Returning Labor Day Weekend to Chicago is maybe the best free festival in the city that celebrates one of the most significant cornerstones of American music. Presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Jazz Institute of Chicago, the 41st Annual Chicago Jazz Festival takes over the city with extended dates from August 29 – September 1.
Attendees can enjoy stellar jazz performances by local, national, and international talent at Millennium Park and several neighborhood venues prior to the actual festival from August 23 – August 30. Each year recognizes a special segment of the genre as jazz performers rise to the occasion at Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center.
The Chicago Jazz Festival is sponsored in part by American Airlines, Chicago Jazz Magazine, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Tribune, CLTV, Downbeat Magazine, Stella Artois, WGN-TV, and WDCB.
Neighborhood Concerts
Pre-Festival Dates, Times, & Venues
Friday, August 23
8:30pm – JD Allen Trio
Constellation Studio B, 3111 N. Western Ave.
Produced by Constellation Performing Arts, constellation-chicago.com
Saturday, August 24
6–10pm – Brown Derby Jazz Revue
Great Lakes Elks Lodge, 5110 S. Prairie
Produced by 51st Street Business Association, 51ststreetchicago.com
8:30pm – Marc Ribot Solo
Constellation Studio B, 3111 N. Western Ave.
Produced by Constellation, constellation-chicago.com
Sunday, August 25
6–10pm – Brown Derby Jazz Revue
Great Lakes Elks Lodge, 5110 S. Prairie
Produced by 51st Street Business Association, 51ststreetchicago.com
9pm – Cooper Moore
The Hungry Brain, 2319 W. Belmont Ave.
Produced by Hungry Brain, hungrybrainchicago.com
Monday, August 26
5–7:30pm – Pop Up Nu Jazz Festival featuring Thaddeus Tukes, Sam Trump, the Young Masters under the direction of Ernest Dawkins along with special guest Jamila Woods and Alexis Lombre, with the Englewood Soweto Exchange
Whole Foods Parking Lot, 832 W. 63rd St.
Produced by Live the Spirit Residency, englewoodjazzfest.org
9pm – Anagram Fest featuring The Oh Yeahs and the Alejandro Urzagaste Trio
Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey Ave., 2nd Floor
Produced by Elastic Arts, elasticarts.org
Tuesday, August 27
5:30pm – Tuesdays on the Terrace: Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.
Produced by Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, mcachicago.org
6–8pm – Ancient to the Future featuring Art Turk Burton Congo Square Ensemble and Ernest Dawkins
Jacob R. Caruthers Center, Northeastern Illinois University, 700 E. Oakwood Blvd.
Produced by the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), aacmchicago.org
8pm - Preservation of Fire hosted by King Hippo featuring Vibes Trio + 1 and Isaiah Spencer Collective
Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St
Produced by Public Media Institute, publicmediainstitute.com
9pm – Anagram Fest featuring Mobile Vanguard and the John Wojciechowski Trio
Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey Ave., 2nd Floor
Produced by Elastic Arts, elasticarts.org
Wednesday, August 28
6–9pm – 100th Birthday of Nat “King” Cole with Bruce Henry, Henry Johnson and the Musical Arts Academy
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St.
Produced by South Side Jazz Coalition, Inc., southsidejazzcoalition.com
8pm – Preservation of Fire: QUARTETS hosted by Angel Bat Dawid & King Hippo featuring Eliel Sherman Storey Quartet and Angel bat Dawid & The Brothahood
Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St
Produced by Public Media Institute, publicmediainstitute.com
Thursday, August 29
6pm - Nois and the Dave Rempis Quartet Honor Fred Anderson with a Nod to Charlie Parker’s 99th Birthday!
Fred Anderson Park, 1611 S. Wabash Ave.
Produced by The Birdhouse, Inc.
Friday, August 30
9pm – Woolgathering Records artists Matt Ulery, Russ Johnson and Tim Haldeman with special guests
Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave.
Produced by Sleeping Village, sleeping-village.com
Chicago Jazz Festival Official Schedule
Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater
August 29
11am–Noon – The Red Rose Jazz Band Septet–programmed in collaboration with the Illiana Jazz Club
12:15–1:15pm – Anton Hatwich Trio–programmed in collaboration with the Elastic Arts
1:45–2:45pm – Mai Sugimoto Quartet–programmed in collaboration with Asian Improv Arts Midwest
3:15–4:15pm – John Wociechowski–programmed in collaboration with the Jazz Record Art Collective
Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall
August 29
11am–Noon – What Is This Thing Called Jazz?
