Jazz & Blues Lounge » Illinois

More Performances at the Chicago Jazz Festival

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:00:56 +0000

Continuing our look at the upcoming Chicago Jazz Festival, I wanted to continue to show you the various stages. We have already covered the Pritzker Pavillion concert which will kick things off on August 28. We have also covered what is, essentially, the main stage which is the Petrillo Music Shell. We also ran down the lineup at the “Jazz on Jackson Stage” and you can find all of those if you just page down. There is one more stage to cover and that is the “Jazz & Heritage Stage.”

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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Chicago Beach Jazz

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:09:33 +0000

One of my new favorite things is the Jazz Institute of Chicago and their website. They do so many cool things for people who love jazz. They have all kinds of scheduled performances and concerts and do what they can to keep jazz alive in this town.

You may not realize that Chicago has beaches. We do. Granted, you can really only use them about three or four months a year, but we do have beaches and they are right downtown and on Lake Michigan and they are just as sandy and wet as the beaches you are likely to find along either coastline. We even have a beach volleyball tournament here every year. Most people seem to think that polar bears wander Michigan Avenue all year round in the Windy City.

Well, the Jazz Institute of Chicago has teamed up with the Chicago Park District to have a jazz performance on one of these Chicago beaches. From their website, the event is described as:

“This summer the Jazz Institute of Chicago has teamed up with the Chicago Park District to start a new program employing and mentoring a group of young jazz musicians for the summer. During a six week intensive program, this select group of 10 young musicians will work with a roster of local jazz all-stars who will mentor them for one week each. At the end of each week the Jazz Ambassadors perform at a different park in the city with their guest artist as a conductor.

Tonight’s concert will feature Ernie Adams as guest conductor. Mr. Adams who has performed with some of the greatest names in jazz including Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Clark Terry. He has served as a Teaching Artists in our Jazz Links Artist in Residence program and performed at many of our JazzCity concerts including with Dee Alexander’s Evolution Ensemble, Bebop Brass, Ken Chaney’s Xperience Reunion and many more. He has been the house drummer for our Jazz links Jam Sessions at the Chicago Cultural Center for the past two years. Ernie Adam’s versatility and sensitivity as a drummer have made him one of the most sought after drummers in Chicago.”

Date: Friday, July 25, 2008 – 6:00pm
Tickets: This is a Free event.
Venue: 63rd Street Beach
6300 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL

So, while the weather is still nice and before the polar bears start prowling Bloomingdales downtown, get outside and check out this cool free jazz show. It’s tonight!

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The Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:00:01 +0000

Chicago has a lot of cool places to see live music but, without a doubt, one of the coolest is Millenium Park, which is right downtown. I meant RIGHT downtown, with the buildings rising all around you, except for the part that points toward the lake, of course. You can sit on the lawn and above you is a metal laticework that has speakers, so you can see the stars and the buildings and still hear the music. Then there is the pavillion, colored red, each with a great view of the stage. Meanwhile, the stage itself is a Frank Gehry designed masterpiece of non-linear design.

For a while, it seemed only classical music was being played there. Then it was a few pop acts, which was very cool. They now have an impressive lineup of jazz musicians as well and one coming up at th eend of the this week is the Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble put together by the Jazz Institute of Chicago.

From the website linked above, put together by the Jazz Institute, the concert details are:

“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).

Date
Thursday, July 31, 2008 – 6:30pm
Tickets: This is a Free event.
Venue: Millenium Park
Michigan & Washington
Chicago, IL”

Yes, folks, it’s another free event in this great town. You kinda have to like all of the free concerts and events this city puts on. So, if you happen to be in Chicago this Thursday, you may want to stop by and check this one out. They are saying the weather will be perfect.

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WDCB and their Jazz Thursdays

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:00:04 +0000

Every week I rave about Chicago radio station WDCB and what they do. I can’t help myself. Here in Chicago, our options are very limited when it comes to listening to jazz on the radio. At one time the local NPR outlet, during the nighttime hours, used to broadcast classic jazz music. Then someone decided that they should do other things and jazz fans lost a major outlet. Fortunately, this has been a major boon to humble College of DuPage, publicly-funded, suburban radio station WDCB.

They do a program just known as “All Things Jazz” and it runs all day long. In the evenings and on weekends, they break the all-jazz format and do news and community affairs programming. Granted, I would prefer a 24-hour all jazz radio station, but I don’t have to run a radio station on a college campus and that’s community funded. If anyone would like to front me a ton of money I’d love to start an all classic jazz radio station (you could even do that on AM since so many of those original jazz albums were recorded in mono) here in this town.

