Bakelite 78

Robert Rial arrived in Chicago in 2000, eager to engage in a variety of vintage americana. Frequently singing out of an antique rust colored 'crooner' megaphone, he played his guitar and tenor banjo, and took solace in his 78 R.P.M. records (some discs were made from an early form of plastic similar to Bakelite). 'Bakelite 78's preserved the music of this era and the band was born to keep antique crooning and early 20th century musical styles alive and re-evolving. The repertoire is a mix of swing, dixieland, blues, proto-country, and cabaret, as well as a plethora of originals in hybrids of these styles. The original lineup of Bakelite 78 performed throughout Chicago from 2003 to 2008. The...