Original content Copyright © 1998-2008 Christopher Smith. READ THE DISCLAIMER & PRIVACY POLICY!
Chicago album cover montage courtesy of The Stone Is On Fire!

Christopher's Cool Chicago Page!

PAGE INITIATED: JANUARY 11, 1999.

LAST UPDATED: DECEMBER 19, 2007!

A brief Sample of Chicago's horn section, 44 kHz Stereo, 264 kb, RealAudio

NEWS!

JUNE 22, 2007: Wikipedia entry for Stone Of Sisyphus: "Statements made in a June 22, 2007 podcast by Chicago member Robert Lamm indicate that Rhino Records will release the album in late 2007 or early 2008."

IT'S ABOUT TIME! :-) -- Chris

OLDER NEWS!

Posted on Robert Lamm's Q&A Message Board February 19, 2003 at 11:39:11 AM:

"My opinion is the reason CHI has not recorded new music, as a group, is because it's not a priority. It could if it really wanted to. I know this is blasphemy. Yes, we don't have a record co., we don't easily fit into radio formats, and those formats which do play CHI, play ALOT of CHI already and don't need more. there is no altruistic rerason CHI hasn't recorded. This is why I'm continuing to record solo. And no, other than not buying albums you don't like, there is little to be done to change the Rec. Co.'s approach, altho' music on the web, web downloading, file sharing, is doing what they won't do...that is: expose new music, help it to find an audience." -- Robert Lamm

JULY 2003 Three Stone Of Sisyphus tracks FINALLY make a domestic compilation!

OCTOBER 2003 Expanded Chicago Xmas CD and DVD from Live by Request released!

OCTOBER 2003 More info about all four HOC Japanese releases! Scroll down to the 1998 discography...

OCTOBER 2003 The Critics' Choice track list is here! Scroll down...

OCTOBER 2003 The new Robert Lamm solo album, subtlety&passion is out! Scroll down...

OCTOBER 2003 Two Robert Lamm solo remasters due from Rhino in Summer 2004 (still waiting!!!)! Scroll down...

JANUARY 2005 Love Songs released by Rhino, featuring two live versions from the 2004 Chicago/Earth, Wind & Fire tour! Scroll down...

AUGUST 2005 Chicago At Carnegie Hall remaster... 3 years late, but well worth the wait! Scroll down...

OCTOBER 2005 Chicago IX (Greatest Hits) remaster! Scroll down...

MARCH 2006 Chicago XXX!!! Scroll down...

OCTOBER 2006 Chicago 16 and Chicago 17 remasters!!! Scroll down...

Press Release for the following:
OCTOBER 2, 2007 The Best Of Chicago: 40th Anniversary Edition!!!
OCTOBER 2007 Rhino Handmade 7" box set of Chicago's singles!!! [Still pending release as of December 19, 2007.]
NOVEMBER 20, 2007 Heart of Chicago reissue in MVI format!!!
JANUARY 29, 2008 Scrapbook 1967-1977 DVD!!!
SEPTEMBER 2008 The Greatest Halftime Show DVD with the U. of Notre Dame Band!!!

Click here for the latest Rhino re-issue schedule!

This page is devoted to one of my all-time favorite bands, Chicago.

The name of my web site, Fancy Colours, was chosen in honor of Chicago's song of the same name (featured on Chicago II in 1970).

This page seeks to do justice to the story and the creative forces that have made Chicago one of the best (yet constantly criticized and severely underrated) bands of the past 40 years, and at this time the ONLY American band to chart Top 40 albums in five consecutive decades! You'll read snippets of the band's history, my reviews of all 31 albums plus the box set and some of the imports, see links where you can read the rest of the story, and experience via RealAudio, MP3, and MIDI the magic that is Chicago.

Never before had one group seamlessly blended styles as diverse as big band, jazz, rock, country, and blues. Never before had one group seamlessly integrated horns and woodwinds as permanent members of a rock band. That would forever change on February 15, 1967! On that date, woodwind player Walter Parazaider realized his dream of being in a big time rock and roll band, although the big time was still about three years in the future. Danny Seraphine had to encourage him towards that goal, too.

Sources for the band history and member shuffles include the booklet from the original Columbia/Legacy issue of the Group Portrait box set, the liner notes from the 1996 Terry Kath tribute compilation, the on-line updates from the Chicago history lesson, Chicago's episode of VH-1 Behind The Music, and a few other sites noted on the Exceptions page.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHICAGO (through 1971)

James William Guercio (hereafter referred to as JWG), the man who would produce the first 11 Chicago albums, had already tasted success, as part of the Classmen and (briefly) as part of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, as a backing guitar and bass player (most notably as a member of Jimmy Ford & The Executives, the backing band for Dick Clark's "Caravan Of Stars" summer tours of the '60s), and as a bass player, producer, and manager for the British duo Chad & Jeremy.

Walter Parazaider started out playing rock and roll on the Midwest club circuit as a teenager, when he joined Jimmy Rice & The Gentlemen in 1961. Also joining The Gentlemen that year was a yet unknown guitarist named Terry Kath. The two became fast friends, and Walt would come to admire Terry's dedication to his craft in working out new riffs off-stage. They also had one friend in common: JWG! Both Walt and Terry joined Jimmy Ford & The Executives for the 1965 'Caravan', with Terry taking JWG's place as guitarist (when JWG went to work for Chad & Jeremy, and becoming an independent producer). After that tour, Walt and Terry formed the Missing Links, a group which by mid-1966 would also feature Lee Loughnane sitting in on trumpet (a college buddy of Walt's from DePaul U.), and Daniel (Danny) Seraphine on drums. (At the time, Terry was playing bass.)

These five native Chicagoans were well on their way to changing the sound of rock and roll.
But they still needed a lot of help!

In the fall of 1966, Walt recruited St. Louis native and fellow DePaul U. student James Pankow to play trombone. During the '66-'67 school year at DePaul, Walt and co. decided to form a rock and roll band with a horn section. Danny Seraphine had to encourage Walt towards such a long-term gig, too. (See Richard Aitken's site.) They still needed keyboards and bass to round out the group.

In early 1967, Walt and Danny, according to Pankow, "found Robert Lamm in some upholstered toilet under the handle of Bobby Charles and The Wanderers." Lamm, a Brooklyn native (and Ray Charles fan, hence the handle), played B3 organ and piano. Walt and co. approached Lamm to play organ and bass pedals (so they wouldn't have to pay a bass player). Robert lied to them and told them he could play bass pedals. He had to learn to play bass pedals, and quickly, but he still wasn't very good at it.

