An ode to Studs Terkel – conceived in jazz

January 17, 2011

Studs Terkel loved jazz.

'Concerto for a Genius' shows promise, but needs more fire from the piano

January 16, 2011

Real genius is difficult to define but impossible to miss, as the Chicago Sinfonietta reminded listeners Saturday night at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville.

Jon Faddis bids CJE farewell

January 15, 2011

When trumpeter Jon Faddis steps in front of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble on Thursday night at the Harris Theater, he won't simply be conducting a concert.

A slow start for Blujazz week at the Showcase

January 14, 2011

Booking major-name artists during the first weeks of the year can be a risky business for a jazz club: Audiences don't necessarily feel ready to head out into the cold.

'Concerto for a Genius' gets a revival

January 13, 2011

Three-and-a-half years ago, Chicago ragtime phenomenon Reginald Robinson made musical history at the Auditorium Theatre, playing the world premiere of the aptly named "Concerto for a Genius."

New Chicago festival to celebrate Miles Davis

January 12, 2011

Miles Davis, one of the most influential musicians in jazz history, will be the focus of a citywide, four-month festival organized by the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

Rewriting history: Chicago jazz legend Von Freeman's birth year is wrong

January 10, 2011

For generations, musicians from around the world have trekked to Chicago for a chance to play with the city's most revered living jazz artist – tenor saxophonist Von Freeman.

Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra brings celestial sounds to the Green Mill

January 8, 2011

Last January, composer-cornetist Rob Mazurek and his Exploding Star Orchestra jammed the stage of the Green Mill Jazz Club for the Chicago premiere of his "63 Moons of Jupiter Suite."

Whitted's sextet blows hot and cold at the Jazz Showcase

January 7, 2011

Chicago trumpeter Pharez Whitted leads an exceptional sextet, as he established unequivocally last spring with his first CD in 14 years, "Transient Journey." The performances proved as strong as Whitted's compositions, the combination whetting one's appetite for the trumpeter's engagement this week at the Jazz Showcase.

Great music on tap at magical prices

January 6, 2011

Though Chicago's clubs have been going through some rocky times, the winter season looks characteristically rich.

Chicago jazz musicians launch an alternative to the shuttered Velvet Lounge

January 5, 2011

A consortium of Chicago jazz musicians long associated with the Velvet Lounge, which was shuttered on Dec. 1, is setting up shop a few blocks away.

A Chicago jazz wish list for the New Year

January 3, 2011

What needs to happen for Chicago jazz in 2011? These developments would be a boon for the music:

Marsalis, Faddis in spotlight

January 3, 2011

Another vibrant season is ahead for jazz in Chicago:

A Chicago jazz wish list for the New Year

January 3, 2011

What needs to happen for Chicago jazz in 2011? These developments would be a boon for the music:

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove near peak form with superb quintet

December 30, 2010

They were turning people away at the door Wednesday night at the Jazz Showcase, and it wasn't hard to understand why.

A wailing New Year's Eve weekend

December 30, 2010

The culture scene may wind down for New Year's Eve weekend, but jazz never sleeps. Here are some highlights:

Room 43 goes silent — for now

December 29, 2010

The popular Sunday-night jazz sessions at Room 43, at 1043 E. 43d St., have gone on temporary hiatus, according to the Hyde Park Jazz Society, which organizes the shows.

A toast to the Jazz Showcase, which flourishes while other rooms crash

December 27, 2010

Forty years ago, I walked up a creaky stairwell in a building on North Lincoln Avenue, squeezed into a packed room and witnessed some of the most explosive music-making ever conceived in jazz.

The sweet sounds of Brazil

December 25, 2010

Never more so than this year, which began spectacularly for Garcia and got better.

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut sounds a lot like Christmas

December 24, 2010

Even if this weren't Christmas weekend, pianist Cyrus Chestnut's engagement at the Jazz Showcase would lift spirits. But considering the time of year, Chestnut's appearance hardly could be more appropriate.

The gospel according to Chestnut

December 24, 2010

People tend to spend this Christmas weekend at home or in church, but pianist Cyrus Chestnut will be stationed at the piano, leading a trio at the Jazz Showcase.

