Jazz Shows in Chicago

FITZGERALDS SIDEBAR Presents: HENRY CARPENDER QUINTET FREE SHOW! RESERVATION AVAILABLE! Henry Carpender is a trombonist, composer, and educator based in the city of Chicago. An artist who is equally informed by his classical training, love of Jazz, and childhood playing rock music (primarily with his father John Carpender), Henry's playing and writing is a charming blend of punchy, sensitive, quirky, and dripping with love for life and self expression. Henry's dedication to music making began at age 13 when he played his first gig with the much beloved local band Expo '76. Since then, through both his education and the beginning of his professional freelance career, Henry has been fortunate enough to share the stage with Dag Juhlin, Billy Harper, Robbie Fulks, Tanya Darby, Cathy Richardson, NRBQ and the Canadian Brass. Henry has also enjoyed a healthy start to a career as a private instructor and group music educator, running a small studio of dedicated middle and high schoolers across the Chicagoland area. When he's not playing or teaching, he can be found playing video games, cooking a new dish, or relaxing on Montrose beach. This show will be an opportunity to premiere new work, revisit some favorites, and share arrangements of some of Henry's favorite artists. Tommy Sagins on Drums, Jack Sundstrom on Bass, Aval Stanley on Keys, and special guests Abram Collier on Bari Sax & Voice, and Ricardo Jimenez on Trumpet and Voice Grab dinner before the show at BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw. ***AGE RESTRICTIONS*** ALL AGES!

FITZGERALDS SIDEBAR PRESENTS: SOUL MESSAGE BAND FREE SHOW! Click , "rdquo" -> Book Now" to reserve a table. We always leave room for walk-ins so if you can't find a reservation, don't sweat it, c'mon over! Chris Foreman is a masterful musician and heir to the throne occupied by the soulful, bluesy jazz organ legends who were once his influence. Blind at birth, Foreman started playing piano at age five and began formal training at seven. As a teenager he was attracted to the organ sounds of Jack McDuff, Groove Holmes, JimmySmith and Jimmy McGriff. This attraction led Chris to pursue playing jazz on the organ, which he undertook through intensive study of recordings. Unlike many African- American musicians whose musical knowledge begins and is established through the church, Chris didn't start his apprenticeship as a church organist until he was almost twenty years old - well after his jazz roots were established. He has arrived at a most exciting blend of blues-gospel and jazz and has developed a stunning command and range on the instrument. The blend of his sound is evident in his professional experience, which has included work with Hank Crawford, Albert Collins, Bernard Purdie, The Mighty Blue Kings and Deep Blue Organ Trio. Drummer Greg Rockingham began playing when he was just three years old and debuted as a professional musician at age five in his father's jazz ensemble. An alumnus of the famed Interlochen Arts Academy and Northeastern University, he has won numerous musical awards from the Notre Dame Jazz Festival. Greg has performed or recorded with a wide range of famous names, including the orchestras of Glenn Miller and Guy Lombardo, vocalists Freddie Cole, Patty Page and Jerry Vale and instrumentalists Nat Adderley, Kenny Burrell, Charles Earland, Irene Reid, Ellis Marsalis, Nancy Wilson, and Deep Blue Organ Trio. Lee Rothenberg was born in Philadelphia and started playing guitar at the age of 14 after studying classical piano for 8 years. His obsession with jazz began at age 16 after spending a summer at Interlochen Arts Camp where he devoted many hours listening to Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane in the listening library. He moved to Evanston, IL in 2000 to attend Northwestern University where he studied with jazz pianist Mike Kocour. Since his arrival in 2005, guitarist Lee Rothenberg has emerged as an in-demand sideman in the Chicago Jazz Scene. Noted for a style that is deeply rooted in the Jazz Guitar Tradition, Lee's playing exhibits the sacred elements of melody, swing, and creativity. Lee has performed as both a leader and sideman at venues such as The Green Mill, Andy's, the Jazz Showcase, Pete Millers's, and the Jazz Estate with a venerable list of chicago artists such as Chris Forman, Dennis Carroll, Greg Rockingham, George Fludas, Greg Ward, Dan Trudell, and Bobby Broom. Currently he is working on a quartet record with legendary Multi-Instrumentalist, Ira Sullivan that includes Dennis Carroll on bass, and George Fludas on drums. Stay tuned!! , "rdquo" -> Lee Rothenberg is a confident, groovin' player that pulls his own weight!!", Chris Foreman.

