jazzandbluesnews

It is the weekend and, once again, it is cold here in Chicago.  We had really high temps and then we had rain and now we have cold wind and snow and ice on the roads.  You have to love winter in the Chicago area. 

Earlier this week I mentioned Skinny Williams and even found a clip of him playing.  So, for me, that was the pick show of the week as soon as I saw it.  Thanks goes out to WDCB, the radio station and their website for providing this information for me.

Skinny Williams Quartet 

General Event Information
Event Category:	Jazz Calendar
Price:	No Cover
* contact the Venue listed below for ticketing information
Dates and Times:	Saturday, February 28; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Artist/Group:	Skinny Williams Quartet
Description
Saxophonist Skinny Williams is an accomplished instrumentalist, a savvy composer, and an electrifying performer who — since the release of his first solo album in 1999 — has created a series of recordings that have made him a distinctive talent in the realm of contemporary jazz. Through his noteworthy combination of earthy grooves and soulful improvisations, Williams has earned both critical acclaim and mainstream appreciation.
Venue Information
Venue:	Pete Miller’s - Schaumburg
Address:	1385 N Meacham Road
City:	Schaumburg
State:	IL
Zip Code:	60173
Country:	United States
Telephone:	847-330-5500

The weekend is here again folks.  At least this weekend it appears as if I will not by laying in bed just moaning and barely moving my head.  The weather may cooperate a little bit, as well, which would be nice if a person could actually come out of their winter hidey-hole and blink at the sun like some burrowing rodent and then go see a live blues or jazz show.

Thanks, as always, must be given to radio station WDCB for the information below.

JAZZ

Joel Paterson Trio with a special guest set featuring Eddie Clendening of the Million Dollar Quartet
Friday, February 27; 9:30 pm
FitzGerald’s, Berwyn 

Jeff Parker Trio
Friday, February 27; 9:30 pm
Velvet Lounge (new location), Chicago 

George McRae Trio
Friday, February 27; 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Brian Gephart Group at Pete Miller’s in Evanston
Friday, February 27; 9:00 pm to 1:00 am
Pete Miller’s, Evanston 

Elmhurst College Jazz Fest
Friday, February 27; varies by day
Hammerschmidt Chapel, Elmhurst 

Harry Brown Jazz
Friday, February 27; 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM
The River’s Edge Cafe, Aurora 

Jacky Terrasson Trio
Friday, February 27; Sets at 8 and 10
Jazz Showcase, Chicago 

ECC presents ‘The Club’
Howard Levy and Chris Siebold
Friday, February 27, 2009; 8 p.m.
Elgin Community College - VPAC, Elgin 

Deanna Witkowski Trio/John Patitucci Duo
Friday, February 27; 7 pm
Wheaton College- Barrows Auditorium, Wheaton 

Elaine Dame
Friday, February 27; 8 to midnight
Philander’s, Oak Park 

Skinny Williams Quartet
Friday, February 27; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Schaumburg, Schaumburg 

Pete Zimmer Quartet
Friday, February 27; 9 pm to 1 am
Pete Miller’s - Evanston, Evanston 

Kimberly Gordon with Tom Hope
Friday, February 27; 6 pm
Katerina’s, Chicago 

Tammy McCann Quartet
Friday, February 27; 9 pm
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Kenny Werner Trio
Friday, February 27; 9 pm to 1 am
Green Mill, Chicago 

Live Jazz with Paul Marinaro
Friday, February 27; 8:30 pm to 12:30 am
Drake Hotel - Coq d’Or, Chicago 

Kelly Brand Trio
Friday, February 27; 5 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

Green Mill Quartet Jam Session
Friday, February 27; 1:30 to 4 am
Green Mill, Chicago 

Saxophonist John Wojciechowski
Friday, February 27; 9:30 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

Deanna Witkowski Trio
Saturday, February 28; 7 pm
LaSalle Street Church, Chicago 

Skinny Williams Quartet
Saturday, February 28; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Schaumburg, Schaumburg 

Elmhurst College Jazz Fest
Saturday, February 28; varies by day
Hammerschmidt Chapel, Elmhurst 

Jacky Terrasson Trio
Saturday, February 28; Sets at 8 and 10
Jazz Showcase, Chicago 

Done Deal
Saturday, February 28; 8 to noon
Philander’s, Oak Park 

Josh Abrams Trio
Saturday, February 28; 9:30 pm
Velvet Lounge (new location), Chicago 

