It's the liveliest jazz weekend of the year: a marathon of performances under the banner of the 33d annual Chicago Jazz Festival, which continues Friday at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, near Randolph Drive and Michigan Avenue; and Saturday and Sunday on several stages in Grant Park, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard. Following is a guide to the most promising shows, all of which are free. For details, visit jazzinchicago.org or phone 312-744-3315.
FRIDAY
Bobby Broom and the Deep Blue Organ Trio with Bobby Watson. Chicago guitarist Broom leads a remarkable double life: As sideman, he tours the world with tenor-saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins; as frontman, he leads the Deep Blue Organ Trio, a soulful ensemble that holds down the Tuesday-night slot at the Green Mill. The band certainly will play music from "Wonderful" (Origin Records), its jazz celebration of songs by Stevie Wonder. But this time Deep Blue will share the stage with alto saxophonist Watson, who works the nexus of blues and bebop. 6:30 p.m. at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, near Randolph Drive and Michigan Avenue.
"Saxophone Summit" featuring Joe Lovano, David Liebman and Ravi Coltrane. The noun "summit" tends to be overused in jazz (and elsewhere), but it certainly applies here, with three heavyweight tenor saxophonists convening for the finale of the festival's second night. Lovano and Liebman long have commanded formidable reputations, Lovano for an enduring and productive association with Blue Note Records, Liebman (a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master) for his harmonically far-reaching explorations. Coltrane, the son of jazz icon John Coltrane, has been coming into his own in recent years, his forthcoming debut on Blue Note widely anticipated by serious listeners. 8 p.m. at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, near Randolph Drive and Michigan Avenue.
SATURDAY
Jeremy Kahn and the Pepper Adams Project. Veteran Chicago pianist Kahn doesn't get as much attention as he deserves, perhaps because he often works outside jazz, in theatrical settings and the like. But the quiet authority of his jazz pianism is difficult to resist, and it could find an intriguing outlet in this project. Essentially, Kahn and colleagues have transformed ballads by the great baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, commissioning lyrics that will be sung by Alexis Cole, with Geof Bradfield and Pat LaBarbera playing tenor. 2:20 p.m. at the Jazz on Jackson Stage, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
DePaul University Jazz Ensemble with Phil Woods. Any opportunity to hear alto saxophonist Woods ought to be seized, but the chance to catch him with the roaring DePaul band must not be passed up. A bebop master whose leonine technique is matched only by his fertile imagination, Woods over the years has developed a vibrant musical relationship with the DePaul ensemble, which has performed with him prolifically at the Jazz Showcase under the direction of DePaul professor Bob Lark. 4:05 p.m. at the Young Jazz Lions Stage, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble. Festival planners chose well in anointing Chicago trumpeter Davis as this year's artist in residence, and he'll be ubiquitous throughout the event. Yet this performance should be the keystone, with Davis re-examining the Miles Davis-Gil Evans "Sketches of Spain" and premiering an orchestral work commissioned for the occasion. Of additional note: former Chicagoans Zach Brock, one of the most promising young violinists in jazz, and pianist Brandon McCune return home for this event. 7:10 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
Cassandra Wilson. The state of jazz singing has sunk so low during the past 20 years that one despairs for the art itself. Wilson's work, however, gives hope to anyone who values distinctive singing that aspires toward art, not commerce. Moreover, her honeyed alto remains one of the wonders of jazz, while the band she leads has no match among ensembles backing major vocalists. Here's hoping the festival gives her enough time to stretch out. 8:30 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
SUNDAY
Reginald Robinson Sextet. Anyone who follows jazz in Chicago knows that Robinson stands as a singular talent, his lush, solo ragtime compositions inspired by Scott Joplin but pushing harmonically and structurally far beyond them. For this performance, however, Robinson will test himself in a significant way, fronting a sextet. The noisy, outdoor setting may work against this experiment, for the delicacy of Robinson's music requires a superior listening environment. 12:30 p.m. at the Jazz and Heritage Stage, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
Mike Reed's Myth/Science Assembly. A unique presence in Chicago jazz, Reed has thrived as drummer, composer, bandleader, impresario and conceptualizer. All those roles could come together with his new Myth/Science Assembly, a project that digs into the sonic archives of Sun Ra. According to program material, Reed and his collaborators have used several hundred hours of Ra rehearsal tapes and recordings as inspiration for this performance, which some of the snippets incorporated into their improvisations. Reed has convened a remarkable lineup for the occasion, including Chicagoans Jason Adasiewicz, Tomeka Reid, Josh Abrams and Nick Butcher; plus New Yorkers Greg Ward (formerly of Chicago), Taylor Ho Bynum, Tomas Fujiwara, Mary Halvorson and Ignrid Laubrock. 5 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
David Sanchez with Stefon Harris. Though widely admired for the subtle ways he applies jazz techniques to the musical forms of his native Puerto Rico, tenor saxophonist Sanchez transcends this achievement. Regardless of which musical language he's speaking, in other words, he ranks as a brilliant improviser whose deep-and-throaty tenor sounds like no one else's. He'll be joined by Harris, who is doing more than his share to champion the vibes in the 21st century. 7:10 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
Roy Hargrove. The noted trumpeter has ventured into all kinds of musical terrain during the past couple of decades, from hard bop and funk to big-band and Afro-Cuban. This time he'll lead his bop-oriented quintet, which always draws turnaway crowds when it's in residence at the Jazz Showcase. 8:30 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Randolph Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
BEST OF THE AFTER-FEST
The music continues once the parks close. Most promising:
Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct.; 312-360-0234 or jazzshowcase.com. Alto saxophonist Bobby Watson will preside over jam sessions that start after the events in Millennium Park and Grant Park end, at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Expect many of the festival headliners to migrate to the club; $20.
