Dennis Polkow just wrote a really interesting article about the sad state of jazz venues in Chicago. The Jazz Showcase, the areas biggest jazz venue closed its doors at the end of last year after they were not able to renew their lease. Now the HotHouse, Chicago second largest venue that was beginging to pick up the slack with out the Showcase around is closed. Northwestern just canceled their jazz program at the end of the last school year. Jazz is no longer on the radio in chicago with WPEZ 91.5 cutting all of their jazz programing. What is going on? Won’t somebody step up to help this art form from dissolving in a city that arguably is the birth place on modern jazz: a company, a philanthropist, and government, a school, anyone? These are truly dark days for the first truly American art form. I hope for better days ahead.
The end of Chicago Jazz Scene?
July 22nd, 2007 | Uncategorized
5 comments ↓
I am currently a senior Music major at the University of Dayton (OH) and I’ve been playing jazz since I can remember. I grew up through amazing jazz programs in elementary school and high school. In high school, I was lead alto in the Stivers School for the Arts Jazz Orchestra. We took top prize at out first year competing at the Berklee School of Music Jazz fest in Boston. I, more than anyone I know, want Chicago to return to prominence in the jazz world. Having family there, I’ve been to Chicago many times in my 22 years. I plan to move to Chicago within the next few years and I hope that I can help save jazz in Chicago. I don’t think I will in any way, shape, or form be the savior, but I want to help in any way that I can. I love the city of Chicago and it would please me very much to help contribute to the jazz scene in the future. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of practicing ahead of me (I’m nowhere close to where I want to be), but I’m looking forward to helping turn things around.
I’ve seen excellent shows at both the Jazz Showcase (John Scofield) & The Hot House (New Year’s Eve) and it is a damn shame they are both closed.
As a jazz musician I offer this: venues come and go, just as fads in the music being played within them do. Likewise, as jazz players/listeners we must adapt as the music has over the last (almost) century to fit what we hear around us. Miles once called his latest work, “People’s Music.”
Jazz has retreated to the point where it’s becoming a New York specialty. A regional taste, like cabaret or psychoanalysis.
I suspect that as sophisticated culture itself retreats to mean shows of erudition and affluence, jazz is starting to not make sense in most places, even sophisticated places.
New York is cranky and complex and obstinate and conflicted, home to 1000 arcane passions and obsessions. It may be that “America’s music” is no longer America’s, only New York’s because America has moved away from it.
Just a note from the president of HotHouse in Chicago – rumors of our demise have been much exaggerated! Please check our website for upcoming shows.
If you are interested in helping to rebuild this wonderful Chicago institution, please feel free to contact me at any time.
Cheers,
Linda
So sorry to hear this news. It seems like Boston and New York are the last “jazz centers.” I know that Boston in particular has stepped up it’s commitment to keeping live jazz thriving in the city. I hope Chicago can hold on!
Leave a Comment