The Symphonic Blues Experience heads to Delta with Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience takes audiences on a journey through the soul-stirring history of the Delta Blues, merging the raw emotion of blues music with the expressive depth of an orchestra.

Featuring a live appearance and multimedia narration by Hollywood icon and Mississippi son Morgan Freeman and with respected Delta blues musicians from the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Symphonic Blues is an unforgettable celebration of music, culture and storytelling. Now on a national tour, the Symphonic Blues Experience stops Aug. 1 at the Ravinia Festival, for a concert featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, under guest conductor Martin Gellner.

“Blues is not just music,“ says Freeman. ”It’s history wrapped in rhythm, the echoes of lives lived and lost, heartache and hope all tangled together.” 

The Symphonic Blues Experience bridges the soul-stirring music of the blues with the vibrant sound of the CSO. Accompanying this performance is a multimedia narration by Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman, who provides a transformative journey through the music, culture and legacy of the Mississippi Delta — the birthplace of the blues. Freeman’s distinctive voice guides the audience through a rich exploration of the Delta’s profound impact on global music, telling the story of how this region shaped not only the blues, but also rock, gospel and other popular genres.

The performance blends the energy of blues music seamlessly with symphonic arrangements performed by the CSO and Martin Gellner. They will be accompanied by blues artists from Ground Zero Blues Club, one of the world’s top blues clubs. Founded by Freeman, the club lies in the heart of the Mississippi Delta — just steps from the legendary crossroads of Highways 61 and 49, where, according to legend, blues great Robert Johnson reputedly sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his prowess on guitar. 

Established in 2001 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, by Freeman and partners Bill Luckett and Howard Stovall, it hosts more than 200 shows annually. The club has garnered attention from media outlets such as CNN, “60 Minutes,” Wall Street Journal, BBC, Euronews and many other industry publications. Ground Zero has also played a significant role in launching the careers of Delta talents such as Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Anthony “Big A” Sherrod and Jacqueline “Jaxx” Nassar.

“Blues is the soul of Mississippi,” Freeman says. “This experience gives the blues its rightful place on the world’s stage and ensures its legacy continues to echo through future generations. This is the story of people who turned hardship into something powerful, who found beauty in their sorrows, and who sang out loud when the world tried to keep them quiet.”

Freeman won the best supporting actor Oscar for his role in Clint Eastwood’s best picture-winning drama “Million Dollar Baby” (2004). A presence in film and television since the 1970s, he got his start as a regular on PBS’ “The Electric Company.” Memorable films include the best picture-winning titles “Driving Miss Daisy” (1989) and “Unforgiven” (1992), as well as beloved movies such as “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994), “Se7en” (1995), “The Bucket List” (2007) and his role as Lucius Fox in the “Dark Knight” trilogy.