Lots of people who adore jazz have only a passing appreciation of how other cultures contribute to the form. The impact of two small islands in the Caribbean Sea are especially noteworthy. For decades, American jazz musicians have both sought inspiration from these cultures and cultivated an eager audience for jazz originating from the United …
Even though it seems like restaurant week has been around since David slew Goliath, it’s only eleven years old. Organized in 2007 to entice people out of their homes and into dining establishments in the middle of winter, it’s proven a roaring success. The number of participating restaurants continues to grow and the public’s interest …
When the hunt is on for good jerk chicken in Chicago, don’t assume an easy outing. That may be because the city lacks the large number of people of Caribbean heritage who make Chicago home as they do in New York and Toronto. That dearth is reflected in our culinary landscape. Thankfully there’s a quiet …
“He’s a genius” kept passing peoples lips when the lights went up for intermission at Hamilton in the old Schubert Theater last night. Even the jaded and sophisticated had to nod to agreement. That one man could both write and compose such a feat of ingenuity strains comprehension. Despite being a well-seasoned two-year-old, the musical …
Throughout her thriving four decades long career of impressing the world with her singing talents, Carmen Lundy has also proven that her gifts extend far beyond her voice. A multi- instrumentalist who writes virtually all of the songs that she performs (she can boast scores to her credit), her inner muse has also allowed her …
How alien is rail travel to the average American? In an age of instant everything, how relevant is the passenger train? Headed to San Francisco from Chicago, with stops in Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, Vegas and Yosemite, I was about to find out. Union Station may be one of a handful of truly grand passenger …
The city of Chicago and the state of Wisconsin have a thing; and it’s mostly one way. Every summer the city looks lustfully north. Across the border are quaint and picturesque cottages lolling beside beautiful lakes surging with fish. There’s cheese. There’s excellent beer. And in the evening, there are supper clubs; those legendary havens …
Given the number of people who regularly show up at Tuesdays on the Terrace, the Museum of Contemporary Art’s weekly treat of free jazz during summer, you can’t call it an undiscovered treasure. By 6:30pm, it’s usually teeming. Deceptively large and divided into several tiered levels, the space meanders peacefully over an acre of developed …