Columnist Joe Delaney: Chicago brings chart-topping sounds to Stardust

Joe Delaney

Friday, March 15, 2002 | 9:07 a.m.

Chicago, celebrating 35 years as the premier rock band with a dominant horn section successfully fusing jazz, rock and the blues, returns to the Stardust for three-day stands, this weekend and next ... Since 1967 Chicago has sold more than 122 million recording units, including 32 gold and 17 platinum albums plus a similar number of hit singles as albums.

The foursome who founded the group are still going strong: trumpeter Lee Loughnane, trombonist James Pankow, sax man Walt Parazander and keyboardist Robert Lamm ... Guitarist Bill Champlin joined the group in 1982 ... Bassist Jason Scheff joined in 1984; drummer Tris Imboden in 1990; and Keith Howland took over the guitar chair in 1995.

The original cadre were a mix of conservatory-music graduates and rock-band performers who got together to create music that reflected their varied ethnic and musical backgrounds ... Chicago was good enough at the start to tour with the late Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix ... After two years of touring, it finally landed a recording contract.

The group scored with that first album, "Chicago Transit Authority," which included a monster single, "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is," now a concert signature song ... Sales of the first album begat "Chicago I," released in 1970 with two more hit singles, "Make Me Smile" and "25 or 6 to 4" ... The next giant step was taken in 1974.

The late Duke Ellington invited Chicago to join Count Basie, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan in a television special, "We Love You Madly," celebrating Ellington and his orchestra ... In 1975 Chicago's "Night And Day (Big Band)" album paid tribute to Ellington and other big band leaders of the 1930s and 1940s.

Chicago's first Grammy Award came in 1976 for "If You Leave Me Now" ... Champlin came aboard in 1982 for the David Foster-produced "Chicago 16," followed by "Chicago 17" which remains the band's best-selling album with more than 6 million sold and four top-10 singles ... All of its albums have continuing catalog sales action.

In this musical genre, only Chicago and The Rolling Stones have had hit recordings over the past four decades ... Frank Sinatra stands alone for having hit singles and albums in each decade over a seven-decade period ... Chicago fan or not, you're in for a musical treat this weekend and next at the Stardust ... Wayne Newton returns March 25.

Weekend wrap-up

Happy third anniversary, Mandalay Bay Events Center, celebrating with Saturday's 8 p.m. concert by Placido Domingo, accompanied by the Las Vegas Philharmonic ... Andrea Bocelli was so pleased when the LV Philharmonic accompanied him at the center and on tour recently that he asked to serve as an honorary member ot the orchestra's board of directors.

Last Sunday afternoon at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, the LV Jazz Society presented "Strings Attached," a jazz-rhythm section with Dr. Tom Ferguson on piano; Joe Lano, guitar; Chris Gordon, bass; and Chris Benham, drums, plus a 21-piece string section ... Johnny Pate and Lano contributed specially written, tasteful arrangements, classical in quality.

Lano's charts were always there yet never obtrusive, inspiring an impressive performance by vocalist Jo Belle, who deserves an intimate night club-like setting where she could quickly develop a Las Vegas following ... It was an afternoon one can savor over and over in retrospect.

Recommended: University of Nevada, Las Vegas' annual "Ten Minute Plays," tonight through Sunday, Paul Harris Theatre ... Tickets are just $3, the weekend's best bargain.

Two comedy headliner favorites due in next week: Jeff Wayne, Monday (Riviera Comedy Club) and Max Alexander, Tuesday (Harrah's Improv); catch both, if possible ... Have a safe and sane St. Patrick's Day ... See you Thursday.