Plans in Place for Fred Anderson’s 80th

  I  

Chicago saxophone legend Fred Anderson will turn 80 on March 22. In celebration of this special occasion, a series of concerts will take place at Anderson’s Chicago club, the Velvet Lounge, from March 18-22. In addition, a March 25 show honoring Anderson will take place at the Hideout.

Musicians participating on the various nights will include Anderson, the AACM Great Black Music Ensemble, Harrison Bankhead, Hamiet Bluiett, Mwata Bowden, Billy Brimfield, Ari Brown, Richard Davis, Ernest Dawkins, Hamid Drake, Kahil el’Zabar, Douglas Ewart, Henry Grimes, Edward “Kidd” Jordan, Nicole Mitchell, Dushun Mosley, Jeff Parker, Avreeayl Ra, Chad Taylor, Ed Wilkerson, Jr., Corey Wilkes, Francis Wong and many more.

Times and ticket prices vary. For details, go to velvetlounge.net.



  • Jack_DeJohnette_by_Steve_Sussman.jpg

    ​Jack DeJohnette boasted a musical resume that was as long as it was fearsome.

  • Don_and_Maureen_Sickler_by_Richard_Halterman_copy_2.jpg

    Don and Maureen Sickler serve as the keepers of engineer Rudy Van Gelder’s flame at Van Gelder Studio, perhaps the most famous recording studio in jazz history.

  • Trio_aRT_courtesy_Trio_aRT_copy_3.jpg

    Trio aRT with its avalanche of instrumentation: from left, Pheeroan akLaff, Scott Robinson and Julian Thayer.

  • KurtElling_6.2.25_by_ElliotMandel-REV-6.jpg

    “Think of all the creative people I’m going to meet and a whole other way of thinking about music and a challenge of singing completely different material than I would have sung otherwise to my highest level in dedication to the moment,” Elling says about his Broadway run.

  • Pat_Metheny_Side-Eye_III_Jimmy_Katz.jpg

    Pat Metheny will perform with his Side-Eye III ensemble at ​Big Ears 2026 in Knoxville, Tennessee, next March.


On Sale Now
November 2025
Gary Bartz
Look Inside
Subscribe
Print | Digital | iPad