Our releases include "A Chicago Jazz Tour", "A Chicago Blues Tour", "Women Who Swing Chicago", "Jump 'n' Jive Chicago!", "Hidden Treasures: Irish Music In Chicago", "Chicago Music Scene", Musica Latina Chicago and David Young's "Appassionata". These albums contain the music from a broad range of Chicago's premier musicians, and many of them include CLUB LOCATOR MAPS and information about the local music scene. The Jazz and Blues Tour albums have been selected as official gifts by the Illinois Department of Trade and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. For two years in a row, Big Chicago has worked with the City of Chicago to create compilations celebrating the City's highly praised World Music Festival.

Big Chicago Records' first release was 1997's ' A Chicago Jazz Tour (Volume 1).' Voted Best Chicago Jazz Release of 1997 by the Leader Newspapers, the collection features many of the Windy City's most stellar jazz artists, including Kurt Elling; Patricia Barber; Von Freeman; Johnny Frigo; Kahil El 'Zabar and the Ritual Trio, and more. The disc also features a guided tour map of the top local jazz clubs.

Early 1998 brought the label's second release, 'A Chicago Blues Tour.' Rated four stars by Tower Pulse, it includes music of many of the city's blues luminaries, such as Buddy Guy; Junior Wells; Koko Taylor; Carl Weathersby; Magic Slim & The Teardrops; and others. A guided tour map of the city's blues clubs is also included along with coupons for cover charge discounts at local blues clubs.

Released later in '98, 'Women Who Swing Chicago,' is a tribute to the women who are defining Chicago's current jazz scene. The disc showcases a range of styles, from the big band sound of Geraldine De 'Haas to the modern cool of Patricia Barber; from the torch songs of Audrey Morris to the avant-garde Marlene Rosenberg.

1999's 'Jump 'n' Jive Chicago' surveys the local swing scene, and also provides a map of Chicago's swing clubs, swing dance lesson venues, and vintage clothing stores. Artists featured on the disc include The Riff Rockets; Three Cent Stomp; The Vanguard Aces; Phil Baron and Jump City; and others. Real Blues magazine voted the CD Best Jump Blues compilation of 1999.

'Hidden Treasures: Irish Music in Chicago', released early 2000, presents some of Chicago's most noted Irish musicians and includes a broad spectrum of styles. Featured artists include Liz Carroll; John Williams; Dennis Cahill; The Drovers; Laurence Nugent; and more. The CD also features a Pub Locator Map to guide Irish music fans to the best venues in the city.

There is a pulse in Chicago that beats to the rhythm of Latin music. The syncopations of Salsa, Mambo, Merenge, Cumbia, Rhumba, Cha Cha, and Mozambique can be heard twenty-four seven just about anywhere in town. This CD and includes our Latin Club Locator Map as your personal guide to Chicago's Latin music scene.

February 2001 witnessed the release of David Young's album, 'Appassionata'. David is the first individual artist signed to the Big Chicago Label. This 21 year old trumpet player has been hailed by the Chicago tribune as "An unusually accomplished trumpeter-composer", and according to the Chicago Sun Times, he is "Never less than enthralling". Mr. Young was signed to the label because of his mastery of the instrument, his brilliant and colorful compositions, and his lyrical approach to music. Check out the audio samples on his page and tell us if you agree!

In 2007 the second volume of A Chicago Jazz Tour was released and includes artists such as Orbert Davis, Howard Levy, Von Freeman, Ramsey Lewis, Paul Wertico and many more.

Big Chicago Records CDs are available at all local record retailers including Borders, Virgin Megastore, Crows Nest, Barnes & Noble, and many others. In many outlets, the CDs are on display in a 6 foot tall replica of the John Hancock tower.