Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesJazz on a Saturday (and Sunday) Afternoon

I wasn’t planning to go to this year’s Chicago Jazz Festival, but fate allowed me the opportunity to head downtown to catch at least some of it. And I’m very glad I did – I enjoyed it so much I went back the next day. Chicago’s free summer music festivals are a critical part of the city’s cultural life. I’ve never been disappointed going to one, and this was no exception. The weather was great and the vibe was chill. No lines to wait in, no worrying about tickets or not being allowed back in. Just come on down, have a seat (or throw down a blanket) and listen.

Starting this year the festival had relocated to the north side of Millennium Park, with the headliners performing in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion/Great Lawn space. The sound quality was outstanding, and thanks to a giant LCD screen there were no problems seeing the performers as well as hearing them.

Unfortunately, I missed a couple of outstanding artists who have appeared on CHIRP Radio, the Chicago Underground Duo on Saturday and Jason Adasiewicz’s Sun Rooms on Sunday. Such is the nature of having too much quality music to enjoy in just so many days. But I did see a group of stunningly talented musicians including as the Ari Brown Quintet, vibraphonist Gary Burton, the Bobby Broom trio, Miguel Zenon Quartet, and brilliant young vocalist Cécile McLorin.

And I’m glad I stuck around for the festival’s closing performers, the Sun Ra Arkestra, who put on an electrifying performance. Although he passed away 21 years ago, the prolific Avant-Garde composer and bandleader left behind mountains of material along with a philosophy of using music to explore new horizons while keeping rooted firmly in the structures of Blues and Jazz. “Space is the Place!” the band declared, and they made it impossible not to agree with them.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

The Great Lawn, Millenuim Park, Chicago

Gary Burton (vibraphones)

Tom Harrell

Esperanza Spalding (bass) and Jaleel Shaw (alto sax) of Tom Harrell's "Colors of a Dream"

Bobby Broom (guitar)

The Bobby Broom Trio

Miguel Zinon (alto sax)

Cécile McLorin Salvant

The Sun Ra Arkestra

The Sun Ra Arkestra

The Sun Ra Arkestra

Just another summer weekend evening in Chicago...

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