Chicago Jazz Festival Schedule

The schedule for the Chicago Jazz Festival (September 1 through 5) has been released. Here are the dates, artists, and venues:

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2 Millennium Park - Jay Pritzker Pavilion
•12-12:50 pm - Umbrella Music: Bridging Improvised Music and Dance
•1:05-1:55 pm - Jodie Christian Quintet
•2:10-3 pm - MIYUMI Project Big Band: “Trans-Rooted” feat. JASC Tsukasa Taiko
•3:15-4 pm - Jim Wagner's All Stars featuring Willie Pickens, Ari Brown, Jimmy Ellis, Robert Shy, Frank Russell, Corey Wilkes and Maggie Brown
•7:30-10 pm - Made In Chicago: World Class Jazz Presents A Big Band Birthday Bash for Ahmad Jamal’s 80th with Jeff Lindberg's Chicago Jazz Orchestra

FRIDAY, SEPT. 3 Chicago Cultural Center
Randolph Café
•12-1 pm - Hector Silveira Septet
•1:30-2:30 pm - The Grilly Brothers Sextet
Claudia Cassidy Theater
•12:15-1:15 pm - James Dapogny: "Art of the Solo"
•1:45-2:45 pm - AACM Experimental Ensemble
Preston Bradley Hall
•12:30-1:30 pm - Tomeka Reid's Hear In Now Trio
•2-3 pm - Jim Cooper's Mallet Madness feat. Kathy Kelly & Carl Leukaufe

FRIDAY, SEPT. 3 Millennium Park - Jay Pritzker Pavilion
•4-4:50 pm - Lincoln Park High School Jazz Ensemble and Noteworthy
•5-5:50 pm - James Dapogny
•6-6:55 pm - Mike LeDonne Trio with special guest Eric Alexander
•7:10- 8:10 pm - Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Orchestra
•8:30-9:30 pm - Ramsey Lewis 75th Birthday Celebration

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4 Grant Park
Jazz on Jackson Stage
•12-12:55 pm - Douglas Ewart Nyahbingi Drum Choir
•1:10-2:05 pm - Paul Giallorenzo's GitGo
•2:20-3:15 pm - Maggie Brown: "A Tribute to Abbey Lincoln"
•3:30-4:30 pm - Dana Hall Quintet with special guest Nicholas Payton
•6-7:30 pm - Corey Wilkes
•8-9 pm - Steve Cole
The Chicago Community Trust Young Jazz Lions Stage
•12-12:30 pm - Chi-Arts Jazz Combo
•12:45-1:15 pm - Jazz Ambassadors Combo
•1:30-2:10 pm - Kenwood Academy Jazz Ensemble
•2:25-3:05 pm - Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Jazz Ensemble
•3:20-3:50 pm - Lincoln Park High School Jazz Ensemble
•4:05-4:50 pm - Roosevelt University Jazz Ensemble
Jazz and Heritage Stage 
•12:30-1:30 pm - West End Jazz Band
•2-3 pm - Cameron Pfiffner's Marco Polo
•3:30-4:30 pm - Nicole Mitchell's Sonic Projections
Petrillo Music Shell
•5-5:50 pm - Chuchito Valdez Afro-Cuban Ensemble
•6-6:55 pm - Rene Marie "High Maintenance" Quartet
•7:10-8:10 pm - Charisma: "A Lee Morgan Tribute"
•8:30-9:30 pm - The Either/Orchestra with special guests Getachew Mekurya and Teshome Mitiku

SUNDAY, SEPT. 5 Grant Park
Jazz on Jackson Stage
•12-12:55 pm - Paulinho Garcia Quintet
•1:10-2:05 pm - Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble
•2:20-3:15 pm - Brad Goode Quartet
•3:30-4:30 pm - Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band
•6-7:30 pm - Harlan Jefferson
•8-9 pm - TBA
The Chicago Community Trust Young Jazz Lions Stage
•12-12:30 pm - Northside College Prep Jazz Combo
•12:45-1:15 pm - Whitney Young Magnet High School Jazz Combo
•1:30-2:10 pm - Lakeview High School Jazz Ensemble
•2:25-3:05 pm - John Hersey High School Jazz Ensemble
•3:30-4:05 pm - University of Chicago Jazz X-Tet
Jazz and Heritage Stage
•12:30-1:30 pm - Bethany Pickens Trio
•2-3 pm - NOMO
•3:30-4:30 pm - Saalik Ziyad's 5 After 7 Project
Petrillo Music Shell
•5-6 pm - Brad Mehldau Trio
•6:15-7:05 pm - Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls
•7:20-8:15 pm - Henry Threadgill's Zooid
•8:30-9:30 pm - Kurt Elling Quintet with special guest Ernie Watts

Jason Moran and the Bandwagon

I just received word from my favorite jazz venue that Jason Moran and the Bandwagon are performing tonight. Check out the Copenhagen JazzHouse for one of my favorite modern jazz artists.

Okay, if you aren't planning to be in Denmark tonight, then I suggest checking out NPR's Music App or website for great -- FREE -- listens of Moran's latest album "Ten."

Jason Moran and the Bandwagon -- "Ten"

I have just started to listen to Jason Moran's new album "Ten."  I am impressed so far.  While in the modern genre, Moran's music is multi-faceted and has more depth than say, The Bad Plus.  The music is varied, rich, and unexpected.

In addition to enjoying such fine music I have been doubly blessed in using NPR's new music app to download and listen to "Ten" for free.  If you are an iPhone user, check out NPR's new Music app.

Jazz Ramblings -- Without Much Jazz

Some of you have noticed/complained that Jazz Ramblings has been a little light on - jazz.  Your message has been heard.  However, the discussion of hockey is not without precedent.  See here.

Next week, we will be back with jazz news, highlights, events, and artists.  Thanks for the follow!

Blackhawks Win the Stanley Cup!

The only news for today is the historic win by the Chicago Blackhawks over the Philadelphia Flyers to claim the Stanley Cup for the first time in almost 50 years.

Congrats to the Hawks.  The victory parade is scheduled for Friday morning at 10:30 am on Washington and Michigan Avenues in downtown Chicago.