Pete Zimmer Quartet
Saturday, February 28; 9 pm to 1 am
Pete Miller’s - Evanston, Evanston 

Spider Saloff with Tom Muellner
Saturday, February 28; 6 pm
Katerina’s, Chicago 

Kenny Werner Trio
Saturday, February 28; 8 to midnight
Green Mill, Chicago 

Tammy McCann Quartet
Saturday, February 28; 9 pm
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Live Jazz with Paul Marinaro
Saturday, February 28; 8:30 pm to 12:30 am
Drake Hotel - Coq d’Or, Chicago 

Pianist Tim Curran
Saturday, February 28; 9:30 pm
Muldoon’s, Wheaton 

Saxophonist John Wojciechowski
Saturday, February 28; 9:30 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

Kelly Brand Trio
Saturday, February 28; 5 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

After Hours Jazz Party
Saturday, February 28; Midnight to 5
Green Mill, Chicago 

ECC presents ‘The Club’
Howard Levy and Chris Siebold
Saturday, February 28, 2009; 8 p.m.
Elgin Community College - VPAC, Elgin 

Elmhurst College Jazz Fest
Sunday, March 1; varies by day
Hammerschmidt Chapel, Elmhurst 

Deanna Witkowski Trio
Sunday, March 1; 9:00 am and 10:30 am
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Geneva 

‘Cabin Fever Jazz Series’: Grazyna Auguscik & Paulinho Garcia
Sunday, March 1; 4 p.m.
Gorton Community Center, Lake Forest 

Fred Rundquist Memorial with Bob Dogan Trio
Sunday, March 1; 7:00 PM
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Niles 

Joe Policastro & Dan Effland
Sunday, March 1; 8 to 11
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Kimberly Gordon Organ Trio
Sunday, March 1; 11 pm to 2 am
Green Mill, Chicago 

BLUES

Michael Coleman & The Backbreakers
Friday, February 27; Sets at 8:30 and 10:30
Bill’s Blues Bar, Evanston 

The BB&J Project
Friday, February 27; 7 pm
Green Dolphin Street, Chicago 

Tad Robinson Band, Jimmy Johnson opens
Friday, February 27; 8 p.m.
S.P.A.C.E., Evanston 

Charles Wilson, Aaron Burton, Guy King
Friday, February 27; 5:30 pm
Buddy Guy’s Legends , Chicago 

Keith Scott Blues Trio
Friday, February 27; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Wheeling, Wheeling 

Chainsaw Dupont and The Blues Warriors
Saturday, February 28; Sets at 8 & 10 pm
Bill’s Blues Bar, Evanston 

Duwayne Burnside, Taildragger, Fruteland Jackson
Saturday, February 28; 6 pm
Buddy Guy’s Legends , Chicago 

Lonnie Baker Brooks
Saturday, February 28; TBA
FitzGerald’s, Berwyn 

Keith Scott Blues Trio
Saturday, February 28; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Wheeling, Wheeling 

As you probably know I enjoy searching through YouTube for all kinds of videos.  I love posting them here when I find an interesting jazz or blues bit.  I especially love it when you find an amateur video, often taken with a cell phone camera, from inside a jazz or blues club.  For some reason, it always surprises me.

I don’t know why it does.  I guess I never expect to find anything from my home town anywhere where anyone might want to see it.  I guess I forget that, to the rest of the world, Chicago might be an interesting place.  I love the city, but I have lived here my entire life.  I often suspect the rest of the world doesn’t respect us very much. 

You may not think of the theme from the “Pink Panther” as being jazz.  Well, you would be wrong.  Sure, just like the Charlie Brown music is actually jazz, so is the tune you know so well from those silly movies starring Peter Sellers.  It’s a classic in jazz, actually.  Of course, we also know that a jazz musician can turn any tune into a great jazz tune.  Miles Davis did it with Cindy Lauper, why not a movie theme?

So, I was poking around looking for jazz club scenes from within a Chicago club and came across this one.  Skinny Williams and his band doing their rendition of the Pink Panther.  The clip did not say what club it was from, however, so I can’t really tell you.  I just know it was fun to listen to this morning and I hope you get a kick out of it too.

OK, so I missed Fat Tuesday.  As I said, as soon as the guys who host this blog want to pay me for more than one post a day, I can post more than one blog entry a day.  So, you get the Fat Tuesday, New Olreans themed post a day after Fat Tuesday. 

