gram JAZZ PROMOTING AND NURTURING JAZZ IN CHICAGO SEPTEMBER 2019 WWW.JAZZINCHICAGO.ORG MASTERS OF BOP AND BEYOND REUNITE TO SALUTE JOE SEGAL! JazzCity2019: Bebop Blast! Sept 27 at 7 PM | Austin Town Hall Park | 5610 W. Lake St. cohort, pianist and vibraphonist Stu Katz, with whom he appeared on the 2011 album, A Family Affair (recorded live at the Showcase). Katz, one of the last "unreconstructed" bebop pianists, has played with such giants as Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Bud Freeman and Zoot Sims. JAZZCITY CONTINUES ITS CELEBRATION Joining Sullivan on of the Jazz Institute’s milestone 50th Anniversary by the frontline will be saxophonist and AACM stalwart dedicating each concert to one of the organization’s Ari Brown, who may be best known for his Coltrane- founders. This concert was originally conceived as a inspired emanations and avant-garde playing but is also reunion of saxophonist Bunky Green, pianist/vibist Stu one of the most soulful, blues-rooted artists in the city. Katz and mulit-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan (all of whom Also featured will be the brilliant, first-and-last-call played for Joe Segal in their very early careers), but bassist Dennis Carroll (who appeared on A Family unforeseen circumstances have prevented Bunky Green Affair) and exceptional young drummer Kyle Swan, a from participating. Chicago native who was schooled down Sullivan's way Sullivan, an unsung hero in other places but a at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. revered figure in his native Chicago, will return to town In a radio interview Sullivan said he was fortunate from his home in Florida, armed with his usual array to find a special mentor in Von Freeman. "It was like of instruments, likely including tenor, alto and soprano growing up with Bird. It’s like they say, you reveal from saxophone, trumpet, clarinet and flute. one spirit that God had, and when you’re in Jazz, you He will be reunited with longtime (50-plus years!) find that the spirits are one." n JAZZCITY is a free concert series initiated in 1997 by the Jazz Institute in collaboration with the Chicago Park District, now in its 22nd season of bringing people together from across the city to listen to Chicago’s top jazz musicians. JazzCity is sponsored by FM and WHPK 88.5 FM Radio and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information visit www. Jazzinchicago.org or call 312-427-1676. JAZZ IN CHICAGO SEPTEMBER 2019 2 THE CITY WAS YELLOW: CHICAGO JAZZ AND IMPROVISED MUSIC 1980-2010 An anthology compiled by Mike Reed MANY OF THE MOST encapsulating an essence of that IMPORTANT FIGURES IN THE ineffable, changing Chicago sound over rich history of Chicago jazz left a three-decade period. the city for the spotlight of New The diverse selection cuts across York. From the music’s earliest days different scenes and methodologies to New Orleans legends like Louis reveal a vibrant mosaic of the city’s Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton creative scene. Naturally, there are waxed important sides before tunes by Freeman and Anderson, but departing for greener pastures, also elder statesmen like Ari Brown, while homegrown bebop-era Rich Corpolongo, Bob Dogan, Billy wunderkinds like Johnny Griffin, Brimfield, and Damon Short. But the Gene Ammons, Dinah Washington, bulk of the music comes from figures of and Clifford Jordan, along with the a generation that came of age between founders of the AACM (including the 1980s-2000s. Established and rising Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony figures like Nicole Mitchell, Jeff Parker, Braxton, and Henry Threadgill) Matana Roberts, Rob Mazurek, and left in search of new opportunities. One can only guess Ken Vandermark learned at the feet of Chicago’s old what kind of stardom tenor saxophonists Von Freeman masters. and Fred Anderson would have achieved if they hadn’t The publication provides context for the multifarious remained behind. They both became local treasures for figures through a series of concise profiles of every their unique aesthetic and sounds, but equally important featured composer penned by many of the Chicago’s were their roles as influential mentors, inspiring and keenest music journalists, who witnessed and teaching generations of new talent. documented their stories and development, including The City Was Yellow: Chicago Jazz and Improvised Howard Mandel, Neil Tesser, John Corbett, and Peter Music 1980-2010 shares the fruits of their legacy beyond Margasak. In addition, 29 gorgeous archival photos from the city limits. In many ways the scene’s renewable depth the likes of Lauren Deutsch, Jim Newberry, and Michael and energy relied on those figures who stuck around, Jackson capture the musicians in their element, on nurturing and educating: Freeman’s weekly jam sessions various Chicago stages, or in moments of repose. at the New Apartment Lounge and