Get to Know Your Chicago Jazz Clubs
Chicago has a lot of jazz clubs. You just have to face it. This is a big time jazz and blues town, so there are a lot of clubs. Trust me, this is a good thing. For the better part of a month you could visit a different jazz club every week and not be disappointed.
There are some you should keep toward the top of your list. If you happen to be from out of town, and are making a pilgrimmage here, this is a first in a series about clubs you should keep at the top of your list.
The first on I ever went to was a club on a street corner in the historic Uptown area of Chicago known as The Green Mill. Brother, this is what a you imagine when you think of “jazz club.” It’s dark, it’s intimate and it’s got great views everywhere.
The Green Mill goes back to the very earliest days of Jazz. During the twenties it was even a place where mobsters like Al Capone might be seen hanging out. In fact, at one time “Machinegun” Jack McGurn even had a percentage of the ownership of the place at one time.
Today the place it still one of the most-prominent and pre-eminent jazz clubs in the city. In addition to great jazz, it has now become a place famous for hosting regular “poetry slams” where local poets can show up and read their works to the cheers or jeers of others. I’ve even been there for one of those, and it can be rather interesting.
The Green Mill is located at 4802 N. Broadway in Chicago. You can visit their website: www.greenmilljazz.com for information about who is preforming and when. There are also a lot of great restaurants and stores right on the street there.
Comments Off