gram JAZZ PROMOTING AND NURTURING JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 WWW.JAZZINCHICAGO.ORG

EDDIE HARRIS SINGS THE BLUES

BY AYANA CONTRERAS

Chicago saxophonist Eddie Harris is perhaps best remembered as an unabashed experimentalist, famously playing the Varitone electronic saxophone on albums like Plug Me In (1968). He also utilized an early tape looping mechanism (now so en vogue) on 1969’s Silver Cycles. So, Eddie Harris Sings The Blues (1972) stands less as an outlier than as a further testament to his legacy of sonic risk tasking.

Sings The Blues opens with the track “Please Let Me Go”. AACM co-founder Muhal Richard Abrams employs an RMI Electra-piano, all flickers of chunky, reverb-drenched notes. This unusual fanfare sets the scene for Eddie Harris to serenade us, very literally singing to us though the mouthpiece of his electric horn, which he further muddled through a wah wah pedal. Naysayers and purists might be tempted to stop reading here, but the truth of the matter is that Eddie achieved an absolutely spellbinding effect on this album with indefinite vocalizations that defy casual listening.

After Eddie sings a few plaintive bars on “Please Let Me Go”, a gorgeous swell of strings blooms on the otherwise sparse track (rounded out by Rufus Reid’s upright bass), enveloping his vocalizations flawlessly. The strings come courtesy of E. Zlatoff Mirsky, Sol Bobrov and the rest of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra strings that played on countless Chicago Soul music recordings in the 1960s and 70s (from Fontella Bass’ “Rescue Me” to Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly” and beyond), so you know they can swing. This album may not be an outlier in Eddie Harris’ catalogue in terms of sheer novelty, but it reflects the cross-pollination found on the Chicago music scene circa 1972.

For further proof, the horn section on “Walk With Me” included Willie Henderson & Burgess Gardner, record producers and players responsible for hits by artists like Tyrone Davis (“Turn Back The Hands Of Time”) and Barbara Acklin (“Am I The Same Girl”) at Brunswick Records. Andre Fischer (of the rock band The American Eddie Sings the Blues album back cover Breed [“Bend Me, Shape Me”], and later of the funk band Rufus featuring Chaka Khan) played drums on that track, as well. Marshall Thompson (a member of The Chi-Lites) even contributed percussion accompaniment on a handful of tracks. And the strings, horns and vocals on the album were arranged by Richard Evans (of Chess/ Cadet Records fame) who had proven at that label to be as deft at working in soulful modes as he was with jazz and blues.

The title of this album is reminiscent of the Billie Holiday standard titled “Lady Sings The Blues”, and Eddie’s hazy, blurred out voice on “Please Let Me Go” and “Eddie Sings The Blues” bears more than a passing resemblance to Ms. Holiday’s (particularly in regards to his phrasing). And on “Please Let Me Go” in particular, arranger Richard Evans dials up an arrangement befitting a gardenia-adorned torch singer. However, this album was not recorded as a cash-in response after the release of the popular Diana Ross filmLady Sings The Blues (a continued on page 2 JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 2 continued from page 1 fictionalized account of the life and death of Billie Holiday).Eddie Sings The Blues was recorded months before the film’s release, and contains no material that was previously recorded by Holiday. But Eddie definitely had a sense of humor (even releasing an infamous album of comedy monologues in 1976), so it very well may have been recorded anticipating the film’s ultimate success. Besides, any level of confusion related to the album’s title would likely have pleased him. But, ultimately, the album’s ambiguous connections to a Billie Holiday biopic are not what makes this album notable.

Eddie Harris Sings the Blues is a fairly lean album (weighing in at 6 tracks, soaking wet) that somehow delivers the sort of blues that begs for a Formica bar stool and a stiff gimlet on “Eddies Sings The Blues”, moody, big band jazz on “Please Let Me Go”, the sort of soulful jazz you might find on a Young-Holt Unlimited album on “Walk With Me”, and even a playful, positively angular, Latin-tinged romp through “Giant Steps”. In short, it’s a deeply soulful album flecked with avant touches and a flair for the dramatic that never teeters into schmaltziness.n ALL TOGETHER NOW...

This call to action from a bandleader signals the start of something great. In that quick breath and short beat between the, “And a 1 and a 2 and a …” our sense of anticipation is heightened. As the band prepares to play that first note the audience shares in the experience of hope and excitement. Together.

You hear a favorite and beloved tune in a concert, at a club, at a party or in the car with your family and it comes to the best part – the chorus, that we all know – and we belt it out loudly. Together.

