cannonball-addict Posted January 18, 2005 Report Posted January 18, 2005 What are the good hangs in Chicago? Any jam sessions I should know about. I've always wanted to go to that classic session that Von Freeman hosts every week. I know about the Showcase and the Green Mill...Is Andy's any good? Does anyone here have insider information about who will be playing around town from March 5-12. I'm planning on being in town those days visiting a good friend at the University of Chicago. By the way, where can one catch pianist Jon Weber. I reviewed his excellent CD for AAJ and have been wanting to check him out live. I assume someone like him has a regular gig in a city like that. peace and thanx in advance, cb-a Quote
ejp626 Posted January 18, 2005 Report Posted January 18, 2005 The Showcase schedule for the next few months is posted over in Live Shows. The Empty Bottle is where most of the free jazz is. Vandermark seems to be playing there every other day some weeks (good or bad, depending on your tastes). Hothouse is a relatively new club in the South Loop. I like going there when I get a chance. The Velvet Lounge is on the South Side. It is a bar owned by Fred Anderson, who often joins the jams. This may be the one Freeman is at weekly, or it might be another one. Of course, the Jazz Record Mart often has a free in-store performance on the weekend. I've never made it to Andy's, so I can't speak to that. In a couple of weeks, I'll see what I can add. Quote
Free For All Posted January 18, 2005 Report Posted January 18, 2005 If Vonski's session is where it used to be, it's at the Apartment Lounge which is farther south. Andy's traditionally features more mainstream jazz, although I hear there's been some turnover there as of late, so I'm not sure what the deal is there. I haven't lived in Chicago for quite some time, but that's the way I remember it. Quote
Larry Kart Posted January 18, 2005 Report Posted January 18, 2005 For a thorough calendar of Chicago's currently very yeasty avant-garde scene, go here: http://www.savagesound.com/ If you want an annotated guide for the week you'll be here, remind me when we get close to it, and I'll tell you what I can. If you'll be staying in Hyde Park, there's a nice session on Sunday nights at Jimmy's Woodlawn Tap at the corner of 55th St. and Woodlawn, with an old friend of mine, Doug Mitchell, on drums. Doug's alarmingly good; in our informal high school jazz band back in the late '50s he took the place of Steve Bagby (later with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan) and was felt by most to be at least as talented as Bagby, if not more so. Doug's been an editor at the U. of Chicago Press for many years, but his chops and imagination are in great shape. To place him stylistically, his idol is Roy Haynes. Quote
sal Posted January 18, 2005 Report Posted January 18, 2005 Yeah, Von Freeman's session is on Tuesday nights at the New Apartment Lounge. There's alot of jam sessions, but the majority of them take place during the week. On weekends, the stages are reserved for the gigs. Sunday nights, though, there are quite a few jam sessions as well. Quote
cannonball-addict Posted January 19, 2005 Author Report Posted January 19, 2005 Thanks Larry and Sal. These have been very helpful. Keep comin'! Quote
cannonball-addict Posted March 6, 2005 Author Report Posted March 6, 2005 I'm comin to Chicago tomorrow!!! Quote
kulu se mama Posted March 6, 2005 Report Posted March 6, 2005 I'm comin to Chicago tomorrow!!! ca - eat a large gino's east with pepperoni, mushroom, and spinach for me. it's worth the trip all by itself. Quote
GregK Posted March 7, 2005 Report Posted March 7, 2005 perfect timing for this thread, for me. I am debating whether to pursue a job opportunity in the Chicago area (one phone interview so far, which went well). The company is located in Waukegan. What I'm wondering is, how close is that to the action in Chicago? It looks like it is metro Chicago. I doubt public transportation runs that far away from the downtown, so is driving from Waukegan (if we were to live there- we could always live elsewhere and I could commute if I got the job) to downtown Chicago a total bitch, i.e. traffic? From the map that I looked at, there isn't a direct interstate connecting Waukegan to Chicago. From the few realtor sites we've looked at, home prices anywhere closer to Chicago are outrageous (although not that much worse than Ann Arbor, actually). Anyone in Chicagoland care to comment? Where should we be looking if we were to move to the area? Oh yeah, we have a 2 yr old and another due in May, so if anyone here knows anything about schools, etc, any comments could help. Thanks! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted March 7, 2005 Report Posted March 7, 2005 GregK, I suggest you start a new misc.non-political thread to ask this question. I'm sure you will get a bunch of advise. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted March 7, 2005 Report Posted March 7, 2005 If CA is still online, he should go to the Chicago Reader. Please report back. Quote
Sundog Posted March 7, 2005 Report Posted March 7, 2005 perfect timing for this thread, for me. I am debating whether to pursue a job opportunity in the Chicago area (one phone interview so far, which went well). The company is located in Waukegan. What I'm wondering is, how close is that to the action in Chicago? It looks like it is metro Chicago. I doubt public transportation runs that far away from the downtown, so is driving from Waukegan (if we were to live there- we could always live elsewhere and I could commute if I got the job) to downtown Chicago a total bitch, i.e. traffic? From the map that I looked at, there isn't a direct interstate connecting Waukegan to Chicago. From the few realtor sites we've looked at, home prices anywhere closer to Chicago are outrageous (although not that much worse than Ann Arbor, actually). Anyone in Chicagoland care to comment? Where should we be looking if we were to move to the area? Oh yeah, we have a 2 yr old and another due in May, so if anyone here knows anything about schools, etc, any comments could help. Thanks! Waukegan is 45 miles north of downtown. It's a bitch of a drive during rush hours. Public transportation is do"able" via Metra train service. I live and work in the suburbs not too far from Waukegan; so feel free to PM me any time with specific questions you may have about the area. Good luck. Quote
GregK Posted March 7, 2005 Report Posted March 7, 2005 GregK, I suggest you start a new misc.non-political thread to ask this question. I'm sure you will get a bunch of advise. Yeah, I was going to once I had a better idea on the job possibilites, but since this one was already going...... Quote
cannonball-addict Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Posted March 7, 2005 Chuck, that's site is fantastic. Thanks for the link. I definately wanna check out Karl Siegfriend wherever he is. Looks as though Vandermark is outta town. I am definately taking the chance to see Pat Martino at the Showcase. Luckily I saw the Herbie/Brecker/Hargrove thing a week ago when it came to Pittsburgh so I don't have to see that again. can't wait! anybody know where pianist Jon Weber plays? Quote
cannonball-addict Posted March 9, 2005 Author Report Posted March 9, 2005 Anyone going to see Paul Wertico? I'm here in Chicago (syaying in Hyde Park). Matt Quote
etherbored Posted March 9, 2005 Report Posted March 9, 2005 i *love* andy's. a real atmospehere...! salute, -e- Quote
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