Jon Mroz & His Bull Fiddle Four at White Lilac

Jon Mroz & His Bull Fiddle Four is a Milwaukee-based post-war electric blues combo featuring Jon Mroz on string bass and vocals. Mroz, known for leading the Swingin’ Kools in the 1990s and the early jazz band Troubadours of Rhythm today, assembled his Bull Fiddle Four to celebrate the raw energy and pioneering sound of late 1940s and early 1950s blues legends like Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, and Little Walter. The lineup features some of the Midwest’s most accomplished musicians: Big Al Dorn, Wisconsin’s premier harmonica talent (2025 WAMI winner!) and a protégé of blues icon Jim Liban. Paul Stilin, a veteran guitarist with a storied career in Milwaukee’s blues and jazz scenes. Tael Estremera, a multi-instrumentalist whose virtuosic piano playing adds a rich dimension to the band’s sound. Paul Westfahl, a powerhouse drummer of taste who has toured with roots acts across the country. In the summer of 1947, Chicago's South Side was alive with a new sound. A small label called Aristocrat Records had begun recording local blues musicians. A young guitarist named Muddy Waters was making his first records. Sunnyland Slim was bringing musicians together in taverns and studios across the city. Little Walter was still an unknown harmonica player developing a revolutionary amplified style. Long before Chess Records became famous, these artists were creating a new kind of blues—louder, tougher, and perfectly suited to postwar Chicago. Join Jon Mroz & His Bull Fiddle Four as they recreate the music, stories, and atmosphere of that remarkable summer when Chicago electric blues was born.