This year, though distance and isolation I have been heartened by moments spent together. Cousins with whom I talk with maybe a few times a year now chat on a text thread almost daily. Fellow “working moms” in executive leadership do the same. College and dear old theater friends create videos though a sharing app weekly.

All together. Now.

As we head into the holiday season, let’s remember the joy, the hope, and the spirit of unity these fall and winter months promise. Whether hunkering down home alone, in small (so small, please keep them small) gatherings, Zooming and calling across the country or across the street, remember we are all in this together.

We here at the Jazz Institute of Chicago are so very grateful to each and every one of you for keeping jazz music alive and for your continued support of the JIC. We’ve been thrilled to bring you the Straight Ahead Jazz Exchange, Keep the Music Playing gala, Jazz Links Jam Sessions and more online. You’ve supported us through your donations and by participating in our online quizzes, and clicking to listen to our “10 While You’re In” Spotify playlists.

You’ve likely listened and participated to this and much more while sitting at your computer or on you phone - alone, yet together with jazz fans in this community of music lovers, musicians, and cultural enthusiasts from all over the country and this great city of ours.

Jazz music needs us, and we are grateful to you for keeping our favorite music alive and thriving.

So, on behalf of the musicians, audiences, board and staff – THANK YOU!

Please stay safe and keep swingin’!

All My Best,

Heather Ireland Robinson Executive Director Jazz Institute of Chicago

JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 3 MEMBERSHIP HOLIDAY PARTY & SPECIAL OFFERS

Greetings Jazz Institute of Chicago Members,

Let's get together to celebrate the season!

It's time for our annual Member's Party and we believe that the show must go on! We'll start with a Jazz Institute update with Board President David Helverson on Zoom. After this short message, click on a specialized link for a virtual concert treat by trumpeter Emily Kuhn Quartet live streamed directly to you from the new Epiphany Center for the Arts. Emily will play selections from her new album Sky Stories, and sprinkle in a few holiday classics along the way.

Wear your festive Christmas gear OR favorite Chicago Jazz Festival/Jazz Institute t-shirt to add to the spirit of the evening. Fill a glass with your beverage of choice as we toast to the successes and joy of the year.

We are grateful to you for being a part of the JIC family and we thank you for making sure that the music will keep playing through it all!

FREE for JIC members.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Or contact Membership Coordinator Meggy Huynh at [email protected] or (224) 715-6674 It's the holidays and we've got some extra special gifts just for you! Share your love of music while supporting small businesses and Chicago record labels. Grab some tunes at a discount or score some extra musical goodies. Enjoy these perks - for JIC members only! And - thank you for all you do to keep the music playing.

See page 6 for more details.

JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 4

QUENTIN COAXUM’S LIFE’S LESSONS DOCUMENTED ON NEW RECORDING JIC NEXTGENJAZZ ARTIST CELEBRATES ST. LOUIS, SOUNDS AND SELAH

BY COREY HALL

A desire to share St. Louis’ civil rights activism, reality reasonings from the ancestors, and how this knowledge matured him influenced trumpeter Quentin Coaxum to record You & I. This new album chronicles all he has experienced – graduate studies at Northwestern, America’s racial crises, and fatherhood – since 2015.

As a student in a class entitled “Music, Race and Nation,” Coaxum’s surface knowledge about James Baldwin and Maya Angelou deepened. Their voices are heard in sound slices between various tracks on You & I, Coaxum’s follow-up to Current, his 2014 debut.

“I remember reading Baldwin’s work, listening to him speak, and finding as much inspiration in his words as I did a Miles Davis solo,” said Coaxum, a featured artist in the Jazz Institute’s NextGenJazz Series in 2015. “Every time I read Baldwin or heard his words, I found myself having to close the book or turn off the speech and just think.”

While growing up in St. Louis, Coaxum’s mother exposed him to Angelou’s prose. When encountering her words again at NU, he experienced an epiphany. As “Constellation,” the album’s opener, concludes, drummer Clif Wallace’s brushes and cymbals accompany Angelou’s voice, as she says, “I believe that a word is a thing…. I believe it goes into the upholstery and into the rugs… and into my clothes and, finally, even into my body. I believe that words are things, and I live on them.”

From these words, Coaxum composed “Words,” an attempt to live Angelou’s advice through improvisation. “I tried to write something that had a complex labyrinth of chords that would force (tenor saxophonist) Dustin Laurenzi and me to have a conversation but have to choose our notes carefully, in the same way that Angelou illustrates that we have to choose our words carefully,” he said.

