The Mighty Blue Kings

Emerging during the 1990s revival of mid-century swing and jump-blues pioneered by Squirrel Nut Zippers and Royal Crown Revue, Mighty Blue Kings assembled in Chicago in 1994. The seven youthful yet seasoned musicians—vocalist Ross Bon, guitarist Gareth Best, saxophonists Jerry "Big J" DeVivo and Sam Burckhardt, bassist Jimmy Sutton, drummer Bob Carter, and pianist Donny Nichilo—sought to recreate an authentic 1940s nightclub experience for local audiences. After performing regularly in Chicago venues, the band secured a residency at the Green Mill. Midwest and West Coast tours followed, building enough momentum for the group to launch its own R-Jay Records imprint and issue Meet Me in Uptown in April 1996. Appearances at Austin’s South by Southwest conference drew widespread industry notice, leading to a contract with Sony’s Work Records subsidiary and the late-1997 release of Come One, Come All. One year later the lineup had shifted to include Bon, Best, DeVivo, bassist Clark Sommers, saxophonist John Sandfort, and organist Chris Foreman, resulting in the concert recording Live from Chicago. The seasonal collection A Mighty Blue Christmas appeared in fall 2000.