Conversation and “Play & Tell” about the Jazz trumpet – with Corey Wilkes, Pharez Whitted, Miguel de la Cerna, Micah Collier Jeremiah Collier on drums–programmed in collaboration with the Jazz Education Committee of the Jazz Institute of Chicago
12:30–1:30pm – Alexis Lombre Quintet–programmed in collaboration with the Hyde Park Jazz Society
2–3pm – Tribute to Joseph Jarman, Alvin Fielder and Saalik–Ziyadprogrammed in collaboration with AACM
3:30–4:30pm – Curtis Robinson–programmed in collaboration with the South Side Jazz Coalition
Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion
August 29
5:55pm – Second-line Procession led by Mystick Krewe of Laff (starts at the west side of the Great Lawn)
6:30–7:25pm – Jazz Institute of Chicago’s 50th Anniversary featuring Nicole Mitchell, Rob Mazurek, Ari Brown, Jeff Parker, and others
7:45–9pm – Freddy Cole, Tribute to Nat King Cole
August 30
3:45pm – Second-line Procession led by Mystick Krewe of Laff (starts at the west side of the Great Lawn)
4:15–5pm – George Freeman and Billy Branch
5:25–6:15pm – Joel Ross
6:25–7:25pm – Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet
7:45–9pm – Art Ensemble of Chicago
August 31
3:45pm – Second-line Procession led by Four Star Brass Band (starts at the west side of the Great Lawn)
4:15–5pm – Ben Wendel Seasons
5:25–6:15pm – Ryan Cohan’s Originations
6:25–7:25pm – Christian McBride
7:45–9pm – Cécile McLorin Salvant
September 1
3:45pm – Second-line Procession led by Four Star Brass Band (starts at the west side of the Great Lawn)
4:15–5pm – Rempis/Flaten/Ra + Baker Quartet
5:25–6:15pm – Camila Meza and the Nectar Orchestra
6:25–7:25pm – Latino-America Unida
7:45–9pm – Eddie Palmieri Sextet
Von Freeman Pavilion (Chase Promenade South)
August 30
11:30am–12:25pm – Miguel de la Cerna Trio
12:40–1:35pm – Metropolitan Jazz Octet with Dee Alexander
1:50–2:45pm – Rocky Yera Band
3–4pm – Rob Mazurek
August 31
11:30am–12:25pm – Carolyn Fitzhugh
12:40–1:35pm – Andy Brown Quartet
1:50–2:45pm – The Fat Babies
3–4pm – Hinda Hoffman and the Soul Message Band
September 1
11:30am–12:25pm – Joan Collaso Sextet
12:40pm–1:35pm – Sharel Cassity Quartet
1:50pm–2:45pm – Russ Johnson
3–4pm – Ben Lamar Gay
Capital One Jazz and Heritage Pavilion (Chase Promenade North)
August 30
Noon–1pm – After Dark Sextet
1:30–2:30pm – Kitt Lyles Real Talk Collective Septet
3–4pm – The JuJu Exchange
August 31
Noon–1pm – Chris Madsen Quartet
1:30–2:30pm – Jeremy Cunningham
3–4pm – Frank Catalano
September 1
Noon–1pm – Paulinho Garcia
1:30pm–2:30pm – Juli Wood’s Big Bari Band Quintet
3–4pm – Ben Sidran
Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace
August 31
Young Jazz Lions
Presented by Allstate Insurance Company
11–11:30am – Saucedo Academy Latin Jazz Band
11:45am–12:15pm – Thomas Kelly High School Jazz Combo
12:30–1pm – ChiArts Honors Jazz Combo
1:15–1:55pm – Dekalb High School Jazz Ensemble
2:10–2:50pm – Kenwood Academy Jazz Band
3:05–3:45pm – Whitney Young Magnet High School Jazz Band
September 1
NextGenJazz
Presented by Allstate Insurance Company
11:15am–Noon – Emerging Artist Big Band
12:15–1pm – Zach Rosenstiehl Nacht Group
1:15–2pm – Dakarai Barclay Sextet
2:15–3pm – The Perrilles Project
3:15–4pm – Alec Tet
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Featured Image Credit: Chicago Jazz Festival
