Review: Ivy’s Traces of You Tour Comes to Park West
After last year’s release of Traces of You, a brand-new record based around abandoned song fragments from their archives, the thought of Ivy playing live in 2026 seemed too fanciful […]
Interview: Chicago’s Stacy Garrop Does What She Was Destined to Do: Compose Excellent Music on Invictus, a New Release on Cedille Records
Some people are just born to do something surprising. They start out life in an everyday, normal way. Then, out of nowhere, a lightbulb or a spark goes off and […]
Preview: Neptune’s Core Makes It Easy to Love “Lemon Car”
Neptune’s Core’s journey has been quite the ride. The band consists of two sets of sisters, Hannah qnd Sofie Richter and Jackie an Kaitlin Cywinski, who have been playing together […]
Review: Nova Linea Musica Celebrates Jewish Composers and Movements of the Spirit with L’dor V’Dor
In a moving and joyous concert at the acoustically perfect Guarneri Hall, Nova Linea Musica presented its first vocal program, L’dor V’dor, which is Hebrew for “from generation to generation.” […]
Preview: Symphony Center Jazz 2026-27 Will Be a Memorable Tribute to Legacy and Excellence
Symphony Center Presents (SCP) has announced the 2026/27 constellation of Jazz excellence, which will include centennials for past Jazz luminaries. Their vision and skill have landed on the shoulders of […]
Review: Dry Cleaning Leaves Thalia Hall Enamored with Secret Love
When I first came across Dry Cleaning‘s debut album New Long Leg, I was completely enthralled. Their sound is indebted to post-punk aesthetics with Tom Dowse’s red hot guitar line […]
Interview: Ivy to Pay Tribute to Adam Schlesinger at Park West
In 1991, Andy Chase placed an ad in New York’s renowned Village Voice seeking musicians who shared his eclectic tastes. One response stood out from the rest: Adam Schlesinger, a […]
Review: Star of the Sea Is a Revelation of Music for the Virgin Mary from Colonial Guatemala
Bella Voce returned to St. Luke’s Episcopal in Evanston for Star of the Sea: Music for Mary from Colonial Guatemala on Sunday. This excellent program featured a Renaissance Mass by composer […]
Review: Multidisciplinary Future Arrives at Harris Theater With “Icons and Innovators”
The house lights at the Harris Theater rarely dimmed on an occasion as self-assured as “Icons and Innovators.” This program, held on May 2, was ostensibly a tribute to Joan […]
Review: International Jazz Day Global Concert Crowns Chicago as a Heritage Site for Jazz
I had been waiting for this day since Herbie Hancock announced it at his fifth Chicago Symphony performance. Hancock and Kurt Elling have been lobbying UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, […]
Preview: The Grossman Ensemble Will Perform in Washington DC, New York City, and Hyde Park
For the first time in its eight-year history, the Grossman Ensemble will be performing outside of the Chicago area. Its first out-of-town concert will be at the Library of Congress […]
Dialogs: Three Jazz Masters Celebrate Jazz Composition and Storytelling on Film for International Jazz Day
Chicago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for jazz music this week. Concerts, exhibits, and various symposia on the art of jazz across the city led up to International Jazz […]