Baldwin’s voice, first heard before “Intimacy,” is interwoven with Julius Tucker’s piano. “Love is where you find it,” Baldwin says. “If you can’t love anybody, you’re dangerous. You have no way of learning humility, no way of learning that other people suffer, and no way of learning how to use your suffering and theirs to get from one place to another.”

Coaxum then presents a three-song exploration into civil rights, then and now, entitled “Suite for Us.” (Us, he explained, means African-Americans and the United States.) The songs in the Suite are “East Boogie Rundown,” “Goodbye Alton,” and “Forward.” The first song is a play on his hometown’s nickname and fist-pump to “East Broadway Rundown,” a Sonny Rollins/Freddie Hubbard tune he really digs. It is preceded by words from Percy Green, an activist who, on July 14, 1964, climbed 125 feet up a ladder being used to construct the Arch. Green and another activist staged this action because they believed Black people were being excluded from working on the project.

“It’s nonviolent. It’s an eye-opener; it’s an awakening,” Green said about the protest. “It makes people uncomfortable, but it forces people to focus on those particular things that a demonstration is targeting.”

JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 5

“Green did a lot for the civil rights movement,” Coaxum added. “This song represents me getting in touch with my city’s role in the movement.”

Angelou’s and Baldwin’s voices conclude “Goodbye Alton,” Coaxum’s eulogy for Alton Sterling, fatally shot during an altercation with Louisiana police officers in 2016. In a hypothetical conversation, Angelou states that to be angry is human, but that bitterness, “…is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger, yes. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it. You do everything about it. You talk it. Never stop talking it.” As Coaxum’s rhythm section thinks together, Baldwin adds: “You always told me ‘It takes time.’ It’s taken my father’s time, my mother’s time, my uncle’s time, my brothers’ and my sisters’ time. How much time do you want for your progress?”

As “Forward” begins, Coaxum continues this conversation with Baldwin “answering” a question from his younger brother left on voice mail: “Should we just ignore the outside (like everyone else) and just focus on our own communities, our own history, our own people?” he asks. “If we were confronted by the outside world, we would have something to hold onto that we’re assured of that we could prove our humanity.” Baldwin replies, “Find out all you can, but don’t find it out with the intention of proving a point. You understand that? Find out all you can about what happened when you got here, but do not prove it to anybody. All you gotta do is know it. You’re a man, baby!”

“Heating this come from one of the ancestors was a huge weight off my shoulders,” Coaxum said. As “Forward” concludes, the recording segues from the ancestors to the future with heartbeats thumping during a sonogram. The pitch-perfect beats, originating from Coaxum’s wife’s stomach, belong to Selah, the couple’s daughter, for whom “Selah Song” is named.

You & I concludes with “20/20,” where Coaxum is joined by four trumpeters, five saxophonists, and two trombonists. Each horn player had received a chart and “WAV” file with Coaxum’s ensemble laying the bed with instructions to accompany. (All eleven parts were recorded by the players in quarantine and assembled by Stephen Shirk.) The song ends with a solo by Carlos Brown, Jr., whom Coaxum taught in high school eleven years ago.

“This song is not about the year. It’s about what this year has taught us about seeing ourselves in a more illuminated light, with 20/20 vision,” Coaxum said. “After this pandemic is over, we’re all going to have a better appreciation for life.”

To end the evening on a note of joy, Whitted drew from his own songbook the opening track from his self- produced CD For the People. The tune, entitled “Watusi Boogaloo”, had most in the audience swaying to its danceable beat, and I would go so far as to say if mandated restrictions were not in place, there were some who would be up dancing by the bar in the back. Even though masks were in place, they could not contain the excited response of the crowd when the band was introduced again at the end of the evening. It should be noted that in attendance were some other Chicago players, saxophonists Ari Brown and Rajiv Halim, lending their enthusiastic applause. It felt good to see the Showcase, at least for this evening and a few others since they’ve been opened, boldly carrying on the Segal families’ vision of it being a home for Jazz in the city. n

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING: STOCK DONATIONS

When thinking about your gift to the Jazz Institute of Chicago this year, please consider this strategy and if it is right for you:

Donating highly appreciated shares of stock. If you have owned the shares for more than a year and have an unrealized gain you can donate the stock in-kind and avoid long-term capital gains taxes on the share. You still get to deduct the full market value of the stock as a charitable deductio (based on the average of the high and low on the day that you transfer your shares), but because you technically did not sell it, you aren’t responsible for paying capital gains taxes on the gain.

