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.
All in Performance
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.
Unity Day
On Sunday, January 21, 2023, Chicago’s Ukrainian Community celebrated Ukraine Unity Day, as well as the 50th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America—Illinois Division with a banquet at the Ukrainian Cultural Center. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
"#Abandon Biden"
On December 30, 2023, a group of Palestinian advocates held a press conference in Chicago announcing the expansion of their #AbandonBiden campaign to all 50 states. The group hopes to build a coalition to defeat President Biden in 2024. I attended the press conference. While the imagery is not dynamic, the event could be a watershed in the 2024 Presidential Election. Here are my thoughts and images, including ones from the annual Muslim American Society-Islamic Circle of North America Convention that was held at McCormick Place, drawing 30,000 attendees.
90th Holodomor
Tonight, I attended the Chicago Ukrainian Community’s annual Holodomor memorial in Jane Byrne Plaza and Holy Name Cathedral. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
The Electric Hippo
On November 3, 2023, Theon Cross brought his electrified tuba to the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts. It was quite a night of innovative jazz fusion, with some hip hop added to the voodoo. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening’s performance.
Ben Wendel
On October 21, 2023, tenor saxophonist Ben Wendel brought his quintet to the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, together with visual artist Xuan. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening.
1000 Days
Last Sunday, following the Ukrainian demonstration outside the Wrigley Building, members of Chicago’s Russian Community marked the 1000th day Russian dissident Alexei Navalny’s captivity at the hands of Vladimir Putin. Here are my thoughts about and images from this demonstration.