Windy City Jazz

Greetings from Chicago, where the weather is cool and clear, and every door feels open and inviting. I came here primarily for a football game (sadly, my team lost), but there's a range of musical events to fill the rest of my time here: everything from the CSO, to tonight's double bill of Tortoise and Wilco (!) 

Prior to having to decide between those pricey tix, I found myself at the Chicago Cultural Center this afternoon for a free performance of Brad Shepik's "Human Activity Suite": a major, large scale work for jazz quintet featuring Shepik on guitar, Tom Rainey on drums, Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Drew Gress on bass, and Gary Versace on accordion/piano. Speaking before the performance, Shepik explained that the suite is about climate change, with each section written for a particular continent. "Lima," with its dancing accordion, represented South America while the tribal and primitive "Blind Spot" spoke plainly to North America's global climate contribution, sounding like one of Varese's exercises in sonic terrorism. The soft, dirge-like
"Stir" began with the bass bending low before turning ethereal and melodic. "Blue Marble," which supposedly represented Africa, had all the vestiges of Chinese classical music. Finally, the group let it rip in "Carbonic," full of atmospheric grooves that hinted at Miles yet claimed their own distinct soundscape. This was playing and composing on the highest level: one should expect nothing less of the Windy City.
Now, if I can just figure out what to do with the rest of my evening…