Seven two-bedroom two baths and a one bed one bath below market-rate rental units available at Five Points Lakeview, 3605 N Ravenswood!
Five Points Lakeview is a new construction rental building that features 52 residential units; a rooftop patio, gym, bike storage, and outdoor parking is available. Trader Joes, Loba Cafe, and the CTA Brown Line are within blocks of the property! The property is located within the Hamilton CPS School District
Affordable rents range from $849.00 to $1,659.00 a month. Must be income eligible. Households must earn no more than the maximum income levels below:
Unit 508, One Bedroom One Bath, 80% of Area Median Income: One person - $67,150; 2 persons -$76,750
Units 403 + 407, Two Bedrooms Two Baths, 70% of Area Median Income: 2 persons -$67,200; 3 persons - $75,600; 4 persons - $83,930
Units 303 + 307, Two Bedrooms Two Baths, 60% of Area Median Income: 2 persons -$57,600; 3 persons - $64,800; 4 persons - $71,940
Units 202 + 207, Two Bedrooms Two Baths, 50% of Area Median Income: 2 persons -$48,000; 3 persons - $54000; 4 persons - $59,950
Unit 203, Two Bedrooms Two Baths, 40% of Area Median Income: 2 persons -$38,400; 3 persons - $43,200; 4 persons - $47,960
Please contact the Five Points Lakeview for an application and more information at 773-308-6806 or info@fivepointslakeview.com or https://fivepointslakeview.com/
Applicants with vouchers or other third-party subsidies are welcome to apply. These units are subject to monitoring, compliance, and other restrictions by the City of Chicago’s Department of Housing. For more information visit https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/affordable-requirements-ordinance/home.html
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Arts & Entertainment Event highlights of the week!
SportsWise
The SportsWise team looks ahead to the the Major League Baseball season.
Cover Story: International Jazz Day 2026
Herbie Hancock brings the International Day of Jazz celebration to his hometown of Chicago.
From the streets
Chicago Humanities presents its spring festival. Also, the closure of a Legion Park encampment leaves residents scrambling.
The Playground
THIS PAGE: Herbie Hancock, circa 1978 (Hancock Archives). DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.
Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org
Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org
Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Dave Hamilton
New Space, New Work!
‘Brendan Fernandes: Score for the Murphy Auditorium’
In this newly commissioned work choreographed by Brendan Fernandes, the first artist-in-residence to activate the Driehaus Museum’s newly restored 1926 Murphy Auditorium, an ensemble of performers from across Chicago’s vibrant independent dance community gather to create a dynamic site for sculptural installation, movement, and sound. Inspired by the pioneering spirit of New York City’s Judson Dance Theater, each performance is improvisational in nature, with no prescribed beginning or end. “Brendan Fernandes: Score for the Murphy Auditorium” features a rotating cast of dancers that interact with minimalist sitespecific installations designed by AIM Architecture (Antwerp, Shanghai, Chicago) alongside textiles developed in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, and a sound installation by Chicago-based experimental musician Alex Inglizian. April 10, 6 - 9 p.m., at the Driehaus Museum, 50 E. Erie St. Followed by a curator talk with Fernandes April 11 at 11 a.m., and an encore performance May 6 at 5 p.m. All events are included with museum admission. www.driehausmuseum.org
Everybody do Their Share!
Annual Clean & Green Day of Sevice Chicago’s annual Clean & Green Day of Service will take place on Saturday, April 18, when volunteers team up to beautify their neighborhoods. Residents, school groups and community organizations are welcome to participate. Call 311 to register, and the Department of Streets and Sanitation will lend cleaning equipment. Deadline to register is Monday, April 13. The Chicago Park District and Friends of the Parks will also observe Earth Day on April 18. Activities at 160+ parks will include raking leaves and mulching trees. Materials will be provided. All ages are welcome. Register at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/earth-day
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Premieres!
Giordano Dance Chicago: Ignite the Soul!
Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) returns to the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St., for its 63rd season. The company continues to honor a legacy that bridges the bold vision of founder Gus Giordano with Nan Giordano’s 41 years of inspired artistic leadership. From its deep Chicago roots to performances in 28 countries, 47 states, and more than 1,300 cities, GDC captivates audiences worldwide with its signature blend of power, grace, and joy. This Spring season features three world premieres: “Dumb Luck!,” a new work by Emmy Award–winning Resident Choreographer Al Blackstone; an original composition by Jon Rua; and a new tap duet by Mike Minery. Playing April 10 & 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $36.80 at harristheaterchicago.org
Chim Chim Cher-ee!
‘Mary Poppins’ in Concert Live to Film Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Disney’s “Mary Poppins” in Concert Live to Film, featuring the full-length film projected on a screen above the stage while the musical score by composers Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman is performed live by the Lyric Opera Orchestra. A magical English nanny, Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews), flies out of the breezy London skies and into the home of two mischievous children and the hearts of their family. With the help of a carefree chimney sweep named Bert (Dick Van Dyke), the spirited nanny turns every chore into a game and every day into a "Jolly Holiday." Two performances only, April 10 at 7 p.m. and April 11 at 2 p.m. at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive. Tickets start at $39 at lyricopera.org/MaryPoppins
A Version of the Truth!
‘Both’ Xochi is dealing with a lot: a difficult pregnancy, a new relationship, a family that can't stand her and the loss of her twin brother Sebastian, who was declared missing last year. As she tries to navigate her life (and keep her sanity), the impossible happens: Sebastian reappears. Her family is overjoyed, but Xochi is suspicious: where has he been? And why does this version of Sebastian seem so different than the one she knew? “Both” is an eerie examination of family, love, memory and which version of the truth is the one worth believing. Playing April 11 - May 10 at Steppenwolf, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $50, with Wednesday performances featuring pay-what-you-can pricing starting at $10, at steppenwolf.org
Behaving Badly!
‘Poor Behavior’
A visit from old friends takes an unexpected turn when a bombshell accusation throws niceties out the window. Hospitality turns to havoc. Sanity shatters into shambles. Manners take a backseat as two couples are pushed to their limits during a weekend in the country. Will they be able to pick up the pieces over wine and muffins or will their poor behavior leave them irrevocably broken? Find out in this sharp-witted play by acclaimed playwright Theresa Rebeck. Playing April 10 - May 10 at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Rd., Glenview. Tickets are $55 at OilLampTheater.org
The Almighty Dollar!
‘Windfall’
W hen a father loses his child in a clash with the police, he is visited by three strangers who advise him to take the city’s cash settlement, relocate and forget his grief – or else remain, haunted by memories of the world his child fought so hard to protect. This lyrical world premiere is a vital and timely look at the spirit of activism set against the most indifferent system of them all: the almighty dollar. Playing April 9 - May 31 at Steppenwolf, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets start at $80 at steppenwolf.org
Right Next to the Right One!
‘The Angel Next Door’
Young author Oliver Adams is on the brink of success, with his novel set to be published and adapted for the Broadway stage. W hen he, the famed (and married) playwrights, and his longed-for leading lady all converge for the weekend at a Newport mansion, the surly housekeeper’s misgivings aren’t the only problem. In the 1940s-style romantic screwball comedy
“The Angel Next Door,” only the power of theatre can save the play, Oliver’s novel – and his heart. Playing at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, April 9-May 10, tickets start at $24 at northlight.org
‘Bat Out of Hell: The Musical’
Anything for Love!
Featuring some of the most iconic rock songs ever recorded, “Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical” boasts an epic world-class cast accompanied by a dynamic eight-piece rock band. As the Lost boys and girls flee into the tunnels below the city from its ruler Falco, his teenage daughter Raven locks eyes with fearless leader of the Lost, and the immensity of their love-at-first-sight-obsessions threaten to destroy both of their families. Playing one-night-only, April 9, 7:30 p.m., at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive. Tickets start at $73 at aunditoriumtheatre.org
A Private Collection!
