The Chicago Jazz Festival will spread its wings, offering free performances in clubs, concert halls and unconventional spaces across the city from Aug. 24-29 (the festival proper will run Aug. 29-Sept. 2 in the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park).
Among the musicians performing in this new feature of the 40th annual event:
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Jason Stein, Katie Ernst and Avreeayl Ra: 8 p.m. Aug. 24 at Corner Store of Edgewater Beach Apartments, 5555 N. Sheridan Rd. (produced by HotHouse).
Josh Berman, Jason Roebke & Michael Vatcher, Craig Taborn: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25, at Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave.
Ken Vandermark/Havard Wiik Duo, Vincent Chancey Quartet: 8 p.m. Aug. 26 at Hungry Brain, 2319 W. Belmont Ave.
Pop Up NU Jazz Festival with Corey Wilkes, Marquis Hill, Junius Paul, Makaya McCraven, Marvin Tate, Ernest Dawkins and others: 5 p.m. Aug. 27 at Englewood Square, 632 W. 63d St. (produced by Live the Spirit Residency).
Fat Babies: 9 p.m. Aug. 28 at Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway.
Jerry Medina y La Banda, The Ruiz Belvis Collective: 8:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave. (produced by Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center).
The festival is produced by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and is programmed by the non-profit Jazz Institute of Chicago; for complete schedule, visit www.chicagojazzfestival.us
Howard Reich is a Tribune critic.