Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
In Memoriam: Cassandra Wilson, 1955–2026
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Dates for Chicago’s fourth annual summer jazz series at Millennium Park have been released. The series is sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs and will be held at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in the downtown park each Thursday from
July 24 to Aug. 21, with the final show on Monday, Aug. 25. Admission for
the shows is free.
The series will feature:
July 24: 50 years of Bossa Nova, featuring Paulinho Garcia’s Orquestra Brazzilli
July 31: Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble, featuring Steve Turre, Brian Lynch, and others
Aug. 7: Amir El Saffar’s Two Rivers Large Ensemble, featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa, Jeb Bishop, Dave Rempis, and others
Aug. 14: Kelan Phil Cohran and The Legacy of Sun Ra
Aug. 21: Celebrating Nat King Cole, featuring Freddy Cole
Aug. 25: Mike Reed’s People Places and Things Octet, featuring Ira Sullivan, Julian Priester and others
More info: millenniumpark.org
Wilson’s ability to connect to audiences helped her to win two Grammy awards and multiple other accolades. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.
Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Bertoncini was a specialist and advocate for the nylon-string acoustic guitar, turning down high-profile opportunities that were unsuited to the sound and techniques that he used with that instrument.
Sep 1, 2026 11:06 AM
Gene Bertoncini, an esteemed jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and educator, died Aug. 29 at the Lillian Booth Actors…
A solo concert by saxophonist Joshua Redman will close the first night of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival on Sept. 26.
Sep 22, 2026 12:26 PM
The Hyde Park Jazz Festival will take place for the 20th time on the final weekend of September 2026. Beginning half…
“It was just that suddenly … I could hear it,” Ravi Coltrane said of an epiphany he experienced during his late teens regarding his father’s music. “And it was almost like a calling, like something saying, ‘Hey, man, come on. It’s time to get serious.’ And the first time you really tune in and dial in and focus like that, it can be very life-changing.”
Sep 22, 2026 1:39 PM
Editor’s Note: Tomorrow, Sept. 23, is the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth. In honor of the tenor and…
Camille Thurman took to the stage alongside bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Tommy Campbell for a rendition of Johnny Mercer’s “I’m An Old Cowhand” that recalled Rollins’ epochal 1957 trio outing Way Out West.
Oct 6, 2026 1:33 PM
As emcee Mark Ruffin noted at the commencement of an epic tribute to saxophonist Sonny Rollins at the Cathedral of…
