Sep 1

Sep 1 Chicago Jazzfest (I)

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

The Chicago Jazz kicked off its four-day run today with a terrific set of performances in Chicago’s Cultural Center, which is across the street from Millenium Park. The music began with Andrew Lawrence’s sextet doing a rendition of Keith Jarrett’s 1974 Impulse album entitled Treasure Island. With Lawrence, were Neil Carson (sax), Matt Gold (guitar). Andrew Vogt (bass), Greg Artry (drums) and Jonathan Marks (percussion). Together, they captured Jarrett’s signature chords; the ones that punctuate Jarrett’s entire oeuvre, including his solo piano improvisations. The music was loud, vibrant, and awash in rhythms.

Midway through Lawrence’s set, I headed just down the hall to the Claudia Cassidy Theater, where Chicago saxophone master Ernest Khabeer Dawkins was overseeing the Young Masters Quartet, which featured high school students Leo Milano (tenor saxophone), Branden Hicks (piano), Jeremiah Hunt (bass), and Oscar Evely (drums). Dawkins is a mentor and teacher who knew how to share the stage with his younger proteges, placing the spotlight firmly on them. These kids didn’t hit the wrong notes; nor did they play haltingly, as is often the case with high schoolers. The five up and comers ripped through a set of standards, as well as at least one original composition that was dedicated to their mentor. Dawkins did take an occasional solo, but seemed most comfortable with a pocket whistle in his mouth and a cowbell in hand, while the young masters played.

The Toyoaki Ensemble followed the students, with the likes of Tatsu Aoki (Japanese acoustic string instrument) and Mai Sugimoto (saxophone), bringing a decidedly acoustic, folk-like sound to a Japanese take on jazz. Aoki and company are a Chicago Jazzfest staple, and for good reason. They always brings a world-music sensibility to the festival.

I then dashed back to the Preston Bradley Hall for a shot of The Shy Shéks, which is a group of musicians who pay homage to the likes of Josephine Baker, Maurice Chevalier, and Django Reinhardt. I was particularly enamored by Nick Ruiz’s silver resonator guitar. The programming committee naturally highlights the work of AACM composers and musicians, which means a lot of what is often described as avant-garde jazz, as we would see later that evening when Henry Threadgill took the main stage at Millenium Park as the day’s closing act. I have no issues with that emphasis, and often enjoy much of what is presented, but traditional jazz creates a welcome juxtaposition. And if you listen closely, you realize that the two worlds are not as far apart as initially seems to be the case.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, I caught the David Scott Quartet, which brough five players together for a performance of the sort of soulful jazz that was heard in clubs on Chicago’s South Side in the early Eighties. Straight ahead, but highly enjoyable, with some terrific musicianship by these seasoned masters of the genre.

At this point, I needed some lunch, so I made a quick dash over to the Green Goddess on Wabash. Much to my surprise, I found the young Oscar Evely (from the Young Masters Quartet) on the street corner with his drum kit and two other musicians. Apparently his performance at the Cultural Center 90 minutes earlier did not satisfy his lust for music. I admire his enthusiasm and passion, so I tossed a $5 bill in the red bucket, which already included a sizable amount.

And then it was back to the Cultural Center, where Mai Sugimoto’s Quartet and bassist Marlene Rosenberg’s group did back-to-back performances. Rosenberg included drum mystro Paul Wertico in the mix, together with guitarist Scott Hesse (one of my favorite Chicago players).

Whoever was charged with programming today’s afternoon of music at the Cultural Center deserves much credit. It was diverse, highlighting Asian inspired jazz, up and coming high school students, traditional jazz, soul jazz from the early Eighties, some classic Keith jarrett, and some straight-ahead blowing, as well as featuring a long list of talented local musicians. It was an afternoon packed with incredible, diverse music.

It was then over to Millenium Park for the evening performances. First up was Mike Allemana, one very versatile guitarist and composer. Over the years, I’ve seen Allemana perform blues duets with guitarist George Freeman, straight-ahead jazz with various configurations of Chicago’s young lions, and some abstraction. Tonight, he was paying homage to his mentor, Von Freeman. With him were Geof Bradfield, Matt Ferguson, Victor Garcia, Greg Ward, and several other talented musicians who played an ethereal tribute to Freeman, which sounded like a spiritual tone program. I certainly see the connection between Von Freeman and astrology in Allemana’s tribute.

The evening closed out with Henry Threadgill’s Zooid (no photography was permitted). Threadgill was the visual center of attention, dressed in what might be described as a white parachute jumpsuit, but the set of music was built around drummer Elliot Kavee, who didn’t just strike his drums and cymbals with his sticks, but threw his entire body into an interaction with his kit. As each segment of the extended piece came to a conclusion, Kavee leaned on, rubbed up against, and stroked his kit with various parts of his body, which set the stage for the next movement. In all candor, this was my least favorite set of music today, but it was interesting nonetheless. In defense of Threadgill (not he needs it), I was tired from all that came before his set, so I probably wasn’t in the right frame of mind.

And so Day 1 of the 2022 Chicago Jazzfest came to a close.

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