Victor Goines brings out a mighty horn
When virtuoso reedist Victor Goines begins to play Sunday evening at Room 43, listeners will see and hear something they've rarely — if ever — encountered from him. For Goines,...
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Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic preps major new series for Millennium Park
In May, Chicago cultural commissioner Mark Kelly invited key players in the city's jazz scene to help him reshape the Chicago Jazz Festival. "How do we make it stronger and...
At 88, saxophonist Benny Golson has stories to tell
You don't often see standing ovations at the Jazz Showcase, or most any such club, for that matter. But the large crowd that rose up at the end of Benny...
Colsons return to Chicago with new sounds
Nearly 50 years ago, a promising young pianist from New Jersey began studying music at Northwestern University — and discovered sounds he'd never encountered before. Not so much at school,...
Remembering the genius of the Gershwin brothers
Why do the brothers Gershwin still hold such a revered place in our musical culture? Why do jazz instrumentalists still riff on the Gershwins' "I Got Rhythm" and jazz singers...
Review: Yes, Tony Bennett still sings grandly at 91
Even if Tony Bennett hadn't turned 91 the day before he played Ravinia, his concert Friday night would have been one for the record books. Not simply because he sang...
A promising new jazz series at Navy Pier
For a while, it looked as if Wednesday night's installment of the Water Colors jazz series at Navy Pier was going to succumb to the elements. Two minutes before showtime,...
From Bennett to bebop, a busy weekend in jazz
This will be a brisk weekend in Chicago jazz. Among the highlights: Tony Bennett: Yes, the master singer will have turned 91 the day before he returns to the Ravinia...
Cash Box Kings shake up SPACE with ‘Royal Mint’
The most haunting moment in the Cash Box Kings' show Monday night at SPACE, in Evanston, came at the very end. After nearly two hours of classic blues, contemporary songwriting...
Review: Fiery music-making from trumpeter Wallace Roney at Jazz Showcase
Listeners tend to associate trumpeter Wallace Roney with Miles Davis, who indeed was a leading mentor to the younger musician. But though Roney's work at times indeed recalls aspects of...