WINDY CITY COOL

I invited you to my blog because I want to introduce you to my readers. Milton, make yourself comfortable. There’s plenty to eat and drink so help yourself. Most of my reader’s arrived early, and I played them “’Round Midnight”, and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, two songs on your forthcoming album "Things to Come". Everybody loved your take of those songs, and was anxious to hear the other tracks. Before I play the entire recording, I want to delve into your background if that’s okay with you.Milton Suggs is 27-year-old, and a native of Chicago. He's a baritone in the tradition of Joe Williams. Suggs’ dad was a popular musician around Chicago. Suggs started out on the drums. Then he switched to piano, studying with pianist Willie Pickens. Suggs attended DePaul University. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis encouraged Suggs to take his singing career seriously after hearing Suggs perform. In 2008, while a graduate student at DePaul, Suggs won Down Beat magazine’s Outstanding Vocal Performance Award. On Suggs’ first recording, “Just Like Me”, he tackled some Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn oldies. Now that my readers are up to speed, I want to comment on “Things to Come, which hit the streets Tuesday.The album is perfect. Thelonious Monk would've enjoyed your version of 'Round Midnight'. You turned the spirituals "We Shall Overcome" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing"  into the blues. Your phrasing on "JL's Blues (Every Night and Every Day)" is akin to the great Kevin Mahogany. "'Cuz I'm in Love with You" is the best song on the album. It has the sincerity and raw emotion that fuels great love songs. I have a prediction: “Things to Come” will catapult your career.