My hope is that this show will spotlight the various styles found within the genre. The Chicago sound is very different from the Delta rhythm. The Big Band sound this band uses in their ensemble team (Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck “ Dunn, Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Steve Jordan are the backbone of this group) is worth noting. In the traditional sense, blues is about one musician singing about women, whisky and wine. Papa Lightfoot made this fact well known.
Bento Box Entertainment is developing this property with Dan Aykroyd attached as co-creator and executive producer. The idea will be shopped around this month to television platforms to determine where it will be shown. Along with Ackroyd, original Saturday Night Live writer Anne Beatts and John Belushi’s widow, Judy will serve as fellow co-creator and executive producer.
“It’s so great to accelerate Jake and Elwood at digital speed into the 21st Century via the outstanding creative group at Bento Box,” Aykroyd said in an interview with TheWrap. “The show will be the Blues Brothers living in America and utilizing all new technology to make and promote their own records, seek out and record new artists and avoid law enforcement — and all while fighting for truth, justice and a better breakfast sandwich.”
This phenomenon debuted on Saturday Night Live when host Steve Martin asked Elwood (Ackroyd) and Jake (Belushi) Blues to serve as an opening act for an upcoming show. From recording contract with Atlantic to getting legend Paul Shaffer to be the musical director, the team made their debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues (recorded live) and it developed into the cult film The Blues Brothers. Following Belushi’s untimely death, Ackroyd kept the legacy alive. Blues Brothers 2000 was an attempt to keep interest alive, and it is just as celebrated or lamented (depending on the fan). Fandom never waned for this miscreant duo. It’s just a matter of time for God to send them on a new mission.