Now, be honest with me, have you actually given up listening to music and are you really now sitting there fasting and wearing black and weeping?  Somehow I doubt it.  I have a feeling that the parties are still happening in the French Quarter even as I type this and you sit there and read it.  The partiers of the world keep partying and no church calendar is going to stop them.  I was raised Lutheran, for crying out loud, so I don’t even give up meat on Fridays.

So, I did a quick search and found a nice short clip of the George Lewis New Orleans Jazz Band.  Hey, it has New Orleans in the name and that means they have to have some connection, right?  I thought you’d agree with me.  I hope you managed to celebrate and that you are prepared for the Easter holiday season.  For me, it’s mostly a church-related deal.  We never gave out presents for Easter in my house, so it was never a big deal even when I was a kid.

So, here is some New Orleans jazz in honor of Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday, even though it’s Wednesday:

It is the last week in February already.  Can you believe that?  I mean, are you still keeping to your resolutions?  I haven’t been entirely successful in that arena, let me tell ya.  Still, it is a Tuesday and that means new music and reissues and so things can’t be all bad.

As always, I want to acknowledge that this information comes from the website AllAboutJazz.com.  They do a great website and its loaded with cool articles, interviews, abum reviews and, of course, the massive list of upcoming new releases and reissues.  Check them out and tell them I said hello.