On February 15, 1967, Robert met Walt's quintet at Walt's apartment. The six of them emerged with a gentlemen's agreement that they would devote their lives and energies to making this "rock + horns" entity work, and that the only way someone would leave the band was "if they quit or died," accodring to Pankow. During one of their early club dates, they were dubbed The Big Thing, and first officially played under this name at the GiGi A-Go-Go in Lyons, IL in March, 1967.

Back to JWG... who, in the meantime, had established an exclusive production deal with Columbia Records, giving them three chances to sign each artist he was producing before offering them to other labels. This was very rare in those days, as producers were usually working directly for the record companies. JWG had successfully signed two Chicago-based acts he was producing to Columbia: The Buckinghams and The Illinois Speed Press. He was also influential in keeping the comedy group The Firesign Theatre signed to Columbia, and would later produce some tracks for them, as well. JWG kept in touch with Walt, and the plan they hatched during a gig in Niles, Michigan August 29-September 3, 1967, was for JWG to produce Walt's group as the first rock band with a full-time horn section. Enter Al Kooper.

Al Kooper, already established in the music industry, formed a group called The Blues Project. Al wanted JWG to produce them, because JWG was good at producing horns (on many of The Buckinghams' songs). JWG refused to do so, because of his friendship with Walt, JWG's deal with Columbia, and also because Blues Project manager Sid Bernstein was under contract with Atlantic Records. Six months later, the Blues Project changed their name to Blood, Sweat, & Tears, they were signed to Columbia because the deal with Atlantic fell through, and CBS staff producer John Simon was tapped to produce Child Is Father To The Man. JWG was not a happy camper, to say the least. Chicago (although not yet named so) was formed first, but their yet to be conceived first album would be the third of that style released. JWG knew some listeners and critics would claim Walt's group was copying BS&T, yet the opposite was the case. Meanwhile, back in Chicago...

The Big Thing was beginning to amass a lot of original songs, from the pens of Pankow, Kath, and Lamm, who was the most prolific. While playing mostly cover versions of Beatles tunes and other rock tunes arranged for the horns, at least three original compositions were first played live during this time: "Wake Up Sunshine" (featured on Chicago II in 1970), "Mississippi Delta City Blues" (first recorded live in 1972 and featured on Live In Japan, and later recorded as a studio track for Chicago XI in 1977), and "Dedicated To Girl Number One" (a Robert Lamm song recorded by JWG and Mike Curb during a 1968 demo session, the recording of which was never found, and is probably lost forever). A first attempt at recording "Mississippi Delta City Blues" in the studio (with a scratch vocal by Terry Kath) was made during the Chicago V sessions in 1972 before they did their Japanese tour, and is now included on the 2002 remastered version of Chicago V.

The Big Thing played their most important gig to that point at Barnaby's in Chicago December 13-17, 1967. The Big Thing was opening for the biggest Midwest club band of that era, The Exceptions. JWG knew of The Exceptions because vocalist Kal David had left them to be the front man for The Illinois Speed Press, whom JWG was producing; also, The Exceptions were recording for Peter Wright's Quill Records, where JWG's production of The Buckinghams' "Kind Of A Drag" first caught the ears of the Columbia Records brass (released on the USA label, one of CBS's subsidiary labels).

The Big Thing stayed late to hear The Exceptions, and Pankow said, "I was just blown away" by their sound. The Exceptions early songs often featured Marty Grebb on horns and they used session players after that, which no doubt inspired Pankow's awe. One member of The Exceptions had reciprocated the favor, and watched The Big Thing before his own set: bass player Peter Cetera. Cetera, also a Chicago native, started out playing accordion, and switched to bass at 15. He joined The Exceptions his senior year of high school, and spent nearly 6 years with them. Cetera shared many of the lead vocals for them when Kal David left to join The Illinois Speed Press.

Cetera approached The Big Thing following that first night, and told them he liked what they were doing, calling it "really cool". The Big Thing also realized that bass pedals wouldn't cut it for the sound they were trying to establish, and also (as related in the Behind The Music episode) realized they needed a tenor lead vocalist, to balance Terry's and Robert's baritone vocals. This would give the vocal section three voices, as the horn section had with Loughnane, Parazaider, and Pankow; and would enable layering and interplay between them that would forge the hallmark Chicago sound. By the end of that gig, The Exceptions were dead, and Peter Cetera became the seventh member of The Big Thing. The "magnificent seven" who would become Chicago were now in place.

[Webmaster's NOTE!] This is the "official" story William James Ruhlmann put in the Group Portrait booklet, which is still included in the Chicago on-line history lesson. According to my sources, Cetera had already been fired and had been out of action for a few weeks. Also, The Exceptions never opened for The Big Thing. By the time The Big Thing played Barnaby's, The Exceptions were already billing themselves as Aorta. Read more of the story about The Exceptions/Aorta...

The Big Thing's second gig at Barnaby's was March 6-10, 1968, and JWG was very impressed. Now finished with The Buckinghams, JWG decided Walt's band was ready to play Los Angeles, and try for a record deal. In June, 1968, The Big Thing moved to Los Angeles, and were renamed The Chicago Transit Authority by JWG in honor of the bus line he rode to school on. CTA's trio of tunesmiths were busy writing more original songs, with Robert Lamm completing two of what would become the group's signature songs, "Questions 67 & 68," and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" just before the move. Re-enter BS&T...

The first BS&T album was a dud, and BS&T replaced Al Kooper with Canadian singer David Clayton-Thomas. Bennett Glotzer, now BS&T's manager, approached JWG about producing the second BS&T album. JWG and Glotzer made an agreement that JWG would do the second BS&T album (Blood, Sweat, & Tears) if Glotzer would pull the strings to sign CTA with CBS Records. When JWG related that news to Walt, Walt was understandably upset. JWG explained that he had never recorded horns as an ensemble before, only bits and blaps as featured on The Buckinghams' songs; doing the BS&T album would give JWG the experience he needed to make Walt's group sound better in the studio.

Two showcases and a Mike Curb demo later, CBS Records finally signed CTA to a contract with Columbia, with two weeks of recording booked for CBS Studios, New York, January 20-31, 1969.

There would be many battles between JWG and then-CBS Records President Clive Davis, mainly about recording time and releasing The Chicago Transit Authority as a double album. Released with little fanfare in December, 1968, Blood, Sweat, & Tears hit the charts February 1, 1969, with "You've Made Me So Very Happy" being a big hit a month later. This success allowed The Chicago Transit Authority to be released in the form JWG and the band wanted.

