A year after the death of pioneering Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen, a posthumous album highlights his work with younger generations.
Tag: Blue Note
Posted inMusic
Nearly a century ago, Dave Tough helped define Chicago jazz drumming
Chicago jazz drummer Dave Tough died young, only barely outliving the big-band era, but his influence lives on.
Posted inMusic
If enough of us celebrate Independent Venue Week, we might have one next year too
For Independent Venue Week, the Reader has rounded up some favorite stories about Chicago music venues past and present.
Posted inMusic
Building on the pillars of Blue Groove Lounge
An oral history of DJ Jesse de la Peña’s foundational Blue Groove Lounge hip-hop night, on the occasion of its belated 25th birthday parties
Posted inMusic
Guitarist Dave Specter on the young stars building the future of the blues
Current musical obsessions of recording artists Dave Specter and Nicholas Tremulis and Reader associate editor Jamie Ludwig
Posted inMusic
The Secret History of Chicago Music: Albert Ammons
This pianist helped kick off the boogie-woogie craze, but his fame has faded—in part because he died young in 1949.
Posted inMusic
In Rotation: Ayana Contreras of Vocalo’s Reclaimed Soul on a softly stratospheric Andrew Hill LP
Current musical obsessions of Primeridian’s Simeon Viltz and Ayana Contreras of Vocalo’s Reclaimed Soul
Posted inMusic
In Rotation: Saxophonist Nick Mazzarella on John Coltrane in his own words
Current musical obsessions of saxophonist Nick Mazzarella and drummer Frank Rosaly
Posted inMusic
The Secret History of Chicago Music: Johnny Griffin
Jazz saxophonist Johnny Griffin isn’t exactly obscure, but he’s been unjustly overshadowed since his heyday in the 50s and 60s.
Posted inArts & Culture
Romance in the 90s (or lack thereof)
Journey into the Reader’s back issues from the 90s for a retro look at Missed Connections.
Posted inBlogs
Blue Note bonanza
A Japanese website offers the full visual spectrum of Blue Note Records’s iconic design work.
Posted inBlogs
The Art of Independent Jazz, Collected for Your Coffee Table
A new coffee table book collects album art from independently released jazz LPs of the 60s and 70s.
Posted inMusic
Short Takes on New Releases
A Horace Silver treasure unearthed, Shelby Lynne does Dusty, and Matt Bauder’s weird love letter to doo-wop and Brian Wilson.
Posted inNews & Politics
Say It Ain’t So!
Letters to the editor: When a journalistic lout writes a piece that is patently dishonest or untrue, I take a pass. It’s par for the course. But when someone I respect does a slovenly job of like nature, it does bad things to my blood pressure. Consider the piece by Mara Tapp on the birth […]