“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.”

– Various, including Thelonious Monk

The following archive is a collection of my personal thoughts and experiences exploring music in its most primal form: the bandstand.

Livia Gazzolo, Pat Leary Trio @ The Red Room 8/17/2023

Marquis Hill Composers’ Collective @ Jazz Showcase 12/29/24

Chris Greene Quartet @ SPACE 7/23/23

Quentin Coaxum Satellite @ The Whistler 7/12/23

Marques Carroll Quintet @ Andy’s 5/08/23

Take Yokoyama Mahjong Crib @ Hungry Brain 4/29/23

Alejandro Salazar Trio @ Dorian’s 4/19/23

New Nostalgia @ Andy’s 4/15/23

Wayfaring and Quentin Coaxum @ Hyde Park Jazz Fest 9/24/16

Roxy Coss and Sharel Cassity Quintet @ Jazz Showcase 8/16/15

Corey Wilkes Quartet @ Jazz Showcase 7/26/15

Bobby Broom Organi-Sation @ Green Mill 7/17/15

Snarky Puppy @ City Winery Chicago 6/26/15

A little bit about live jazz…

Live music – clubs, concerts, and by extension jam sessions – is the life blood of any musician. It sharpens a player’s wit, creates connections with other musicians, and is a grassroots entryway to gathering loyal listeners.

They also need money.

True, there are millions of hours of precious, hard-studied sessions preserved on albums, TV specials, concert recordings, and bootlegs. But one cannot foster a dialogue with the music through YouTube. There’s nothing quite like experiencing this art form firsthand, shoulder-to-shoulder on a Friday night or sitting down on a bar stool some sunny afternoon.

If nothing else, just live by this three-word sentence: