Chicago

I will be there and will report back:

Chicago Cultural Center Presents George Lewis

Tuesday, April 15, 4:15 - 5:45pm
Chicago Cultural Center, Cassidy Theater
78 E. Washington Street., Chicago
Free

George Lewis: Composer, Musician and Author of "A Power Stronger Than Itself: A History of the AACM" talks about the rich history of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, an organization founded in Chicago in 1965. He will be joined by Nicole Mitchell and Douglas Ewart, the current leaders of the AACM for the discussion. The three musicians will also perform together. An event co-produced by the Masters of Arts Administration and Policy Department at the School of the Art Institute and the Chicago Cultural Center.

George Lewis, Edwin H. Case Professor of Music at Columbia University. He has taught at UC San Diego, Mills College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Simon Fraser University's Contemporary Arts Summer Institute. He has served as music curator for the Kitchen in New York, and has collaborated in the "Interarts Inquiry" and "Integrative Studies Roundtable" at the Center for Black Music Research (Chicago). A member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) since 1971, Lewis studied composition with Muhal Richard Abrams at the AACM School of Music, and trombone with Dean Hey. An active composer, improvisor, performer and computer/installation artist, Lewis has explored electronic and computer music, computer-based multimedia installations, text-sound works, and notated forms.

His artistic work is documented in over 120 recordings and has been awarded by a 2002 MacArthur Fellowship, 1999 Cal Arts/Alpert Award in the Arts, and numerous fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. His oral history is archived in Yale University's collection of "Major Figures in American Music," and his published articles on music, experimental video, visual art, and cultural studies have appeared in numerous scholarly journals and edited volumes.

There's lots of great music to be had in Chicago around the holidays.

Nicole Mitchell is playing the Chicago debut of her Xenogenesis suite that she debuted at the Vision Festival this year at the Chicago Cultural Center this Friday on December 7th at 7 PM.

At the Velvet Lounge we have two rare appearances by Famoudou Don Moye of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, playing with his own group on the 10th and the 17th.

Dee Alexander and Warren Smith are doing an Abby Lincoln/Max Roach Freedom Now Tribute on the 14th and 15th.

Adam Rudolph and Hamid Drake are leading a group including Nicole Mitchell, Josh Abrams, and Jeff Parker on the 21st and 22nd.

Ms. Mitchell will also lead her own groups on the 28th and 29th.

Gerald Cleaver makes a rare Chicago appearance to play the Gallery 37 Downtown Sound series on December 17th.

Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang will play their annual Winter Solstice concerts at Links Hall on December 21st through 23rd, bright and early at 6 AM at Links Hall. If you've never been, it's a fantastic event and a great way to welcome the winter.

Peter Brötzmann continues his run of shows all over the city this week, including many members of his Chicago Tentet.

The Engines will play a record release show at the Hideout in support of their new release on Okka Disk.

Von Freeman will ring in 2008 at the Green Mill, as has become the tradition.

Not a bad run of music to close out the year.

In the meantime:

George E. Lewis is profiled in advance of a trip to Glasgow

Tyshawn Sorey is named a rookie of the year by Francis Davis. Mr. Davis also agrees with my assessment of Amir ElSaffar's Two Rivers recording, which you may have read about recently here on the 'slope.

Dave Douglas has offered up a track for remixing. You can be sure I'm going to dub Moonshine into the stone age, and I'll post the results here.

The New York Times writes about what I've always suspected: rocks may have consciousness.

Amina Claudine Myers was profiled in advance of her visit to Vancouver.

More soon!

Tomorrow is the closing day/night and biggest chunk of programming for the 12th Annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival.

Starting off at the Hyde Park Art Center at 1 PM, there's going to be a panel discussion moderated by yours truly on the subject of the 20th Anniversary of Asian Improv Records, with Tatsu Aoki, Francis Wong, Bradley Parker-Sparrow and Joannie Palatto. It should be a good time, and in my role as moderator I hope to bring up some issues about the state of recording, the internet, and technology today.

