On the afternoon of Sept. 25, mulling over how to open this review as I ambled between the music stages on Midway Plaisance, a verdant stretch of Chicago’s South Side, the perfection of the summer-to-fall weather that has blessed this 10-years-young indoor/outdoor festival came to mind. Moments later, skies cracked unexpectedly and the first aggressive downpour I can recall during the history of this two-day event ensued.
Read MoreThe Yardbird Suite
By Dominic Guanzon
Race is weighing deeply on the national consciousness whether we want it to or not. No matter how we argue the issues, we can’t argue that the issue of minority-police relations has had a lasting impact on the 2016 Presidential Election, the use of social media, the way local government interacts with citizenry, and – from my student experience – the collegiate discussion experience.
Read MoreBy Mark Corroto
Regard the Hyde Park Jazz Festival as you would your favorite restaurant, where it just so happens that you are best friends with the chef. You have an embarrassment of riches because everything on the menu, which is fresh and delicious, organic, and mostly locally sourced, is free to you. When they do feature a special from out-of-town it is always innovative and original. Only one problem, you can only dine there once a year.
Read MoreBy Howard Reich
Huge crowds, congenial atmosphere, pleasant weather — and, oh yes, more music than any individual possibly could get to.
The 10th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival swept into the historic Chicago neighborhood over the weekend, instantly turning it into the world's largest jazz club.
Following is one listener's diary of a now-indispensable event that ends Sunday:
Read MoreHyde Park Herald
By Meredith Ogilvie
First time artists and seasoned musicians performed at several venues in Hyde Park during the 10th annual Hyde Park Jazz Fest (HPJF), Sept. 24-25. Despite some rain, the two-day event was enjoyed by those who attended.
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By Howard Reich
For its 10th anniversary, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival has put together its most dynamic lineup yet, at least on paper.
As always, all the performances are free and will take place in venues across the neighborhood on Saturday, and on the Midway Plaisance on Sunday.
Following is an annotated guide to the most promising events. For the complete schedule, visit www.hydeparkjazzfestival.org.
Read MoreHyde Park Herald
By Allison Matyus
The 10th Annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival features about 200 musicians on its diverse lineup scattered over 13 stages with 34 shows. Some of those 200 musicians are South Side locals who are honored to play in their own backyard.
Read MoreBy Mark Guarino
The 10th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival boasts its best lineup yet. Use the musical math below to find your perfect set.
Read MoreChicago Tribune
By Howard Reich
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival commissioned alto saxophonist and MacArthur Fellowship winner Miguel Zenon to create a work he could perform with Chicago's Spektral Quartet.
Read MoreBy Paul Joseph
Famous for its bold, cutting edge architecture, Chicago is perhaps only dwarfed by New York as America’s most visually striking metropolis.
Read MoreChicago Reader
By Peter Margasak
Pianist Randy Weston turned 90 this year, but by all accounts he’s undiminished by age. He was integral to the development of hard bop in the 1950s—he wrote standards such as “Berkshire Blues” and “Hi-Fly”—and since then he’s become a thoughtful extender of its reach.
Read MoreChicago Reader
By Peter Margasak
It’s impossible to guess what any given performance by Matana Roberts will entail—especially a solo set. The reedist, composer, and Chicago native’s two most recent albums are both solo efforts, and they could hardly be more different.
Read MoreBy Jacky Runice
A solid 10 on the jazz-o-meter
The 2016 Hyde Park Jazz Festival offers two days of live jazz on 11 stages in and around Midway Plaisance, near the Museum of Science and Industry.
Read MoreBy Reader staff
From its start a decade ago, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival has offered a superb portrait of the Chicago jazz scene. But in recent years, under the direction of Kate Dumbleton, the weekend affair has become a magnet for global talent.
Read MoreArts Journal: Jazz Beyond Jazz
Pianist Randy Weston, a magisterial musician at age 90 inspired by jazz traditions and its African basics, and trumpeter Amir ElSaffar, who has devoted himself to incorporating the Middle East’s modal, microtonal maqam legacy into compositions for jazz improvisation by members of his Two Rivers Ensemble, were highlights of last weekend’s 10th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival. Both acts brought influences from afar back home.
Read MoreBy Howard Reich
The complete lineup for the 10th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival, running Sept. 24 and 25 across the South Side neighborhood, will feature Dana Hall discussing his 2015 work "The Hypocrisy of Justice"; Willie Pickens Quartet; Matt Ulery's Loom; Thaddeus Tukes/Isaiah Collier Duo; Roy McGrath/Bill Cessna Duo; Clark Sommers' Ba(SH); Lorin Cohen Group; Quentin Coaxum Quintet; Marvin Tate's Weight of Rage; Maggie Brown; Orbert Davis Sextet's "Tribute to Freddie Hubbard"; Douglas Ewart and Orbit; Chicago Jazz Orchestra; and Marquis Hill's Blacket, among others.
Read MoreBy Howard Reich
Ten years ago, a group of Hyde Park cultural activists led by James Wagner realized a dream long in the making: They created a jazz festival unlike any other that attracted throngs to the historic neighborhood.
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