It’s the first Tuesday of the month, which means that Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky and former Reader staffer Maya Dukmasova host their monthly live interview show at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia). First Tuesdays tonight takes on the politics of the Pretrial Fairness Act (“It’s not a ‘purge law,’” they tell us). Join Maya […]
Tag: Isaiah Collier
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An Unacquainted Orchestra, Tasting India, and tea
Update as of Mon 8/15/22 at 11:30 AM: Unfortunately Monday Night Foodball has been canceled tonight due to illness. Next Foodball is still on for Mon 8/22, and future dates are available here. The Chicago Black Artist Union is a grouping of Black Chicago creatives from several disciplines who joined together to share their artistry […]
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Weirdo rippers Lollygagger make their vinyl debut with Total Party Kill
Gossip Wolf has been on the record as a fan of Lollygagger since the local glam-punk goofballs dropped their debut EP, Life on Terminus, in 2018. The band followed it in 2020 with the hilarious sketch-comedy-style video album The Lollygagger Family Fun Variety Hour, but lately this wolf has hungered for something to slap on […]
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With the spiritual jazz of I AM, Isaiah Collier and Michael Shekwoaga Ode go Beyond the cosmos
Saxophonist Isaiah Collier and his celebrated quartet, the Chosen Few, are among our city’s mightiest conduits of spiritual jazz. So when Collier and Chosen Few percussionist Michael Shekwoaga Ode shared a wildfire studio improvisation while recording last year’s Cosmic Transitions, they knew immediately they wanted to keep that heat blazing. Thus their duo project, I […]
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Emma Hospelhorn of Ensemble dal Niente releases a scintillating solo debut as Em Spel
Gossip Wolf always likes to hear about a new solo album from a member of Ensemble dal Niente—the long-running local contemporary-classical corps has built a spotless reputation for adventurous programming and technical excellence, and its members often pop up in far-flung musical contexts around town. Among the most prolific is multi-instrumentalist Emma Hospelhorn, who has […]
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Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few take an intergalactic jazz journey on Cosmic Transitions
In fall 2019, WTTW arts producer Marc Vitali profiled young jazz visionary Isaiah Collier, who has become a vital force in the Chicago scene. “We should not let anything limit us,” Collier said. “People say the sky’s the limit, I don’t think that’s true either. There’s a whole galaxy above all this atmosphere. No matter […]
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Percussionist and bandleader Kahil El’Zabar starts his sixth decade of making restorative rhythms
It’s probably not possible to give a brief overview of Kahil El’Zabar’s resumé—the Chicago jazz percussionist has been a crucial part of the city’s musical heritage since he joined the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians at age 18 in the early 1970s. (He also served the AACM as its chairman for a few […]
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The Hyde Park Jazz Festival takes a step back toward normalcy
The 15th Hyde Park Jazz Festival, which took place last Saturday and Sunday, may have been the best ever. That’s a tall statement, given how many great ones there have been—but it’s less about ranking favorites and more about how good it felt to see such a beloved event getting back to its old self. […]
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Alejandro Ayala, aka King Hippo, DJ and producer
“You bring people together and something will always happen. . . . The how is pretty easy, but the why is more important to me.”
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Photos: The Hyde Park Jazz Festival
The south side’s own world-class jazz fest played host to dozens of shows and more than a hundred musicians.
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Angel Bat Dawid taps into the root of all black music
Chicago singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Angel Bat Dawid talks about the improvisation and inspiration that shaped her new album, The Oracle.
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Honoring the vanishing musical culture of Wicker Park
In some ways, Dorian’s is just one more boutiquey bar and restaurant. But its record store and music bookings connect it to Wicker Park’s 1990s arts community.
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Jazz grows under Ernest Dawkins’s feet
By staying put in his hometown, this Chicago saxophonist has nurtured generations of musicians—and a south-side festival that’s now in its 16th year.