Sep 3

Sep 3 Chicago Jazzfest (III)

Chicago, Chicago Tourism, Festivals, Jazz, Musicians, Performance, Things to Do in Chicago

The weekend arrived, so the crowds roaming through and around Millennium Park grew in size today. Many had come to hear jazz.

I arrived at the Von Freeman Pavilion just after 11:30 AM to catch Christy Bennett’s Fumeé. Like Roya Naldi who played the festival yesterday, Bennett specializes in the “old time” jazz; in Bennett’s case the music that might have been heard in New Orleans or Paris before the bebop revolution—Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, and Gypsy swing.

The festival programmers relegate classic jazz to the daytime hours, which is too bad. It deserves to be appreciated by a broader audience. Our age views William Parker, who closes today’s performances at the Pritzker Pavilion, as experimental or edgy, but in its day, the jazz that Bennett and company play was just as edgy.

Bennett’s has a rich, sonorous voice, which soars upwards, as the musicians weave a double helix that gently engulfs her words, but never impeding their upward movement. Ethan Philion returned today from his success last night to provide the bass lines that served as a springboard for Bennett. And who can argue with an accordion (Don Stille) or a mandolin (Don Stiernberg)? Emily Kuhn brought her trumpet to the mix. I was so taken that I bought the group’s CD, entitled Good Morning Headache: The Music of Irene Higginbotham.

I, however, was unable to linger. It was time to hear the city’s true up and comers on the Harris Theatre rooftop . As in the past, the Festival featured a number of groups from local high schools packaged as the Young Lions. Jones College Prep, Lincoln Park, Kenwood Academy, Whitney Young, and Chi-Arts were represented. The kids did not miss a note, nor did they play haltingly. Always confident, poised, and very talented, the young lions focused on classic numbers, such as Eddie Harris’ Compared to What. I also recall hearing Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man somewhere in the mix.

In between the high school bands, I returned to the Von Freeman Pavilion to hear Atomic, a band from Scandinavia, that is bringing its 23-year tenure to an end with its current tour. They mine the avant-garde, free jazz vein, which for me can be hit or miss. For the most part, I liked what I heard, but I moved on because the volume was excessive.

Somewhere along the line, I also caught Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses. These folks are into classic New Orleans jazz, so although I might once again quibble about the daytime slot, I give the programmers credit for featuring a group focused on the origins of jazz. Of course, I liked what I heard.

Eventually, the Priztker Pavilion called. First up tonight was Greg Ward’s Rogue Parade, featuring Matt Ulery (bass), Quin Kirchner (drums), Dave Miller (guitar), and Matt Gold (guitar). This was one of the most enjoyable sets I had heard to this point. The two guitars did not overpower. Lots of lucid notes and chords. It wasn’t quite free, unstructured jazz, but it wasn’t hard bop. Maybe a little bit Mahavishnu Orchestra, but far less overpowering. Very airy.

I ended up running into Kirchner at a tent where he was selling CDs, unfortunately he had nothing by Ward. I told him that I marvel at how he and his stable of ten to fifteen Chicago players all work to support each others’ projects, seemingly able to play just about anything. Despite overlapping personal, each outing always takes a different approach. I ended up buying Kirchner’s CD, which I have not had a chance to listen to yet.

Miquel Zenón followed Ward with the Musica de Las Américas. As the title suggests, the music had a distinctive Latin feel to it—today the focus was on Puerto Rico. But do not be fooled. The MacArthur Foundation Genius still brings a sound influenced by the saxophone greats who preceded him, which explains why Zenón is a festival staple. He is always exposing his audience to lesser known music, but in a highly accessible fashion.

Like last night, the Festival then looked to a singer. Tonight she was Carmen Lundy, who did a stint with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, as well as starring in the European tour of Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies and portraying Billie Holiday in They Were All Gardenias. There was nothing not to like about her effort, particularly because the backing musicians were excellent. While Lundy has a nice voice, it is range bound, both in terms of pitch and flow I didn’t particularly care for her song selection, which was rather nondescript and lacked variation, resulting in a set that simply meandered.

Fortunately, the day did not end on such a nondescript note. Bassist William Parker took the stage with his Organ Quintet, featuring Cooper-Moore on organ and Hamid Drake on drums, together with James Brandon Lewis playing tenor saxophone and Rob Brown on alto saxophone. Parker works in a wide variety of formats, from solo bass recitals to ensembles that include homemade instruments. Tonight the music pulsated as it swirled high above the lawn. The effort did not bring to mind the likes of Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff, or Lonnie Smith. Yet, the music was linear—there was a clear start, middle, and end. Whatever they were doing on stage, it was invigorating. (Here is a clip from different concert.) A great conclusion to another day of excellent music.

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