All tagged Jazz
The 2022 Chicago Jazzfest kicked off on Thursday September 1, with a diverse lineup that included Henry Threadgill’s Zooid, Mike Allemana’s Vonology, a group of terrific high school students, bassist Marlene Rosenberg’s Quartet, the Toyoaki Ensemble, some great soul jazz from the early Eighties, and a group that played jazz classics from the early years of jazz. Here are my thoughts and observations on Day 1.
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.
Gary Bartz appeared at the Chicago’s Jazz Showcase over Labor Day weekend. He is an outstanding alto and soprano saxophone player, with a fluid sound. Here are Jack Siegel’s thoughts about the set, together with his images.
Aaron Diehl and Warren Wolf teamed up at the University of Chicago to take on the Modern Jazz Quartet's legacy. Here are Jack Siegel’s thoughts and images from the concert.
Kris Davis and Craig Taborn, two of the top pianists in jazz today, perform together at the UChicago Presents series earlier this year.
The final day of the 2019 Chicago Jazzfest ended with performances by Eddie Palmieri, Miguel Zenon, Melissa Aldana, and Camila Meza in a salute to Latin Jazz. During the day, Ben LaMar Gay and Will Faber offered an extraordinary performance mixing the Art of Ensemble of Chicago with electronics, and folk sensibilities. Also performing were pianist Ben Sidran, Joan Collaso, and Sharel Cassity.
Click on the photograph to enlarge it, and for Jack B. Siegel’s photographs and commentary.
Click on the photograph to enlarge it, and for Jack B. Siegel’s commentary and additional photographs]
Click on the photograph to enlarge it, and for Jack B. Siegel’s commentary and additional photographs
[Click on the photograph to enlarge it and for additional photographs and commentary]
Tonight, Chicago's jazz community staged a benefit concert at the University of Chicago's Logan Center to help Ellis cover medical and rehab bills. That community loves her so much that the organizers had to turn away musicians who wanted to participate in the 2.5 hour concert.
[Click on the photograph to enlarge the photograph and for additional photographs and commentary]
I love seeing our jazz treasures. The years of performing and experimenting are often on display, as they were during Cole's set. Accompanied by a bass player, drummer, and guitarist, Cole lead a very subtle, but powerful quartet, playing a number of selections from the American Songbook, as well as a tune by Sonny Boy Williamson, which reflects the influence of the blues that pervades the entire effort.
[Click on the photograph to enlarge it and for additional commentary]
2017 Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Fred Hersch brought his trio to the Logan Center last night. For me, the standout was drummer Eric McPherson, who was the master of the subtlety, as exemplified by his use of brushes and the gentle tap here and there.
[Click on the photograph to enlarge it and for additional commentary]
Carrington and company performed selections from her tribute to Duke Ellington's Money Jungle, now 50-plus years old. I was particularly impressed by saxophonist Mark Shin's guttural tone. The notes had an edge that was more out there than one might have expected.
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.