Logan Square Arts Center, 2810 N. Milwaukee Ave., second floor; 773-772-3616 or elasticarts.org. Presented in conjunction with Elastic Arts, these sessions will featuring Mwata Bowden, Douglas Ewart, Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Avreeayl Ra, Tatsu Aoki, Francis Wong, Khari B. and Kidd Jordan at 10:30 p.m. Friday; Bowden and Aoki with Ewart and Hanah Jon Taylor, at 10:30 p.m. Saturday; $10-$15.
L26 Restaurant & Lounge, 11 W. 26th St.; 773-225-4545 or aacmchicago.org. AACM AfterFest 2011: Ernest Dawkins' Black Star Project at 10:30 p.m. Friday; $15.
Southside Community Art Center, 3831 S. Michigan Ave.; southsidecommunityartcenter or aacmchicago.org. AACM AfterFest 2011: Oliver Lake Trio with Ernest Dawkins, Avreeayl Ra and Harrison Bankhead; AACM Great Black Music Ensemble; 10:30 p.m. Saturday; $15.
To read more from Howard Reich on jazz, go to chicagotribune.com/reich
hreich@tribune.com
Twitter @howardreich
FRIDAY
Bobby Broom and the Deep Blue Organ Trio with Bobby Watson. Chicago guitarist Broom leads a remarkable double life: As sideman, he tours the world with tenor-saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins; as frontman, he leads the Deep Blue Organ Trio, a soulful ensemble that holds down the Tuesday-night slot at the Green Mill. The band certainly will play music from "Wonderful" (Origin Records), its jazz celebration of songs by Stevie Wonder. But this time Deep Blue will share the stage with alto saxophonist Watson, who works the nexus of blues and bebop. 6:30 p.m. at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, near Randolph Drive and Michigan Avenue.
"Saxophone Summit" featuring Joe Lovano, David Liebman and Ravi Coltrane. The noun "summit" tends to be overused in jazz (and elsewhere), but it certainly applies here, with three heavyweight tenor saxophonists convening for the finale of the festival's second night. Lovano and Liebman long have commanded formidable reputations, Lovano for an enduring and productive association with Blue Note Records, Liebman (a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master) for his harmonically far-reaching explorations. Coltrane, the son of jazz icon John Coltrane, has been coming into his own in recent years, his forthcoming debut on Blue Note widely anticipated by serious listeners. 8 p.m. at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, near Randolph Drive and Michigan Avenue.