The Chicago Transit Authority was released in April, 1969, hit the Billboard album chart for the week ended May 17, 1969, peaked at #17, and by 1972, had been on the charts for 148 weeks, then the highest-ever total for a rock album, with many more weeks to come over the years.

"Questions 67 & 68" was released as a single the first time in July 3, 1969 (backed by "Listen"), and never broke above the bottom third of the Pop chart (peaking at #71). Following disappointing chart results of Chicago III's singles, it was re-released as a single on September 16, 1971 (backed by "I'm A Man"), and hit #24 on the Pop chart, #34 on the AC chart, and #13 on the Cash Box singles chart.

"Beginnings" was first released as a single on October 28, 1969 (backed by "Poem 58"), and did not chart. It was re-released on June 11, 1971 (again, due to Chicago III's poor charting singles), backed by "Colour My World", and hit #7 on the Pop chart in August, 1971 (and #1 on the AC chart).

"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" was released as a single on November 4, 1970 (backed by "Listen"), cashing in on the sales of Chicago II, and became their third Top 10 hit by the start of 1971 (peak #7 on Pop chart, #5 on AC chart).

Chicago II was the double album that gave Chicago not only a shortened name (due to legal threats from the bus line, even though they were using CTA's songs in their ads without paying for them!), but also significant radio exposure, as well. Recorded in August, 1969 (CBS Studios New York and Hollywood), and released in January, 1970, Chicago II would hit #4 on the album chart, and yield two hit singles excerpted from Pankow's classical music-inspired "Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon": "Make Me Smile" and "Colour My World", which were released as the A and B sides of a 45 on March 17, 1970, and peaked at #9 on the Pop chart. The second single, Lamm's "25 Or 6 To 4,", released June 30, 1970, was an even bigger hit, reaching #4 on the Pop chart, prompting Columbia to reissue songs from Chicago Transit Authority. The album features two titled suites ('Ballet' and the anti-war anthem "It Better End Soon"), and a third untitled suite which I call the "Memories Of Love" suite, penned by Terry Kath and featuring a three-part classical themed-orchestration lead-in by Peter Matz ("Prelude"/"A.M. Mourning"/"P.M. Mourning").

Chicago III was recorded at CBS Studios New York in November, 1970, released in January, 1971, and hit #2 on the album chart. This third double album from Chicago didn't yield much in terms of singles, however "Free" (backed by "Free Country", and both excerpted from the 'Travel Suite') was released February 8, 1971, and hit #20 on the Pop charts, and "Lowdown" (backed by "Loneliness Is Just A Word") was released April 19, 1971, and hit #35 on the Pop charts. This album features three titled suites: the 'Travel Suite' by Lamm, Seraphine, Kath, and Parazaider, about life on the road for a rock band (although there is an implied double-edge to the songs about draft dodgers fleeing to Canada to avoid going to Vietnam); 'An Hour In The Shower' by Terry Kath, showcasing his entire range of skills; and the 'Elegy' instrumental suite, lead off by Kendrew Lascelles' brilliant poem, "When All The Laughter Dies In Sorrow", much like the beat poets of the 1960's did before a band performed a number. The most notable thing about "Lowdown" is that it really marks the start of what we now call 'grunge' guitar rock! Terry Kath, for some odd reason, didn't like that Cetera-Seraphine song, and played a bland generic riff on the verses and chorus, and a solo which Cetera described as Kath playing with "an I don't give a shit" attitude. This author wonders just how many grunge guitarists heard this Top 40 single, and drew inspiration from it? With the remastered edition of this album now available, many more will discover this genius.

Chicago At Carnegie Hall - Volumes I, II, III, IV, a 4-record set released in October, 1971, recounted Chicago's then-remarkable feat from April, 1971, as they became the first artist to sell out an entire week at Carnegie Hall. Some critics have blasted it as being too excessive, and they have a point. The sound quality of this recording is awful at times, the band's own performances aren't completely up to snuff all the time, and there was a lot of material from all three of their double albums, too. Let the facts speak for themselves, though: This album was the biggest selling box set EVER, a record Chicago proudly held for 16 years, until their former Columbia label-mate Bruce Springsteen released his live box set in 1987. It still holds the record as the biggest selling 4 LP set ever. It also featured one new track, Robert Lamm's "A Song For Richard And His Friends", an eerily prophetic tune about the demise of Nixon three years later. Terry Kath's guitar work here also evokes inspiration for grunge guitar stylists. A studio version was originally scheduled to be recorded for Chicago V, but was scrapped, as was a 1974 Robert Lamm solo version which also included the tag phrase "Thank you, John Dean!" (for his part in getting Nixon out of office). The vocal-less Chicago version is now included on the remastered Chicago V, and the Robert Lamm solo version may show up when the expanded remaster of Skinny Boy is finally released.

...and the rest is Rock 'N' Roll History!

MEMBER SHUFFLES

Laudir deOliveira, the Brazilian percussionist who had been part of Sergio Mendes' group Brasil '66, joined Chicago as a side man on Chicago VI (1973), and became the eighth member the following year.

JWG was fired by the band from both the management and production positions in September, 1977, coinciding with the release of Chicago XI.

Terry Kath died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound on January 23, 1978. An ever-growing number of guitarists have tried to fill his shoes since. Terry had written some material for a solo album, but apparently no recordings were made.

Donnie Dacus was hired to replace Kath for the 1978 tour and subsequent album, Hot Streets, released that September, and Chicago 13, released in August, 1979.

Phil Ramone, mixer and engineer for Chicago's TV specials since 1973, stepped into the producer's chair for those two albums.

Chris Pinnick, another A&M session player (for Herb Alpert's '79 and '80 solo albums) replaced Donnie Dacus on guitar for Chicago XIV, produced by the late Tom Dowd, and released in July, 1980. Rhythmically, his style of playing very closely matched that of Terry Kath, and you can hear the resemblance most on Chicago 17.

Bill Champlin (Sons of Champlin) joined the band as a guitarist and vocalist (later keyboards, too) in the fall of 1981, and Laudir deOliveira departed. Champlin convinced the band to go with David Foster to produce their first new album for Full Moon/Warner Bros. records, Chicago 16, released in May, 1982. Foster had been considered for Chicago XIV, but was turned down. Foster would also co-write and play keyboards on several songs. "Hard To Say I'm Sorry", featured in the film soundtrack SUMMER LOVERS, hit #1 on the singles charts, and exposed a new generation of radio listeners to Chicago's music. The album cut of this features a closer called "Get Away", which showcases the classic hard-driving style rock of their earlier albums.

