Despite the long association the Symphony Center has had with the jazz community, Friday night’s bill seemed particularly unique. Perhaps because the style of jazz being presented stood so far from the type of music you’d expect on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra stage. New Orleans jazz, in its current and perennial form, seems to predate …
It’s hard to imagine a style of music so big and embracive that it can consume whole cultures and nations. Latin dance music is one such beast and the renowned Fania Records in NYC has been celebrating its explosive energy since the mid 60’s. The label ended up with its own tribute a couple …
Snoh Aalegra may be an anomaly but she’s a terrific one. A young Swedish woman who can sing neo-soul with conviction and so much plush is a formidable force. Whether the song carries an austere melody or vibrates with moody electro funk, her voice adapts to the terrain and draws you in like a lure. …
At the tail end of every summer for the past 39 years, a swarm of people descent on Grant Park for three days to listen to a captivating style of music; jazz. They are as diverse as the various forms of jazz itself. They are young and single, old and weathered. They push strollers and …
Orchestral jazz may sound like a wording error but it’s definitely a thing. A very classy thing in fact; brimming with muscle and finesse. Chicago found itself with a quite nice OJ ensemble when somebody invited Orbert Davis, one of the city’s most respected trumpet players, to think big. That was back in 2004 and …
Music lovers have a real treat waiting for them at Navy Pier. After passing under the LSD viaduct and veering a few yards south, you’ll find a little paradise reserved for the celebration of the performing arts. Dance and theater swing in the mix as well as music. The park, whose formal name is the …
Even combing through her profiles on line, it’s still very hard to get a bead on how Valerie June became the performer she is. Having released her third self-produced album, The Order of Time, to critical acclaim, it’s her style that’s as beguiling as the beauty and candor of her songs. It sounds bluegrass, but …
Valerie June’s The Order of Time – Perfect Combination of Style and Substance Read More »