Help us celebrate our 40th Birthday!!!
1/25/2008 - 7 PM - Midnight
1st Floor Garland Room: 8:00-9:00 PM
Howard Mandel: Miles, Cecil and Ornette
In Miles Ornette Cecil: Jazz Beyond Jazz, award-winning journalist Howard Mandel shares his personal discoveries of, and probing conversations with, three artists whose works continue to upset and confound but also engage and enrich audiences worldwide. His accounts of growing up during the music's breakout eras,his later professional encounters with its creators and his original critical analysis highlight 50 years of controversy surrounding shockingly unconventional yet clearly substantial music. Mandel guides resistant listeners and knowledgable devotees alike to reassess avant-garde jazz and, in the process, probes dynamics of stasis and change. This presentation will include a 60-minute reading, Q&A and multi-media exposition.
Claudia Cassidy Theater
7:00-8:30PM
Chuck Hedges Swingtet
Clarinetist Chuck Hedges has lead his famous Swingtet for
decades—appearing frequently at Andy’s and festivals all over the
world. A small group that draws its inspiration form big band era of
Goodman, Hampton and Krupa, the Swingtet is living proof that this
music is alive and well and in very capable hands.
9:00-10:30
Jazz Sings the Blues with Billy Branch and Dee Alexander
The roots of the tree of jazz are the blues, and harpist Billy Branch
has always had an ear tuned to both art forms. For this project he
invited bassist Yosef Ben Israel, guitarist Henry Johnson and drummer Leon Joyce to accompany the
embodiment of where the soulful part of jazz was born: Miss Dee
Alexander.
Randolph St. Café
7:00-8:30PM
All City Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Links Ensemble
Some of the most talented young players in the city happen to still be
in high school! Chicago's very own All City Jazz Ensemble will perform, as well as two Jazz Institute of Chicago Jazz Links combos. Come see why we think that the next
generation of jazz in good hands.
9:00-10:30
Edwin Sanchez Project
With mutual consent, Jazz married Latin rhythm when Dizzy Gillespie
stepped onto Cuban soil in the 50s. Over the years the result has been
the creation of a new dialect in the universal language of jazz.
Assembling some of Chicago’s best Latin players pianist Edwin Sanchez
leads a smoking septet. Featuring Oscar Lopez, bass; Danny Feliciano,
congas; Brian Rivera, timbales; Victor Garcia, trumpet; Greg Ward,
tenor sax; Raphael Crawford, trombone and special guest, vocalist Jose
Papo Santiago.
Preston Bradley Hall
7:00-8:30
New Directions with Nicole Mitchell and Jim Baker
Chicago has always been at the forefront of creating new directions in
jazz. From Louis Armstrong to the AACM the continuous evolution of the
music has been fueled by people who pushed forward into uncharted
territory. Co-Leaders flutist Nicole Mitchell and pianist Jim Baker
lead a group of fellow explorers of the new music: Saxophonist Greg
Ward, trumpeter Jaimie Branch, bassist Josh Abrams and drummer Mike
Reed.
9:30 - 11:45
Von Freeman Quintet
The President of Jazz in Chicago, Von Freeman has been said to have all
of Chicago in his sound, and at age 85 he hasn’t lost a beat. The
master will be playing with his young disciples: Ron Perrillo on
piano, Mike Allemana on guitar, Mike Raynor on drums and Matt Ferguson on
bass.
Stars from throughout the evening join Vonski's rhythm section for a blow out jam session for the second set.
1/26/2008 - 11 AM - 5 PM
Cinema Jazz!
11:30-12:30 The World According to John Coltrane – Robert Palmer and Toby Byron, 1990 - A retrospective interview about John Coltrane, featuring rare footage of Coltrane as well as interviews with Roscoe Mitchell, Rashied Ali, Tommy Flanagan, Wayne Shorter, Alice Coltrane, and others. Weaving in and out of interview and archival footage, the documentary includes an excerpt of Coltrane's last quartet (featuring wife Alice Coltrane on piano and Rashied Ali on drums) performing in concert in color.
12:40-1:25 Nicole Mitchell’s Harambee Project-Live from Poland 2006 – TV Kultura, Poznan, Poland - Created for the first Made in Chicago in Poland Festival the Harambee Suite addresses issues surrounding the coming together of different cultures and races. Featuring Nicole Mitchell, David Boykin, Mwata Bowden, Ari Brown, Corey Wilkes, Dee Alexander, Justin Dillard, Tatsu Aoki, Harrison Bankhead, Avreeayl Ra, Hide Yoshihashi and Amy Homma.
1:35-3:15 Tootie’s Last Suit – Lisa Katzman, 2008 - The feature-length documentary, Tootie's Last Suit explores the complex relationships, rituals, history, and music of New Orleans' vibrant Mardi Gras Indian culture while telling the story of Allison "Tootie" Montana, former Chief of Yellow Pocahontas Hunters. Celebrated throughout the New Orleans as "the prettiest," for the beauty and inventiveness of his elaborately beaded Mardi Gras costumes, Tootie Montana masked for 52 years, longer than any other Mardi Gras Indian. Yet Tootie Montana's contributions to Mardi Gras Indian culture far exceed his artistic innovations and dedication. Through the example of his own achievement, he came to be revered for turning Mardi Gras Indians away from gang-style violence toward artistic accomplishment and competition.
3:25-3:50 Sippie – Roberta Grossman, 1986 - Sippie explores the life and music, wit and wisdom of classic blues singer/songwriter Sippie Wallace. A contemporary of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey, Sippie made her first recording on the Okeh label in 1923. Jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Johnny Dodds and King Oliver played back-up to the blues shouter style she made famous. Featuring concert footage, conversations with the singer, and rare recordings and photographs, Sippie documents a rarely acknowledged master.
4:00-5:00 Rare Jazz Films Clips from Delmark Record’s Bob Koester. Most well known for his founding of 55 year old Delmark Records and the Jazz Record Mart, Koester is also a founding member of the Jazz Institute of Chicago and an avid film collector. His annual screening of rare films from his vault are a Jazz Fair tradition.
