The Blues Brothers and Ray’s Music Exchange

The Blues Brothers and Ray’s Music Exchange are two of the most iconic music venues in Chicago. If you’re a fan of either one, you’ll want to check out this blog post. We’ll be discussing the history of these two legendary places and what makes them so special.

The movie

The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. The film stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as “Joliet” Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from “The Blues Brothers” recurring musical sketch on the NBC variety television series Saturday Night Live. Ray’s Music Exchange is a record store in Chicago, Illinois, featured prominently in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. The store is notable for being the first place where the Blues Brothers try to buy instruments after they reunite.

The story

The story of The Blues Brothers is one that has been told many times, but it never gets old. In the movie, two estranged brothers, Jake and Elwood Blues, are brought back together by the death of their father. They set out on a “mission from God” to save the Catholic orphanage where they were raised by raising $5,000 to pay the back taxes. Along the way, they reunite with their old bandmates and embark on a series of hilarious adventures.

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie takes place at Ray’s Music Exchange, a Chicago record store owned by Ray Charles. In the scene, Jake and Elwood try to buy a guitar from Ray, but he refuses to sell it to them. However, after they leave, Ray has a change of heart and decides to give them the guitar.

The movie is a classic comedy that is sure to make you laugh. If you’re a fan of blues music, or just want to see a great movie, be sure to check out The Blues Brothers.

The characters

The characters in “The Blues Brothers” are Jake Blues (John Belushi), Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd), Ray (Charles Grodin), Matt “Guitar” Murphy (Steve Cropper), Beaver Harris (Donald “Duck” Dunn), Alan Rubin (“The Sax Man”), Murph (Murphy Dunne), and Mr. Fabulous (Willie Hall). The film also features Cab Calloway, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and John Lee Hooker.

The music

Ray’s Music Exchange is a blues club in Chicago that is based on the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers. The club was opened in 1986 by Ray Farrier, who was inspired by the film to create a place where people could come and enjoy the blues. The club has been a popular spot for blues fans ever since.

The soundtrack

The soundtrack album for The Blues Brothers was released on Atlantic Records in 1980. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and No. 3 on the R&B album chart, and has become a regarded classic of blues/R&B music. It was certified as a triple-platinum album in January 1989.

The original 1980 release contained eleven tracks. In 1998, Atlantic Records released an expanded edition of the soundtrack, which added seventeen tracks and spanned seventy-five minutes. This edition included material from both the film’s score and its musical performances not included in the original release, as well as alternate takes of some of the tracks included on the original album

The instruments

The film The Blues Brothers features many well-known blues, rhythm and blues, soul, and gospel songs. The film’s soundtrack album, released on June 20, 1980 by Atlantic Records, reached No. 1 on the Billboard pop album chart.Most of the tracks were recorded using Ray Charles’ studio band with licensed recordings from other artists filling in a few tracks.

The instruments used in the movie were as follows:

-Guitars: Gibson ES-335 (used by both Jake and Elwood), Gibson Firebird (used by Jake), Gibson Les Paul Custom (played by Steve Cropper), Fender Stratocaster (played by Matt “Guitar” Murphy), Guild Starfire (played by Murphy in the prison scene).

-Basses: Fender Precision Bass (played by Donald “Duck” Dunn)

-Keyboards: Hammond B-3 organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hohner clavinet

-Drums: Ludwig drums with Zildjian cymbals

-Horns: Memphis Horns (tenor saxophone – Wayne Jackson; trumpet – Joe Foster; trombone – Jack Hale)

Ray’s Music Exchange

Ray’s Music Exchange is a store that specializes in new and used blues and jazz music. It is located in the heart of Chicago’s music scene, on the south side of the city. The store is well known for its wide selection of music, its knowledgeable staff, and its fair prices.

The store

Ray’s Music Exchange is a music store located in the basement of a building on East Randolph Street in Chicago, Illinois. The store specializes in blues and jazz music, and is owned and operated by Ray Arseneau. Arseneau is a well-known figure in the Chicago blues scene, and has been operating the store since it opened in 1978.

The store is small and cramped, with little room to move around or browse. The walls are lined with shelves crammed full of CDs, LPs, and cassettes, and there is a small stage in the back where local musicians often play. But despite its unassuming appearance, Ray’s Music Exchange has been praised by music critics as one of the best places in Chicago to find rare and interesting recordings.

In addition to selling music, Ray’s Music Exchange also rents out instruments and equipment. Arseneau is an accomplished musician himself, and often provides customers with advice on what to buy or how to play certain instruments. The store also hosts occasional live concerts, which are always free to attend.

The inventory

The inventory at Ray’s Music Exchange is full of eclectic instruments, many of which are vintage or hard-to-find. If you’re looking for a particular item, chances are good that Ray’s will have it in stock, or be able to track it down for you. The knowledgeable staff is always happy to help customers find the perfect piece of gear.

In addition to a wide selection of instruments, Ray’s also carries a wide variety of blues and jazz records, both new and used. Browse the racks and you’re sure to find some hidden gems.

The employees

The store’s employees are a ragtag bunch of mismatched misfits, but they all share a love of music. Ray himself is a blues aficionado, and he’s passionate about finding just the right music for his customers. His right-hand man, Curtis, is a former jazz musician who knows just about everything there is to know about music. The other employees include an aspiring rock star, a soul singer, and a classical music lover. Together, they make up the heart and soul of Ray’s Music Exchange.