NEW RELEASES

Putumayo Presents: India (Putumayo )
Defected In The House: Bob Sinclar (Defected )
13th Assembly - (Un)Sentimental (Important )
13th Assembly - (Un) Sentimental (Important )
Art Pepper - Mordern Jazz Classics (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Art Pepper - With Warne Marsh (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Art Pepper - Smack Up’ (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Azar Lawrence - Speak The Word (Zarman Productions )
Baby Face Willette - Stop & Listen (Blue Note )
Baby Face Willette - RVG/Stop & Listen (Blue Note )
Baby Face Willette - Stop and Listen (EMI Classics )
Ben Webster - Art Tatum (Jazzbeat Spain )
Benny Carter - Plays Cole Porter’s Can Can & / Aspects (Lonehill Jazz Spain )
Bill Bruford - Best Of Winterfold (Winterfold Uk )
Bill Bruford - The Best of Winterland (Winterfold Uk )
Bill Frisell - Best Of Bill Frisell, Volume 1: Folk Songs (Nonesuch )
Billy Holiday - Her Finest Studio Recordings (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Blue Mitchell - Blue’s Moods (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Bob Scobey - Frisco Jazz 1956 (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Bobby Timmons - Trio In Person (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Bobby Timmons - This Here Is (Phantom Sound & Vision )
C. Spenc Yeh - New York Nuts & Boston Beans (Important )
Cannonball Adderley - Very Best Of Jazz (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Charlie Christian - On The Air (Varese Sarabande )
Chick Corea - Very Best Of Jazz (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Dexter Gordon - Live At The Amsterdam Paradiso (Gambit Spain )
Dizzy Gillespie - Very Best Of Jazz (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Django Reinhardt - Postwar Recordings 1944-1953 (JSP )
Dominick Farinacci - Lovers Tales & Dancers (Koch )
Don Cherry - Live At Cafe Montmartre 1966 Vol. 3 (Esp Disk LTD. )
Doug Carn - Al Rahman (Pid )
Duke Ellington - Super Hits (Sony BMG Special Markets )
Eddy Howard - My Best To You (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Emilie Claire Barlow - Haven’t We Met? (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Eric Essix - Birmingham (Lightyear )
Evan Parker - Brewery Tap (Smalltown Superjazz )
Evan Parker - The Brewery Tap (Smalltown Superjazz )
Flow Trio - Rejuvenation (Esp Disk LTD. )
Frank Rosolino - Conversations (Gambit Spain )
Galliard - Strange Pleasure (Esoteric )
Galliard - New Dawn (Esoteric )
Grachan Moncur III - Some Others Stuff (Blue Note )
Grant Green - RVG/Street Of Dreams (Blue Note )
Har-You Percussion Group - Sounds Of The Ghetto Youth (Esp Disk LTD. )
Harry Babasin - Jazz In Hollywood (Original Jazz Classics )
Harry James - On The Radio 1944 (Pid )
Henri Rene - Compulsion To Swing In Rhythm (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Hiram Bullock - Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix (BHM Productions )
Horace Silver - Tokyo Blues (Blue Note )
Horace Silver - RVG/Tokyo Blues (Blue Note )
Hot Club Of San Fran - Bohemian Maestro:Django Reinhardt And (Azic Records/Naxos )
Hot Club Of San Francisco - Bohemian Maestro: Django Reinhardt & Impressionist (Azica )
Hughscore - Delta Flora (Conquest Music Inc. )
Iberco Jazz - Iberco Jazz (Vampi Soul )
Jackie Mcclean - Bluesnik (EMI Classics )
Jackie McLean - RVG/Bluesnik (Blue Note )
Jeff Kashiwa - Back In The Day (Shanachie )
Joe Henderson - Tetragon (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Joe Zawinul - 75 (Pid )
John Coltrane - Very Best Of Jazz (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Johnny Dodds - King Of The Blues Clarinet (United States Of Dist. (Uk) )
Keali’I Reicheal - Kamalei-Collection 2 (Phantom Sound & Vision )
LMT Connection - Color Me Funky (Zyx )
Lord Kelvin - Dances In The Smoke (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Louis Armstrong - Satch Play Fats (Pure Pleasure )
Luc - Summertime (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Magma - M.D.K. (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Mal Waldron - Mal-1 (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Mary Halvorson - Dragon’s Head (FireHouse )
Mccoy Tyner - Echoes Of A Friend (Phantom Sound & Vision )
MD 2020 - TALKING TRASH (Geojazz Records) - Download
Mikio Masuda - Black Daffodils (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Milano Cocktail - Milano Cocktail Vol. 1-Milano Cocktail (Percorsi )
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue (Sony BMG )
Miles Davis - Round About Midnight (Jazz Track )
Norman Connors - Star Power (Shanachie )
Ola Kvernberg Trio - Folk (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Oscar Peterson - Very Best Of Jazz (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Pacific Pops Orchestra - Celebrating The Music Of Al Jolson (Quicksilver )
Pama International - Love Filled Dub Band (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Parker - Brewery Tap (Smalltown )
Parker - The Brewery Tap (Smalltown )
Patty Waters - Patty Waters Sings (Esp Disk LTD. )
Paul Flaherty / C. Spenc Yeh - New York Nuts & Boston Beans (Important )
Pieces Of A Dream - Soul Intent (Heads Up )
Putumayo Presents - India (Putumayo )
Putumayo Presents - Putumayo Presents: India (Putumayo )
Ralph Burns - Bijou (Original Jazz Classics )
Raphael Wressnig - Cut A Little Deeper On The Funk (BHM Productions )
Ray Bryant - Trio (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Red Garland - Soul Janction (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Red Garland - Garland Of Red (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (Vido Arts )
Roberto Rodriguez - First Basket (Tzadik )
Roy Haynes - We Three (Universal Japan )
Rusty Draper - No Help Wanted (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Sadao Watanabe - Bird Of Paradise (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Salena Jones - Salena Sings Jobim With The Jobim’s (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Sarah Vaughan - Crazy & Mixed Up (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Sarah Vaughan - How Long Has This Been Going On? (SHM-DSD Remaster (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Sarah Vaughan & Her Trio - Live In Belgrade (Gambit Spain )
Shakatak - Afterglow (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Soil & Pimp - Planet Pimp (Koch )
Soil & Pimp Sessions - Planet Pimp (Koch )
Sonny Rollins - With The Modern Jazz Quartet (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Sonny Rollins - Next Album (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Sonny Rollins - Montreal Concert 1982 (Gambit Spain )
Stan Getz - Live In Stockholm 1978 (Gambit Spain )
Stan Getz - Very Best Of Jazz (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Takehiro Honda - Another Departure (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Takehiro Honda - Reaching For Heaven (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Teddy Charles - Dances With Bulls (Smalls )
Terumasa Hino - May Dance (Phantom Sound & Vision )
The Butterbean Jazz Quartet - The Butterbean Jazz Quartet (Courthouse Records) - Book
Thelonious Monk - Very Best Of Jazz (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Thirteenth Assembly - (Un)Sentimental (Important )
Tiedye Keith - World Music Jam…Or Is That Jelly? (Homegrown Music Network/Mri )
Tony Williams - RVG/Spring (Blue Note )
Uri Gurvich - The Storyteller (Tzadik )
Various - Portrait Of Bill Evans (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Various Artists - Defected In The House: Bob Sinclar (Defected )
Wouter Hamel - Nobody’s Tune (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Wynton Kelly - Undiluted / It’s All Right (Lonehill Jazz Spain )
Zaid Nasser - Off Minor (Smalls )

REISSUES

Art Farmer - When Farmer Met Gryce (Universal)
Art Pepper - Meets The Rhythm Section (Universal)
Art Pepper - Gettin’ Together (Universal)
Art Pepper - Living Legend (Pid )
Barry Harris - At The Jazz Workshop (Universal Japan )
Don Cherry - Live At Cafe Montmartre 1966 (Esp Disk LTD. )
Grant Green - Street of Dreams (Blue Note)
Hampton Hawes - Hawes,Hampton Vol. 1-Trio (Pid )
Hugh Masekela - Phola (Four Quarters Entertainment )
Jackie McLean - Bluesnik (Blue Note)
Joe Pass - Virtuoso (Universal Japan )
Kenny Drew - Pal Joey (Victor)
Kenny Drew - Trio (Universal)
Mark Isham - Best Of (Lakeshore Records )
McCoy Tyner - Sahara (Victor)
Milt Jackson - Quartet (Universal)
Milt Jackson - Bags Meets Wes! (Fantasy Records (USA) )
Modern Jazz Quartet - Django (Fantasy / Prestige) - SACD
Modern Jazz Quartet - Concorde (Universal Japan )
Ray Brown - Something For Lester (Universal Japan )
Red Garland - When There Are Grey Skies (Universal)
Ron Carter - Third Plane (Victor)
Sonny Rollins - Freedom Suite (Victor)
Sonny Rollins - Way Out West (Universal)
Sonny Rollins - Rollins Plays For Bird (Universal)
Sonny Rollins - Sound Of Sonny (Pid )
Sonny Rollins - Work Time (Universal Japan )
Sonny Rollins - Plus 4 (Universal Japan )
Tommy Flanagan - Trio (Universal)
Tony Williams - Spring (Blue Note)
Wynton Kelly - Piano (JVC XRCD )
Wynton Kelly - Kelly Blue (Universal Japan )

I have been laying in bed making sounds like those you would probably normally hear in some kind of horror movie.  I came down with some kind of horrible illness starting last Thursday when I started coughing up both of my lungs.  It was sad, watching them slowly slither away down the hall.  Things just got worse from there.

I had a moment of lucidity on Saturday which is how I managed to get a post up about my pick show of the weekend.  However, this turned out to be a very brief break in the clouds.  I have been, essentially, a lump, wrapped in blankets, sometimes spitting horrific stuff into tissues and drinking water.  Getting up and walking has been difficult and I have been, for all intents and purposes, a prisoner in my own apartment for four days. 

So, it seemed appropriate to try and find something flu-related.  My doctor gave me the name of some other thing when I went to see him with a 102 fever on Friday.  Driving when your brain is frying in its own juices is so much fun!  I still think I have some kind of flu bug and I haven’t been this sick in a very long time.

I don’t really know if the tune this band is playing is called”Dyin’ with the Flu.”  I just know that the guy who posted the video on YouTube says it is and that’s good enough for me right now.

I am often found raving about the Velvet Lounge here in Chicago.  What can I say, to me it represents everything you could want in a jazz club.  It is my concerted belief that when you close your eyes and imagine a jazz club, the Velvet Lounge is what you would imagine.  It isn’t very big.  It’s kind of a long club with a bar taking up most of one side. There is a brick all at the far end and a short stage upon which the musicians play. 

At one time the place was probably filled with smoke.  These days you can’t smoke in bars in Chicago anymore so there isn’t any of that.  That would be the one thing that is really missing from the entire scenario that would make the jazz club image perfect. 

I wanted to see if I could find something that would show you the inside of the club.  These days with the proliferation of cell phone cameras, there is very little left in the world that you can’t find on video.  Sure enough, as I poked around on YouTube, I found someone had recorded a bit of a concert there.  Trumpeter Maurice Brown is blowing the roof off of the joint here in this clip.  So, enjoy this trip inside the Velvet Lounge.

The weekend is here and Chicago is once agan being buried beneah snow.  It’s been a few weeks since winter was here to bite us in the behind, so it was bound to happen sooner or later.  Who knows exactly how much snow we are going to get but it’s just enough to make life a little more miserable for the weekend.