Chris Pinnick departed in 1985. Steve Lukather (Toto) and Michael Landau fill in on Chicago 18 in 1986. They are also featured on Chicago 16, Chicago 19 (1988), and Twenty-1 (1991). Buzz Feiten also appeared on Chicago 18, notably the solo on the remake of "25 Or 6 To 4".

Peter Cetera left the band in 1985 following "Good For Nothing," the track Chicago recorded for the USA For Africa album, because in the Chicago democracy, he had acquired more power, due to the need to put a front man out there for the MTV audiences (a fact further componded by Robert Lamm's drug addiction battles during the early '80s). Also, Cetera was itching to put his solo career into high gear, and he would do that rather well. While searching for songs to include on Cetera's second solo album, the demo tapes of a songwriter, bass player, and singer named Jason Scheff, recently signed by WB's publishing division, crossed Mo Austin's desk (then-President of WB Records). A few phone calls later...

Jason Scheff replaced Cetera on bass and vocals for Chicago 18, released in September, 1986. To show Chicago's fans that Jason can sing and play Cetera's songs, they released a more modern sounding version of "25 Or 6 To 4" as the first single.

Dawayne Bailey joined the band as lead guitarist during the Chicago 18 tour, but his lead guitar work is only featured on one track ("I Stand Up") on the subsequent Chicago 19, released in June, 1988. Chas Sanford and Ron Nevison split the producing duties, and the Diane Warren-written song "Look Away", featuring Champlin's lead vocals, became the fastest charting single in the band's history, as well as their biggest selling single, peaking at #1.

Danny Seraphine was fired by the band in 1990 before "Hearts In Trouble", recorded for the DAYS OF THUNDER soundtrack, violating the gentlemen's agreement of 1967, because he was paying too much attention to the band's business dealings with management, and less attention to drum playing. John Keane (whose brother Tom played acoustic piano on some tracks for Chicago 18) played drums on 11 of the 12 songs on the subsequent album, Twenty-1, produced by Ron Nevison, and released in January, 1991. The 12th song, "Explain It To My Heart," featured new drummer Tris Imboden. Tris saw CTA and became a fan of the band during one of the showcases for CBS in 1968, and never thought he'd one day play drums for them. Diane Warren wrote two songs for this album, but neither sold well: "Explain It To My Heart" and the first single, "Chasin' The Wind", which got as high as #39 on the Billboard Pop chart (#13 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart).

Dawayne Bailey was fired by the band in 1994, after contributing backing vocals and writing, singing, and playing lead guitar on two songs (and adding lead guitar for a third) to an as yet unreleased Chicago album called Stone Of Sisyphus (for which DB also discovered the textbook photo that would have become the album cover), produced by Peter (Starship) Wolf. Bruce Gaitsch played guitar for most of that album, as well as on Night & Day (Big Band), released in May, 1995, and produced by the late Bruce Fairbairn (Van Halen's Balance album and Yes's The Ladder album).

Keith Howland, an acquaintance of Jason, crashed the new guitarist auditions, and impressed the band so much, he was hired in the fall of 1995. His first TV appearance with the band was Chicago's visit to Jay Leno's Tonight Show when Jay moved the show to the city of Chicago for a week in May, 1996. The performance of the original "25 Or 6 To 4" shows why he was accepted: Howland was a fan from Chicago's first national success in 1970, and plays all the Terry Kath riffs to a tee. He also has such an ear for their earlier songs, he can point out any riffs not being played as they were on the original recordings; yet, as Terry Kath did, Keith varies the guitar riffs for each performance.

CHICAGO DISCOGRAHPY (US + Select Imports) AND REVIEWS

Release dates listed are the original release dates/months as listed in the booklet for Group Portrait, the web history lesson, and the album lists from The Very Best of Chicago: Only The Beginning and Chicago: The Box, except '*', which are approximate dates.

The code numbers listed are for the original album releases, from my own personal collection and the album list from The Very Best of Chicago: Only The Beginning. Complete discography links will be added to each album as I finish the reviews.

All albums 1969-1977 Produced by James William Guercio.

APRIL, 1969 The Chicago Transit Authority (2 LPs/1 cassette/1 CD), Columbia GP 8 (Chicago Records 3001).

JANUARY, 1970 Chicago II (2 LPs/1 cassette/1 CD), Columbia KGP 24 (Chicago Records 3002).

JANUARY, 1971 Chicago III (2 LPs/1 cassette/1 CD), Columbia C2 30110 (Chicago Records 3003).

OCTOBER, 1971 Chicago At Carnegie Hall - Volumes I, II, III, And IV (4 LPs/2 cassettes/3 CDs),
Columbia C4X 30865 (Chicago Records 3004).

JULY, 1972 Chicago V, Columbia KC 31102 (Chicago Records 3005).

*WINTER (?), 1972/1973 ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK), United Artists UA-LA062-H.
JWG produced and directed the movie, and wrote the score. Chicago members such as Peter Cetera and Terry Kath made their film debuts in prominent roles, and also were among the performing musicians. Terry Kath's performance of "Tell Me" is probably the best known song from the film, especially among TV viewers who may recall it was chosen as the final song to be played in the final episode of the 1980's TV series Miami Vice.

JUNE, 1973 Chicago VI, Columbia KC 32400 (Chicago Records 3006).

MARCH, 1974 Chicago VII (2 LPs/1 cassette/1 CD), Columbia C2 32810 (Chicago Records 3007).

MARCH, 1975 Chicago VIII, Columbia PC 33100 (Chicago Records 3008).

*SUMMER (?), 1975 Live In Japan (2 LPs/1 cassette/2 CDs), CBS/Sony Japan SOPJ-31/32XR (Chicago Records 3030).
Recorded in Osaka June, 1972 during the Chicago V tour, and originally released by CBS/Sony in Japan in 1975.
Finally released in North America in December 1996! Produced by James William Guercio.

NOVEMBER, 1975 Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits, Columbia FC 33900 (Chicago Records 3009).

JUNE, 1976 Chicago X, Columbia PC 34200 (Chicago Records 3010).

SEPTEMBER, 1977 Chicago XI, Columbia JC 34860 (Chicago Records 3011).

Albums 1978-1979 produced by Phil Ramone & Chicago; 1980 Tom Dowd; 1981 JWG/Phil Ramone & Chicago/Tom Dowd.

SEPTEMBER, 1978 Hot Streets, Columbia FC 35512 (Chicago Records 3012)

AUGUST, 1979 Chicago 13, Columbia FC 36105 (Chicago Records 3013).

