Jazz and Blues Lounge

Like Smooth Jazz? Well Chicago has a Club for That

by balaspa on July 3rd, 2008

I am not really a fan of Smooth Jazz. To me, this music is like the stuff you hear in a doctor’s office. Kenny G is smooth jazz and to me, that just isn’t really jazz. I know he plays a saxophone, but there are too many synthesizers and things going on. I like horns and I like drums and bass and long meandering solos. To me, that’s what jazz is. Like I have said many times, Miles Davis is real jazz. Kenny G and his ilk are not.

But there must be people who like smooth jazz. I can tell because there has been a successful smooth jazz radio station here in Chicago for a very long time. It takes a lot of work to keep a radio station up and running, and WNUA manages to stay on the air year after year.

Apparently there is exactly one smooth jazz club here in Chicago and it is called Close Up Jazz or CU2. Apparently they also have some kind of smooth jazz festival there every year, but I can’t really tell when it is for 2008 from the website.

According to the wording on their website: “Close Up (CU2) is a smooth jazz club which features live smooth jazz, in a contemporary upscale environment with an ethnic diverse professional clientele. CU2 is located in downtown Chicago in the heart of the financial district, one block from the Board of Trade. CU2 is the only live smooth jazz club in Chicago. CU2 will feature the best of local and nationally recognized smooth jazz artists. CU2 will also have VIP memberships, which will entitle members to free valet parking, free birthday party, free admission and much more. All inquires regarding corporate or private events, please contact CU2 Management Team after 3 p.m. Tuesday thru Friday at 312.385.1111.”

It’s located at: 416 S. Clark
Chicago, IL 60605

You can call them at the number listed above or you can e-mail them at: CU2jazz@yahoo.com

So, if smooth jazz is your thing, then here is a club you can visit while in Chicago. While you are listening to hypnotic music likely to put you in a stupor, you’ll find me across down at the Velvet Lounge listening to real jazz.

POSTED IN: Bands, Chicago, Festivals, jazz