SATURDAY
Jeremy Kahn and the Pepper Adams Project. Veteran Chicago pianist Kahn doesn't get as much attention as he deserves, perhaps because he often works outside jazz, in theatrical settings and the like. But the quiet authority of his jazz pianism is difficult to resist, and it could find an intriguing outlet in this project. Essentially, Kahn and colleagues have transformed ballads by the great baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, commissioning lyrics that will be sung by Alexis Cole, with Geof Bradfield and Pat LaBarbera playing tenor. 2:20 p.m. at the Jazz on Jackson Stage, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
DePaul University Jazz Ensemble with Phil Woods. Any opportunity to hear alto saxophonist Woods ought to be seized, but the chance to catch him with the roaring DePaul band must not be passed up. A bebop master whose leonine technique is matched only by his fertile imagination, Woods over the years has developed a vibrant musical relationship with the DePaul ensemble, which has performed with him prolifically at the Jazz Showcase under the direction of DePaul professor Bob Lark. 4:05 p.m. at the Young Jazz Lions Stage, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble. Festival planners chose well in anointing Chicago trumpeter Davis as this year's artist in residence, and he'll be ubiquitous throughout the event. Yet this performance should be the keystone, with Davis re-examining the Miles Davis-Gil Evans "Sketches of Spain" and premiering an orchestral work commissioned for the occasion. Of additional note: former Chicagoans Zach Brock, one of the most promising young violinists in jazz, and pianist Brandon McCune return home for this event. 7:10 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
Cassandra Wilson. The state of jazz singing has sunk so low during the past 20 years that one despairs for the art itself. Wilson's work, however, gives hope to anyone who values distinctive singing that aspires toward art, not commerce. Moreover, her honeyed alto remains one of the wonders of jazz, while the band she leads has no match among ensembles backing major vocalists. Here's hoping the festival gives her enough time to stretch out. 8:30 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
SUNDAY
Reginald Robinson Sextet. Anyone who follows jazz in Chicago knows that Robinson stands as a singular talent, his lush, solo ragtime compositions inspired by Scott Joplin but pushing harmonically and structurally far beyond them. For this performance, however, Robinson will test himself in a significant way, fronting a sextet. The noisy, outdoor setting may work against this experiment, for the delicacy of Robinson's music requires a superior listening environment. 12:30 p.m. at the Jazz and Heritage Stage, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
Mike Reed's Myth/Science Assembly. A unique presence in Chicago jazz, Reed has thrived as drummer, composer, bandleader, impresario and conceptualizer. All those roles could come together with his new Myth/Science Assembly, a project that digs into the sonic archives of Sun Ra. According to program material, Reed and his collaborators have used several hundred hours of Ra rehearsal tapes and recordings as inspiration for this performance, which some of the snippets incorporated into their improvisations. Reed has convened a remarkable lineup for the occasion, including Chicagoans Jason Adasiewicz, Tomeka Reid, Josh Abrams and Nick Butcher; plus New Yorkers Greg Ward (formerly of Chicago), Taylor Ho Bynum, Tomas Fujiwara, Mary Halvorson and Ignrid Laubrock. 5 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
David Sanchez with Stefon Harris. Though widely admired for the subtle ways he applies jazz techniques to the musical forms of his native Puerto Rico, tenor saxophonist Sanchez transcends this achievement. Regardless of which musical language he's speaking, in other words, he ranks as a brilliant improviser whose deep-and-throaty tenor sounds like no one else's. He'll be joined by Harris, who is doing more than his share to champion the vibes in the 21st century. 7:10 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard.
Roy Hargrove. The noted trumpeter has ventured into all kinds of musical terrain during the past couple of decades, from hard bop and funk to big-band and Afro-Cuban. This time he'll lead his bop-oriented quintet, which always draws turnaway crowds when it's in residence at the Jazz Showcase. 8:30 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell, near Randolph Drive and Jackson Boulevard..
BEST OF THE AFTER-FEST
The music continues once the parks close. Most promising:
Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct.; 312-360-0234 or jazzshowcase.com. Alto saxophonist Bobby Watson will preside over jam sessions that start after the events in Millennium Park and Grant Park end, at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Expect many of the festival headliners to migrate to the club; $20.
Logan Square Arts Center, 2810 N. Milwaukee Ave., second floor; 773-772-3616 or elasticarts.org. Presented in conjunction with Elastic Arts, these sessions will featuring Mwata Bowden, Douglas Ewart, Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Avreeayl Ra, Tatsu Aoki, Francis Wong, Khari B. and Kidd Jordan at 10:30 p.m. Friday; Bowden and Aoki with Ewart and Hanah Jon Taylor, at 10:30 p.m. Saturday; $10-$15.
L26 Restaurant & Lounge, 11 W. 26th St.; 773-225-4545 or aacmchicago.org. AACM AfterFest 2011: Ernest Dawkins' Black Star Project at 10:30 p.m. Friday; $15.
Southside Community Art Center, 3831 S. Michigan Ave.; southsidecommunityartcenter or aacmchicago.org. AACM AfterFest 2011: Oliver Lake Trio with Ernest Dawkins, Avreeayl Ra and Harrison Bankhead; AACM Great Black Music Ensemble; 10:30 p.m. Saturday; $15.
To read more from Howard Reich on jazz, go to chicagotribune.com/reich
hreich@tribune.com
Twitter @howardreich
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