JULY, 1980 Chicago XIV, Columbia FC 36517 (Chicago Records 3014).

NOVEMBER, 1981 Greatest Hits Volume II (XV), Columbia FC 37682 (Chicago Records 3015).

WB Albums 1982-1986 Produced by David Foster; 1988 Chas Sanford & Ron Nevison;
1990 Foster/Sanford/Nevison; 1991 Nevison & Humberto Gatica.

MAY 26, 1982 Chicago 16, Full Moon/Warner Bros. 1-23689.
The single edit of "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" also appears on the SUMMER LOVERS soundtrack.

MARCH, 1983 If You Leave Me Now, Columbia PC 38590 (Chicago Records 3016). CBS Records Canada commissioned this compilation of Chicago ballads, and it was released in the U.S. and Canada.
Track listing
-------------
01) If You Leave Me Now
02) Saturday In The Park
03) Feelin' Stronger Every Day
04) I've Been Searchin' So Long
05) 25 Or 6 To 4
06) Baby, What A Big Surprise
07) Wishing You Were Here
08) No Tell Lover
09) Another Rainy Day In New York City
10) Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
11) Song For You

*LATE (?), 1983 TWO OF A KIND (ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK), MCA .
Chicago's featured track for this John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John reunion film is "Prima Donna", also to be included on Chicago 17.

MAY 14, 1984 Chicago 17, Full Moon/Warner Bros. 1-25060.

JANUARY, 1985 Take Me Back To Chicago, Columbia PC 39579 (reissued as CBS/Sony Special Products 21581 in 1991 with a different cover). Yet another compilation of Chicago classics.
Track list
--------------
01) Baby, What A Big Surprise
02) Happy Man
03) Take Me Back To Chicago
04) If You Leave Me Now
05) Old Days
06) Song For You
07) Thunder And Lightning
08) Wishing You Were Here
09) Mama Take
10) Run Away

SEPTEMBER 22, 1986 Chicago 18, Full Moon/Warner Bros. 1-25509.

JUNE 21, 1988 Chicago 19, Full Moon/Reprise/Warner Bros. 1-25714.

NOVEMBER 21, 1989 Greatest Hits 1982-1989 (20), Full Moon/Reprise/Warner Bros. 1-26080.
The big hits of the WB decade in North America; includes the CD debut of the remixed version of "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?"
(This compilation was titled The Heart Of Chicago in the EU; using the same cover art as the North American edition, with a different track list featuring Columbia and Warner Bros. hits; the first international compilation to merge the two eras.)

JUNE 26, 1990 DAYS OF THUNDER, DGC/Geffen D1-24294.
Chicago's contribution to this Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman film, "Hearts In Trouble", is their first DDD recording and features Jody Cortez on drums. Bill Champlin, Dennis Matkosky and Kevin Dukes deliver a tune much in the vein of Kath-era Chicago, and Bill's vocal evokes strong memories of Terry (not to mention Dawayne's great guitar work!). Track produced by Ron Nevison.

JANUARY 29, 1991 Twenty-1, Full Moon/Reprise/Warner Bros. 1-26391. [DDD]

*OCTOBER (?), 1991 Group Portrait (4 cassettes/4 CDs) Columbia/Legacy C4 47416 (Chicago Records 3018).
The Columbia/Legacy release included a 52-page booklet featuring an extensive history of Chicago and their years on Columbia.

Previously unreleased tracks: "Closer To You", a great Donnie Dacus co-written B-side recorded during the Hot Streets sessions and not previously included on any album, and "Doin' Business", a Robert Lamm try at punk recorded for Chicago XIV, but left out of the final album.

1994 (Unreleased) Chicago 22/Stone Of Sisyphus.
First full album featuring drummer Tris Imboden. Produced by Peter Wolf.

MAY 23, 1995 Night & Day (Big Band), Giant/Warner Bros. 24615.
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn.

1995 Chicago Records was created, and the band obtained the masters for all their Columbia recordings.
CD and cassette reissues appeared throughout the next two years.

1995 Overtime, Astral Music-Canada BEOV-DE. (2-disc set)
CD debuts of the Stone Of Sisyphus songs "Bigger Than Elvis" and "Stone Of Sisyphus".

1996 The Very Best Of Chicago, Arcade Records-EU DFR 010-MC/DFR 010-CD.
CD debut of the Stone Of Sisyphus song "Let's Take A Lifetime" (edit version), and also includes "Bigger Than Elvis".

APRIL 22, 1997 The Heart Of Chicago 1967-1997 (23), Full Moon/Reprise/Warner Bros. 46554.
Includes two new songs: "Here In My Heart" and "The Only One".

MAY 12, 1998 The Heart Of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II (24), Full Moon/Reprise/Warner Bros. 46911.
Includes two new songs: "All Roads Lead To You" and "Show Me A Sign".

For more information on the Heart Of Chicago domestic and import albums, including the five Stone Of Sisyphus songs on the Japanese imports, click here.

AUGUST 25, 1998 Chicago 25 (The Christmas Album), Chicago Records 3035.
First all-new material issued on Chicago Records, and the first full album featuring Keith Howland on guitar.

OCTOBER 12, 1999 Chicago XXVI (Live In Concert), Chicago Records 3026.
Includes three new studio songs: "Back To You", "If I Should Ever Lose You" (with Burt Bacharach on piano), and a cover of "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher" (with ex-Steely Dan/Doobie Bros. vocalist Michael McDonald doing the lead vocals).

OCTOBER 15, 2000 Chicago's long awaited segment of VH-1's Behind The Music debuts. Peter Cetera did not grant an interview for this, and worse yet, wouldn't allow the songs he wrote for Chicago to be used in the episode. Thus, only half the story is told.

FEBRUARY, 2002 Tim Wood reported that Chicago was in the studio working on a new album. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, if you love RL's solo work!), it was a Robert Lamm solo album with most of Chicago appearing as guest performers. The band did, however, hook up with Phil Ramone for six new Christmas tunes in 2003...

MAY 6, 2002 Rhino Records acquires Chicago's entire catalog. A new compilation and remasters start rolling out in July.
Story Chicago plays Rhino! Summary of pending reissues from ICE Rhino's Chicago reissues page

JULY 2, 2002 The Very Best of Chicago: Only The Beginning (27), Rhino R2 76170.
A remastered 39-track double CD compilation spanning most of the group's 35-year history.
(This compilation was titled The Chicago Story: Complete Greatest Hits in the EU with rather bland cover art.)

