Wayne Baker Brooks Blues Band from Calumet City, IL

Wayne Baker Brooks serves notice of a new powerful force at play in the music world. Combining outstanding song craft, passionate vocals & a liquid fire guitar style, this talented artist manages to honor his rich blues heritage while effortlessly expanding the boundaries of the genre. Releasing his solo debut, Mystery, in 2004, an album of very contemporary blues that also draws on soul, funk, and even a bit of hip-hop. In addition to releasing his debut, he was featured twice on The House of Blues Radio Hour with Dan Aykroyd, won five(!) more Real Blues magazine awards (including Best Chicago Blues Tune and Best Chicago Blues Album in the Modern category as well as Best New Talent), and headlined the Chicago Blues Festival with his father and brother. “He’s got the talent, the energy & everything else to make it click”, declared the late great Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor, “I’ll bet my money that he’ll succeed and that’s something I don’t do is gamble.” This charismatic musician has been featured on nationwide TV news programs, such as CNN Showbiz, as well as multiple radio programs reaching approximately 15 million listeners in one days work. This should come as no surprise Wayne Baker Brooks is known for bringing the house down. Whether performing with his own band or white-knuckle jams with blues legends like Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, John Mayall, and Otis Rush, or famous rockers like Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, George Thorogood and Slash of Guns N Roses, to name but a few, top critics of all media agree Brooks is an exciting artist not to be missed. In addition, his reputation has even reached the White House. On October 27th, 1999, the Wayne Baker Brooks Band performed for the First Lady of the United States, Hilary Rodham Clinton at Chess Records (Willie Dixon Blues Heaven Foundation) in Chicago with legends Bo Diddley, KoKo Taylor, Lonnie Brooks as his special guest and Chuck Berry looking on. As the conclusion of the band's explosive set, Hillary pronounced, "My husband is going to be so jealous he missed this!" Wayne Baker Brooks may have been born into Chicago blues royalty, but that doesn't mean he hasn't paid his dues along the way. He joined his father's band (Lonnie Brooks) as a roadie in 1988, and started playing guitar in the band in 1990. In 1997, he formed the Wayne Baker Brooks Band while continuing to work with his father's band. In 1998, in addition to appearing in the film Blues Brothers 2000, he also co-wrote Blues for Dummies with his father and Cub Koda, earning his first Real Blues magazine award (Keeping the Blues Alive) for the effort. In the next few years, he also had cameos in Barbershop and Barbershop 2 and was asked to perform at the 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Chicago at The Chicago White Sox Celluar Field. Event Producer/Promoter/Media Reviews & Quotes "WBB took complete control of the stage & audience at the North Atlantic Blues Festival. The fans were blown away by the music & talent of Wayne. Wayne was a pleasure to work with & showed that he always puts on a great show. I look forward to working with him again." -- Paul E. Benjamin/Executive Director, North Atlantic Blues Festival "Sooner or Later," the singer was all business, belting out the lyrics with a ferocious growl. -- Erik Ernst, Milwaukee Summerfest 08` review "Hip Blues, New Blues whatever kinda Blues you want... Wayne Baker Brooks has got em...he did a fantastic job at this years 2007 Biscuit and is the new blues Supernova." -- Jerry Pillow/Music Director, Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival "Wayne Baker Brooks honed his craft alongside his father Lonnie Brooks, and his blues roots are deep. He obviously has found his own voice with a distinctively urban flavor. He had wonderfully rich vocals punctuated by sharply intense guitar styling and a stage presence that says he means business." -- Dorothy L. Hill, BLUESART-Journal "Wayne Baker Brooks set at The Pocono Blues Festival was electrifying....His set jumpstarted the 1st day of this 3 day National Blues Festival and set the tone for the weekend....Wayne is a must for all venues large & small and for any talent buyer that takes their music seriously" -- Michael Cloeren, Founder & Producer , Pocono Blues Festival " At the Naperville Last Fling, it was a no-brainer picking Wayne Baker Brooks to open for Big Head Todd & The Monsters. The BHT camp loved the choice and Wayne set a fabulous tone for a wonderful night of chunky, bluesy guitar riffing!" -- Fred Brennan, Music Director, Chicago Special Events "let it be the Juke Joint stage or the Petrillo Band Shell it is heart warming to see Wayne perform knowing the blues tradition is in good hands w/ the next generation" -- Barry Dolins, Director, Chicago Blues Festival "He's got the talent, the energy and everything else to make it click" -- Koko Taylor, Queen of the Blues "Mystery is not just a great album; it marks Wayne Baker Brooks as someone to keep an eye on as the blues enter the 21st century. As Wayne himself said, "Blues purists might not get my music but blues has to breathe fresh air sometimes." Amen to that. -- Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide "Don't be surprised if Wayne gains greater exposure for the blues and gathers a better marketplace for it" -- Tim Holek, Blues Writer "The first notes of guitar claquèrent, shingling, sharp-edged, in the purest electric Blues style. The eyes of the public lit, sparkled. Wayne had just launched the machine, the very large artillery. Wayne imposes a sharp & removed play of guitar, its play, of an absolute intensity" -- Bay Car Blues Festival "A Must See" -- Chicago Suntimes "The guitarist and singer arrives a fully developed talent and a maverick whose distinct brand of blues incorporates elements of rock, R&B, funk, and even a trace of hip-hop. Mystery delivers mainstream appeal without betraying the family legacy." -- Blues Revue Magazine "4 Stars - Wayne Baker Brooks - "Mystery" -- All Music Guide