‘Life is an Art: The Collection of Jan Petry’
“Life is an Art: The Collection of Jan Petry” highlights 30 artworks donated to the Intuit Art Museum, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave., by the late, long-time board member Jan Petry. The exhibition showcases paintings, drawings and sculptures by major figures in American self-taught art. The artworks are complemented by objects that reflect Petry’s passion for folk art, design, furniture and maritime themes, offering a glimpse into the vision of a dedicated collector. On display through March 20, learn more at art.org
Our 2026 baseball predictions
John: Is it a foregone conclusion that the Dodgers will be World Series champions again in 2026?
Russell: It’s time for a change. The Dodgers are very good. I thought the Blue Jays had them last year, but they came back some kind of way and became champions for the second time.
The National League West -- I feel sorry for San Diego, Giants, Colorado, because the Dodgers are going to be there again. And the National League Central: come on Cubs, gotta find a way to beat them Brewers.
John: The Cubs have improved. They’ve got Alex Bregman at third base.
Russell: The Cubs might do something. St. Louis, we can take care of them, the rest of the division.
The American League, it’s hard to repeat. Every year, it’s somebody different. In
the National League, it’s the same old team: the Dodgers. Last year, the Dodgers against the Blue Jays. Before that, the Dodgers and the Yankees.
John: Baseball is like the NBA: Celtics, Lakers, Knicks, Sixers and Bulls. Baseball is Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox. Otherwise, I don’t watch it.
Allen: The Dodgers are a good team to beat. And they did pick up one of the White Sox players last year, so they know how to scout for good players and keep them, unlike Chicago. Chicago always trades them once they find out they are good, which is kind of unfair to the fans. My eyes are on the White SOX! I think they finally got a team where they are not going to lose 100 games this year. I am looking for them to improve because I am from the South Side.
John: To me, the Dodgers are the best team on the planet, but you don’t beat them on paper. I think the Cubs can with the lineup they improved on. And the Phillies, with their pitching.
In the American League, it’s gonna be the Yankees or Toronto. But the thing about the Yankees is, Aaron Judge has to stay healthy. If he does, he can carry the Yankees to the pennant, maybe the World Series.
The White Sox were good enough in the off-season to get out of the cellar, maybe to about third this year.
To me, the best teams are the Dodgers, Phillies and Cubs in the National League and in the American League, the entire Eastern division.
Russell: In the National League East, watch out for the Mets: Luis Robert Jr. and Juan Soto. Still, like John says, the Dodgers are the class of baseball. They know
how to spend money, find free agents. Cubs, take note: gotta start spending money. Detroit, Kansas City, be real. You can’t do it in two years. Even in the 60s when the Mets lost 100 games, it took them seven years to get to the World Series. Sox, you got a long way to go.
Allen: The White Sox got a long way to go, but they won three games during spring training against the Cubs. That ought to tell you.
John: I am looking forward to Cubs home games backto-back against the Yankees and Dodgers in late July and early August. And the White Sox – we always got fireworks. So here’s to a great season.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors John Hagan, Russell Adams, and A. Allen chat about the world of sports.
International Jazz Day in Chicago
Legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock is bringing International Jazz Day back to Chicago, the place where the art form began for him – and which shaped it for the world.
On the evening of April 30, the International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert will take place at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, featuring celebrated local, national, and international talents such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Marcus Miller, Renée Fleming, Jacob Collier, and Chicagoans Bobby Broom, Ernest Dawkins, Kurt Elling, Herbie Hancock, Marquis Hill, Joel Ross and Jahari Stampley. The concert will be live-streamed globally on YouTube, as well as on UN Web TV, jazzday.com, Facebook and additional platforms—reaching millions of viewers in more than 190 countries and uniting the world from Chicago.
“I’m excited that Chicago, my hometown, is hosting International Jazz Day 2026,” Hancock said in his roles as UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Director-General and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue. He is also chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, the nonprofit charged with planning, promoting and producing this annual celebration begun in November 2011.
“It was in my Chicago high school auditorium that I discovered jazz, an event that sparked a lifelong passion and commitment to this powerful art form,” Hancock said. “Jazz opened doors to creativity, self-expression and freedom.”