Features new remasters of many of the original 45s, including a much better expanded edit of "Make Me Smile/Now More Than Ever", the original 45 edits/mixes of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" (stereo representation of the original mono 45 edit), "I'm A Man" (first time this edit is available on CD), "Dialogue (Part I & II)", "Take Me Back To Chicago", "Love Me Tomorrow", "Along Comes A Woman", "Will You Still Love Me?", "Look Away", "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?", "We Can Last Forever", and "You're Not Alone", plus the Greatest Hits edits of "Beginnings" (IX) and "Happy Man" (XV).

JULY 16, 2002 The Chicago Transit Authority (remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76171.

JULY 16, 2002 Chicago II (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76172.
The remastered single edits of "25 Or 6 To 4" and "Make Me Smile" are included as bonus tracks.

JULY 16, 2002 Chicago III (remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76173.

AUGUST 20, 2002 Chicago V (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76175.
Bonus tracks: The incomplete (lacking only vocals) studio version of "A Song For Richard And His Friends", the first attempt at a studio recording of "Mississippi Delta City Blues" (with a scratch vocal), and the remastered single edit of "Dialogue (Part I & II)".

AUGUST 20, 2002 Chicago VI (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76176.
Bonus tracks: A Terry Kath demo called "Beyond All Our Sorrows" (a.k.a. "Blues Jam"), and a lost gem with Al ("Let's Stay Together") Green singing lead vocals called "Tired Of Being Alone," from their 1973 TV special.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2002 Chicago rocks the final hour of the 37th Annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon with "Saturday In The Park", Walt hands Jerry a donation for Jerry's Kids from the band ($10,000. worth!), and closes with "25 or 6 To 4", and gets a very nice compliment from Jerry, too... :-) (BTW, does anybody really know what was printed on the shirt Robert was wearing on stage? LOL)

OCTOBER 1, 2002 Chicago 25 (reissue), Rhino R2 76199.

NOVEMBER 5, 2002 Chicago VII (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76177.
Bonus track: Rehearsal version of "Byblos".

NOVEMBER 5, 2002 Chicago VIII (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76178.
Bonus tracks: Rehearsal versions of two unissued songs ("Sixth Sense," written by Terry Kath; and "Bright Eyes," written by Robert Lamm); plus Chicago's tribute to the then-recently passed away Duke Ellington, a live version of "Satin Doll" in a more standard Big Band arrangement (not like the reworked Big Band tunes we would hear from Chicago in 1995), recorded for the Dick Clark 1974 New Year's Rockin' Eve show.

FEBRUARY 25, 2003 Chicago X (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76179.
Bonus tracks: Original version of Robert Lamm's "I'd Rather Be Rich", an early slower version featuring Terry Kath that they would re-record as an uptempo piece with Chris Pinnick for Chicago XIV (1980); and Terry Kath's wonderful ballad "Your Love's An Attitude", a song much in the vein of "Byblos", and featuring no brass, but great licks from both Terry on acoustic guitar, and Peter on bass.

FEBRUARY 25, 2003 Chicago XI (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76180.
Bonus tracks: Rehearsal versions of two unreleased songs: James Pankow's "Wish I Could Fly" (instrumental), and Robert Lamm's "Paris".

APRIL 22, 2003 Hot Streets (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76181.
Bonus track: "Love Was New (Alternate Vocal)", an alternate version featuring Donnie Dacus on vocals.

APRIL 22, 2003 Chicago 13 (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76182.
Bonus tracks: "Closer To You", Donnie Dacus's great B-side gem from the Hot Streets sessions (co-written with Stephen Stills), and the 12" Dance Mix version of "Street Player".

APRIL 22, 2003 Chicago XIV (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76183.
Bonus tracks: "Doin' Business", Robert Lamm's stab at punk not included on the original release; plus Jimmy Pankow's new-wave tune "Live It Up", with a great (albeit under-mixed) vocal by Peter; and Robert Lamm's new-wave tune, "Soldier Of Fortune".

JUNE 24, 2003 Chicago II (DVD-Audio), Rhino 73841.
Dolby 5.1 remix supervised by Lee Loughnane, includes rare photos and more. Go here for the details.

JULY 22, 2003 Chicago: The Box (5-disc package with bonus DVD) (28), Rhino R2 73871.
This is Group Portrait, and then some! This ultimate compilation includes the four new songs from the Heart of Chicago compilations, three tracks from Stone Of Sisyphus, plus "Good For Nothing", "Hearts In Trouble", and a very broad selection from their entire catalog, including some of the suites not previously on any compilations, plus a bonus DVD with a rare live performance from '72 and the entire promo film for Chicago 13 from '79.

(A single-CD promo sampler was released in a Digi-Pak case, featuring artwork from the box set. The cover is the blue tarnished brass motif, the interior includes the rubbed logo, the puzzle motif and the unpopped popcorn-in-popped popcorn motif; the label is a reproduction of the pin motif used on the cover of the box set. Billed as The Box Sampler, Selections from Chicago: The Box Rhino/WB PRCD 400089.)

JULY 26, 2003 Sound Stage - featuring Chicago (WTTW, no code, 2003). (cardboard sleeve)
Membership bonus from PBS highlights Chicago's performance for the relaunch of this great PBS series, recorded live in Chicago June 4, 2003 - DVD and VHS also available. Retail DVD released by Koch Media on October 5, 2004.

JULY 26, 2003 Critics' Choice, Rhino R2 73931. (cardboard sleeve)
Membership bonus from PBS. 21 tracks of Chicago's best (not necessarily hits) as chosen by music critics, and most of which have never before appeared in Chicago compilations, foreign or domestic. This album cover features the blue on yellow "puzzle" motif, one of the cover concepts pictured in the new box set.

Track list for Critics' Choice
--------------------------------
01) Wake Up Sunshine (Chicago II, 1970)
02) So Much To Say, So Much To Give (excerpt from the "Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon", Chicago II)
03) Song For You (Chicago XIV, 1980)
04) At The Sunrise (excerpt from the "Travel Suite", Chicago III, 1971)
05) Where Do We Go From Here? (Chicago II)
06) A Hit By Varèse (Chicago V, 1972)
07) In Terms Of Two (Chicago VI, 1973)
08) Mongonucleosis (INSTRUMENTAL) (Chicago VII, 1974)
09) Life Saver (Chicago VII)
10) Any Way You Want It (Chicago VIII, 1975)
11) Something In This City Changes People (Chicago VI)
12) What Else Can I Say? (Chicago II)
13) Someday (August 29, 1968) (The Chicago Transit Anthority, 1969)
14) Flight 602 (excerpt from the "Travel Suite", Chicago III)
15) Upon Arrival (Chicago XIV)
16) Gently I'll Wake You (Chicago X, 1976)
17) Long Time No See (Chicago VIII)
18) The Road (Chicago II)
19) Never Been In Love Before (Chicago VIII)
20) Hollywood (Chicago VI)
21) Critics' Choice (Chicago VI)

AUGUST 12, 2003 Chicago V (DVD-Audio), Rhino 73842.
Dolby 5.1 remix supervised by Lee Loughnane, includes the original album (but none of the bonus tracks from the audio CD remaster), plus a bonus photo gallery of many previously unpublished photos and a live version of "Dialogue".

