Chicago Kinfolk: The Case Study

The Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues case study film serves as a compelling companion to the project and microsite, functioning as both documentation and art piece. Structured like an audiovisual essay, the film presents the project’s origins, creative methodology, and cultural stakes, while immersing viewers in the sonic and visual textures of the blues. Terry Blade conceived the film not only to showcase the project’s artistry but also to contextualize it within the broader history of Chicago blues and its social legacy.

Interweaving archival interviews, on-screen storytelling, and atmospheric performance excerpts, the case film guides audiences through Blade’s creative process: from the discovery and restoration of rare 1977 interviews in the Library of Congress collection to their reanimation through original composition, production, and vocal performance. The piece doubles as a preservationist manifesto, underscoring Blade’s belief that music is inseparable from memory, place, and lived history. Its aesthetic choices—restrained editing, deliberate pacing, and stark, symbolic visual motifs—ensure that the case study feels less like promotional material and more like an extension of the artistic statement itself.

Critically, the film underscores the project’s institutional resonance, noting its cataloging in French media libraries, recognition at the Blues Blast Music Awards, and accolades in the design and creative industries. By framing the album as both an homage and a heritage intervention, the film asserts Blade’s role as cultural archivist and cross-disciplinary artist, building bridges between the blues tradition and contemporary digital storytelling.