At age 11, Hancock won a Chicago Symphony Orchestra Youth Audition and appeared with the CSO in a Young People’s Concert at Orchestra Hall on Feb. 5, 1952. That appearance “pretty much solidified my desire and aspiration to be a musician,” Hancock recalled in an interview with Newcity in 2021. But at the time, he only listened to classical music and rhythm and blues. Jazz was for older people.
Hancock’s life-altering experience came in Hyde Park High School (now Hyde Park Academy) while watching a student variety show.
by Suzanne Hanney
"Folks from various classes would participate. And there was a jazz trio that performed, and the pianist was in my sophomore class. And that was what really did it for me with jazz because he was improvising on my instrument! I didn’t know how to do that. So that’s when I decided I wanted to learn how to improvise.”
Hancock asked his classmate how he could learn to play the genre. “Get some George Shearing records,” the classmate said, referring to the British jazz pianist.
After Hancock got off the L and ran home to 45th and South Parkway (now Dr. Martin Luther King Drive), he told his mother they had to get some George Shearing records. They already had some, she responded.
"I went to the record cabinet, and there they were. A box of 78s, which was what albums were at that time. As a matter of fact, one of the pieces was a piece that my classmate played at that variety show. And what do you know? George Shearing sounded like my classmate!
Hancock continued, “[Pianist] Erroll Garner was like the next cat. He could swing. I liked the feeling from the rhythmic side of it, but it also had a lot of heart.”
Garner was Pittsburgh-born and self-taught, but he had a Chicago connection: his song, “Misty,” was inspired by a rainy flight from San Francisco to Chicago in 1954.
As Garner’s plane was landing, he saw a rainbow and droplets of water on the window. Unable to read or write music, he hummed the melody to himself, played it on his knees like a piano and committed it to memory (the passenger in the next seat thought he was ill and summoned an attendant). “Misty” appeared in his trio’s 1954 album, Contrasts; lyrics were added by Johnny Burke in 1955. It became the signature song and first Grammy nomination for Johnny Mathis and was also covered by Sarah Vaughn. Clint Eastwood used the instrumental version in the 1971 movie he directed, “Play ‘Misty’ for Me.”
For over a century, Chicago has been a jazz mecca. Spurred by the Great Migration during World War I and the U.S. Navy’s closing of the New Orleans legal redlight district in 1917, jazz musicians hit the road to make a living. Jelly Roll Morton played in California for five years and arrived in Chicago in 1922. So did jazz legend Louis Armstrong, called up by his former boss, “King” Joe Oliver, who had been in Chicago since 1918. Their hot cornet duets at the Lincoln Gardens, 459 E. 31st St. in Bronzeville, revolutionized the genre, according to a blog by Andy Schum for
the Driehaus Museum in 2022. Schum is the leader of the Chicago Cellar Boys, which plays Tuesdays at the Green Mill and Sundays at the Honky Tonk BBQ in Pilsen.
Buddy Bolden had been the first musician to add improvisation and a freewheeling spirit to the danceable music of enslaved people in New Orleans’ Congo Square, according to the Jazz Society of Oregon website. But Morton was the first to write down his jazz arrangements in musical notation. The “Chicago style” valued solos, improvisation, big band arrangements and a faster, more rhythmic sound, bringing instruments like the saxophone to the fore.
“It’s often been said that while jazz was born in New Orleans, it grew up in Chicago,” Schum wrote for the Driehaus blog. “Jazzmen from a century ago pioneered new ways of creating music, and in doing so, wove the city’s essence into its very being. Jazz and Chicago are forever linked.”
As early as 1916, a trombonist for the Original Dixieland Jass Band (as it was spelled at the time), noted that the frenetic energy of Chicago dancers changed the way the band played. Although jazz initially appealed only to the avant garde, it slowly developed two core sets of fans: the wealthy and sophisticated who wanted to appear unpretentious and the working class who emulated them.
“It became the perfect metaphor for culture in Chicago,” Schum wrote. “It was seemingly homespun music made by seemingly untrained musicians dressed in expensive tuxedos and playing pricey gold-plated instruments. All types of people from all income levels could be found mingling with each other in the city's nightclubs and speakeasies. There was something for everyone to appreciate.”
