Jazz and Heritage Stage

Friday, August 29, 2008
12:30-1:30 – Kenwood Academy Jazz Band with Composer in Residency Nicole Mitchell
2:00-3:00 – “History of Jazz” with Ron Perillo
3:30-4:30 – “Jimmy’s Jam Session” featuring Curtis Black Quartet plus Ahmad Salaheldeen, Edward House, Zaid Krisberg

Saturday, August 30, 2008
12:30-1:30 – James Sanders’ Conjunto
2:00-3:00 – “Percussion Discussion” with Thurman Barker
3:30-4:30 – Walter Dyett: Remembering a Jazz Warrior

Sunday, August 31, 2008
12:30-1:30 Vijay Iyer: Composer Talk
2:00-3:00 “Art of the Solo” featuring Julian Priester
3:30-4:30 Karl Montzka Quartet

The website linked above also has a brief paragraph about some other Jazz Festival activities going on during the week of the festival. From the website:

“The city of Chicago celebrates Jazz all week-long, beginning Monday, August 25 with a Chicago Jazz Partnership free concert at Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a Jazz Institute of Chicago Gala Fundraiser on Tuesday, August 26 and the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Club Tour on Wednesday, August 27.”

I will try to dig up some information about the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Club Tour because I hear that is a must-see and must-do kind of activity for the week of the festival. If you’ve ever wanted to visit the key jazz clubs in Chicago, this is the way to do it.

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So, continuing my breakdown of who is playing and at what stage, let’s take a look at the Jazz on Jackson Stage today.

Jazz on Jackson Stage

Friday through Sunday don’t miss the New Orleans All Star Brass Band performing at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Jackson Blvd. between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive

Friday, August 29, 2008
12:00-12:55 – Isotope 217
1:10-2:05 – Jazz Guitar Summit featuring Curtis Robinson, John Moulder, Jeff Parker, Buddy Fambro, Ernie Adams and Josh Abrams
2:20-3:15 – Alison Ruble Sextet
3:30-4:30 – “Jazz has the Blues” featuring George Freeman and Billy Branch, Ari Brown and Corey Wilkes

Saturday, August 30, 2008
12:00-12:55 – Jo Ann Daugherty Quartet
1:10-2:10 – Chicago Bass Masters featuring Larry Gray, Harrison Bankhead, Ari Brown, Avreeayl Ra, Art Hoyle and Edward Wilkerson
2:20-3:15 – John Wright Quartet
3:30-4:30 – Kenny Burrell with Larry Gray, Willie Pickens and Joel Spencer

Sunday, August 31, 2008
12:00-12:55 – Frank D’Rone Quartet
1:10-2:10 – “Chicago Keys” with – Bob Dogan and Jim Trompeter
2:20-3:15 – Josh Berman and His Gang
3:30-4:30 – Sean Jones Quintet

I will be getting you information this week about the new jazz albums and reissues, but the website I use for that was down and I wasn’t able to get to that. At the same time, come back here later this week as we break down all of the stages you will find at the Chicago Jazz Festival. There’s a lot more to go.

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One of the up-coming events is the performance of the Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble. What’s the Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble? Well, according to the JIC website:

“Caribbean music and jazz have had close connections from the beginning of the last century. Composers and soloists from Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington to Chick Corea have been inspired by Juan Tizol, Chano Pozo and Mongo Santamaria. Gillespie widened the scope in the 90s with his United Nations Orchestra and in Chicago, the Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble (CALJE) continues the multinational quest by incorporating Afro-Cuban Jazz, Brazilian Jazz, Flamenco, Central American and Peruvian folkloric rhythms into their compositions while staying true to Latin Jazz traditions. Founded by Mexican born trumpeter/composer, Victor Garcia and Nicaraguan born pianist/composer, Darwin Alejandro Noguera tonight’s concert features Chicago’s finest Latin jazz performers, with guests Steve Turre (trombone, shells); Paoli Mejias (percussion); Howard Levy (piano/harmonica) and Brian Lynch (trumpet).”

They have a performance coming up right at the end of July. You will definitely want to add this to your list of things to do if you happen to live in Chicago or you are planning on being in Chicago on July 31.

WHEN? Thursday July 31, 2008

WHAT TIME? 6:30 p.m.

WHERE? Millenium Park Michigan & Washington Chicago, IL

Millenium Park is an awesome place to see a show. It is right downtown, in the heart of Chicago. The Pritzker Pavillion is a Ghery-designed stage and lawn. You really need to see it o believe it. You can watch great performers and listen to great music beneath the stars, with the lights of the city of Chicago winking all around you. What more could you want?

