Thoughts on the Chicago scene

[johnblitweiler]

1. Let's not underestimate the importance of Anderson, Vandermark-Corbett, and Reed on the Chicago jazz renaissance. 2. It helps that Mike Reed grew up in the Netherlands and knew some European musicians even before he moved to Chicago. 3. It helped that Fred Anderson made friends all over Chicago as well as on his travels around the US and Europe. 4. Often enough when Vandermark gets inspired, there's an energy about his music that grabs me. 5. Larry's liner notes on the new Josh Berman Trio CD are so right in emphasizing Josh's sound, it's as if each cornet note is sculptured. 6. Week in, week out there's a certain amount of AACM players mixing with north siders. 7. With all the excitement of new players arriving and emerging in Chicago earlier in the century, there's been quite a leveling off after, say, 2009 or so - I mean, fewer new folks these days. I hope I'm wrong about that.

[Larry Kart]

I think John is right about fewer new folks these days, at least not arriving in town from other places. I do think, though, that Nick Mazzarella on his Anagram Series at Elastic has been making a good attempt at presenting new or newish Chicago area people. In fact, of the people that I'm most familiar with, Nick himself may be the newest/youngest really top notch player on the scene, and Nick has been around now for maybe four or five years, albeit growing all the while.

[uli]

as scenes change a fair amount has moved away  too (thankfully maintaning some connections)Aaram Shelton, Jeff Parker, jeb Bishop Nikki Mitchell Mazurek Greg Ward Ben Paterson Willem Delisfort .and many more 

 

scenes are ever changeing. iwonder what Kahil ElZabar's plans for an academy will bring for the future. the faculty looks good according to this article. i missed it. did anybody else attend the benefit concert?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/reich/ct-ott-1106-jazz-scene-20151102-column.

 

Edited November 14, 2015 by uli

[.:.impossible]

I know a number of musicians far from Chicago that have benefitted from Vandermark's generosity. I know that is not what this thread is about, but I felt it should be said that he, though not monetarily, supports music and fosters connection seemingly selflessly. 

[mjazzg]

22 hours ago, jcam_44 said:

To me the Chicago scene is hit or miss. Some stuff is fantastic, while others leave me underwhelmed. Case it point, I got Frank Roslay's Cicada Music recently and have no intentions of playing it again anytime soon. Same this with the Klang and Chicago Luzern Exchange CDs I got. On a side note I did just order Fred Anderson's book Exercises for the Creative Musician. Pretty stoked to check it out. 

Cicada Music is one of my Chicago favourites as are the Klang releases. That's the good thing about a fertile scene it will produce a range of music that appeals to different tastes

11 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

I think John is right about fewer new folks these days, at least not arriving in town from other places. I do think, though, that Nick Mazzarella on his Anagram Series at Elastic has been making a good attempt at presenting new or newish Chicago area people. In fact, of the people that I'm most familiar with, Nick himself may be the newest/youngest really top notch player on the scene, and Nick has been around now for maybe four or five years, albeit growing all the while.

I need to catch up with Mazzarella's recordings

13 hours ago, johnblitweiler said:

 

fine release(and liners), following in the footsteps of his other Delmarks.

Delmark, now there's an important factor in this story, surely. I've many of their releases on the shelves