FITZGERALDS PRESENTS: GRANDSTAND BIG BAND FREE! Click "Book Now" to make a reservation Grab dinner before the show at BABYGOLD BARBECUE Or enjoy full service dining inside the club when doors open. ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

FITZGERALDS PRESENTS: Chris Greene Quartet FREE SHOW! Click , "rdquo" -> Book Now" to reserve a table. We always leave room for walk-ins so if you can't find a reservation, don't sweat it, c'mon over! The Chris Greene Quartet - led by the Evanston saxophone colossus - played its first gig in 2005 and has since become one of the most highly visible, award-winning and critically lauded bands in the Chicago area. While honoring jazz's tradition, the band incorporates elements of funk, hip-hop, rock, Afro-Cuban, the blues and reggae, reflecting their diverse backgrounds. CGQ is currently celebrating the release of , "rdquo" -> Conversance," the first ever jazz release for Chicago's longest-running indie rock label, Pravda Records. Enjoy dinner from BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

FITZGERALDS SIDEBAR Presents: VICTOR GARCIA'S LISTENING PARTY Come hang out with Victor Garcia's Listening Party! Victor and his talented students from his jazz program are jamming out live, and you're invited to join the fun. Expect great music, good vibes, and a chance to see these rising stars show off their improv chops. Bring your friends and enjoy a night of jamming, juicy eats, and joy. FREE SHOW! Click , "rdquo" -> Book Now" to RSVP for guaranteed entry. Grab dinner before the show at BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

FITZGERALDS PRESENTS: GROOVE WITNESS FREE SHOW! Groove Witness is a 7 piece funk band from Chicago featuring, vocalist VERONICA KOTT , PAUL GULEZIAN on trumpet, MARCUS RANUCCI on tenor sax, NICOLAS RANUCCI on bari & alto sax, DAN PARKER on bass, MIKE AMANDES on drums, and ROB ZETTL on guitar. Enjoy dinner before the show from BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

FITZGERALDS SIDEBAR Presents: Aval Stanley Zaucha Organ Trio FREE SHOW! Aval Stanley Zaucha is a budding force in Chicago's jazz scene. As a skilled and in-demand musical collaborator on both piano and the Hammond organ, he has played consistently in the best of Chicago's venerated jazz venues. Now, Zaucha shows his own voice on the Hammond Organ - accompanied by , "rdquo" -> funkiest guitarist in the city" Sam Cho, and triumphant, award-winning drummer Greg Artry. The Fitzgerald's Sidebar is in for a night of lively, energetic, guaranteed-to-be-grooving music presented by three masterful voices. Hammond B3 Organ - Aval Stanley Zaucha Electric Guitar - Sam Cho Drums & Cymbals - Greg Artry Grab dinner before the show at BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw. ***AGE RESTRICTIONS*** 21+, Minors admitted with guardian!

