Low-reen & Jim Harpdog Hellen lean heavily into Chicago Blues, with a dose of roots, rock, & Americana. This Singer Songwriter Dynamic Duo will entertain you!
Long before Low-reen & Jim Harpdog Hellen ever met, Jim performed with Low-reen’s brother, drummer Ron Lewis, at college in Carbondale’s popular Tin Pan Alley. 20-something years later, Ron introduced Low-reen & Harpdog, who finally began to perform together in 2015, with Low-reen on guitar & vocals and Harpdog on guitar, vocals, and….well, harp 🙂
Low-reen on growling vocals, telecaster, and bass guitar is a songwriter who brings her sizzling hot Chicago Blues to entertain old and new fans alike with a collaboration of talented Chicago Blues partners. Low-reen has a soulful sultry voice carefully curated by smokes & whiskey 🙂 that many have compared to Janis. Low-reen has been influenced by many many musicians before her, from Chicago’s own Robert Nighthawk to Muddy, Honeyboy to Wolf, Magic Sam to Jimmy Reed, as well as rock’s bluesier side Grateful Dead to Rolling Stones. Low-reen picked up guitar later in life, influenced by her friendship with her mentor David Honeyboy Edwards. Low-reen honed her skills as a musician and vocalist as well as an entertainer, sitting in with and playing alongside legendary Chicago Blues musicians such as Tail Dragger, Elmore James Jr, Little Scotty, Tony Brown, Charles Delta Blues Hog Hayes, Peewee Hayes, Bobby Too Tuff, Paul Petraitis, Rockin’ Johnny, Eddie Taylor Jr, Willie Buck, Killer Ray Allison, & LT McGee. All that good mojo has rubbed off!
Low-reen has performed in the Illinois / Wisconsin area, as well as Texas. Chicago appearances include residencies at Maxwell St Market, Polk St Pub, Lee’s Unleaded Blues, & The Water Hole- Chicago’s Juke Joint; regular appearances at Randolph Market, as well as past shows at Chicago’s historic Grand Ballroom, Buddy Guy’s Legends, Brother’s Rising MC Toys for Tots, Chicagoland Motorcycle Toys for Tots Parade, Roosevelt University, Waukegan Lakefront Summer Concert Series, and four appearances over three years at Chicago Blues Festival. Low-reen has appeared on WGN’s Dave Hoekstra’s Nocturnal Journal. Low-reen has a self-produced CD Low-reen & the Maxwell St Market Blues Band Live at Chicago Blues Fest 2013, & was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jim Harpdog Hellen is one of the best Chicago Blues harmonica players who performs originals as well as Blues, Rock, and Folk Standards. Jim hung out at the blues clubs in Chicago before he was old enough to even get in, soaking up a little mojo & a few riffs from Junior Wells. Later in Carbondale came Tin Pan Alley as well as performances with Tawl Paul & Jim Skinner. Harpdog has played extensively around the Chicagoland area in Blues and Dead outfits including Voodoo Cadillac. Low-reen & Jim have both performed Chicago Blues Festival, and are a dynamic duo that’s READY to BRING IT