Radio station WDCB has a great list of events and concerts this weekend and my pick is the double bill at Velvet Lounge.  I love that place and you get two shows for the price of one, so why not? 

Velvet Lounge Double Bill 

General Event Information
Event Category:	Jazz Calendar
Price:	Contact Venue
* contact the Venue listed below for ticketing information
Dates and Times:	Saturday, February 21; Loose Assembly at 9:30 and People, Places & Things at 11
Artist/Group:	Various Artists
Description
The Velvet Lounge presents a Double Bill featuring Loose Assembly at 9:30 and People, Places & Things at 11. Loose Assembly features: Greg Ward (alto sax), Tomeka Reid (cello), Jason Adasiewicz (vibes), Josh Abrams (bass), Mike Reed (drums). People, Places and Things features: Mike Reed (drums), with Greg Ward (alto sax), Tim Halderman (tenor sax), Jason Roebke (bass).
Venue Information
Venue:	Velvet Lounge (new location)
Address:	67 E. Cermak
Address 2:	(between Wabash and Michigan Avenue)
City:	Chicago
State:	IL
Zip Code:	60616
Country:	United States
Telephone:	(312) 791-9050
Email Address:	webmaster@velvetlounge.net

Winter has returned with a vengeance here in Chicago.  It snowed just a couple of days ago and the weather people are already freaking out about a possible “significant storm” tonight into the weekend.  What can you do, this is Chicago?  We get a lot of snow and cold here in the winter, for crying out loud.

Still, always a good time to go check out a jazz or blues show and this weekend looks jam-packed with stuff.  Thanks goes out to website and radio station WDCB for the information below:

JAZZ

Scott Earl Holman Quartet
Friday, February 20; 9 pm - 1am
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Myles Hayes Quartet
Friday, February 20; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Wheeling, Wheeling 

George McRae Trio
Friday, February 20; 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Greg Ward Quartet
Friday, February 20; 9:30 pm
Velvet Lounge (new location), Chicago 

Skinny Williams
Friday, February 20; 5 to 8:30 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

WDCB Winter Gala Fundraiser
Dinner & Big Band Dance
Friday, February 20, 2009; 6:30 p.m. to midnight
Drury Lane - Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace 

Tommy Muellner
Friday, February 20; 8 to midnight
Philander’s, Oak Park 

Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Friday, February 20; Sets at 8 and 10
Jazz Showcase, Chicago 

Corey Wilkes
Friday, February 20; 9:30 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

Green Mill Quartet Jam Session
Friday, February 20; 1:30 to 4 am
Green Mill, Chicago 

The Tony Smith Show
Friday, February 20; 9 pm to 1 am
Chambers, Niles 

Spare Parts
Friday, February 20; 9pm
Martyrs’, Chicago 

The Prohibition Orchestra of Chicago
Friday, February 20; 5:30 pm
Bill’s Blues Bar, Evanston 

Live Jazz with Paul Marinaro
Friday, February 20; 8:30 pm to 12:30 am
Drake Hotel - Coq d’Or, Chicago 

Scott Earl Holman Quartet
Friday, February 20; 9 pm
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Kimberly Gordon with Tom Hope
Friday, February 20; 6 pm
Katerina’s, Chicago 

Ken Chaney Trio
Friday, February 20; 9 pm to 1 am
Pete Miller’s - Evanston, Evanston 

Steve Gibons Rhythm Gypsy Project
Friday, February 20; 10 pm
Katerina’s, Chicago 

Ben Allison & Man Size Safe
Friday, February 20; 9 pm to 1 am
Green Mill, Chicago 

Scott Earl Holman Quartet
Saturday, February 21; 9 pm - 1am
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Myles Hayes Quartet
Saturday, February 21; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Wheeling, Wheeling 

Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Saturday, February 21; Sets at 8 and 10
Jazz Showcase, Chicago 

Velvet Lounge Double Bill
Saturday, February 21; Loose Assembly at 9:30 and People, Places & Things at 11
Velvet Lounge (new location), Chicago 

Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan
Saturday, February 21; 8 to noon
Philander’s, Oak Park 

Corey Wilkes
Saturday, February 21; 9:30 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

After Hours Jazz Party
Saturday, February 21; Midnight to 5
Green Mill, Chicago 

BMR4
Saturday, February 21; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Schaumburg, Schaumburg 

