1. Intro
2. Talk To Me Mama
3. Stranded In St. Louis
4. Loving Man
5. Extension 309
6. Gonna Make Some Changes
7. Loan Me Train Fare
8. Heads Up
9. Thinking And Drinking
10. Going To Chicago
11. Keep Your Hands Off Her

Bob Stroger - bass/vocals
James Wheeler - guitar/vocals
Billy Flynn - guitar/vocals
Ken Saydak - piano/vocals
Ron Sorin - harmonica
Marty Binder - drums

Seit nunmehr 40 Jahren arbeitet er als Bassist und hat im Laufe der Jahre für u.a. Otis Rush, Sunnyland Slim, Snooky Pryor, Jimmy Rogers, Mississippi Heat, Dave Specter, Louis Myers, Pinetop Perkins und viele andere bei Tourneen und im Studio gearbeitet.
1998 folgten Bob Stroger und seine Allstar-Combo einer Einladung des 'Lucerne Blues Festivals'. Seine ersten Aufnahmen unter eigenem Namen entstanden bei jenem Anlaß.
Bob Stroger, ein wahrer Gentleman und liebenswürdiger, väterlicher Typ wird begleitet von einer erstklassigen Musikerriege. Die Allstars bestehen aus dem Ken Saydak Trio (Ken ist einer der gefragesten Chicagoer Chicagoer Session-Keyboarder mit zwei CDs auf 'Delmark') mit Ron Sorin und Marty Binder. Kaum einer in Chicago spielt die Gitarre derart melodisch und gefühlvoll wie James Wheeler, und Billy Flynn gilt als einer der feinfühligsten Blues-(Slide-)gitarristen schlechthin, ein absoluter Favorit von u.a. Kim Wilson.
Zusammen produzieren diese Herren auf unglaublich lässige und sympathische Art Chicago Blues der feinen Sorte, mit Tiefgang und Humor, mit viel Swing und Groove. Ein Leckerbissen!!

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Bob Stroger, bass player and blues vocalist, was born in the state of Missouri. He moved to Chicago in 1955 where he lived in the back of of a night club on the westside. Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters were regulars there. "It looked like they were having a lot of fun, and I made up my mind that what I wanted to do was play music, Bob remembers."
A veteran of the Chicago blues music scene, Bob has recorded and worked with a long list of contemporaries.
In 1998, Bob and an all-star group of fellow musicians played the 'Lucerne Blues Festival'.
The recordings from those nights in Switzerland are now released as Bob Stroger's first album under his own name. Bob's supported by first-rate musicians, including in-demand session piano player and 'Delmark' recording artist,Ken Saydak and his trio, the soulful guitar of another 'Delmark' regular,James Wheeler, and Billy Flynn who's one of greatest today when it comes to soulful blues (slide)guitar playing. Swinging and grooving Chicago style blues at its best!

Reviews 11065

Volume 1 of "In The House" series showcases Bob not only in great form when it comes to singing and playing, but also in good spirits. (...) Anyway, Bob’s band is also fantastic with James Wheeler being a very good guitarist with a lot of taste in his playing. There are not many guys out there playing this kind of blues in such a real way so Bob Stroger’s Lucerne band is something to savor. (...) Not only the music is absolute high class (...) but the sound quality, production values and packing also set high standards. I love this kind of live production, real concert played from the first song to the last one, no silence or fading. If there is something as good as being there in Lucerne, sitting in a first row and listening to the blues, this is it, "In The House". This series is as essential as "The Bluesville Years" classic blues series releases some years ago by the Prestige/Fantasy label. A must have for all serious blues fans.
Radio Brawo
2008-05
Przemek Draheim

A fine celebration of traditional Windy City fare, made contemporary by the exemplary playing of all involved. (...) hit with a groove that won't shake loose and brings to conclusion an outing that must have brought a great deal of stisfaction to the veteran bass player.
Juke Blues
June 2003 #53
Bill Moodie

In The House sounds like it was recorded in a Chicago blues bar instead of half a world away at the Casino Luzern. (...) There's 11 prime Chicago blues cuts on "In the House".
COSMIK DEBRIS MAGAZINE
June 2003
Eric Steiner

Das Ensemble-Spiel ist traumwandlerischm tight und die Instrumentalisten sind allererste Sahne. (...) exzellente Chicago-Blues-CD, die Liebhaber des Genres beigeisteren dürfte.
German Blues Circle Info
02/2003
Klaus Kilian

Begleitet vom Trio um den Pianisten Ken Saydak sowie den beiden Gitarristen Billy Flynn und James Wheeler liefert uns Stroger auf überaus sympathische, charmante Art ein nahezu "cooles" Werk:
hier groovt's und swingt's, dass es eine wahre Freude ist. Wunderschön zu hören, wie sich die einzelnen Solisten die Bälle zuwerfen, zusammen gehalten von den majestätischen Bassfiguren des Bob Stroger.
http://www.good-music.ch
Herbst 2002
Rene Maeder

A rock solid set of classic Chicago blues featuring great ensemble playing but with everyone getting a chance to strut their stuff. There's not a weak track in the bunch but favorites include the chugging "Talk To Me Mama", the low-down "Stranded In St. Louis", the driving "Thinking And Drinking" with Saydak taking the vocals and playing some rollicking piano while James Wheeler lays down some wicked guitar and a fine take on Jimmy Rushing's classic "Going To Chicago."
Bad Dog Blues Webzine
Januar 2003
Jeff Harris

Biography

Also Available

The complete CD-series of live-recordings from the Lucerne Blues Festival:
CCD 11065	BOB STROGER & HIS CHICAGO BLUES LEGENDS feat. THE KEN SAYDAK TRIO In The House - Live at Lucerne Vol.1
CCD 11066	JOHNNY JONES & CHARLES WALKER In The House - Live at Lucerne Vol.2
CCD 11068	LITTLE AL THOMAS & THE CRAZY HOUSE BAND In The House - Live at Lucerne Vol.3
CCD 11074	ROY GAINES In The House - Live at Lucerne Vol.4
CCD 11078	CARL WEATHERSBY In The House - Live at Lucerne Vol.5
CCD 11081	Down Home Super Trio In The House - Live at Lucerne Vol.6
CCD 11084	OTIS CLAY In The House - Live at Lucerne Vol.7