Rhiannon Giddens has made a singular, iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music, with its miles-deep historical roots and contemporary sensibilities, into just about every field imaginable. A two-time GRAMMY Award-winning singer and multiinstrumentalist, MacArthur , "rdquo" -> Genius" grant recipient, Pulitzer Prize winner, and composer of opera, ballet, and film, Giddens has centered her work around the mission of lifting up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been overlooked or erased, and advocating for a more accurate understanding of the country's musical origins through art. Giddens has released three albums under her own name and two in collaboration with Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi, all on Nonesuch Records. American Railroad, her first album in collaboration with the Silkroad Ensemble, was released in November 2024. A collaboration with Justin Robinson, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, was released in April 2025. A founding member of the landmark Black string band Carolina Chocolate Drops, and the all-female banjo supergroup, Our Native Daughters, Giddens is as much a curator as a creator. She is the current Artistic Director of the Yo-Yo Ma-founded Silkroad Ensemble, hosts a TV show on PBS, My Music with Rhiannon Giddens, and has hosted two podcasts (Aria Code from New York City's NPR affiliate station WQXR, which ran for three seasons, and American Railroad from Silkroad). Giddens has published two children's books and written and performed music for the soundtrack of Red Dead Redemption II, one of the best-selling video games of all time. She was a music consultant for 2025's landmark film Sinners, and appeared as a recurring cast member on ABC's hit drama Nashville and as a music history expert on Ken Burns' Country Music series on PBS. In 2025, she launched her own music festival in Durham, NC called Biscuits & Banjos, to celebrate Black culture outside the mainstream, and in 2026 she turned that initiative into a Foundation to house her mission-based work, the Biscuits and Banjos Foundation. As Pitchfork once said, , "rdquo" -> few artists are so fearless and so ravenous in their exploration"---a journey that has led to NPR naming her one of its 25 Most Influential Women Musicians of the 21st Century and to American Songwriter calling her , "rdquo" -> one of the most important musical minds currently walking the planet.

FITZGERALDS PRESENTS: THE MEADOWLARK LEMONS FREE SHOW! Click "Book Now" to RSVP for guaranteed entry Grab dinner before the show at BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

FITZGERALDS Presents: GREG JACKS & BROTHER HELP seen HERE Inspired by piano greats like Dr. John, Professor Longhair, and Allen Toussaint, Greg Jacks & Brother Help! bring the sights and sounds of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues to Chicago. FREE SHOW! Click , "rdquo" -> Book Now" to reserve a table. We always leave room for walk-ins so if you can't find a reservation, don't sweat it, c'mon over! Enjoy BRUNCH from BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

FITZGERALDS PRESENTS: THE CHICAGO SKYLINERS BIG BAND FREE SHOW! CLICK "Book Now" For Table Reservations FULL SERVICE DINING BY BABYGOLD BARBECUE AVAILABLE IN THE CLUB The Chicago Skyliners Big Band was formed in 1988 for the sole purpose of prolonging the musical memory of the Big Band Era. Members of the band in the early days were informed that this was not a major money making proposition, only a mission to keep Big Bands alive. A house band at FitzGeralds Night Club in Berwyn since 1991, The Chicago Skyliners Big Band following has grown to become one of the top Big Bands in Chicagoland. Blue Birdland Jazz recording artists, besides original material, the Band features the music of Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Sammy Nestico, Stan Kenton, and Maynard Ferguson to name a few. Not your father's big band music, the Chicago Skyliners feature contemporary arrangements of traditional big band hits. The Chicago Tribune stated, , "rdquo" -> This group consistently found the ideal tempo, style and phrasing for the scores they played." Jazziz Magazine said, , "rdquo" -> The band has a surplus of exceptional soloists coupled with high powered ensemble playing." Enjoy the big band swing sounds, America's greatest contribution to world music history.

LIVE IN FITZGERALDS SIDEBAR: Joe Policastro & Friends FREE SHOW! Click , "rdquo" -> Book Now" to reserve a table. And Hey: It's $5 Burger Night! Bassist Joe Policastro is a Chicago-based performer, composer, educator, and bandleader. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, he spent time performing in Europe, and settled in Chicago in early 2003. He is an in-demand bassist for vocalists, combos, and big bands alike. As a composer/arranger, he leads and a contributes to a wide array of ensembles. Visit the GROUPS page to find out more about the Joe Policastro Trio and other bands, projects, and collaborations. Enjoy BRUNCH from BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

Doors open at 7PM. Performance begins at 8PM. This show is for AGES 17 AND OLDER. Valid Photo ID is required for age restricted shows. Forms of valid ID are current and non-expired Driver's License, State ID, or Passport. House of Blues Chicago is a standing room only venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. *All support acts are subject to change without notice.* Upgrade Your Experience: https://www.sevenrooms.com/events/hobchicago/hobwebsite

FITZGERALDS PRESENTS: BRITISH BUDDY BIG BAND FREE! Click "Book Now" then select NIGHTCLUB TABLE to book! FULL SERVICE DINING BY BABYGOLD BARBECUE ***PARKING*** There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw.