Herbie Hancock (Douglas Kirkland photo).
Page: A George Shearling 78 (ebay). George Shearling (Metronome collection).
9: Dee Dee Bridgewater and Abdellah El Gourd get down at a 2024 International Jazz Day Event (Photo provided by the City of Chicago).
In the 1930s, Chicago native Benny Goodman established the orchestra that would soon launch the Swing Era nationwide.
When bebop swept through the 1940s, Chicago musicians Gene Ammons, Eddie Harris, and the Freeman brothers (Von and George) put their own stamp on it, while Lennie Tristano conceived a minimalist alternative that paved the way for the “cool jazz” movement.
Chicago in the 50s is where the Afrofuturist visionary Sun Ra assembled his first Cosmic Arkestra, and where Muhal Richard Abrams began working with other luminaries (Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill) who formed the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in the 60s. The AACM came to symbolize the second wave of the jazz avant-garde and re-established Chicago as a home for experimentation, seen today in the work of progressive artists Ken Vandermark, Tomeka Reid, Marquis Hill, Jeff Parker, and “beat scientist” Makaya McCraven, and in Kurt Elling’s quantum leap in vocal jazz. Now come such 20-something movers and shakers like Isaiah Collier and Jahari Stampley, appearing at iconic Chicago venues like the Jazz Showcase, the Green Mill, and the renowned Chicago Jazz Festival (est.1979), and already framing the discussion for the jazz to come.
UNESCO’s designation of International Jazz Day in November 2011 recognizes the global art form for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, respect for human rights and dignity, fostering gender equality and promoting freedom of expression.
The first International Jazz Day in 2012 consisted of a sunrise concert in Congo Square, a daylong celebration at UNESCO headquarters in Paris and a sunset concert at the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York City.
Subsequent commemorations have been in Istanbul, Osaka, Paris, Washington D.C.; St. Petersburg, Russia; Havana, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia; with 2021 segments shot on location in New York, Los Angeles, London, Monaco, Paris, Moscow, Cape Town, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.
International Jazz Day 2026 marks the return of the celebration to the United States after a decade. In 2016, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama (a Chicago native) hosted it at the White House.
“Jazz is part of the history and cultural lifeblood of Chicago, and I can’t think of a better place to celebrate the genre’s roots and enduring legacy during International Jazz Day,” said Gov. JB Pritzker during the announcement at the Chicago Cultural Center.
“Since the earliest days of the Great Migration, jazz has been interwoven with our city's cultural fabric and identity,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Hosting International Jazz Day in 2026 here in Chicago is a tremendous honor and a powerful testament to the enduring spirit and innovation of our musicians and our passionate jazz community.”
The Chicago Jazz Alliance spearheads local programming, bringing together a coalition of civic and cultural organizations initiated by Chicago’s own Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling and led by Tony Karman, founder of EXPO Chicago. The Alliance unites key partners including the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), the Jazz Institute of Chicago, the Ravinia Festival, and the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago, among many others. Quintin Primo III and Michael Reschke are Host City Co-Chairs.
JazzInternational Dayevents
Saturday April 25
AT THE FORUMTHE BRONZEVILLE ROOTS OF CHCIAGO JAZZ
The Forum Cafe, 318 E. 43rd St. 3 - 6 p.m.
Explore Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood as a living jazz museum, via free public walking tours, a jazz heritage bus tour, performances, and conversations centered around a landmark cultural space. FREE.
TANGIBLE SOUND: ARRIVAL TO A HIGHER GROUND
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Ave. 5 p.m.
Davis’s centennial birthday with this orchestral reimagining of the 1960 classic recording. $5
JAZZ CLUB TOUR EXPERIENCE
Hop on a luxury coach bus and visit jazz clubs and venues all over the city, showcasing some of the city’s most beloved and historic spots. Tickets start at $33.85.
'BIRDMAN' LIVE, PERFORMED BY ANTONIO SÁNCHEZ
Reva and David Logan Center fo the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. 7 p.m.
