10-stop tour of Chicago musical history

The downside: "The list could have easily gone to number 100," he tells Axios.

Between the lines: We asked Cohen if he could boil it down to a 10-site tour for Axios readers along with songs to go with them:

♜ Chess Records: 2120 S. Michigan Ave.

• "Jewish immigrants Leonard and Phil Chess established the premier Chicago record label here, where many of the best blues, soul and jazz artists found a home."
• Tracks: Jackie Ross, "Selfish One";Howlin' Wolf, "Spoonful."

🪕 Old Town School of Folk Music: 909 W Armitage Ave.

• After leaving a tiny storefront in Old Town, the venerable folk music performance and educational space moved here in 1968 and later expanded to Lincoln Square.
• "Students who went on to wide acclaim include John Prine and Steve Goodman."
• Tracks: John Prine, "Sam Stone"; Steve Goodman, "City of New Orleans."

🎸 Muddy Waters' House: 4339 S. Lake Park Ave.

• When Muddy Waters moved up to Chicago from the Mississippi Delta, he plugged in to become one of the world's most popular and influential blues stars.
• His longtime home is being redeveloped to honor Waters' music and legacy.
• Tracks: "Got My Mojo Working" and "Rolling And Tumbling."

🪘 Puerto Rican Congress of Mutual Aid: Division and Mozart St.

• Carlos Ruiz established the Congress of Mutual Aid in the 1950s to give Puerto Rican migrants in Chicago a cultural hub.
• Over the next decade, his Ebirac Records would document the city’s burgeoning salsa bands.
• Tracks: Justicia, "Stone Flower:"; Ebirac All Stars, "Plena Matrimonial."

🚂 Soul Train Studio: 141 W. Jackson Blvd.

• The original home of Don Cornelius' groundbreaking television dance show, "Soul Train," where Chicago music royalty would show up for Cornelius and play their songs.
• Tracks: Curtis Mayfield, "Move On Up"; Chi-Lites, "(For God’s Sake) Give More Power To The People."

☘️ Irish American Heritage Center: 4626 N Knox Ave.

• If you want to watch — or learn — traditional Irish music and dancing, this is the place to be. The center also features a few stellar pubs.
• Tracks: Frank Quinn, "If You Are Irish (Come Into The Parlor)"; Liz Carroll, "Never Far Away."

🎶 Vee-Jay/Brunswick Records: 1449 S Michigan Ave.

• Before Motown, Vee-Jay was America's primary African American-owned record company, distributing John Lee Hooker, The Impressions, The Staple Singers and even, briefly, The Beatles.
• After its 1966 demise, Brunswick set up shop here and continued releasing great Chicago soul.
• Tracks: Gene Chandler, "Duke Of Earl"; Barbara Acklin, "Love Makes A Woman"

🎹 First Church Of Deliverance: 4315 S Wabash Ave.

• This was the first church to feature the Hammond organ with gospel music.
• Rev. Clarence Cobb broadcast his choir and Sunday night services from here, which spread his music and message far and wide.
• Tracks: Myrtle Jackson, "He's Sweet I Know"; Irma Gwynn, "I Told Jesus."

🎤 One-Derful Records: 1827 S. Michigan Ave.

• George and Ernie Leaner ran one of Chicago's most successful Black-owned labels during the 1960s.
• Home to great R&B and gospel artists, it also hosted the first known studio recording of the soon-to-become Jackson Five.
• Tracks: Five Du-Tones, "Shake A Tail Feather"; McKinley Mitchell, "The Town I Live In."

🇲🇽 La Villita (Little Village) Arch: 3123 W. 26th St.

• Little Village was one of the first areas to showcase upbeat dance music duranguense, created by immigrants from the Mexican state of Durango.
• First developed in suburban Aurora, the music and dance (pasito duranguense) took off here then spread through Latin America.
• Tracks: Los Horóscopos de Durango, "Dos Locos"; Grupo Montez de Durango, "Lágrimas de Cristal."