Latest news with #ChicagoJazzFestival
Time Out
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Chicago Jazz Fest announces headliners for summer 2025
Summer is festival season in Chicago and there's one event happening that should not be missed—the Chicago Jazz Festival is not only a great way to hear international powerhouses and local musical artists alike, but it's also a fun outdoor experience that you can enjoy free of charge. This annual four-day event, which takes place during Labor Day weekend on August 28 to 31, is run by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) with programming help from the Jazz Institute of Chicago. (DCASE works hard to expand access to the arts throughout all of the Windy City's neighborhoods, supporting artists and local communities along the way.) Free and open to the public, as always, make your way to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, the Chicago Cultural Center and other venues around the city to celebrate all-things jazz. And the performers' docket is packed —headliners include the bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, piano legend Monty Alexander, trumpeter-vocalist Kermit Ruffins, Afro-Cuban guitarist Eliades Ochoa of Buena Vista Social Club, and saxophonist Gary Bartz with his ensemble NTU Troop. Elsewhere, you can hear an impressive roster of Chicago's finest jazz treasures and talents, including Patricia Barber, Ari Brown, Ernest Dawkins, Sarah Marie Young, Ava Logan, G. Thomas Allen, the Natalie Scharf Quintet featuring Paul Asaro, and Silvia Manrique & Marcel Bonfim. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chicago DCASE (@chicagodcase) 'Chicago's jazz legacy runs deep – from Bronzeville basements to global stages,' said Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement. 'This festival represents our city's enduring creativity, cultural excellence, and commitment to bringing people together through the universal language of music.' For a full lineup of the festival, including timing and locations, click here. Jazz-focused festivals have been hosted throughout the course of Chicago history. When Duke Ellington—the legendary pianist, composer and band leader—died in 1974, a festival was organized in Chicago to honor his legacy. Another festival sprouted up in 1978 to celebrate the life and work of John Coltrane. Soon after, the Chicago Jazz Festival was born in '79, drawing thousands of festivalgoers to Grant Park each year. In 2017 the festival moved to Millennium Park to accommodate the size and scope of the popular jubilee.
Chicago Tribune
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Jazz Fest headliners announced for summer 2025
The headlining music artists have been announced for this summer's Chicago Jazz Festival, taking place Aug. 28-31 in Millennium Park, along with Thursday opening-day events at the Chicago Cultural Center. Headliners include the Grammy-winning vocalist Esperanza Spalding, pianist Monty Alexander, and trumpeter and vocalist Kermit Ruffins. Cuban guitarist and singer Eliades Ochoa will close the fest on Sunday night. The annual fest over Labor Day weekend is programmed by the nonprofit Jazz Institute of Chicago and presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. A full lineup of concerts will be announced at a later date, including for the Von Freeman Pavilion stage, the WDCB Jazz Lounge, and the spotlight on young jazz artists at the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace, all in Millennium Park. All concerts are free; more information and artist updates at Aug. 28 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion Originally Published: May 7, 2025 at 9:53 AM CDT
Scoop
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Jazz Takes Centre Stage In Chicago For 2026
1 May 2025 The announcement came from UN culture agency (UNESCO) on Wednesday, as this year's day was being celebrated in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi. The focus there was on 'Arabic Jazz', a tapestry of musical traditions, which included the use of classical instruments from the region such as the oud, qanun and ney. Following the jazz synthesis which ended on a high note in the UAE, the spotlight now turns to Chicago – where many would argue the golden era of jazz began as pioneers from New Orleans headed north during the 1920s. The midwestern city will host the renowned All-Star Global Concert, directed by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, featuring some of the world's most celebrated jazz artists. ' What better way for UNESCO to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States than by sharing its rich musical heritage with the world? ' said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO's Director-General. Rich jazz pedigree Chicago has played a pivotal role in the evolution of the genre for over a century. In the 1920s, musicians journeyed up the Mississippi and found in Chicago a vibrant creative hub. Legends like Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, and Jelly Roll Morton helped define the 'Chicago style' of jazz – marked by bold solos, improvisation, big band arrangements, and the rising prominence of the saxophone. Today, the city remains a stronghold of jazz culture, home to renowned events such as the Chicago Jazz Festival and iconic venues including the Green Mill and the Jazz Showcase, which has been a cornerstone of the scene for 75 years. UNESCO's Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, a native of Chicago, reflected on what jazz has meant to him. ' It was in my high school auditorium in Chicago that I discovered jazz – an experience that ignited a lifelong passion,' he said. 'Jazz opened doors to creativity, self-expression, and freedom.' Events throughout the year In addition to the Global Concert, Chicago will host a range of events throughout 2026 to celebrate International Jazz Day, including concerts, educational programmes, discussions, and community activities. These will be organized in collaboration with the Chicago Jazz Alliance, the Ravinia Festival, the City of Chicago, the Illinois Arts Council, the State of Illinois, and other partners. Launched by UNESCO in 2011, International Jazz Day is observed annually on April 30 in over 190 countries. It celebrates the power of jazz as a force for peace, intercultural dialogue, and human dignity.
