Orbert Davis reimagines Miles Davis’s seminal work, Sketches of Spain, four days before the 15th Annual Jazz Day celebration in the host city of Chicago. Here are my thoughts about and images from the concert.
All tagged Bass
Julia Keefe
Julia Keefe brought her Indigenous Jazz Ensemble to the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts on Friday, January 30, 2026. Keefe and Company focused on the works of Jim Pepper and Mildred Bailey, with several self-penned compositions tossed in for good measure. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening.
Melanie Charles
Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Melanie Charles brought her quintet to the Reva and David Logan Center for the Performing Arts Friday Evening, kicking off the 2024-25 Jazz At The Logan series. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening.
JazzFest, Day 2
The second day of the 2024 Chicago Jazz Festival was the first day of outdoor concerts at Chicago's Millennium Park. Here are my thoughts about and images from days performances.
JazzFest, Day 1
The 2024 Chicago Jazz Festival kicked off today with multiple performances at the Chicago Cultural Center. Here are my thoughts and images from Day 1 of the four-day festival.
Winter JazzFest
On February 23, 2024, the Jazz Institute of Chicago held its Winter Jazz Fair at the Chicago Cultural Center. The day-long festival provided a welcome and much needed relief from the Winter blahs. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day.
Loops With Jeff Parker
Tonight I attended a performance by Chicago guitarist Jeff Parker and the New Breed. To my ears, the music was inspired by early-Seventies Soft Machine, but with far more electronics added to the mix. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening.
Chicago Jazzfest--Day 4
The Four-day 2023 Chicago Jazz Festival came to an end this evening. The temperatures soared, but the relaxed informal vibe and great music kept everyone cool. Here are my thought and photographs about the festival’s final day.
Chicago Jazzfest--Day 3
South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini gave a breakout performance during Day 3 of the 2023 Chicago Jazz Festival. If you are fan of Abdullah Ibrahim or McCoy Tyner, Makhathini is your man. For my thoughts about and images of Makhathini and all the other musicians who performed today, click on the following link:
Chicago Jazzfest--Day 2
Day 2 of the 2023 Chicago Jazz Festival is now in the history books. There were many excellent performances, including ones by the Ari Brown Quintet, and singer Kurt Elling, with Charlie Hunter on guitar. Here are my thoughts about and images from Day 2.
Chicago Jazzfest--Day 1
Day 1 of the 2023 Chicago Jazzfest is now history. Some great players took part, including Ron Carter, Chico Freeman, George Freeman, Ernest Dawkins, Marlene Rosenberg, and Oscar Evely. Here are my thoughts and images from this extraordinary day.
Gary Bartz
Acclaimed saxophonist Gary Bartz is in Chicago this weekend at the famed Jazz Showcase. I caught his first set tonight, which was stellar. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening.
Charles McPherson
I had the opportunity to see and hear alto saxophonist Charles McPherson three times over the last month. Here are my thoughts about what I heard and the accompanying images.
Linda May Han Oh
Bassist Linda May Han Oh performed this past Saturday night at the Reva and David Logan Center for the arts with a group of top-flight jazz musicians. Here are my thoughts about and images about the evening.
Aldana
Saxophonist Melissa Aldama looked to the stars for inspiration during her performance tonight, keeping evil Clotho at bay. Here are my thoughts about and images from the performance.
Bluesfest (Day 1)
The 2022 Chicago Bluesfest kicked off today, with an all-star lineup of Chicago Blues artists. Here are my thoughts about and my images from the first day of this four-day festival that attracts visitors from around the country and the world.
Vijay Iyer
Pianist Vijay Iyer brought his friends to the Logan Center for the Performing Arts to perform Ghosts of Everywhere I Go, a commissioned piece of music intended to reflect the Black Experience in Chicago. I was fortunate to be in the audience with camera in had. Here are my thoughts and images.
Charles Lloyd
This evening I attended Charles Lloyd’s terrific concert at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts. Here are my thoughts and images from the evening.
Strings
Tonight we have Here and Now, a trio compromised of Tomeka Reid on cello, Mazz Swift on violin, and Sylvia Bolognesi on bass. When I read list of instruments, I can only wonder whether this will sound like a Hayden string piece.