life into all of the characters in this story. Although, to me it was like I could call everyone my closest friends. It was like I was transported back in time. I could feel the music, experienced the pain of racial segregation, and felt like part of a family.

The relationship between Leeba and Red may not have been perfect but I am glad that their love was strong enough to survive. In the beginning, Leeba and Red were both just fresh faced youngsters but by the end of the story, they have matured into young adults. Through this book I found a new found respect for "Blues". Windy City Blues is a stunning, marvelous read!

Music and history - talk about one of the best combinations ever! Loved this story to bits!

Four stars: An entertaining and informative read that takes you through the rise of Rock and Roll as well as the Civil Rights Movement.

Leeba is tired of feeling out of place. She is a tall, gangly and awkward teenager. Since Leeba hasn't found the right Jewish boy to marry, she works at a small music store. Leeba hates her boss, but she loves the music and the pianos in the shop. One day, Leeba's neighbor and friend, Leonard Chess offers her a job at his fledgling record company. Leeba's new job quickly becomes more than answering the phones and filing. Soon she is utilizing her own talent, writing songs and playing piano. As the record company grows, it signs on some memorable names such as Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Chuck Barry and Etta James. Unfortunately, Leeba lives in the era before the Civil Rights Movement, and prejudice and segregation rule. Leeba falls in love with a black man, Red Dupree. Before long, she finds herself in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. Can music possibly bring people together?
What I Liked:
*Windy City Blues is a book that is packed full of history. I loved learning about the beginnings of Rock and Roll and how African Americans infiltrated the music system and established the Rock and Roll Era. The story takes you through the humble beginnings, up through the heyday and beyond. I enjoyed seeing big name stars rise to fame under Chess records. This was a fascinating and entertaining read.
*At the heart of the story are Red and Leeba. Leeba a Polish Jew and Red, an African American blues guitarist. The two meet and fall in love in a time when biracial couples were shunned. It was sad to see the hatred and violence they endured because of their relationship. I liked that both characters were fighters and that they stood up for what was right. I was shocked at the violence they encountered when they took part in the Freedom Movement. This was an eye opening read that exposes the ugliness of segregation.
*The other driving force in the book is Leonard Chess. He is the heart and soul of Chess Records, and he helped put many music legends on the map such as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and Etta James. I liked seeing how the whole record industry took off, and l enjoyed learning all the ins and outs of the record business, recording and distributing. Leonard Chess was a legend in his time, and I loved that he was open minded and that he wasn't prejudice.
*Ms. Rosen obviously spent a great deal of time and effort researching this novel, and it shows. This is a well written, informative and entertaining story that will take you through the Rock and Roll Era. If you want to know more about this turbulent and explosive time, read this book.
And The Not So Much:
*The book starts in the 1930s when Leeba and Leonard were kids on the street. I have to admit, the book started out a bit slow for me, but once the record company was on its feet, the story took off. This one requires some patience in the beginnings, but it is well worth the time and effort.
*I knew going in that this was historical fiction, but I couldn't help getting lost in the story of Leeba and Red. At the end, I was disappointed to learn that Red and Leeba were entirely fictional characters. I felt a bit cheated. After learning the truth, I wished that Leonard had been the main character.

Windy City Blues is an excellent book that blends historical fact with fiction to create an entertaining and informative story that chronicles the rise of the Rock and Roll Era as well as the Civil Rights Movement. This is a must read for fans of music.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

As a huge music fan this novel was just what I needed right now! I love that it focuses on the real Chess records and its musicians most of whom are my idols. I love the tale of a girl who was brought into this world and totally soaks it in. This is for musical fans but also for those who just love a great read.

I absolutely loved Rene Rosen’s previous novel, White Collar Girl, so I am looking forward to reading this book, I have very high hopes it will be great. Here’s what you need to know about Windy City Blues:

In the middle of the twentieth century, the music of the Mississippi Delta arrived in Chicago, drawing the attention of entrepreneurs like the Chess brothers. Their label, Chess Records, helped shape that music into the Chicago Blues, the soundtrack for a transformative era in American History.

But, for Leeba Groski, Chess Records was just where she worked…

Leeba doesn’t exactly fit in, but her passion for music and her talented piano playing captures the attention of her neighbor, Leonard Chess, who offers her a job at his new record company. What begins as answering phones and filing becomes much more as Leeba comes into her own as a songwriter and befriends performers like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry, and Etta James. But she also finds love with a black blues guitarist named Red Dupree.

With their relationship unwelcome in segregated Chicago and shunned by Leeba’s Orthodox Jewish family, Leeba and Red soon find themselves in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement and they discover that, in times of struggle, music can bring people together.