That will be followed at 2 PM by a performance by The Jeff Chan Trio plus One plus Two featuring Hyde Park's own Jimmy Ellis - saxophone, Jeff Chan - winds, Tatsu Aoki – contrabass, Ed Wilkerson - winds and special guests from the West Coast, Lewis Jordan and Francis Wong – winds.

That's the billed group, but I'm told that Tatsu Aoki won't be performing - he recently had an accident that slipped a disc in his back and actually is currently wearing a body cast. Send out some good thoughts to Mr. Aoki if you have a moment, a wonderful musician and person. He's not going to play the afternoon set because he wants to save his energy for the gig later in the day:

Fred Anderson – tenor saxophone and Tatsu Aoki – contrabass, New-York-resident-but-Chicago-native Chad Taylor – drums and San Francisco’s Francis Wong – saxophone.

Live at the Velvet Lounge. This is a reprise of the same group that played two nights at the Velvet last year for the AAJazz Fest, and I was in attendance for the second night. Nothing short of smoldering, incendiary playing from all four members of the band. I'm really looking forward to this hit - last year, Tatsu and Chad locked into these incredible grooves with Fred Anderson and Francis Wong providing tenor fireworks over the top.

If you're in Chicago, come on out. It's going to be a great day of music.

In it's Second Annual incarnation, the Umbrella Music folks (including many fantastic musicians) have put together an impressive lineup for their festival this November. Lots of great names that I recognize, and lots of new stuff to check out. I'm particularly impressed with the international "European Jazz Meets Chicago" (reminiscent of the Baden-Baden concept) that they put together along with consulates from various European nations - quite the organizational feat.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST @ ELASTIC

2830 N. Milwaukee Ave. 2nd Floor
$10 requested donation
www.elasticarts.org
773-772-3616

9 PM : PETER EVANS SOLO

Peter Evans – trumpet

10 PM : COR FUHLER/JIM BAKER DUO

Cor Fuhler – piano/electronics
Jim Baker – piano/electronics

11 PM : FREQUENCY

Nicole Mitchell – flutes
Ed Wilkerson – reeds
Harrison Bankhead – bass
Avreeayl Ra – drums

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND @ THE VELVET LOUNGE

67 E. Cermak Rd.
$15 cover
www.velvetlounge.net
312-791-9050

9 PM : BOEREN/BOWDEN/KESSLER

Eric Boeren – trumpet
Mwata Bowden – reeds
Kent Kessler – bass

10 PM : MAT MANERI/RANDY PETERSON DUO

Mat Maneri – violin/viola
Randy Peterson – drums

11 PM : LOOSE ASSEMBLY

Greg Ward – saxophone
Tomeka Reid – cello
Jason Adasiewicz – vibes
Josh Abrams – bass
Mike Reed – drums

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD @ THE HIDEOUT

1354 W. Wabansia
$15 cover
www.hideoutchicago.com
773-227-4433

9 PM : MAHALL/BISHOP/MCBRIDE/JENNESSEN

Rudi Mahalll – bass clarinet
Jeb Bishop – trombone
Nate McBride – bass
Uli Jennessen – drums

10 PM : MATEEN/CARTER/ZERANG

Sabir Mateen – reeds
Daniel Carter – reeds
Michael Zerang – percussion

11 PM : INGEBRIGT HÅKER-FLATEN QUINTET

Ola Kvernberg-violin
Dave Rempis-saxophones
Dave Miller-guitar
Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten-bass
Frank Rosaly-drums

12 AM : DANCE PARTY W/DJ’S JOSH ABRAMS AND JOHN
HERNDON

SUNDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 4TH
@ CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER

3 PM  @ Preston-Bradley Hall

78 E. Washington St.
FREE!!
www.chicagoculturalcenter.org
312-744-6630

Ari Brown – reeds
Gianluca Petrella – trombone
Junius Paul – bass
Paolino Dalla Porta – bass
Tim Daisy – drums