Grammy-winning composer Antonio Sánchez will present a special live-score screening of the Oscar-winning film BIRDMAN, starring Michael Keaton. FREE.
Tuesday April 28
This immersive exhibition translates the energy of Chicago’s improvised music scene into color, movement, and visual form. FREE.
JAZZ IN THE CHI PUBLIC CONCERT
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, 211 N. Paulina St. 6 p.m.
Join in a day of learning and community building at this concert featuring local jazz musicians, presented by the Jazz Institute of Chicago. FREE.
Sunday April 26
OUR JAZZ LIFE: A CELEBRATION OF THE HISTORY OF JAZZ RADIO IN CHICAGO
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Ave. 1 p.m.
This panel discussion will focus on the eras and decades of jazz radio in Chicago, featuring audio recordings, guest testimonials, photos and more. FREE.
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY WITH JOHN CLAYTON AND STEVE WILSON
Ravinia Festival, 200 Ravinia Park Rd., Highland Park. 7 p.m.
Attend this FREE concert with John Clayton and Steve Wilson, featuring alumni from Ravinia’s Steans Institute and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.
Monday April 27
CHICAGO JAZZ PHILHARMONIC PRESENTS 'SKETCHES OF SPAIN: REVISITED' Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. 1 p.m. The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic will honor Miles
IJD NEIGHBORHOOD JAZZ NIGHT
Celebrating Jazz in Chicago and International Jazz Day: Neighborhood Jazz Night on Chicago’s West Side @ Bethel New Life, 5130 W. jackson Blvd. 5 p.m.
TULIPS & TRUMPETS: A MILE FULL OF JAZZ
The Shops at North Bridge, 520 N. Michigan Ave. 5 - 6:30 p.m.
This event will bring live performances to The Shops at North Bridge, creating a vibrant gathering place in the heart of North Michigan Avenue. FREE.
A SOUTH SIDE CELEBRATION OF CHICAGO JAZZ
Compassion Baptist Church, 2650 E. 95th St. 5 p.m.
A part of the Neighborhood Jazz night, this evening event will feature a panel discussion and performances from the South Side Jazz Coalition. FREE.
“SYNCOPATED SPIRITS: A CELEBRATION IN BLUE NOTES”
Presented by Jazz Institute of Chicago, 410 S. Michigan Ave. 5 p.m.
Rooted in tradition and alive with improvisation, Pharez Whitted and others TBA celebrate the rhythms that have shaped generations and continue to inspire joy, wellness, and unity today. FREE to the public.
WORLD PREMIERE:
'FANNIE LOU HAMER: NO ONE COULD CONTAIN HER' Hamilton Park Cultiural Center, 513 W. 72nd St. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. A part of the Neighborhood Jazz night, this world premiere performance composed by Ernest Dawkins will feature the Live the Spirit Residency Big Band. FREE.
JAZZCITY
Presented by Jazz Institute of Chicago and Chicago Park District, at Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St. 6-8 p.m.
JazzCity is a free concert series initiated in 1997 to bring
people of all ethnicities together and connect them to the legacy of jazz in Chicago. Artists include Victor Garcia and others TBA. FREE to the public.
CHICAGO
WEST COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER WITH HOWARD SANDIFER
Presented by Chicago West Community Music Center @ Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave. 6-7:30 p.m.
Tracing the chronological journey of Chicago jazz, the concert begins with the early sounds of Louis Armstrong and Lil Hardin Armstrong, whose New Orleans roots helped establish Chicago as a jazz capital. The program will move through the innovative piano stylings of Earl “Fatha” Hines, the youthful energy of the Austin High Gang, and the influential guidance of Captain Walter Dyett, whose musical mentorship nurtured generations of Chicago’s finest musicians. The performance will also explore the sophisticated grooves of Ramsey Lewis and the boundary-pushing creativity of Herbie Hancock. The Chicago West Community Music Center featuring Tammy McCann will perform live, along with historical commentary and multimedia elements. FREE to the public.