Suzanne Petri conjures Marlene Dietrich at Millennium Park

December 21, 2010

They call it "Cabaret With a View," and they're not kidding.

Michael Orlove and other city music gurus moving, but still programming events

December 20, 2010

It was an electronic news story that instantly went viral.

'A Christmas Surprise' from Tammy McCann, thanks to Billy Strayhorn

December 19, 2010

Until Friday night, audiences in Chicago – and most of the rest of the world – never had heard a live performance of Billy Strayhorn's "A Christmas Surprise."

The Bad Plus could do better

December 17, 2010

Seven years ago — when it was much less famous — The Bad Plus left a decidedly mixed impression during its Chicago debut.

Sour note for clubs, but music thrives

December 17, 2010

It has been a tough year for jazz clubs in Chicago.

A battle for the soul of the Velvet Lounge

December 13, 2010

Will the Velvet Lounge ever re-open?

Women in jazz redefine the art form: Esperanza Spalding and Regina Carter

December 12, 2010

To this day, jazz continues to save its leading instrumental roles for men. Women are allowed to prosper as singers and singer-pianists, but not much else.

Ravi Coltrane turns up the intensity in groundbreaking show

December 10, 2010

The past few years have signaled a dramatic development in the art of Ravi Coltrane. A saxophonist who sounded tentative and unimposing in the 1990s has become a formidable presence, as he established throughout a heaven-storming set Thursday night at the Jazz Showcase.

Focus on Brazilian master Noel Rosa

December 10, 2010

Before Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto, there was Noel Rosa.

Chicago's Velvet Lounge closed in family dispute

December 6, 2010

The Velvet Lounge, a Near South Side jazz club admired around the world as home base for the late Chicago tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson, has been closed in a dispute among Anderson's survivors.

Herman Leonard's 'Jazz' bathes the music in a gorgeous light

December 6, 2010

Duke Ellington sits at the piano in a blackened theater, a brilliant shaft of light casting him in heroic silhouette.

Cabaret singers come out swinging in 'Miss-Cast'

December 5, 2010

No matter how talented a singer may be, she's never going to win the lead role in "Fiddler on the Roof." Wrong gender.

Miles, Sinatra and Brubeck: Classic jazz comes in a box

December 4, 2010

Great jazz in a box:

From avant-garde to African folk

December 4, 2010

The most memorable recordings of 2010:

Pianist Cedar Walton at his best when he takes command

December 3, 2010

The austere beauty of Cedar Walton's pianism inexorably draws the listener closer.

Ragtime master gets some backup

December 3, 2010

Anyone who follows Chicago jazz knows that Reginald Robinson holds a singular place in American music.

'In His Own Sweet Way': Celebrating Dave Brubeck's 90 years – on film

November 29, 2010

Dave Brubeck will turn 90 next Monday, and of all the tributes sure to flow his way, one of the most endearing will be public: the broadcast of an ambitious documentary film on his remarkably enduring career.

Dana Hall takes on a tough job: Leading the Chicago Jazz Ensemble

November 22, 2010

Not bad for a first outing.

Joan Curto celebrates Jerry Herman with panache – and plenty of voice

November 19, 2010

"This man wrote a damn good show tune," Joan Curto told the crowd Wednesday night at Davenport's.

AACM celebrates 45th with a bang

November 19, 2010

Forty-five years ago, a group of musicians from the South Side of Chicago changed jazz — or at least started to.

Can drummer Dana Hall keep the Chicago Jazz Ensemble swinging?

November 15, 2010

The news came as a shock:

Risky business: Patricia Barber and Kenny Werner unveil a bold work-in-progress

November 14, 2010

Two great jazz artists took the stage of Pick-Staiger Concert Hall over the weekend and struggled valiantly to bring a daring concept to life.

Saxophonist Bobby Watson opens with a roar at the Jazz Showcase

November 12, 2010

All Souls brings Polish jazz revelations to Chicago

November 9, 2010

Poland has embraced jazz for more than half a century, the music coursing through cities such as Krakow, Warsaw, Poznan and more.

Victor Goines explores the mysteries of 'Body and Soul'

November 8, 2010

The tune has haunted jazz musicians – and audiences – since at least 1939, when tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins cut his immortal recording of "Body and Soul."

