While most of Chicago's musical fame can be attributed to the popularity of Chicago blues, even before that, Chicago had one of the most thriving jazz scenes outside of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. Venues for the blues in Chicago, such as Buddy Guy's Legends and Kingston Mines are world renowned, but Chicago jazz venues are premier scenes for jazz music.
Perhaps the best known Chicago Jazz events is the annual Chicago Jazz Fest.
The Chicago Jazz Fest is a free, four day event that has been held in Grant Park over Labor Day Weekend since 1979. The Chicago Jazz Fest draws a variety of talents from
Chicago's local jazz scene as well as jazz from across the nation.
In the past, the Chicago Jazz Fest has drawn the likes of Duke Ellington and John Coltrane as well as Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald.
Although Chicago Jazz Fest is the most popular–drawing the longest and best known list of acts and attracting the largest legions of fans from the city and abroad–many of Chicago's neighborhoods, organizations and jazz venues sponsor their own festivals. The Taste of Chicago has year in and year out, billed many jazz performers. Other popular jazz events that feature local jazz artists are the African Festival of the Arts at Washington Park, The Ziegler Kettle Moraine Jazz Fest, The Englewood Jazz and Cultural Arts Festival at Hamilton Park and The Chicago Folk and Roots Festival at Wells Park. Even the Shedd Aquarium has its own jazz festival, the annual Jazzin' at the Shedd.
More traditional and popular Chicago jazz venues, such as Green Dolphin Street, Pops For Champagne, Andy's Jazz Club and Jazz Showcase, feature jazz as a mainstay. Many of Chicago's other restaurants, bars and lounges like The Note, Funk Grove Bar and The Empty Bottle frequently feature jazz ensembles on special nights.
In Chicago, one is hard pressed NOT to find a pub, coffee shop or bar that does not headline jazz with some frequency. Chicago jazz venues are very diverse, sampling from many different sub-genres of jazz; everything from straight jazz, to acid/ funk jazz, to piano jazz. Environment also varies between settings, be it the elegant surroundings of Green Dolphin Street to the neighborhood pub feeling of Andy's Jazz Club. Regardless of where you decide to soak in a sampling of Chicago's jazz scene, you're sure to have the opportunity to take in a wide variety of acts. Chicago offers a plethora of regional and local favorites from regular house performers, to nationally and internationally acclaimed musicians.
The Green Dolphin. 2006. Metromix. 8 September 2006.
Andy's Jazz Club. 2006. Metromix. 8 September 2006.
Jazz Showcase. 2006. Metromix. 8 September 2006.
The Note. 2006. Metromix. 8 September 2006.
Funk Grove Bar. 2006. Metromix. 8 September 2006.
The Empty Bottle. 2006. Metromix. 8 September 2006.
Englewood Jazz and Cultural Arts Festival. 2006. Chicago Music Commision. 8 September 2006.
Chicago Jazz Festival. 2006. Chicago Music Commision. 8 September 2006.
Taste of Chicago. 2006. Chicago Music Commision. 8 September 2006.
African Festival of Arts. 2006. African International House. 8 Septemeber 2006.
Ziegler Kettle Moraine Jazz Fest. 2006. Chicago Music Commision. 8 September 2006.
Chicago Folk and Roots Festival. 2006. Chicago Music Commision. 8 September 2006.
