All in Performance
We have a new ‘heritage’ group demonstrating in the streets of the Chicago: members of Chicago’s recently arrived Venezuelan Community. They took to the downtown streets today to celebrate what they hoped would be the defeat of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro in today’s election. Here are my thoughts about and images from this colorful demonstration.
The first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention is now in the record books. A coalition of groups opposed to various aspects of the Republican agenda held what was advertised as a major demonstration to show their opposition. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day.
Today, Chicago’s LGBQT+ Community staged the 54th Annual Gay Pride Parade. In keeping with my activity over the last nine months, I decided to focus on the pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had obtained a coveted slot in the parade’s abbreviated lineup. It was the right decision, because it permitted me to photograph their efforts, as well as the colorful characters lining the parade route, as I walked the route with the pro-Palestinian forces from the start to the finish line.
The 40th Annual Chicago Bluesfest came to a conclusion today with a closing performance by Buddy Guy, a Blues legend. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day.
The 40th Annual Chicago Bluesfest continued today with performances by Southern Avenue, Vanessa Collier, and a Centennial Tribute to Dinah Washington featuring Dee Alexander. Here are my observations about and images from the Day 2.
The 40th Annual Chicago Bluesfest kicked off its residency in Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion tonight with performances by Corey Harris and Mr. Sipp, together with a centennial tribute to Jimmy Rogers, one of the architects of the Muddy Waters sound. Here are my thoughts about and images from the today’s festivities.
I had the opportunity to attend a conversation between New York Times columnist David Brooks and his wife, Ann Snyder tonight. The focus was on the role of the humanities in our life, particularly as people find themselves midway into their careers or racing toward retirement. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event, which was held in the David Rubenstein Forum on the University of Chicago’s Hyde Park campus.
Emmet Cohen brought his trio to the University of Chicago’s Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts Friday night for what was a terrific evening of music. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening’s peformance.
Chicago’s Daley Plaza was served as the first station for the annual Way of the Cross processional through the streets of Chicago on Good Friday ending at Holy Name Cathedral. Here are my thoughts from and images from what was an uplifting event—even for nonbelievers.
Late Sunday afternoon, I caught Eric Alexander’s set at Chicago’s famed Jazz Showcase. Here are my thoughts about and images from Alexander’s performance.
Saturday night I stopped by Mike Reed’s Constellation Chicago to hear alto saxophonist Greg Ward pay tribute to the great Fred Anderson. Here are my thoughts about and images from the performance.
St. Patrick’s Day is the real deal in Chicago, so I headed out to capture those wearin’ the green on Saturday. Much to my surprise, pro-Palestinian demonstrators ‘crashed’ the festivities mid-afternoon. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day.
The weather was beautiful today and I hadn’t been to a Chicago Pro-Palestinian Saturday demonstration in over a month, so I headed to Federal Plaza, where a group of several thousand assembled for a march to the Offices of the Israeli Consulate General. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day.
Members of Chicago’s pro-Palestinian Community held a demonstration outside the offices of the Israeli Consulate General last night to honor Aaron Bushnell and the sacrifice made earlier this week when he chose self-immolation. Here are my thoughts about and images from what was a memorial service.
On February 23, 2024, the Jazz Institute of Chicago held its Winter Jazz Fair at the Chicago Cultural Center. The day-long festival provided a welcome and much needed relief from the Winter blahs. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day.
Tonight I attended a performance by Chicago guitarist Jeff Parker and the New Breed. To my ears, the music was inspired by early-Seventies Soft Machine, but with far more electronics added to the mix. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening.
On Sunday, January 21, 2023, Chicago’s Ukrainian Community celebrated Ukraine Unity Day, as well as the 50th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America—Illinois Division with a banquet at the Ukrainian Cultural Center. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
On December 30, 2023, a group of Palestinian advocates held a press conference in Chicago announcing the expansion of their #AbandonBiden campaign to all 50 states. The group hopes to build a coalition to defeat President Biden in 2024. I attended the press conference. While the imagery is not dynamic, the event could be a watershed in the 2024 Presidential Election. Here are my thoughts and images, including ones from the annual Muslim American Society-Islamic Circle of North America Convention that was held at McCormick Place, drawing 30,000 attendees.
Tonight, I attended the Chicago Ukrainian Community’s annual Holodomor memorial in Jane Byrne Plaza and Holy Name Cathedral. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
On November 3, 2023, Theon Cross brought his electrified tuba to the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts. It was quite a night of innovative jazz fusion, with some hip hop added to the voodoo. Here are my thoughts about and images from the evening’s performance.