OCTOBER 14, 2003 Chicago Christmas: What's It Gonna Be, Santa? (expanded remaster/repackage of 25),
Rhino R2 73892. Contains the complete 25 (reordered tracks) plus six new tracks produced by Phil Ramone.

OCTOBER 14, 2003 Chicago: A & E Network Live By Request (DVD-Video), Rhino 970164.
The band's 2002 TV special includes 14 fan-requested favorites. Hosted by Mark McEwen, and featuring 35th anniversary praise letters from Clive Davis and Regis Philbin, and a brief clip from Dick Clark!

JANUARY 25, 2005 Love Songs (29), Rhino R2 78451.
18 track compilation featuring 16 Chicago ballads, including "Never Been In Love Before" (from VIII), plus two new live tracks from the 2004 Chicago/Earth, Wind & Fire tour: "If You Leave Me Now" featuring Phillip Bailey on lead vocals, and Bill Champlin's lead vocal on the EWF track "After The Love Has Gone" (which Champlin co-wrote in his pre-Chicago days).

AUGUST 23, 2005 Chicago At Carnegie Hall - Volumes I, II, III, And IV (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 76174.
Featuring a 4th (bonus) CD of outtakes/alternate versions, packaging resembling the original box set, a 36-page booklet with all the original artwork, and reproductions of the three posters included with the original box set.

OCTOBER 4, 2005 Chicago IX -- Greatest Hits (repackage), Rhino R2 73229.

MARCH 21, 2006 Chicago XXX, Rhino R2 73362.
Rhino press release!

15 years since their last official all-new material release (Twenty-1), and over 12 years since Stone Of Sisyphus was completed, Chicago has finally listened to we the fans, and is releasing an album of all new songs. :-)

Track list
----------
01) Feel (Hot Single Mix)
02) King Of Might Have Been
03) Caroline
04) Why Can't We
05) Love Will Come Back
06) Long Lost Friend
07) 90 Degrees And Freezin'
08) Where Were You
09) Already Gone
10) Come To Me Do
11) Lovin' Chains
12) Better
13) Feel (Horn Section Mix)

Produced by Jay DeMarcus (of Rascal Flatts).

OCTOBER 3, 2006 Chicago 16 (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 74090.
BONUS TRACK: "Daddy's Favorite Fool".

OCTOBER 3, 2006 Chicago 17 (expanded remaster/repackage), Rhino R2 74091.
BONUS TRACK: "Where We Begin". This remaster includes the guitar riff omitted from "You're The Inspiration" in the original CD issue, as well as the original LP/cassette version of "Please Hold On", which finally makes its CD debut here.

OCTOBER 2, 2007 The Best Of Chicago: 40th Anniversary Edition, Rhino R2 309116 (UPC 0-8122-79961-6-1).
THE BEST OF CHICAGO: 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Track Listing:
------------------------------------------------------------
(All tracks listed are the single remixes/edits where done so, except where noted.)
Disc 1
------
01) Questions 67 And 68
02) 25 Or 6 To 4
03) Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
04) Make Me Smile
05) Beginnings
06) Colour My World
07) Saturday In The Park
08) Feelin’ Stronger Every Day
09) Just You ‘N’ Me
10) (I've Been) Searchin' So Long
11) &nsbp;Call On Me
12) Wishing You Were Here
13) Old Days
14) Another Rainy Day In New York City
15) If You Leave Me Now

Disc 2
------
01) Baby, What A Big Surprise
02) No Tell Lover
03) Hard To Say I’m Sorry
04) Love Me Tomorrow
05) Hard Habit To Break
06) You’re The Inspiration
07) Will You Still Love Me?
08) If She Would Have Been Faithful...
09) I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love
10) Look Away
11) What Kind Of Man Would I Be? (Album version)
12) You’re Not Alone
13) Here In My Heart
14) Feel (with Horns) (Track 13 from Chicago XXX)
15) Love Will Come Back (mix without Rascal Flatts' vocals) CD DEBUT

UPCOMING RHINO RE-ISSUES

Chicago Greatest Hits Vol II (XV) (repackage)
Chicago 18 (expanded remaster/repackage ?)
Chicago 19 (expanded remaster/repackage ?)
Twenty-1 (expanded remaster/repackage ?)
Night & Day (Big Band) (expanded remaster/repackage ?)
XXVI (remaster/repackage ?)

Robert Lamm let loose the news on his Q & A board in 2004 about these two upcoming solo gems undergoing Rhino-phonic remastering:

(Sometime this year?) Skinny Boy (expanded remaster/repackage) -- Robert Lamm, Rhino R2 7xxxx.

(Sometime this year?) Life Is Good In My Neighborhood (expanded remaster/repackage) -- Robert Lamm, Rhino R2 7xxxx.

SELECTED SOLO WORKS

*SPRING, 1975 Skinny Boy, Columbia (Chicago Records 3020) -- Robert Lamm
Includes an alternate version of the title track without the brass. Featured performers include Terry Kath on guitar and bass, with guest appearances by The Pointer Sisters on two tracks, and a great guitar bit from long-time friend and former Exception James Vincent (Dondelinger/Donlinger).
Produced by James William Guercio. Re-issued on Chicago Records April 9, 1996.

*SUMMER (?), 1981 Peter Cetera, Full Moon/Warner Bros. 3476 -- Peter Cetera (OUT OF PRINT)
PC's first album is so incredibly good, it's surprising that it's not currently in print! In the days when CD's were first hitting the market in Japan, Warner-Pioneer Corporation, then WEA Japan's CD manufacturer, put this out on CD. If you're lucky, as I was, you may find a used original copy on eBay. Featured performers include Chris Pinnick (later to join up with Chicago for Chicago 16), Mark Goldenberg (guest guitarist on Chicago XIV and later on Chicago 17), David "Hawk" Wolinski (guest keyboardist for Chicago 1974-1980), Ricky Fataar on drums, guitarist Steve Lukather (Toto, and also to help out Chicago on 16, 18, and Twenty-1), synth genius Michael Boddicker, and a guest 2nd guitar bit for Beach Boy Carl Wilson. PC also gets a chance to showcase guitar and synthesizer skills.
Produced by Peter Cetera and Jim Boyer, Engineered by Jim Boyer, Greg Ladyani and Dennis Kirk.