For more information or to discuss a giving plan that best suits your needs, please contact Executive Director Heather I. Robinson at (773) 808-8096.

JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 6

Check Out These New Holiday Member Perks! Click on the logos or titles to visit the record labels' websites and to view their full catalogs.

BLUJAZZ FREE CD! Choose ONE from: George Freeman “90 Going On Amazing”/ Dee Alexander “Songs My Mother Loves”/ Diane Delin “Talking Stick” To redeem your gift, please CLICK HERE and complete the required form.

SOUTHPORT RECORDS FREE CD! Choose ONE from: George Freeman "George The Bomb!"/ Joanie Pallatto & Sparrow "Float Out to Sea"/ "ROOTED: ORIGINS OF NOW" - The Miyumi Project Big Band (Composed and Conducted by bassist Tatsu Aoki) The "Rooted" CD is the first recording of the Jazz Institute of Chicago's "Chicago Composers Project" from 2001. To redeem your gift, please send an email to [email protected] with your CD choice, name, mailing address, and mention your JIC membership.

THE SIRENS RECORDS The Sirens happily offers a $2.50 discount on each album purchased to members of the Jazz institute of Chicago who identify themselves with their member promo code JICMEMBER20.

INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM 10% off on any album between now and January 31st, 2021. Use code JICMEMBER20 at checkout to redeem your discount.

BOB’S BLUES & JAZZ MART 10% discount on total purchase (only for merchandise, not gift certificates) Use code JIC10 at checkout to redeem your discount.

ALLIGATOR RECORDS 15% off of our latest Chicago artists’ releases – Billy Branch, Shemekia Copeland, Toronzo Cannon, Nick Moss, Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials. Use code JAZZINST at checkout to redeem your discount.

DELMARK RECORDS 10% off total purchase. Use code JICMEMBER20 at checkout.

JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 7 JAZZ IN THE DARKNESS

BY DR. KARL E. H. SEIGFRIED

There are jazz albums we turn to when we need a little boost. Sometimes, all it takes is the right record to lift us up and direct our feet to the sunny side of the street.

When I'm a bit down, I listen to Slam Stewart – especially his 1944 sides with the Johnny Guarnieri Trio. The band swings so righteously, it's impossible to not smile.

But there are times when we don't want someone to pull us onto the dance floor, when we need someone to sit with us in the shadows and share the feelings of our troubled minds. Instead of albums that ask us to jump for joy, we seek out ones that let us know we’re not alone in the dark.

We’re entering the darkest time of a dark year, when the nights grow increasingly longer until the midwinter solstice on December 21. I’ve been staying up later than I should, spinning vinyl and reflecting on this strange era we’re all traveling through.

I’ve also been wondering what jazz albums Chicagoans turn and return to in dark times of the soul. On long nights in these troubled and troubling times, what music is a dear companion?

I asked five of the most interesting people in the Second City which album they turn to for solace, and they gave some truly insightful answers.

Will Howard, bassist and producer My favorite album for contemplation for the last thirty-plus years has been A Love Supreme by John Coltrane. I grew up in the church, and there was a part in many services, right before the minister would speak, where the musicians would play prelude music. This was not a formal thing, but it informally was used to create an atmosphere. When I was about thirteen, we had an alto saxophone player join the band at our somewhat progressive Baptist Church, and those moments right before the sermon became his weekly showcase. A few years later, the first time I heard A Love Supreme, I immediately had almost a psychological reaction to what I was listening to, because it reminded me so much of this atmosphere-changing music I heard as a child.

Nils Higdon, percussionist and educator I listen to Coltrane’s Live at Birdland. The John Coltrane House in Philadelphia (Library of Congress) combination of virtuosity, intensity, and raw emotion reminds me of the incredible power of the human spirit and the capability of people to overcome whatever stands before them. This particular recording plays the paint off of the walls in the most primal way but also displays the incredible discipline that one would need to achieve that level of capability.

Marqueal Jordan, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer In recent years, my moments of emotional intensity have been soothed by Miles Davis’ Amandla. Miles and Kenny Garrett sound amazing together on that record, and their playing over Marcus Miller’s songs and production strikes the perfect balance between joy and sorrow. It affirms life for me. By the time “Mr. Pastorius” is over, I feel infinitely better. continued on page 8 JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 8 continued from page 7 Cristal Sabbagh, dancer, educator, and founder of Freedom From and Freedom To Esperanza Spalding’s 2016 album, Emily's D+Evolution! We were lucky enough to see her perform live, and she pretty much played that full album. When I replay the record, I replay the energy of the concert. I adored how far she went outside of the box and created a new persona.