Pianist Tim Curran
Saturday, February 21; 9:30 pm
Muldoon’s, Wheaton 

Live Jazz with Paul Marinaro
Saturday, February 21; 8:30 pm to 12:30 am
Drake Hotel - Coq d’Or, Chicago 

Skinny Williams
Saturday, February 21; 5 to 8:30 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

Scott Earl Holman Quartet
Saturday, February 21; 9 pm
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Arlene Bardelle
Saturday, February 21; 6 pm
Katerina’s, Chicago 

Yoko Noge’s Birthday Show
Saturday, February 21; 10 pm
Katerina’s, Chicago 

Ken Chaney Trio
Saturday, February 21; 9 pm to 1 am
Pete Miller’s - Evanston, Evanston 

Ben Allison & Man Size Safe
Saturday, February 21; 8 to midnight
Green Mill, Chicago 

‘Cabin Fever Jazz Series’: Jackie Allen Quintet
Sunday, February 22; 4 p.m.
Gorton Community Center, Lake Forest 

Scott Earl Holman
Sunday, February 22; 6 pm - 10:30 pm
Chicago Chop House, Chicago 

Bill O’Connell’s Chicago Skyliners Big Band
Sunday, February 22; 6 pm
FitzGerald’s, Berwyn 

Joe Policastro & Dan Effland
Sunday, February 22; 8 to 11 pm
Pops for Champagne, Chicago 

Johnny Gabor & Connie Marshall
Sunday, February 22; 6 pm
Chambers, Niles 

Andy’s Jam Session
Sunday, February 22; 7 to 11 pm
Andy’s, Chicago 

Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Sunday, February 22; Sets at 4, 8 and 10
Jazz Showcase, Chicago 

CheckerJazz Series
Sunday, February 22; 7:30 to 11:30
Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 

Kimberly Gordon Organ Trio
Sunday, February 22; 11 pm to 2 am
Green Mill, Chicago 

Jazz Jam
Sunday, February 22; 9:30 pm
Velvet Lounge (new location), Chicago 
BLUES

KJazz
Friday, February 20; 7 to 10 pm
Green Dolphin Street, Chicago 

Eric Sardinas, Sharon Lewis, Austin ‘Walkin’ Cane
Friday, February 20; 5:30 pm
Buddy Guy’s Legends , Chicago 

The 409’s with Lester J and The Company
Friday, February 20; 9 pm
Wabash Tap, Chicago 

Mr. G & The Mystery Band CD Release Party
Friday, February 20; 9 pm
Bill’s Blues Bar, Evanston 

Keith Scott Trio
Friday, February 20; 8 pm to 12:30 am
Pete Miller’s - Schaumburg, Schaumburg 

The Business
Saturday, February 21; 8 to 11 pm
Green Dolphin Street, Chicago 

Magic Slim & The Teardrops, Bobby Brown, Devil in a Woodpile
Saturday, February 21; 9:30 pm
Buddy Guy’s Legends , Chicago 

Eddy ‘The Chief’ Clearwater Blues Band
Saturday, February 21; 8:30 pm
Bill’s Blues Bar, Evanston 

Kent Burnside
Sunday, February 22; 9:30 pm
Buddy Guy’s Legends , Chicago 

I am not the world’s foremost expert on jazz vocalists, I will give you that much.  If you have spent any time reading my blog you know that I tend to dig the horn players and the instrumental stuff.  I don’t know why that is.  I just know that it was the music only stuff that first drew me into jazz and made me appreciate the music.  Even songs that you probably know best with lyrics and sung by the likes of Frank Sinatra I prefer as music-only versions.

Still, there is no denying that there are those who truly love the jazz vocalists.  Even I have to admit that Billie Holiday could sing like nobody’s business and break your heart with the way she could carry a tune.  So, it is with some regret that I announce that jazz vocalist Blossom Dearie died over the weekend in New York City at the age of 82.

I am not going to sit here and pretend that I know everything there is to know about Dearie.  I have heard a few tunes and, of course, you can find her music online and, in particular, on YouTube. 

Dearie was born in New York state and was a classically trained pianist before falling in love with jazz and big band music.  This changed the course of her life and she began singing.  She sang with greats like Woody Herman and Alvino Rey.  She had a unique and playful style and some of her albums, particularly those from the 60s, have become cult hits and classics in jazz fan’s collections.

From YouTube, here is Blossom Dearie, from her 1964 album “May I Come In?”  The tune is “Quiet Nights.”  Another rest in peace goes out to Blossom Dearie.