Jun 17, 2025 11:12 AM
Kandace Springs Sings Billie Holiday
When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, home of the Chicago Jazz Festival.
(Photo: chicago.gov)The City of Chicago has announced that its annual jazz and blues festivals will not be held for 2021, according to a press release from Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office.
Under the heading of “Open Culture” as part of the mayor’s Open Chicago plan, the city will highlight Chicago’s rich jazz and blues scenes in a different way this year.
Vestiges of the pandemic will certainly leave music fans wanting a lot more as two longtime traditions — the Chicago Jazz Festival, which was the first city festival when it began in 1974, and the Chicago Blues Festival, started in 1984 — are put on hiatus this summer.
Instead of three days of festival concerts, each musical genre will receive three hours of programming, with an evening of jazz getting a 5:30–8:30 p.m. slot on Sept. 4 at Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Blues will get the spotlight 5:30–8:30 p.m. on Sept. 18.
“Despite the unimaginable challenges that were thrown our way last year, we were still able to persist and come together to slow and stop the spread of this virus and put our city on the right path toward a safe reopening,” Lightfoot said. “Open Chicago — including Open Parks, Open Streets and now, Open Culture — is not only the direct result of these efforts, but it also serves as the latest step in our mission to fully restore a sense of normalcy within our city by bringing back and reimagining some of our favorite summer- and fall-time activities.”
Even so, there will be actual jazz festivals taking place this summer in the Second City. The Jazz Institute of Chicago will present the Chicago Latin Jazz Festival on July 23–24. And The Hyde Park Jazz Festival is scheduled for Sept. 25–26.
Here’s hoping both will return in full force in 2022. DB
“There’s nothing quite like it,” Springs says of working with an orchestra. “It’s 60 people working in harmony in the moment. Singing with them is kind of empowering but also humbling at the same time.”
Jun 17, 2025 11:12 AM
When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…
James Brandon Lewis earned honors for Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. Three of his recordings placed in the Albums of the Year category.
Jul 17, 2025 12:44 PM
You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat…
Galper was often regarded as an underrated master of his craft.
Jul 22, 2025 10:58 AM
Hal Galper, a pianist, composer and arranger who enjoyed a substantial performing career but made perhaps a deeper…
Chuck Mangione on the cover of the May 8, 1975, edition of DownBeat.
Jul 29, 2025 1:00 PM
Chuck Mangione, one of the most popular trumpeters in jazz history, passed away on July 24 at home in Rochester, New…
“Hamiet was one of the most underrated musicians ever,” says Whitaker of baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett.
Jul 8, 2025 7:30 AM
At 56, Rodney Whitaker, professor of jazz bass and director of jazz studies at Michigan State University, is equally…