Chicago Tribune
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Pamela Maass: Chicago's beloved street festivals are struggling to survive
In 2023, Chicago lost one of its most beloved street festivals. The Silver Room Block Party, staged by Hyde Park community leader Eric Williams, announced it would not return in 2024. What began as a small neighborhood gathering blossomed into a massive cultural event, welcoming tens of thousands of people each year over nearly two decades before abruptly shutting down. Williams pointed to rising production costs and declining attendee donations as primary reasons the Silver Room Block Party could not continue, highlighting a reality that all street festival organizers face right now. The cost of producing a street festival in Chicago has skyrocketed. Security, entertainment, portable restrooms, insurance and even basics such as fencing and staffing have all become significantly more expensive. At the same time, donations at festival gates have dropped dramatically. Chicago's summer festivals are about more than just entertainment; they are economic engines that directly benefit the neighborhoods they're in and the city of Chicago as whole. Street festivals drive foot traffic to local businesses and foster the kind of cultural vibrancy that makes our city special. That is why the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce has formed a coalition with 20 nonprofit street festival organizers (and counting) in a critical effort to preserve our neighborhood street festivals and their futures. We often hear people ask why we solicit donations at our entry points, especially when the city's largest festivals, such as the Chicago Jazz Festival and Chicago Blues Festival, do not request donations. The fact is, unlike those large, city-produced music festivals, your neighborhood street festivals receive no city funding and rely on a combination of sponsorships, vendor fees and gate donations to cover their costs. Wicker Park Fest, now in its 21st year, has long been one of Chicago's most anticipated summer festivals, drawing upward of 70,000 attendees for a full weekend of live indie music, local art, small business vendors and, most importantly, community connection. In 2024, Wicker Park Fest saw record-breaking attendance. Despite the turnout, gate donations reached their lowest point in our history. This year, we've been forced to scale back the footprint of the fest. We are eliminating a stage, booking fewer performers and making additional cuts to reduce our costs, all while striving to keep the festival as vibrant as ever, as supportive of local artists and businesses, and as true to Wicker Park's unique spirit and reputation as festgoers have come to expect. That said, this is not a sustainable trend. If gate donations continue to decline, street festivals will continue to shrink or simply disappear. The economic and societal impact of this will extend far beyond the events themselves. Without these public events driving foot traffic and local spending in the area, small businesses, many of which rely on a single weekend of festival crowds for a significant portion of their annual revenue, will be severely affected. In turn, the unique cultural identity of each neighborhood will be at risk. Wicker Park Fest and our fellow nonprofit-run festivals are immensely grateful to attendees who have donated at the gates in past years. Your contributions have allowed Wicker Park Fest to come back each year and stand as a pillar in Chicago for more than two decades. However, as costs continue to rise, ensuring the future of these festivals depends on the generosity of attendees. This summer, as you enjoy your favorite neighborhood street festival, I hope you'll remember that they exist because of community support. A thriving summer festival season doesn't happen by accident; it happens when we all chip in.