But I digress…

They do a lot to promote jazz and the exist entirely by donations and subscriptions from people like you and me. It’s pretty cool. It is a small price to pay for a few membership drives just to hear the British morning DJ who refers to himself as “Your British-American Buddy.” See, the entire station just oozes cool.

They also do and sponsor a lot of shows and it is all out in the suburbs. That means that you Chicago suburb-dwellers can enjoy great jazz just as much as those of you who live downtown. One of the things they sponsor is the WDCB JAZZ THURSDAYS which go all summer long.

From their website, here is information about those Jazz Thursdays for summer of 2008:

WDCB Jazz Thursdays

WDCB presents Jazz Thursdays (most) Thursdays from 7 to 10 p.m. at Adelle’s in Wheaton. No cover!

Upcoming Schedule
Thurs. July 03: Marcus Jefferson/Scott Lies Duo
Thurs. July 10: Paul Abella Trio
Thurs. July 17: Andy Meacham Duo
Thurs. July 24: Chris Bernhardt Duo
Thurs. July 31: Grasslands Gypsy-Jazz & Swing Duo

Venue: Adelle’s
Address: 1060 College Avenue
City: Wheaton
State: IL
Zip Code: 60187
Telephone: (630) 784-8015

RADIO STATION INFO:

Name: WDCB Public Radio
Telephone: (630) 942-4200
Email Address: WDCBMktg@cod.edu

Check out the station, check out their awesome website. You can tune in via the internet no matter what part of the globe you live on. Donate if you have the means. Also, tell them you heard about the station right here and, finally, check out one of their sponsored shows.

Enjoy!

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Jazz Comes to Macomb

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:49 +0000

Macomb is a city not far from Chicago. It is also a college town as Western Illinois University is there. It is known as a party town. Of course, colleges are some of the best places to see great jazz. Well, Macomb has a jazz festival that you should probably know about as part of my “Jazz Tours of the Midwest” tirade lately. You can find out about it by clicking HERE.

It is known as the “Al Sears Jazz Festival.” It is September 12 – 14, 2008.

SCHEDULE

Friday, September 12, 2008

Bureau of Cultural Affairs (BCA) Concert: COFAC
*The Freddy Cole Quartet – Nat King Cole’s brother and “the most maturely expressive male singer of his generation, if not the best alive.” – The New York Times (2007)

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Al Sears Jazz Festival w/ Gazebo Art Festival: Chandler park

Jean Kittrell and the St. Louis Rivermen (one of the top traditional Dixieland bands in the country) – 2 sets. Sponsored by Tate and Sharon Lindahl.
Diane Deline Quartet, featuring Greg Pasenko (Chcago-based jazz violinist, w/ guitarist/vocalist) – 2 sets. IAC grant applied for (30-40% coverage).
Craig Russo’s Latin Jazz Project (back by popular demand, w/ new CD getting nat’l airplay) – 2 sets.
Dave Hoffman Quintet (trumpet player for Ray Charles for 13 years!) – 2 sets. Possible guest vocalist
Kimberly Wilson, featuring Frank Parker (WIU alum/vocalist, w/ Chicago-area drummer who’s also a WIU alum). Both toured Europe w/ JSO under dale Hopper and appear on the “Live in Europe” CD.
Jazz Studio Orchestra, w/ Special Guest Artist.
Hopper Jazztet.
Guitar Ensemble.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Jazz/Gospel Brunch: The Old Dairy
*Jean Kittrell and the St. Louis Rivermen, playing 2 sets of gospel/jazz. Special New Orleans menu prepared exclusively for this engagement! Market heavily, including through churches!

And who the heck is Al Sears? Besides just being some guy they named the festival after, he was an important man in jazz and he was from Macomb. From the website:

“Born in 1910 in Macomb, Illinois, Al Sears became a remarkable tenor saxophonist. Mostly self-taught, he began performing professionally with the jazz band led by Chick Webb at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem when he was only 18.

Sears is best remembered for his superb recorded solos while in the Duke Ellington Band in the 1940s. His credits also include work with important artists such as Lionel Hampton and Johnny Hodges. He is also noteworthy for the influence he had after he moved into the rhythm and blues genre in the early 1950s. Indeed, his exuberant performances contributed to the emergence of
rock and roll.

Although his recording career ended in 1960, Sears occasionally performed well into the 1980s. Later in life he was a music publisher and a successful executive with ABC Paramount. He died in 1990.

Macomb and the Al Sears Jazz Festival committee are pleased to honor Sears’ contributions to the American Jazz tradition.”

So, check out Macomb come this September. It’s a great way to end the summer and kick off fall. Just be careful of stepping over the passed out partying college kids while you’re there.

