Chess Records grew from the confluence of two great migratory streams: Blacks fleeing the Jim Crow South, and Jews fleeing the omnipresent antisemitism of Eastern Europe. Chess’ founders were ...

In 1950s Chicago, two Polish Jewish brothers founded the hugely influential Chess Records label. Working with artists like Chuck Berry and Howlin’ Wolf, they released some of the most important blues ...

Chicago's Chess Records was one of the greatest labels of the post-war era, ranking alongside other mighty independents like Atlantic, Stax and Sun. From 1950 till its demise at the end of the 60s ...