PATRICIA BARBER
Songwriter, composer, singer, and pianist, was born in Chicago and her father Floyd was a jazz saxophonist who played with Bud Freeman and Glenn Miller. She played saxophone and piano from a young age, sang in musicals in high school, and studied piano at the University of Iowa in the early 1970s. From there Barber went to Chicago and began performing regularly in bars and clubs. She won a Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition in 2003, an unusual accomplishment for someone working in the field of popular songwriting.
The Band: Patricia Barber – piano, vocals | Emma Dayhuff – bass | Greg Artry – drums | Neal Alger – guitar
Cover: $27.75 ~ $37.75
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DENISE THIMES
Over the course of a multi-faceted career spanning just a little under 3 decades, Thimes is no stranger to the music world, growing up in a home surrounded by all types of music from her father & radio icon, the late Lou “Fatha” Thimes. She has performed with such jazz notables as Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in St. Louis, MO; the late Clark Terry at the Blue Note-NY; Dr. Billy Taylor, Earl May, Benny Powell, in Flushing Town Hall; and James Moody again at the Blue Note-NY. She has also graced the stage with the likes of Houston Person, Jimmy&Tootie Heath, Bobby McFerrin, and Bucky Pizzarelli.
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ORBERT DAVIS
Emmy-Award winning trumpeter, composer and educator Orbert Davis is co-founder, conductor and artistic director of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic (CJP), a 55+ piece symphonic jazz orchestra dedicated to bringing together audiences of diverse backgrounds through multi-genre projects. Over the past 30 years, Mr. Davis’ mission-driven career has evolved successfully from ‘making it in the music industry’ to being a true leader in Chicago’s arts and culture community. He is widely respected in not only all things jazz, but also for the distinctive ability to use his musical talents to make positive impacts on society through arts education and advocacy.
The evening is complimented with onstage interview by Emmy Award-winning critic/author Howard Reich.
The Band: Orbert Davis – trumpet | Leandro Lopez Varady – piano
Cover: $10 ~ $65
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JOE ALTERMAN
Atlanta native Joe Alterman expresses a certain upbeat naivete, with a broad smile and bright eyes that make you feel welcome. One would not guess that this is a man hailed by greats; Ramsey Lewis describes his piano playing as ‘a joy to behold’, Les McCann states ‘As a man and musician he is already a giant’. Journalist Nat Hentoff championed three of Alterman’s albums, as well as his writing (Joe wrote liner notes to three Wynton Marsalis/JALC albums, calling one of Joe’s columns “one of the very best pieces on the essence of jazz, the spirit of jazz, that I’ve ever read, and I’m not exaggerating.”
A fresh and joyful intent is captured on Joe Alterman’s new release The Upside Of Down. Taken from two live shows at Birdland in November 2019 and February 2020, the album reminds us of a not-too-distant time when we gathered and danced. Joined by Nathaniel Schroeder on bass and Marlon Patton on drums, Alterman cruises gently and delightedly through timeless selections from Les McCann, Oscar Peterson, Henry Mancini and more, with some of his compositions in the mix.
The Band: Joe Alterman – piano | Dennis Carroll – bass | George Fludas – drums
Cover: $27.75 ~ $37.75
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JOE ALTERMAN
Joe Alterman began at NYU with a BA and Masters in Jazz Piano, followed by performances with Houston Person, Les McCann, Dick Gregory, and Ramsey Lewis. Downbeat describes his sound as ‘ rooted in the blues, and with a touch reminiscent of the great pianists of the 1950s—Red Garland, Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans. It is clear Joe hits all of the necessary points for Jazz critics and fans alike.
But there is more to the story, of course. The twenty-first century has thus far seen yet another transition for this thing called Jazz. In one moment we see the push and pull between tradition and progression, and in another we see Pop and Hip-Hop musicians emulating and sampling. In Joe Alterman we find none of this struggle; the music just sounds good. Our conscious faculties are instantly disabled as we tap our feet, feeling the intent and joy of his playing. An old classic is new when you feel good in the moment.
The Band: Joe Alterman — piano | Aaron Jacobs — bass | Jim Leslie — drums
Cover: $20.00
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