But at least one musical event ignores the barriers that separate jazz listeners from their classical counterparts, world-music lovers from devotees of the avant- garde. And the fifth annual edition of Pick-Staiger Concert Hall's Spring Festival, continuing into next month, fearlessly serves up jazz, tango, classical and whatnot.
“One of my main purposes in life has been to help people appreciate that artistic genes and creativity come in many different forms and many different countries and many different kinds of music," says Richard Van Kleeck, who books the fest. Moreover, with this edition of the soiree—subtitled “Collaboration Exultation: A Festival of Musical Connections"—Van Kleeck has dared to juxtapose marquee names with virtual unknowns.
“That's another one of my beliefs—that there's a whole world of musicians who are as talented as anyone you might hear at Carnegie Hall or Symphony Center," says Van Kleeck. “Why not discover them?"
Among the highlights:
SFJAZZ Collective
7:30 p.m. Wednesday; $8-$16.
Unlike many jazz ensembles, the innovative SFJAZZ Collective makes no distinctions between leader and sideman. Instead, major artists convene with equal billing, each offering individual arrangements or compositions on a given theme. This time, they'll explore music of McCoy Tyner.
Harmonica Convergence II
7:30 p.m. April 4; $8-$16.
The concert spotlights Chicagoan Howard Levy—a world-class harmonica virtuoso— sharing a bill with the Brazilian harmonica player Pablo Fagundes, blues harp player Peter “Madcat" Ruth and Bud Boblink and the Windy City Harmonica Trio.
Chicago Jazz Orchestra with Victor Goines, Anthony Molinaro and Charley Harrison
7:30 p.m. April 11; $8-$16.
Reedist Goines collaborates with the CJO in Nelson Riddle's exquisitely complex “Cross Country Suite."
At Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston; 847- 467-4000 or pickstaiger.org.
Dr. Marsalis
AgainTrumpeter Wynton Marsalis will be the commencement speaker at Northwestern University on June 20, when he'll receive an honorary doctor of arts degree
(his 30th honorary degree).
“He was chosen because of his tremendous impact on American music," says Northwestern spokesman Alan Cubbage. “It has been a long time since we had someone in music give the commencement address."
For more information contact All About Jazz.