Eye of the hurricane for new music in Chicago

November 5, 2010

Can a jazz drummer change the world?

Umbrella Music Festival lineup

November 5, 2010

Here's the complete lineup for the fifth annual Umbrella Music Festival. For details, visit umbrellamusic.org

Ol' Blue Eyes on DVD – 14 hours of revelations

November 1, 2010

Even at this late date, we have yet to take the full measure of Frank Sinatra's art.

A light, bright look back at 'America 1957' – in story and song

October 31, 2010

No single evening possibly could capture the narrative of an entire year in American life, but over the weekend one ambitious show heroically tried.

Jazz giant Phil Woods swings hard with DePaul Jazz Ensemble

October 29, 2010

By now, alto saxophone giant Phil Woods practically can be considered a member of the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble.

DePaul ensemble, Woods a great fit

October 29, 2010

When students perform with a pro, they play better.

In Prague jazz, smoke still gets in your eyes

October 25, 2010

PRAGUE – The smoky jazz club has vanished in Chicago and, incredibly, has been banished even in the nicotine haven that was Paris. Anti- smoking laws around the world have turned once-hazy jazz rooms into venues where the air is clear and the oxygen fit to breathe.

Three jazz divas hit the high notes at Chicago Humanities Festival

October 22, 2010

It was a great night for singing.

Fall music scene reaching fever pitch

October 22, 2010

The fall jazz season started last month, but now it goes into overdrive.

'Louis': A 'silent' film that illuminates the great Satchmo

August 26, 2010

Silent films periodically have been revived with full orchestral accompaniment, Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" and Abel Gance's "Napoleon" among noteworthy examples.

Chicago deejay Dick Buckley dies at 85

July 22, 2010

Deejay Dick Buckley – the resplendent voice of jazz in Chicago from the 1950s until 2008 – has died at age 85.

Only open since March, Club Blujazz closes

July 1, 2010

Club Blujazz, which opened last March at 1540 W. North Ave., has closed

Tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson nurtured generations of Chicago jazz

June 24, 2010

It may be impossible to fully measure saxophonist Fred Anderson's impact on music in Chicago--and around the world.

Filming 'DuSable to Obama' – with a jazz beat

June 1, 2010

The idea seems so obvious, it's a wonder no one thought of it until now: a feature-length documentary film telling the story of "DuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis."

Ron Hawking finally offers songs from his own heart

February 3, 2010

It has taken a very long time, but veteran Chicago singer Ron Hawking finally has found his own voice.

A Chicago jazz wish list for 2010

January 5, 2010

In a perfect world, here's what would happen in Chicago jazz in 2010:

Coming soon: A renamed, revived Morse Theatre

January 4, 2010

The refurbished Morse Theatre -- shuttered in March in a dispute between its operators and its principal owner -- will reopen in spring as the Mayne Stage.

DownBeat magazine's 75-year history is one for the books

December 29, 2009

Seventy-five years ago, a new Chicago publication began chronicling a fast-growing music: the big bands.

Letters: Honoring Marian Catholic's marching band

November 19, 2009

Readers from across the country responded to "Marching to Glory," a three-part series by Tribune critic Howard Reich on the Marian Catholic High School marching band and its journey to the Grand National Championships, led by band director Greg Bimm.

Grand National championships: Victory defined

November 16, 2009

On the eve of war, leaders rouse their troops to vanquish the enemy, but not this time.

Marching to glory with the Marian Catholic High School marching band

November 12, 2009

The kids in the Marian Catholic band look as if they're about to collapse.

Michelle Obama subject of jazz ode

September 3, 2009

The Obama presidency may have sparked controversy in recent months, but the hope and promise it represents for many Americans were plain to hear Tuesday night at the Spertus Institute.

Lincoln, Obama linked in two jazz celebrations

July 28, 2009

For Chicago jazz listeners, Presidents' Day arrives Thursday.

Telling Michelle Obama's story -- in language of jazz

July 14, 2009

Jazz tributes to Barack Obama have been pouring in since well before the Inauguration, but later this summer Chicago will hear something different: An evening-length work honoring First Lady Michelle Obama.