I want to like Chicago, but...

How can you argue with a member and one of the original members of BS&T?

Actually it was Bobby Colomby (BS&T's drummer and co-founder) himself who said that.

He was asked about the difference between Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago.

He said in the interview that "BS&T is a jazz band who can play rock while Chicago is a rock band who can play jazz."

 

Listening to Chicago Transit Authority for the first time, inspired by this thread.

Not big into "horns" as a rule, but these guys can jam. Plus, there's a certain late 60's feeling about it that I am really enjoying today.

 

Listen
I'm A Man
Make Me Smile
Sing a Mean Tune Kid
Free
Hideaway
Oh Thank You Great Spirit

 

I always thought I totally disliked Chicago but I was at a friends house and he put on Chicago V and I really enjoyed it. Not the eighties version of Chicago that i thought sounded like MOR wedding music but great horns, great guitar and jamming. I then took it onto my self to listen to more Chicago. For me anything with Terry Kath is great after that a quick slide down hill. Glad I discovered them now.

 

It's just not Boston. What can you do?

 

Not a fan of Hard to Say I'm Sorry? Stay the Night? No love for the 16 and 17 era?

 

Once they shortened their name and added Roman numerals past II they pretty much went down hill for me.

 

Im pretty sure that my gf at the time playing those albums caused my hair to turn into a mullet.

 

Oh man! The coda at the end of Hard to Say I'm Sorry is vintage Chicago! Steve Lukather played on that track.
Lot of good stuff on 16 and 17.

 

I saw 'em just as the 2nd album was released. Big, strong, loud 'n' proud. Also saw Blood, Sweat & Tears a year before. Distinctly different, yet both ambitious and impressive.

But when I started to hear on the radio where Chicago was headed after II, I promptly tuned out and never looked back.

In no way does that diminish my good memories of that 1970 show.

That first CTA album is an all-time keeper. Sometimes one is all ya need.

 

Feeling stronger every day...that's a stone cold jam

 

I dont think *vintage* Chicago when I think of those albums.

 

I love Does Amyone Know What Time It Is? ! its in my top 5 Chicago songs !

 

Let's not forget, Cetera was a wicked bass player in his prime. Unfortunately that, and many other things, became lost in the end. That's my take: the earlier the better for Chicago material.

 

I play bass guitar and I'm into classic rock. My son plays trumpet in school stage band and likes big band jazz. I played CTA last night and we were able to sit down and enjoy it together. Ive played Chicago (aka Chucago 2) for him before and he likes that as well. As OP said, 25 or 6 to 4 rocks big time, but the whole LP is great.

When I was a kid in the 70s, I thought that Chicago played schlock like "If You Leave Me Now". I thought that they were terrible. But Im glad that I found their first 2 albums (even if I was 45 years late to the party).

 

You should also listen to Chicago III (1971), Chicago V (1972) and Chicago VII (1974).
If you like them, you should continue your Chicago journey by listening to the rest of the Kath-era Chicago albums (1969-1977) such as Chicago VI (1973), Chicago VIII (1975), Chicago IX-Greatest Hits (1975), Chicago X (1976) and Chicago XI. (1977).

 

This one is not busy a la 25 or 6 to 4, but has many cool elements. A pretty wicked time signature and Cetera playing bass with wah-wah pedals:

 

This is why I hate this song

 

I would see the strength of Chicago being in their arrangements, not in any one player's contribution. Yes, these arrangements are jazzy, but more influenced by big band arrangements than small group jazz, which was more popular at the time (and remains so).

 

I'll make it easy--if you don't like the first song on CTA (Introduction), then you won't like the rest

 

Geez, maybe instead of roman numerals, they should have just named the albums after the year they were released. At least that would have been informative in retrospect.

 

Agreed. IMHO Chicago II is sheer brilliance.

 

Getting just the two greatest hits package such as Chicago IX (1975) and "Chicago Greatest Hits, Vol.2" (1981) do not give the band's music justice. The original Chicago was not a singles band but there's also some truth that the success of some of their vintage albums depended on the success of the hit singles. In my opinion, they were more of an album-oriented band than a singles band because there are plenty of excellent deep album tracks in each of their album from 1969 debut "Chicago Transit Authority" to the last one with original lineup, Chicago XI (1977).

 

I think you would probably like "Make Me Smile" then.

 

Am I the only one here who likes "Live At Carnegie Hall" ? Nobody ever talks about it.
They were on fire, live and in their prime.

Just give me CTA - VII and maybe X and that's it