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My brother told me over the weekend that some of the most fun you can have during Jazz Fest is to visit some of the local bars and clubs.  There are, evidently, even bus tours you can take during the Festival that will take you to the various jazz clubs.  He says that can be more fun than visiting the official stages.  So, we shall see about that and I will look into that more.

The final stage is the Jazz and Heritage Stage.  This is their schedule during the Festival:

Friday, August 31, 2007

12:30 – 1:30 pm  Chicago High School Jazz Band Competition Winners

2:00 – 3:00 pm  Justin Dillard Trio

3:30 – 4:30 pm  Charlie Haden with Jazz Institute of Chicago Jazz Links Students

Saturday, September 1, 2007

12:30 – 1:30 pm  Edwin Daugherty Quartet

2:00 – 3: 00 pm  “Percussion Discussion” with John Vidacovich

3:30 – 4:20 pm  Typhanie Monique

Sunday, September 2, 2007

12:30 – 1:30 pm  Erwin Helfer and Skinny Williams

2:00 – 3:00 pm  “Art of the Solo” with Janice Borla

3:30 – 4:30 pm  Matt Gharety Quintet

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I think there are going to be three stages in Grant Park.  One of the main stages is the Petrillo Music Shell which I talked about yesterday.  However, there is also something called “Jazz on Jackson” that will have performances as well.  I can find no further details on exactly where this is in relation to the main stage.  If you can find it, please let me know and post a comment.

Still, if we can figure this out, it will be worth it to see these performances.  Here is the schedule:

Friday, August 31

12 – 12:55 pm   Friends of Eldee Young

1:10 – 2:05 pm  Mark Colby Quartet

2:20 – 3:15 pm   Tammy McCann

3:30 – 4:30  pm  “A Salute to Jimmy Ellis”

Saturday, September 1

12 – 12:55 pm  Bill McFarland and the Chicago Horns

1:10 – 1:40 pm  Miguel de la Cerna

1:40 – 2:10 pm  Ken Chaney

2:20 – 3:15 pm  Keefe Jackson’s Fast Citizens

3:30 – 4:30 pm  The Mulligan Mosaics Big Band

Sunday, September 2

12 – 12:55 pm  Pete Benson Organ Trio

1:10 – 2:05 pm  Marc Courtney Johnson Quartet

2:20 – 3:15 pm  Astral Project

3:30 – 4:30 pm  “A Windy City Jam” featuring Charlie Haden

Hopefully we can all figure out how this is going to be set up and arranged and have a great time in the Windy City listening to some of the best jazz around.  These shows looks just as good as those at the Petrillo.

I’ll have more coming up…

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The thing is, this year, it is not just at the Petrillo Band shell in Grant Park.  For those of you who do not know, Grant Park is kind of like Central Park, I guess.  It’s right on the lake.  It is just south of the new Millenium Park and is also the place where they have Taste of Chicago every year.  This year, the Chicago Jazz Festival is also having shows at Jazz on Jackson, the Jazz & Heritage Stage and there is even one performance, by featured artist Herbie Hancock, at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra hall.

For now, I am going to focus on the performances at the Petrillo Bandshell.  This is probably the area that most people know and think of if they think of the Chicago Jazz Festival.  I will write subsequent articles about the other stages later this week and into next week.  So, first of all, check out the official Chicago Jazz Festival website and get your own copy of the schedule to carry with you.

Friday, August 31

5:00 – 5:50 pm   Robert Irving III: “The Works of Thelonius Monk”

6:00 – 6:55 pm   Michele Roswoman Septet

7:10 – 8:10 pm  The Lating All Stars:  “A Tribute to Hilton Ruiz”

8:30 – 9:30 pm   Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood

Saturday, September 1

5:00 – 5:50 pm  Dan Trudell’s B3 Bombers

6:00 – 6:55 pm  The Cookers

7:10 – 8:10 pm  Ernestine Anderson and Frank Wess

8:30 – 9:30 pm  Charlie Haden and the Liberation Music Orchestra

Sunday, September 2

5:00 – 5:50 pm  “Revisting the Apex Club” with Kim Cusack and John Otto

6:00 – 6:55 pm  Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra featuring Bill Dixon

7:10 – 8:10 pm  Horizon

8:30 – 9:30 pm  Mingus Big Band

Hope to see you out there!

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