Mei Semones VIP Experience includes the below: A Meet & Greet and photo with Mei Semones One (1) VIP exclusive merch item Early Entry To The Venue Early Access To The Merch Table One (1) GA Standing ticket Mei Semones - Howl Out January 15th via Verve/Interscope On the night of the Fourth of July, fireworks over Mei Semones' Brooklyn block were competing with something more primal. Up and down the street, dogs answered each burst with a long, ragged howl of their own. Semones, alone in her apartment with her guitar while the rest of the city celebrated outside, found she didn't mind the solitude. The howling struck her less as a cry for help than as a kind of greeting: proof that she was never really by herself, not with music always keeping her company. By morning, she had the seed of the title track for her sophomore album, Howl. "Sometimes making music feels like howling into the universe," Semones says. "I make music because I like it, because it feels instinctual --- but it also connects me to people close and far. I like to think of this music as my howl." It's a title that might invite a familiar story of pressure and release, but Semones sees songwriting differently. Nothing was bottled up, she says, waiting to come pouring out. Music is simply something she does, every day, because it feels natural to her. That idea runs through Howl, an album that embraces the full range of her experiences rather than settling into a single emotional register. Tenderness and joy coexist with grief, self-doubt and memories of loss --- the same range audible in a sound that can move from delicate fingerpicking to distorted, rhythmically restless swells within a single song. At 26, the Brooklyn-based Japanese American guitarist and singer-songwriter --- already named an Artist to Watch by The New York Times and Stereogum, and Artist You Need to Know by Rolling Stone and The FADER --- has developed a sound that brings together jazz, bossa nova, samba and grungy math rock without treating any of them as separate worlds. Her bilingual songwriting works in much the same way. Few songwriters weave between languages as naturally as Semones does, slipping between English and Japanese within the same song --- sometimes the same line --- and letting both languages become part of the music itself. As she puts it, writing in both languages "felt more true to myself." Growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Semones began playing piano at age four on an instrument gifted by her Japanese grandmother before picking up electric guitar at 11, inspired in part by Marty McFly's performance of "Johnny B. Goode" in Back to the Future. Semones also spent summers as a child in Yokosuka, Japan --- where her grandmother lived --- attending a local elementary school for two weeks each year and spending long afternoons catching cicadas, playing soccer, building things with mud, and searching for rhinoceros beetles. Those unhurried childhood experiences would later shape her 2024 EP, Kabutomushi, named after the very beetles she would catch with her school friends in Yokosuka

There is a delivery delay on all orders until approximately one week prior to the show. This show will be taking place inside the Shed.

My dream as a child growing up in rural Illinois was to play with the great jazz musicians I heard from my Dad's record collection. After decades of fulfilling that dream in Chicago's prominent jazz venues, as well as on stages both domestic and international, I am now playing my own compositions as leader of my own band, DC and the Love. With roots in jazz, rock, folk, and blues, our band is finding a way back to the original inspiration of jazz, first exposed to me by my father, a renowned jazz bandleader who would, in a moments notice, pile a bunch of kids in his car and drive down to Chicago to hear some legendary band take the stage. At the same time, our band is moving forward with my original compositions played by some of Chicago's most talented, up and coming musicians, Lee Rothenberg, Joey Skoch and Ben Esposito, all of us bound by a deep love of the traditional form, as well as a conviction to expand into new, unchartered territory. It's music. It's love…D.C. and The Love.