Tracie D. Hall, Executive Director of the American Library Association Eric Dolphy’s Far Cry has been my go-to album since the pandemic started. There is something so innovative yet introspective about the way Dolphy handles notes. You can hear all the practice he must have been putting in, but there is also something fearless and almost spiritual about how he approaches music, as if he isn’t afraid to let it humble him, as if that humility somehow makes him a better player. I have a stereo system in my kitchen, and that is where I like to listen to music. I’ve been listening to Dolphy, the same album for months, and it reminds me that the goal shouldn’t be just to get through this period, but to learn from it.

What jazz record brings you comfort? If you want to listen to the albums discussed here, I’ve assembled them into a playlist called “Jazz in Darkness.” It’s at youtube.com/c/fmradiometal under “Playlists.” n

*PLEASE NOTE: Not all venues have their schedules set by our deadlines VIRTUAL EVENTS CALENDAR or present jazz exclusively. Call ahead or check their websites.

JAZZ INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO EVENTS December 9 (5PM): Jazz Links Virtual Jam Sessions feat. Katie Ernst https://www.youtube.com/user/JazzInstituteChicago December 11 (10AM): UCAN performances feat. Micah Collier More information: https://jazzinchicago.org/ucan-performances-feat-micah-collier/ December 15 (6:30PM): JIC Members Party and Holiday Concert feat. Emily Kuhn See page 3 for more information CONSTELLATION 3111 North Western Ave/ All performances start ar 8:30PM)/ Livestream concerts by donation www.constellation-chicago.com December 5 (8:00PM): BERMAN/LAURENZI/ ABRAMS/CUNNINGHAM - Tickets and Livestream link and can be found at https://www.constellation-chicago.com/calendar/bermanlaurenziabramscunningham December 12 (8:00PM): Little Rootie Tootie - Digital Performance - Tickets and Livestream link and can be found at https://www.constellation-chicago.com/calendar/little-rootie-tootie December 18 & 19 (8:00PM): Mars Williams presents: An Ayler Xmas Vol. 4 https://www.constellation-chicago.com/calendar/mars-williams FULTON STREET COLLECTIVE/ JAZZ RECORD ART COLLECTIVE 1821 W. Hubbard/773-852-2481. fultonstreetcollective.com/ jazzrecordartcollective.com /All Shows Are Live-Streamed via Facebook and YouTube from FSC. There will be no on-site audience until further notice. All shows start at 8PM. All shows streaming at https://www.youtube.com/fultonstreetcollective December 1: JACOB SLOCUM QUINTET December 2: JAZZ RECORD ART COLLECTIVE TONCHEV/CRAWFORD DUO perform JIM HALL & RON CARTER'S 1972 release ALONE TOGETHER December 3: TIM SEISSER TRIO December 6: JAZZ RECORD ART COLLECTIVE celebrates DAVE BRUBECK'S 100th BIRTHDAY with the RICHARD JOHNSON QUARTET performing TIME OUT as well as other choice selections. December 7: MARKUS RUTZ ALBUM RELEASE of BLUEPRINTS FIGURE 2 December 8: DAVID POLK PROJECT December 9: JOEL BAER TRIO December 10: JAZZ RECORD ART COLLECTIVE JON DEITEMYER QUARTET perform JOE HENDERSON'S 1968 release FOUR! December 13: MATTHEW DAVIS QUINTET December 14: JACK SUNDSTROM QUARTET December 15: CONNOR BERNHARD QUINTET December 16: MARQUES CARROLL QUINTET December 17: THE HEAVY SOUNDS December 20: JAZZ RECORD ART COLLECTIVE GEOF BRADFIELD TRIO perform JIMMY GUIFRE'S 1959 release THE EASY WAY JAZZ IN CHICAGO DECEMBER 2020 9 EDUCATION CORNER JOSH ROSS INTRODUCES STAJ

Jazz Links Alum Josh Ross has created a new way for arts lovers to find local events. Staj, pronounced “stage”, is a new website that provides the simplest way to keep up with all of the local talented artists and events in Chicago. Staj also allows artists and organizers to reach new audiences and grow their existing fanbases. Whether it’s in person or virtual, there will always be a variety of concerts, shows, galleries, and classes on Staj just for you. Visit staj.co to create your profile & get started today!

