Chicago: Terry Kath (vocals, electric guitar, guitar, percussion); Lee Loughnane (vocals, trumpet, flugel horn); James Pankow (vocals, trombone, keyboards, percussion); Robert Lamm (vocals, keyboards, percussion); Peter Cetera (vocals, bass); Walter Parazaider (woodwinds, baritone saxophone); Danny Seraphine (drums, percussion); Laudir De Oliveira (percussion).

Additional personnel: Chaka Khan (spoken vocals, background vocals); David "Hawk" Wolinski (Fender Rhodes piano, arp synthesizer); James William Guercio (acoustic guitar, bass, Tim Cetera, Carl Wilson (background vocals); The Voices Of Inspiration.

Recorded at Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado. Originally released as Columbia (34860). Includes liner notes by A. Scott Galloway.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Personnel: Terry Kath (vocals, guitar, electric guitar, percussion); Lee Loughnane (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn); James Pankow (vocals, trombone, keyboards, percussion); Robert Lamm (vocals, Clavinet, keyboards, percussion); Peter Cetera (vocals); James William Guercio (acoustic guitar); Armin Steiner (recorder); Walter Parazaider (woodwinds, baritone saxophone); David Wolinski "Hawk" (Fender Rhodes piano, ARP synthesizer); Daniel Seraphine, Laudir DeOliveira (drums, percussion); Tim Cetera, Chaka Khan (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: David Donnelly; Jeff Magid.

Audio Remasterer: David Donnelly.

Liner Note Author: A. Scott Galloway.

Recording information: Caribou Ranch, Nederland, CO; Sound Labs, Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Reid Miles.

Chicago XI (1977) was the final studio effort to feature the original septet, who by this time had been performing and recording for nearly a decade. In late January 1978, founding member Terry Kath (guitar/vocals) accidentally and fatally shot himself, forever altering the band's sound and indeed much of the combo's tenacious rock & roll heart. It is somewhat fitting that their ninth studio release (11th overall) contains two Kath compositions as well as a pair of additional lead vocals. The funky, up-tempo "Mississippi Delta Blues" opens the album with a showcase of his writing and performance skills. The more aggressive "Takin' It On Uptown" is a gritty rocker that further demonstrates Kath's unparalleled fret board prowess. These tougher tracks are counterbalanced by another round of light pop balladry from the usual suspects of Peter Cetera (bass/vocals), whose "Baby, What a Big Surprise" was the perfect Top Ten follow-up to his chart-topping and two-time Grammy-winning "If You Leave Me Now" from Chicago X (1976). Although undeniably successful, the group had become somewhat predictable as well. This, along with the increasingly schizophrenic popular music trend toward both disco and punk, simultaneously stifled the album's other lightweight fare, such as Daniel Seraphine's "Take Me Back to Chicago" or his slightly darker and more heavily orchestrated "Little One," featuring a truly emotive lead vocal from Kath. Speaking of orchestration, Chicago XI also includes a full-blown mini symphony courtesy of noted West Coast arranger Dominic Frontiere, whose r‚sum‚ includes contributions to artists as far afield as Booker T. & the M.G.'s and Dan Fogelberg to Eartha Kitt or Bing Crosby. On this album, he not only adds well-placed strings to the hit "Baby, What a Big Surprise," but also the more inclusive instrumental "The Inner Struggles of a Man" and the "Prelude" to "Little One." Also worth mentioning are James Pankow's soulful pop ballad "Till the End of Time," which is pulled off with a sonic finesse reminiscent of "Big" Al Anderson during his NRBQ days. Adding to the hauntingly familiar refrain are some sweet vocal inflections and a brassy horn section, who supply a laid-back and understated bed not unlike that of the Q's Whole Wheat Horns. Another blow was dealt to the band's internal structure by way of their somewhat acrimonious split with producer and (at least in the beginning) musical mentor James William Guercio -- under whose direction Chicago had been "discovered." Long-existing struggles between the band and management included the predicable and arguable overuse of the distinct Cola-Cola-inspired "Chicago" logo and Roman numeral cataloging -- both of which had prominently graced the cover of every single band release thus far. Additional and much less visible conflicts also existed between bandmembers and their producer as well. Fortunately, the spirit of Chicago would re-emerge under the direction of famed soundsmith Phil Ramone for their next effort, Hot Streets (1978). ~ Lindsay Planer

The band's 11th effort and ninth studio release began to show signs of Chicago's somewhat formulaic approach to record-making. A few weepy and introspective ballads, a few rockers, and voil…. It is perhaps this oversimplification of the process that had become one of the combo's primary points of contention with their longtime producer, musical director, and mentor, James William Guercio. Under his supervision, Chicago's image had become as predictable as the distinct Cola-Cola-inspired "Chicago" logo and Roman numeral cataloging that had been emblazoned upon every one of the group's releases to date. There was also some less apparent turmoil going on within the grooves as well. This was certainly not dramatically affecting the quality of the music or performances, which are solid throughout. Conspicuously absent are the elongated jazz jams and instrumentals. They have been effectively replaced by shorter and decidedly more "hit-oriented" material. Nowhere is this more evident than Peter Cetera's (bass/vocals) "Baby, What a Big Surprise," which became the Top Ten follow-up to his chart-topping and double Grammy award-garnering track "If You Leave Me Now" from their previous studio disc, Chicago X (1976). In terms of accessibility, such light pop fare was an inevitable triumph. From a creative perspective, however, the band had all but abandoned their previous fusion experimentations. The shorter arrangements did include several notable and inspired works, such as the Terry Kath (guitar/vocals) opener, "Mississippi Delta Blues." This cut not only demonstrates his agile electric guitar work, the up-tempo and funky track is a showcase for his unparalleled style of arranging. The same holds for Kath's gritty rocker "Takin' It on Uptown." This contrasts Daniel Seraphine's (drums/percussion) "Take Me Back to Chicago" or the slightly darker and orchestrated "Little One." More distinct in its arguable overuse of strings is the miniature symphonic "The Inner Struggles of a Man" from Dominic Frontiere -- who had become a heavyweight working with the likes of old-school talents such as Eartha Kitt and Bing Crosby as well as the more concurrent introspective folkie leanings of Dan Fogelberg. Frontiere also contributes the less-pronounced "Prelude" to Seraphine's closing ballad, "Little One." Also worth mentioning are James Pankow's soulful "Till the End of Time," which is pulled off with a sonic finesse reminiscent of "Big" Al Anderson during his NRBQ days. Adding to the hauntingly familiar refrain are not only some sweet vocal inflections, but likewise the brassy horn section, who supply a laid-back and understated bed not unlike that of the Q's Whole Wheat Horns. On a much more somber note, Chicago XI is the final studio effort to include the unfathomable contributions of Kath, who fatally and accidentally shot himself on January 23, 1978 -- some four months after the release of this album. Although the group would eventually reconvene, their sound was never the same. [The 2003 CD reissue contains a pair of "bonus selections" from the rehearsals and recording sessions. Incipient and previously unissued versions of Pankow's "Wish I Could Fly" and Robert Lamm's (keyboard/vocals) Parisian ode "Paris" are equally poignant as two of Kath's final statements with the band he formed and defined for nearly a decade.] ~ Lindsay Planer