W/OPENING REMARKS BY JAZZ WRITER JOHN CORBETT

SUNDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 4TH
@ THE HUNGRY BRAIN

2319 W. Belmont
$10 suggested donation
www.emergingimprovisers.org
773-935-2118

9 PM : BERMAN/BEARZATTI/RODER/ACCARDI

Josh Berman – cornet
Francesco Bearzatti – reeds
Jan Roder - bass
Fabio Accardi - drums

10 PM : DÖRNER/DRUMM/LONBERG-HOLM

Axel Dörner – trumpet
Kevin Drumm – electronics
Fred Lonberg-Holm - cello

11 PM : KLANG

James Falzone – clarinet
Jason Adasiewicz – vibes
Jason Roebke – bass
Tim Daisy – drums

MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 5TH
@ THE CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER

“EUROPEAN JAZZ MEETS CHICAGO”

Produced in partnership with:

-The Austrian Consulate General
-The Consulate General of the Czech Republic
-The Goethe Institut Chicago
-The Italian Culture Institute of Chicago
-The Consulate General of The Netherlands
-The Swiss Consulate General
-The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs

78 E. Washington St.
www.chicagoculturalcenter.org
(312) 744-6630
ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC!!!

-6:00 PM : WOLFGANG SELIGO TRIO  (AUSTRIA)
Preston-Bradley Hall

Wolfgang Seligo – piano
Anton Hatwich – bass
Andre Beasley - drums

-6:30 PM : ERIC BOEREN QUARTET  (THE NETHERLANDS)
Claudia Cassidy Theater

Eric Boeren-trumpet
Cor Fuhler-piano
Nate McBride-bass
Mike Reed-drums

- 7:15 PM : IVA BITTOVA SOLO  (THE CZECH REPUBLIC)
Preston-Bradley Hall

Iva Bittova – solo violin/vocals

-8:00 PM : GIANLUCA PETRELLA QUARTET  (ITALY)
Claudia Cassidy Theater

Gianluca Petrella-trombone
Francesco Bearzatti-reeds
Paolino Dalla Porta-bass
Fabio Accardi-drums

-8:45 PM : IRENE SCHWEITZER SOLO  (SWIITZERLAND)
Preston-Bradley Hall

Irene Schweitzer – solo piano

-9:45 PM : DIE ENTTÄUSCHUNG  (GERMANY)
Randolph St. Cafe

Axel Dörner-trumpet
Rudi Mahall-bass clarinet
Jan Roder-bass
Uli Jennessen-drums

That's right, Bill Dixon is coming to Chicago this Wednesday. Hard to believe this will be the first time, but that's what I've been told. I'll be in attendance and will be sure to report back.

Details for those in town:

click thumbnail for full size

Chicago City Arts and 5 Percent Sessions present a very special night of jazz music. Playing for the first time in Chicago with an all star Chicago lineup:

Bill Dixon - trumpet, flugelhorn, and piano
Ken Vandermark - saxophone and reeds
Josh Abrams - bass
Nate McBride - bass
Micheal Zerang - percussion

Concert Date: July 11, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.

Concert Venue: Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave.

Pre-concert Reception: 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Reception Venue: Chicago City Arts Gallery, 410 S. Michigan Ave., 6th floor.

This special show will be held in Ganz Hall, which is a small venue on the
7th floor above the Auditorium Theater at 430 South Michigan Avenue.

Join us before the concert at Chicago City Arts Gallery (next door to Ganz
Hall) for a glass of wine and an opportunity to see Bill Dixon's visual art.
Bill is an accomplished visual artist. Experience both sides of his creative
personality.

Tickets are $25.00 and available online.

Tickets at the door will be cash only.

Public parking is available at the Grant Park South Garage one block north of the Auditorium Building off of Michigan Avenue.