(NOTE: This CD was finally reissued domestically in October 2004 on an independent label called Wounded Bird.)

*SPRING (?), 1995 Through It All, Turnip TTM0011 -- Bill Champlin (OUT OF PRINT)
While not BC's first solo album, this one is noteworthy in that it contains his performances of two of his best compositions, "Turn Your Love Around" (which BC, Jay Graydon and Steve Lukather wrote for George Benson in 1981 before BC joined Chicago) and "Proud Of Our Blindness", a slightly reworked BC-Dennis Matkosky lyric of "Cry For The Lost" (one of the songs Chicago recorded for Stone Of Sisyphus, and which prompted a rather blunt liner note from BC here, go to the SOS page to read it :-) ), plus an extended performance of his best known solo tune, the Quincy Jones/Alan & Marilyn Bergman theme from the TV series, "In The Heat Of The Night".
Produced by Bill Champlin with Dennis Matkosky (2 tracks) and Bruce Gaitsch (1 track), Engineered by Michael E. Hutchinson with Bill Champlin, Dennis Matkosky, and Bruce Gaitsch.

JULY 25, 1995 Life Is Good In My Neighborhood, Chicago Records 3019 -- Robert Lamm
(Domestic release of Japanese album first issued by Reprise/WEA Japan in 1993.)
Dawayne Bailey plays guitar on 2 tracks, Michael Landau (backing guitarist for Chicago's 1980's albums) does 1, and John McCurry plays the other 7. As a sophomore solo effort, it's very good, and gives Lamm a rare opportunity to showcase his songs outside of the Chicago framework (although one of them, "All The Years", was recorded with Chicago for Stone Of Sisyphus; the solo version here is more uptempo and synthesized).
Produced by Phil Ramone (with Randy Goodrum producing 3 tracks).

FEBRUARY 12, 1997 Chicago Presents The Innovative Guitar Of Terry Kath, Chicago Records 3025 -- Terry Kath
14 tracks of classic Chicago songs featuring the late great Terry Kath at the fore. Four songs feature extended lead-ins with Terry guiding the warm-up. Although (unfortunately) not featured in the Rhino re-mastered versions of the albums, the lead-ins to "Listen", "Dialogue (Parts I & II)", "South California Purples" and the entire "An Hour In The Shower" suite (five tracks combined into one for this compilation) show just how much of a leader Terry was in keeping the band's timings on track, and just how much was lost 25 years and change ago with his death.
Produced by James William Guercio.

*SUMMER (?), 1997 Chauncy, Shemps S0001 -- Jason Scheff
Jason Scheff's first solo album, featuring his version of "Mah Jongg" (see the SOS page).

JULY 6, 1999 In My Head, Mystic Music/Lightyear/WEA 2-54335 -- Robert Lamm
Robert's third solo album, and first major label one since Skinny Boy. The 10 tracks include a solo 'singing' version of "Sleeping In The Middle Of The Bed (Again)" (see the SOS page), the original version of the Beckley-Lamm-Wilson track "Watching The Time Go By" with Robert taking more of the leads, more Carl Wilson vocals, and John Van Eps on bass (the best of the two versions, IMHO), and two duets with former Columbia label-mate Phoebe "Poetry Man" Snow.
Produced by John Van Eps with Phil Galdston (produced backing vocals for "Standing At Your Door") and Phil Ramone (produced vocals for "Watching The Time Go By").

JUNE 20, 2000 Like A Brother, Transparent Music 50002-2 -- Beckley-Lamm-Wilson
Robert's collaboration with America's Gerry Beckley and The Beach Boys' late Carl Wilson, featuring Jason Scheff on bass. It took nearly 3 years after Carl's death to complete this project, but Gerry and Robert saw it through. All three are in great form! The 10 tracks include Gerry's haunting "Watching The Time" (which features much less of Carl than the version released on In My Head, unfortunately), "Feel The Spirit", Robert's tribute to Terry Kath that just missed being recorded for Stone Of Sisyphus, "Life In Motion", and the best cover version yet of Harry Nilsson's "Without Her".
Produced by Phil Galdston with Beckley-Lamm-Wilson and (2 tracks) Steve Levine.

OCTOBER 7, 2003 subtlety&passion, Blue Infinity 766 -- Robert Lamm
Robert's fourth solo album, and as mentioned above, was originally intended to be a new Chicago studio album. See William Ruhlmann's great review at Barnes & Noble. Three noteworthy tracks are "Intensity", a 1972 RL demo re-written and re-recorded with Terry Kath's original '72 solo sampled in; "You Never Know The Story", the Lamm/Marty Grebb collaboration mentioned above, Lamm relates on his site that Grebb had played briefly with Chicago (presumably during the Exceptions/Big Thing gigs), and who was also a good friend of Terry Kath (yet another TK tribute song...); and "It's Always Something", a Lamm/Tris Imboden song about 9/11. Other guest performers include ex-Chicago guitarist Chris Pinnick, Gerry Beckley, and Timothy B. Schmit (Poco/Eagles).
Produced by Robert Lamm & Hank Linderman.

KNOWN GUEST APPEARANCES

This is a short list of known appearances by Chicago's current and former members on other artists' albums or movies. If you have one to add, click the e-mail link at the bottom of the page. :-)

Electra Glide In Blue (film and soundtrack) (1972)

Billy Joel -- 52nd Street (1978) Peter Cetera and Donnie Dacus do background vocals on "My Life", brought in by Phil Ramone, who was also Chicago's producer at the time.

Karen Carpenter (recorded 1980, released 1996) Peter Cetera wrote a wonderful gem for Karen's only solo album called "Making Love In The Afternoon", with PC doing a wonderful duet and the vocal arrangement as well, and also produced by Phil Ramone.

Toto -- Toto IV (1982) James Pankow delivers a great trombone bit on "Rosanna", but the single edit cut out Jimmy's great solo at the end of the track.

Peter Cetera -- World Falling Down (1991) Bill Champlin is one of the featured guest artists on Cetera's fourth solo album.

SoundStage featuring Peter Cetera (2003) Bruce Gaitsch delivers a wonderful performance on acoustic guitar.

Toto -- Falling In Between (2006) James Pankow, Lee Loughnane, Walt Parazaider, and Jason Scheff guest.