Josh was born and raised in Chicago, and has 15+ years of experience as a professional musician. He was a member of The Chicago High School for the Arts inaugural graduating class and obtained his Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing from the UIC College of Business Administration. Ross discovered his love for tech when he began working with Discover Music Discover Life, Inc. as an IT Support Specialist, and The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic as a Production Assistant.

JAZZ LINKS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM KICKS OFF

This year’s Jazz Links Fellows kicked off their mentorships last month, meeting with their education mentor Philip Castleberry. Mr. Castleberry is a veteran of the Chicago Public Schools where, for twenty years, he directed the award winning Jazz Band at Lincoln Park High School. He is also an experienced acoustic and electric bassist, and was recently on tour performing with Ronnie Baker Brooks. The fellows will be meeting with Mr. Castleberry to explore the history of jazz music in Chicago and discuss approaches to teaching jazz to elementary and high school musicians.

continued on page 10

JAZZGRAM

A monthly newsletter published by the Jazz Institute of Chicago for its members. The Jazzgram represents the views of the authors, and unless so designated, does not reflect official policy of the Jazz Institute. We welcome news and articles with differing opinions.

Managing Editor: Adriana Prieto Design: Letterform | Production: Adriana Prieto Correspondents: Aaron Cohen, Corey Hall, Ayana Contreras, Howard Mandel, Rahsaan Clark Morris, Karl E. H. Seigfried Board of Directors: President: David Helverson Vice Presidents: Timuel Black, Warren Chapman, Roxana Espoz, William Norris, Keyonn Pope Secretary: Howard Mandel Treasurers: Brian Myerholtz (Interim), Darryl Wilson Emeritus Director: Joseph B. Glossberg Executive Director: Heather Ireland Robinson Board Members: David Bloomberg, Miguel de la Cerna, Dan Epstein, Matthew Goldfine, Rajiv Halim, Jarrard Harris, Bill King, Jason Koransky, Terry Martin, Ted Oppenheimer, Bethany Pickens, Mike Reed, Kent Richmond, Judith E. Stein, Conrad Terry, Neil Tesser Staff: Diane Chandler-Marshall, John Foster-Brooks, Mashaune Hardy, Meggy Huynh, Sheila Hobson, Michael Nearpass, Adriana Prieto, Raymond A. Thomas.

Founded in 1969, the Jazz Institute of Chicago, a not-for-profit corporation, promotes and nurtures jazz in Chicago by providing jazz education, developing and supporting musicians, building Chicago audiences and fostering a thriving jazz scene. 410 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 500, Chicago IL 60605 | 312-427-1676 • Fax: 312-427-1684 • JazzInChicago.org The Jazz Institute of Chicago is supported in part by The Alphawood Foundation | The Francis Beidler Foundation | The Chicago Community Trust | A CityArts grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events | Crown Family Philanthropies | The Philip Darling Foundation | The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation | The Illinois Arts Council Agency | Lloyd A. Fry Foundation | The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince | The National Endowment for the Arts | The Oppenheimer Family Foundation | The Polk Bros. Foundation | The Benjamin Rosenthal Foundation | Wells Fargo Foundation DECEMBER 2020 10 continued from page 9 JAZZ LINKS STUDENT COUNCIL

Registration is open for the 2020-21 Jazz Links Student Council. Created in 2005, the Jazz Links Student Council (JSLC) gives high school jazz musicians the opportunity to develop musically and professionally through exposure to live music, workshops with professional musicians, and performance opportunities throughout the city. In addition, JLSC members have participated in master classes at Columbia College, produced a CD, and are mentored in the business of music by veteran jazz artists. While the Jazz Institute of Chicago will not be hosting in person events during the current pandemic, the Student Council will continue to meet in a virtual format. Meetings generally take place monthly on Friday evenings during the academic year. Participation in Student Council also provides access for students to take part in the NextGenJazz Emerging Artists Project, which provides students with the guidance and resources to begin leading their own groups in a real-world professional setting.

Students wishing to join the Student Council are required to submit an application that can be accessed on our website (www.jazzinchicago.org)

2020 – 2021 JAZZ LINKS VIRTUAL JAM SESSIONS

Available on the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Facebook, YouTube & Instagram pages

In lieu of monthly jam sessions, this virtual educational series provides useful learning opportunities to improve performance skills on and off the bandstand. Taught by the Jazz Links house band members, this video series is ideal for beginners of all ages who want to develop their musical proficiency and apply it to their practice routine. Presented in partnership with the Jazz Showcase. Visit jazzinchicago.org for more information