On such a beautiful day, there is only one rational course of action: run as quickly as possible to Day 2 of the 2024 Chicago Jazz Festival. I was looking forward to the evening’s particularly strong lineup, but I began the day with the Bethany Pickens Trio. With Pickens were Micah Collier on bass and Jeremiah Collier on drums (who are unrelated to each other). Of course, Pickens was at the helm with her lyrical piano style. She gets better each time I see her, as do the Colliers. The music was straight down the center—quite enjoyable.

I, however, did not linger too long. Next up, the Sanctified Grumblers at the WDCD Jazz Lounge—really a flimsy tent without a stage. Surprisingly, the meager facilities produced an intimate atmosphere. Think buskers on the corner of State and Washington under the Macy’s antique clock.

The Grumblers are comprised of Rick Sherry (vocals, harmonica, washboard, and foot drum) and Eric Noden (vocals, resonator guitar, and banjo), and an unidentified bass player (not Beau Sample who normally appears as the third member of the trio). As was true of The New Deal who performed traditional gypsy jazz from the Parisian Thirties, The Grumblers is the sort of band that never ends up playing during the evening shows at the Pritzker Pavilion, but certainly should be given a slot because Grumblers performance was just as spellbinding and dynamic as any performance by a musician who regularly tops the Downbeat Readers’ Poll.

While sitting on the pavement in front of the stage, I heard selections by Honey Boy Edwards, Reverend Gary Davis, Fats Waller (Louisiana Fairytale), Charlie Patton (Shake It and Break It—I think), and the Memphis Jug Band. Yes, all minimalistically acoustic, but lots of variety, particularly with Sherry constantly changing up instruments, but always keeping the beat with his foot drum.

But time does not standstill, so it was back to the Von Freeman stage, where alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin was leading her quartet. Benjamin is in constant motion, bringing a Jane Fonda workout ethos readily to mind—hopping, running, and moving backwards and forward. Her playing is highly energetic, with lots of notes circling above as she moves around the stage. She is obviously a talented sax player, but for my money, she plays too many notes.

I didn’t stick around long, but headed back to the WDCB stage for a performance that showcased artistis who record for Calligram Records. Guitarist Scott Hesse was in the house, as were drummer Dana Hall, multi-reedist Geof Bradfield, bassist Clark Sommers, and trumpeter Chad McCullough. As I have come to expect with these guys, the jazz is linear and straight ahead, but it has a tangy edge to it, which keeps it interesting. I was particularly impressed by Hesse, who during one selection turned his guitar into an organ, relying just on just his fingers rather than electronic foot pedals.

Eventually, the magic hour came—4:00 PM—time to head to the Pritzker Pavilion for the first set of the evening—the Tomeka Reid Quartet, somewhat of a misnomer given that all four musicians—cellist Reid, guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Jason Roebke, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara—all contribute equally to the effort. Reid is a very generous leader.

Reid and Halvorson have both been designated MacArthur Foundation Fellows, or in the vehicular, Genius Award winners, so the music was experimental. But unlike free-form jazz, the quartet’s efforts are very accessible—the volume level is low and the music is easy to follow, but certainly not bop, bebop, or Trad jazz. I focused on Halvorson’s hands, watching her fingers contort into unconventional positions, producing pleasing notes and chords. Her stylings might best be summarized as hollow-body psychedelic. I wonder what Jerry Garcia might think were he still alive.

The Jazz Festival’s programmers, opting to return to straight-ahead jazz, slotted tenor saxophonist Billy Harper and his quintet as the second act on the main stage. Every photographer in the ‘pit’ appreciated one aspect of Harper’s performance. He spent at least a third of his allotted time off to the side listening to his bandmates, while unintentionally assuming striking poses that would have provided Auguste Rodin with lots of material. While Harper was a striking photographic subject, there is a much bigger lesson lurking in his willingness to stand to the side. Like Reid, he brought a generosity of spirit to the stage that many headliners lack. Drummer Aaron Scott, bassist Dezron Douglas, pianist Francesca Tanksley, and trumpeter Freddie Hendrix were sharing the stage with Harper, who made sure that the audience knew that his fellow musicians were equally talented. As Charlie Musselwhite once said, “Stand Back.”

Following Harper, trumpeter Charlie Sepúlveda & Turnaround took the stage, mixing hard-bop with Latin jazz. With Sepúlveda were pianist Emanuel Rivera, vibraphonist Jean Luis Treboux, bassist Gabriel Rodriquez, drummer Francisco Alcalá, and congas player Gadwin Vargas. The group delivered exactly what the program advertised. Rivera was particularly striking in his red hat, but he also knew his way around the keyboards.

I apparently missed Sepúlveda wife, vocalist Natalia Mercado, when I headed back to the WDCB tent to hear the Bonzo Squad, a group of highly-regarded session musicians who took me back to early-Seventies jazz when jazz fusion was the new thing—it was the electric piano playing distinct notes and spaces that took 50 years off the calendar, particularly with saxophone bringing the Crusaders to mind.

I did not linger because singer Catherine Russell was today’s closing act. Her career has had an interesting trajectory, performing as a backup singer with David Bowie, Paul Simon, and Steely Dan, among others. I am not certain, but I believe she is the one who Bowie points to after possibly referring to her or someone else as “Baby” in this video.

The opening film clip preceding Russell’s performance was worth the price of admission alone—Russell as a baby being held by the great Louis Armstrong—at times very funny. When Russell got down to business, she displayed a rich, bluesy vocal style, combined with fluid stage movements. She delivered a varied and highly enjoyable set, leaving everyone longing for more music tomorrow.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]

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