JUST FOR A THRILL
Presented by Lynn Colbert-Jones and CENIC Global @ Epiphany Center for the Arts, 210 S. Ashland Ave. 6-10 p.m.
Timeless standards to innovative new sounds presented by Bobbi Wilsyn, Joan Collaso, Bruce Henry, Cynda Williams, Jason Warrior, Lynne Jordan, Ivan Taylor, Miguel de la Cerna, Marlene Rosenberg. FREE to the public
BANDWITH CHICAGO & CHICAGO JESUIT ACADEMY WITH THE MARQUES CARROLL QUINTET
@ BandWith’s Community Performing Arts Center, 148 S. California Ave. 7-8:15 p.m. Small jazz ensembles from both organizations will lead a master class focused on improvisation, ensemble collaboration and the rich traditions of jazz, then perform a short set. Artists include Marques Carroll, Annie Palomino, Ivan Taylor, Ryan Nyther, Greg Artry, Brent Griffin, Christian Dillingham, Juluis Tucker, Nickolas Kaplan, Carlos Garcia. FREE to the public.
Wednesday April 29
JAZZ, FILM, AND THE IMPROVISATIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF STORYTELLING
2-3:15 p.m. at the Claudia Cassidy Theatre, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Ave. Acclaimed composers and film scorers Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, and Kris Bowers explore this deeply collaborative process, examining how jazz’s core principles—improvisation, listening, and responsiveness—inform visual storytelling across genres. FREE to the public.
Thursday April 30
WHPK INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY
GLOBAL CONCERT WATCH PARTY
@ Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. 7-10 p.m. WHPK 88.5 FM presents free community party to enjoy the global concert, with guest speaker Ricardo Lopez. FREE to the public.
The Main Event!
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY 2026
ALL-STAR GLOBAL CONCERT
Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker Drive, 7 - 10 p.m.
With artistic direction by Herbie Hancock and Kurt Elling, the 15th Anniversary All-Star Global Concert is the centerpiece of International Jazz Day 2026 in Chicago, featuring a record number of acclaimed artists from around the world, including Dee D. Bridgewater, Marcus Miller, Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling, and Renée Fleming, with many more to be added. FREE. Ticketing information TBA.
Friday May 1
ISAIAH COLLIER LOGAN CENTER SCHOOL MATINEE
@ Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. 10:30 a.m.-noon. Award-winning Isaiah Collier reaches forwards and backward simultaneously with his music in this free concert for Chicago Public School students and teachers, thanks to the Logan Center and UChicago Presents.
ISAIAH COLLIER: IN TRIBUTE TO THE CLASSICS OF JOHN COLTRANE
@ Reva and David Logan Center, 915 E. 60th St. 7:30 p.m.
Rooted in tradition, yet stretching toward the future, saxophonist Collier and his band, The Chosen Few, channel Coltrane’s legendary quartets. Presented by UChicago Presents. $45
MIKE REED’S CHICAGO INSPIRATIONS
@ Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave. 8 p.m. Drummer-composer Mike Reed explores the legacy of Chicago bassist and AACM member Fred Hopkins with new works, including a commission by Henry Threadgill. Presented by Symphony Center Presents.
Reed is owner and director of Chicago’s Constellation and Hungry Brain. The evening includes performances of: The Magic Box: Music by a powerhouse ensemble of fellow Chicago improvisers, reflecting Hopkins’ deep influence on avant-garde jazz. “And The City Was Yellow: Chicago Jazz & Improvised Music 1980-2010:” saxophonist Geof Bradfield and talented high-school jazz musicians open the concert with Reed’s collection of music composed in Chicago during a 30-year, transformative era of risk-taking within the city’s jazz scene. $39+
For even more information, tickets and additional events, visit https://chicgaojazzalliance.org/events
Spring Humanities festival returns
by Suzanne Hanney, from prepared materials
The Spring Festival for Chicago Humanities will host conversations ranging from the U.S. Constitution to social justice, healthcare, literature, food, poetry, architecture, and much more on three dates across Chicagoland.
