Rosa's Blues Jam - ft. Nate Manos, Tom Holland, & Al Shorter, and Hosted by David Levit
Schedule
Wed, 18 Mar, 2026 at 09:15 pm to Thu, 19 Mar, 2026 at 01:00 am
UTC-05:00Location
Rosa's Lounge | Chicago, IL
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Rosa's Blues Jam - Hosted by David Levit continues on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. House Band featuring:
Backline supplied. Bring your axe, sticks, and best Blues tunes to jam with your combo!
Wednesday 03/18/2026 Door Time 8:00 PM
House Band to perform at 9:15PM
Blues-Jam from 10 PM - 12:15 AM
House Band to perform at 12:30 AM - 12:45 AM
Admission is $20 at the door if available.
Free Admission to all performing musicians. Bring your instruments, Backline provided.
Nate Manos is a bandleader who has a core of some of the best players on the Blues scene. He will end up headlining at Rosa’s Lounge, Blue Chicago!, Buddy Guy’s Legends or any number of places all over the city and beyond.
He is a player in demand by some of the top artists too. He can be seen as Musical Director or a key part of the bands for the likes of Shirley Johnson, Demetria Taylor, Mzz Reese Young, Luke Pytel, Sonia Astacio, Pete Galanis, Dave Herrero, Sheryl Youngblood, Stephen Hull, Laretha Weathersby, Nick Alexander, Giles Cory, Omar Coleman, Dan Carelli. The company he keeps certainly has some serious wow factor. He has been on the road locally, nationally, and internationally and leaves the people who come to the show with that feeling that you have just seen a true legend. Come and experience this fantastic guitar player.
We are also thrilled to have our very own Tom Holland, AKA, "The Red Baron" back with us. Tom is well known for fronting his own band, Tom Holland and The Shuffle Kings. Years on the road with Blues legends such as John Primer (Muddy Waters last guitar player), Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, and most recently, James Cotton, have made Tom Holland one of the highest in demand Blues artists on the scene today.
Tom played on both of James Cotton’s Grammy Nominated releases, Giant, and Cotton Mouth Man, both on Alligator Records. In 2013 Tom took the band back into the studio, recording No Fluff, Just the Stuff, on his own E Natchel Records imprint, which garnered rave reviews. Tom was also inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. With over 24 years of stage experience under his belt, Tom Holland is, without a doubt one of the finest purveyors of classic Chicago Blues guitar styles.
Al Shorter comes from a bass playing lineage that is deep in the pocket of the Blues. He describes his styles and influences in the description of his 2009 Solo CD release.
SMOOTH GROOVING JAZZ BEST DESCRIBES MY STYLE BASS GUITARIST - AL SHORTER. He is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter. But considers himself primarily a bassist. Growing up in the Chicago Bronzeville area, he started playing at the age of 6. Influenced by his dad who played the piano and guitar, he started playing the guitar, bongos, drums and my love, the bass. He started his first band at the age of 12 with some neighborhood buddies. Their first song was Herbie Hancock's Chameleon. He has worked with independent producer Willie Keys and accompanied Al Rowe, Jodie Christian, and Gary Davis on bass. He has also played with various bands including B.O.S. and Planet Band.
As his professional career as a bassist has evolved, he has been strongly influenced by the jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Stanley Clark, Alphonso Johnson, Bunny Brunel, Jaco Postorius, Marcus Miller and The Yellow Jackets, just to name a few. While pursuing music, his priorities included his spiritual life. In his own words "The love of music helped me realize my talent is a direct reflection of the God who gave it to me. And for that I praise him daily. Alongside me is my beautiful, loving, spiritual wife, Elaine. We have a married daughter Shanda and 2 absolutely beautiful grandchildren. While keeping all things in perspective, I consider what most may call tribulations in the flesh, as a blessing from God".
Drummer Dave Levit is seen with different acts throughout the area including The Glenn Davis Band, Al Spears's Hurricane Project, BB & The Honey, The Zach Avery Band, The Windy City Rev Ups, The New Colony Six, Fifty-One Lincoln, Roger That!, Caesar Salad, Vintage Vinyl, The Danny Baron Band, The Chicago Blues Super Session, and more.
Some of the past artists you may have seen him with are: Sammy Fender, Ivy Ford, JB Ritchie, Darren Jay and the Delta Souls, Allister Perea, and The Mustangs. He is also an instructor offering lessons to select students as well. Some exciting new projects are always in the works. You will certainly hear about them as they break out.
The House Band this month is:
Tom Holland - Guitar & Vocals
Nate Manos - Guitar & Vocals
Al Shorter - Bass
David Levit - Drums, Promo, Off-Handed Comments, Life Changing Announcements, Spiffy Fedoras.
Since its establishment in 1984, Rosa's Blues-Jam has been a stage for iconic blues personalities such as Chico Chism, Buddy Scott, Valerie Wellington, James Wheeler, Melvin Taylor, Sugar Blue, Lil Ed, Willie Buck, Mary Lane, and many others. The Blues-Jam has always attracted seasoned, world-known recording artists as well as novices with a strong will to learn and network with other musicians. Our focus is on creating the best possible music. What sets Rosa's Blues-Jam apart is its commitment to providing direction and suggestions based on classic Blues songs, paying respect to the original black creators of the Blues. Musicians are welcomed to bring their instruments and immerse themselves in the blues, getting acquainted with the environment and with the intention of creating an unforgettable musical experience.
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Where is it happening?
Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647-3720, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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