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Tasting Chicago: Music, Food and Fun

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:00:33 +0000

One of the biggest festivals in the City of Chicago is going on right now and it is known as the “Taste of Chicago.” If you love food, and Chicago has lots and lots of great food, then you will love the Taste of Chicago. Click on that link and you will find all kinds of entertainment and plenty of great food. The crowds are thick, the lines are long and the food is great.

Oh yeah, and there is a lot of music.

Now, the main stage is known as the Petrillo Music Shell. Here are the performers there, but you will notice there ain’t much jazz or blues related, but still, you should probably know about these big named players if you want to attend:

THE PETRILLO MUSIC SHELL

Friday, June 27, 2008
City of Chicago & V103 present
5:30 p.m.
CHAKA KHAN
ANGIE STONE

Saturday, June 28, 2008
City of Chicago and U.S. Cellular present
5:30 p.m.
STEVIE WONDER

Sunday, June 29, 2008
5:00 p.m.
City of Chicago presents
PLAIN WHITE T’S
JOSH KELLEY

Monday, June 30, 2008
6:00 p.m.
City of Chicago presents
BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
“Taste” of the Best of Broadway headlined by the casts of Chicago’s own JERSEY BOYS and WICKED, joined by the Broadway stars of LEGALLY BLONDE, A CHORUS LINE and others.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008
5:30 p.m.
City of Chicago presents
JOSS STONE
RYAN SHAW

Wednesday, July 2, 2008
5:30 p.m.
City of Chicago & WGCI present
FANTASIA
ESTELLE

Thursday, July 3, 2008
8:00 p.m.
City of Chicago presents
28th ANNUAL INDEPENDENCE EVE CONCERT

9:30 p.m. FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR

Friday, July 4, 2008
3:00 p.m.
City of Chicago & 93XRT present
GOMEZ
OLD 97′S
ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO

9:30 p.m. FIREWORKS

Saturday, July 5, 2008
5:30 p.m.
City of Chicago, BUD LIGHT Music & 93XRT present
BONNIE RAITT
DAVE BARNES

Sunday, July 6, 2008
2:00 p.m.
City of Chicago & Radio Disney present
ALY & AJ
A CURSIVE MEMORY
KEKE PALMER

Now, where things get interesting is with the “International Pavillion.” That’s where you find some interesting jazz and blues music mixed in with music from around the world. Here’s the schedule there”

THE INTERNATIONAL PAVILLION

June 27, 2008
12:30pm – Ghanatta, West African, Hi-Life music
2:30pm – National, Swedish Folk dance
4:30pm – Muntu Dance Theater (African Dance)
6:00pm – Orange Mighty Trio, new age violins

June 28, 2008
12:30pm – Picante. Modern World Latin Jazz
2:30pm – Ghanatta, West African, Hi-Life music
4:30pm – Seneke Ensemble W.African drumming
6:00pm – Funkadesi, trans global groves

June 29, 2008
12:30pm – Jasc Tsukasa Taiko (Japanese drumming)
2:30pm – Harper Didgeridoo (Australian)
4:30pm – Maja Rios, Brazilian Jazz
6:00pm – El Payo, Rumba Gypsy King Style

June 30, 2008
12:30pm – Balkano, (Klezmer Balkan Jazz)
2:30pm – Egshiglen, Mongolian Folklore
4:30pm – Corazon Boliviano, South American dancers
6:00pm – Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater

July 1, 2008
12:30pm – Ayodele, The Largest African Empire Revealed (Music Dance, and Stories)
2:30pm – Michelet Innocent
4:30pm – Jazz Mata, Indian ragas with jazz modes
6:00pm – Magic Carpet, World Jazz Music

July 2, 2008
12:30pm – Michelet Innocent
2:30pm – Lamajamal, Influences from North Africa to the Middle East and the Balkans
4:30pm – Jutta & The Hi Dukes, Greek Blues to Scandinavian Waltzes
6:00pm – Steve Gibbons Gypsy Rhythm Project

July 3, 2008
12:30pm – Corazon Boliviano, South American dancers
2:30pm – Fandanguero, Son Jarocho

July 4, 2008
12:30pm – Jamaican Ensemble
2:30pm – Egshiglen, Mongolian
4:30pm – Som Brasil, Brazilian Jazz
6:00pm – Mhondoro, Zimbabwe pop music

July 5, 2008
12:30pm – Las Guitarras de Espana, (Spanish Guitars
2:30pm – Ala Nar Dancers, Middle Eastern Dance
4:30pm – T- Rroma, gypsy music
6:00pm – Alpha and the Princes of Futa, African Music

July 6, 2008
12:30pm – Mayco, Bolivian music
2:30pm – Corazon Boliviano, South American dancers
4:30pm – Maja Rios, Brazilian Jazz

So, you have plenty of time. The fireworks show listed above is legendary. The food, as I have said, is fantastic. Enjoy!