This event was rescheduled from Thursday, August 27, to Thursday, March 18, 2027. Original tickets will be honored on the new date or refunds are available from point of purchase before the show passes. Event features a General Admission Dance Pit in front of the stage! All sales are final, no refunds/exchanges permitted, but tickets may be transferred through your TM Account. Garcia's is fully ADA compliant featuring wheelchair lifts and ramps between the various levels of the venue, assisted listening devices upon request, and allows official service animals.

Doors open at 630PM. Performance begins at 730PM. This show is for AGES 17 AND OLDER. Valid Photo ID is required for age restricted shows. Forms of valid ID are current and non-expired Driver's License, State ID, or Passport. House of Blues Chicago is a standing room only venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. *All support acts are subject to change without notice.* Individuals under 17 are allowed to attend if accompanied by their parent or legal guardian Upgrade Your Experience: https://www.sevenrooms.com/events/hobchicago/hobwebsite

"D.K. Harrell stands tall. His mature musical conversations are inspiring...his voice custom-built for the blues. A funky soul stew of traditional music and contemporary lyrics." ---Blues Music Magazine Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter D.K. Harrell, one of the most formidable young stars of the current blues resurgence, sounds like no one else on the scene today. With his stinging, single-note string bending, deep soul vocals, and attention-grabbing original songs, the 28-year-old Harrell--a major draw at blues festivals around the world--is already in a league of his own. Now, with his Alligator Records debut album, Talkin' Heavy, D.K. Harrell cements his place among the leading voices of the new generation of blues players. This Blues Music Award-winning guitarist with a soul man's voice and a well-earned reputation as a mesmerizing live performer delivers fresh, emotion-packed blues informed by the tradition he loves and played with the foot-pounding fervor of a revival tent preacher.

The Sheepdogs are Canada's leaders in rock 'n' roll entertainment. Four-time JUNO Award winners from Saskatoon, with multiple Gold and Platinum records to their name, they blend killer harmonies, dual-guitar wizardry, and a stage presence that turns audiences into true believers. The Sheepdogs deliver the real goods: rock music that's loud, loose, and full of soul. They've taken their unmistakable sound from bars and roadhouses to festival fields and arenas around the world, earning a well-deserved reputation as one of the most electrifying live bands today. With 13 releases --- including the recent companion EPs Paradise Alone and Hell Together---the band continues to prove that the spirit of classic rock will never die. Now, thanks to their own label, Right On Records, they are masters of their own destiny. Their new single, , "rdquo" -> Nobody But You," is the first taste of new music to come and proof that The Sheepdogs are charging full steam ahead into 2026 and beyond.

Vincent Fenton is a multi-instrumentalist from France. As FKJ, aka French Kiwi Juice, his loose and colorful arrangements could soundtrack just about anything, anywhere; which is evident from his global spanning fanbase. FKJ is a Platinum-selling recording artist with over 2B streams to date, and his all encompassing visions and approach to his music create a unique, spontaneity-first delivery that shines in his complex live performances.

PLEASE NOTE: Pricing is all-in and includes fees (before taxes if applicable). By purchasing tickets to this event, you agree to abide by the health and safety measures in effect at the time of the event. Government mandates, venue protocols, and event requirements are subject to change. For more information, please search your event on www.chicagotheatre.com. This event may have immersive elements, which may include flashing or strobe lights, intense lighting, visual effects, loud noises, smoke and/or fog. Such elements may aggravate certain medical or physical conditions, and guests should take this into consideration if they have a history of discomfort or physical symptoms when experiencing these elements.

PLEASE NOTE: Pricing is all-in and includes fees (before taxes if applicable). By purchasing tickets to this event, you agree to abide by the health and safety measures in effect at the time of the event. Government mandates, venue protocols, and event requirements are subject to change. For more information, please search your event on www.chicagotheatre.com. This event may have immersive elements, which may include flashing or strobe lights, intense lighting, visual effects, loud noises, smoke and/or fog. Such elements may aggravate certain medical or physical conditions, and guests should take this into consideration if they have a history of discomfort or physical symptoms when experiencing these elements.