Jazz blooms in Kenwood Gardens
Aug 5, 2024 Updated Aug 6, 2024
As DJ Duane Powell spun his mix of house, bossa nova and afro beats on Saturday evening, spectators rose out of their chairs and danced onto the lawn of Kenwood Gardens. He was closing out the latest Artist Corps show, a free summer concert series by the Hyde Park Jazz Festival (HPJF).
Powell, a longtime South Side DJ described by his peers as the “custodian of the indie soul movement,” is one of three Artist Corps fellows this summer. Each fellow is tasked with producing three free performances throughout the summer on the South and West sides.
The HPJF launched the initiative in 2022 with the mission of bringing "rich, engaging, artistic experiences to people where they live, particularly in communities without equitable access to cultural programming." With funding from the Walder Foundation of Chicago, each fellow (also called curators) is given a budget and free rein over selecting performers. All performers are paid and all shows are free and open to the public.