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The Illinois Blues Festival

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:00:09 +0000

Continuing the theme of festival week (or month or whatever) I thought you might want to know about the Illinois Blues Festival which is right downtown in beautiful (ahem) Peoria Illinois. Yes, the same Peoria people used to use when they would say, “Yeah, but will it play in Peoria?” The home of Catepillar tractors and construction equipment.

These days Peoria is experiencing a bit of a comeback. They have a casino now and they have begun to build up their riverfront which goes right through the heart of the downtown area. I hear it’s nice. The Illinois Blues festival is right on that riverfront, which is pretty cool.

OK, so, here are the details and everyone should get out their calendars and start making plans and/or hotel reservations:

Date: August 29 – 30, 2008

Place: Riverfront Park Peoria, IL

Three stages for you to choose from!

The performers? Well, they don’t have all of that information listed for your right now, but from the website itself it says:
“COMPLETE LINE-UP COMING SOON

BUT MEANWHILE

Can You Guess The Line-Up?

Win A Blues Festival Weekend”

So, think you have an idea of who will be performing on the riverfront in Peoria Illinois? Then click on the link at the top of this posting and look for the “Artists” section and take your best shot. You may not have to make those hotel reservations after all, you could end up with the weekend comped on behalf of the organizers.

See, Illinois is not just corn and flatness. Granted, driving through it, it sometimes seems that way, but it’s not. We have cool music and festivals all over the place around here. So, you east and west-coasters, get to the middle section you enjoy flying over so much. Check out some great music and some great people.

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The Next Blues Festival in the Chicago Area

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:00:25 +0000

Well, as I have mentioned before, this is festival season around here. I have had many a friend tell me, “Jeez, you have a lot of festivals in Chicago.” This is true, and there are even more when you factor in the suburbs. So, one week after the huge, momentous Chicago Blues Festival, there is another great, totally free blues festival in nearby suburban Aurora.

“Blues on the Fox” is located at Galena Boulevard and Stolp Avenues in downtown Aurora, which apparently is knowns as “Blues Alley” on June 13 and 14. Granted, this is a bit smaller than the Chicago Blues Festival, but it certainly does NOT lack in star power. From the website, here is the schedule of events for Blues on the Fox (the Fox is a river, by the way).

Friday, June 13

Time Performers
6:45 pm Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater
8:30 pm Elvin Bishop

Saturday, June 14

Time Performers
3:00 pm Hix Bros Junior All-Stars
4:00 pm Corey Harris
5:30 pm Bettye LaVette
7:00 pm Marcia Ball
8:30 pm Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Yes, guitar phenom and a man who seems possessed by the spirit of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kenny Wayne Shepherd is going to close out the entire show. Not too shabby for Aurora, huh?

Again, from their website:

“For more information about the City of Aurora’s Blues on the Fox please contact the Mayor’s Office of Special Events at (630) 844-4731 or by email at info@bluesonthefoxaurora.com.

For more information about the Downtown Alive! Festival Series please visit www.downtownaliveaurora.com or by email at info@downtownaliveaurora.com.”

Once again, admission is totally free, but times and performances are subject to change as events warrant.

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Anthony Michael Hall’s Mom is in Town

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:55:02 +0000

This is the problem with trying to cover a musical genre with the scope jazz and blues has in the Chicago area alone. Any attempt to cover this music on a nationwide basis would take a staff of hundreds, I think. Had I known about this gig sooner, well, I would have posted it.

Apparently Anthony Michael Hall’s mom (yes, that would be the same Anthony Michael Hall from TV’s ‘The Deadzone” and “The Breakfast Club”) is a jazz singer of some talent. Don’t believe me? Check out her site: www.mercedeshall.com. She also is quite a looker, I must say.

Anyway, she is in the Chicago area tonight at one of those gem jazz clubs that have popped up not only downtown, but in the far west suburbs. If you have not been to Villa Verone in Geneva Illinois, then this is a great time for you to go and have an interesting experience.

The Villa Verone is a restaurant and live music club. It located at 416 Hamilton Street in Geneva Illinois. They have outstanding Italian food downstairs and the upstairs is a great place to see jazz music. Heck, you could almost picture Frank eating and then performing at a place like this, especially in his younger years.

Mercedes Hall, meanwhile, is a fiery-haired woman with a great jazz voice and some prodigious talent. Her performance is at 8 pm. So, have a great Italian meal and stick around for great music.

For information about the restaurant, including directions, check out their website www.villaverone.com.

Post from: Jazz & Blues Lounge