Anderson’s sessions In a story published last year in the Chicago Tribune, at his own bar, the Velvet Lounge. This book, conceived Reed told writer Howard Reich how he anticipated and compiled by drummer Mike Reed—an inheritor of the reaction to the book: “People will say: ‘Why isn’t lessons from both saxophonists—is a testimony to their so-and-so in here? If people start saying that, then outsize influence through the accomplishments of their we’ve done the job. Because, yes, we should be talking musical progeny. about all those tunes: Go get them! I don’t have to be “Under the jazz umbrella, a real book is an essential comprehensive. It’s for everybody else to dig in and tool for developing musicians, not only because it serves investigate.” Yet while the selection isn’t comprehensive, as an on-the-gig guide for working professionals, but also The City Was Yellow delivers the most far-reaching and because it provides rich learning material for developing thorough repository of the city’s recent jazz history musicians eager to understand the lexicon,” writes Reed yet, challenging Chicago’s tendency to see itself as the in the book’s introduction. “Traditional real books are “second city.” a kind of text book for jazz musicians, frequently used, To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Jazz Institute often tattered, and always heavily imbued with both the of Chicago, proceeds from the book sales will go to the economic realities of working musicians and the gravity Institute’s Jazz Links educational programs. Physical of the field in which they work.”T he 53 scores represent copies can be purchased through www.dustygroove. a broad cross-section of Chicago musicians—44 in com, or you can buy a digital version from www. all--sharing compositions with a wider world and thecitywasyellow.com. n. JAZZ IN CHICAGO SEPTEMBER 2019 3 RHYTHMS OF THUNDER SHAKES JAZZ IN THE COURTYARD By Rahsaan Clark Morris AS PART OF THE FIRST FRIDAY SERIES OF JAZZ while cell phones chronicled single shots or video to show in the Courtyard at Hyde Park Shopping Center, Carolyn later to friends of the synchronicity involved in the playing Albritton presented on Friday, July 5th, Rhythms of of this high energy music. Thunder with three of the best drummers around: Charles Only a few people left during the break and it looked “Rick” Heath, Dana Hall, and Jeremiah Collier. It had as if some folks decided to move up just to get a better been rainy and humid earlier in the week, but thankfully view of the proceedings either by sitting in vacated chairs when Friday came, the only thunder emanated from the or moving their own into place. These people were visibly collective drumming and dynamics of the rest of the sextet. ready for more of this musical excitement and Rhythms Rounding out the band was pianist and arranger Robert did not disappoint. They opened the second set with the Baabe Irving, the saxophonist with his own thunderous driving Victor Feldman tune “Seven Steps to Heaven”, sound, Isaiah Collier, and bassist Micah Collier, cousin to with Baabe Irving arranging the tune made popular by the other two Collier brothers. It should be pointed out that, his former boss Miles Davis. It must be pointed out that sadly, to this listener, Micah was kind of lost in the sound part of Irving’s art is his ability to keep the voicing on his mix, which was not overly dynamic except for the drums. electric piano’s subtle enough to convince, especially for As the nature of these short engagements tends to the outdoor gigs where there is obviously not going to be be, the set was made up mostly of standards, some an acoustic piano anywhere in sight. This was probably more recognizable than others. Nevertheless, under best heard in his playing behind the drummers during the arrangements of Irving and, sometimes, Heath, and their featured pieces. For starters, Jeremiah Collier played with the high energy that never fails to accompany the Chick Corea’s Latin piano masterpiece “Spain”, with its saxophone solos of Isaiah Collier, the standards became many drum breaks and its famous staccato theme. By the something new altogether. Thelonious Monk’s “Well, You time Collier got around to the conclusion of the tune, the Needn’t” opened the set and under the pen of Irving, the audience was on its feet, praising the young man for his time signature was transformed from a straight 4/4 to a energy and discipline in his interpreting of the piece, with, funky loping time that stopped and started on a dime, all once again, the knowledgeable accompaniment of Irving. the drummers playing their kits in unison to powerful effect. Charles Heath followed that up with a subdued Now the effect was different for John Coltrane’s version of the Gospel music standard “Precious Lord”, “Naima”, the lovely ballad being approached by the three Irving literally taking us to “Choich” with his long roiling drummers from different angles.