“From Bridgeport to Lakeview to Evanston, we’re engaging with and celebrating the neighborhoods that help define Chicago. We invite Chicagoans to join us to reflect, connect, and take part in conversations that challenge and inspire us to move toward a better future as a city,” said Co-Creative Director Lauren M. Pacheco.
“On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the United States, we have organized a season of programs that address both the history of the country and political issues that continue to challenge us today,” said Co-Creative Director Michael Green.
Some noteworthy standalone programs include iconic travel writer Rick Steves (April 20 at Francis Parker School) and beloved bestselling author Ann Patchett on her newest novel “Whistler” (June 28 at the Athenaeum Center).
The Spring Festival’s Bridgeport Day on Saturday, April 18 includes programs around racial justice through the lens of geography: Chicago’s own Tonika Lewis Johnson – a Columbia College Chicago graduate who drives an illuminating conversation on housing and racial inequality in Chicago and across the country; Mayor Brandon Johnson joining a conversation with international bestselling author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi on the baseless "great replacement theory" and the emerging dangers of preventing demographic change; as well as Bridgeport Bus Tours with Shermann “Dilla” Thomas.
Lakeview Day at the Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture on Saturday, May 9 includes liberal political commentator Peter Sagal’s U.S. Constitution Sessions and David Axelrod with conservative New York Times columnist David
French sharing why their differing politics don’t affect their shared existential fight for democratic norms and a liberal order. Padma Lakshmi, the Emmy Award-nominated host, producer, and bestselling author from Top Chef and the acclaimed Hulu series Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, joins to discuss her travels, experiences and new cookbook, "Padma’s All American."
The final Spring Festival hub day will be in Evanston at Northwestern University on Sunday, May 17. Chicago native Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, one of America’s leading doctors and health policy experts, discusses the “Wellness Industrial Complex.” Chef Curtis Duffy, whose Chicago restaurants Grace and Ever (a fictionalized version of which was featured in the second season of "The Bear") have earned critical acclaim and multiple Michelin stars, speaks about his remarkable new memoir "Fireproof." Bestselling biographer Walter Isaacson analyzes one of the most famous passages in American history from The Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” Later, cult filmmaker and iconic self-proclaimed “Filth Elder” John Waters celebrates his acclaimed career and performs readings from the new reissue of his classic early screenplays. Other speakers include U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Joliet), three greatnieces of Frida Kahlo and historian Mary Beard.
Tickets are on sale on the Chicago Humanities website, chicagohumanities.org, with a full schedule of programming and more information.
From left: Tonika Lewis Johnson (photo courtesy of Chicago Humanities); Padma Lakshmi (Inez $ Vindooh photo); John Waters (Greg Gorman photo).
encampment residents still looking for shelter
by Suzanne Hanney
Residents of an encampment at Legion Park on the Northwest Side remained scattered outside nearly a week after its March 17 closure, according to the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness (CCH).
The closure followed an Accelerated Moving Event (AME) on February 25 in which 16 encampment residents were matched with housing. Two others were later connected to housing, but needed to see the units, said Linsey Maughan, director of public affairs for the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS). One person at the AME accepted shelter.
Housing typically takes 30 to 60 days to be finalized, but the closure proceeded after less than a month, despite an alternative proposal from Parks for All. The advocates sought to keep tents at least 50 feet from other properties and to seek fire training. The encampment was along the North Shore Channel, close to homes at Peterson and Jersey avenues; propane tanks in tents had caused several fires.
The last fire destroyed several tents, after which Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th) issued a statement that said in part, “it became clear that this situation was dangerous for both those living there and in the surrounding neighborhood.”
The closure proceeded after a joint statement by the Mayor’s Office, DFSS and the Chicago Park District that in part, praised the “thought and care” in creating the alternative proposal, “which has the backing of many of our unhoused community’s strongest supporters, whose work we respect.”
The CCH Facebook page repeated a quote to Block Club from Mary Tarullo, its director of city policy: “Until there are accessible housing options for everyone experiencing homelessness across the whole city, people need public spaces in order to survive.”
CHICAGO
Eric Allix Rogers
Held to commemorate the lives of our neighbors who were buried by the Office of the Cook County Medical Examiner
