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Connie Marshall
MANGOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT
March 11th 2010
8743 NO. MILWAUKEE
NILES, Ill 60714
Cost: $-0-
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Elaine Dame
Pops for Champagne
March 11th 2010
605 N. State Street
Chicago, Ill 60611
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Laury Shelley
Marie's
March 11th 2010
4127 West Lawrence Avenue
Chicago, Ill 60630
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The Dame at Philanders
The Dame at Philanders
Date Posted: July 20 2009
Written By: Randy Freedman
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Elaine Dame is one of the most experienced of Chicago’s many young Generation X female vocalists. Her pairing with jazz veterans bassist Jim Cox and pianist Bob Dogan at Philander’s restaurant (located in the historic Carleton Hotel in Oak Park) offered the promise of being a fun and unusual multi-generational collaboration that I did not want to miss. It was my Friday night destination on a spring weekend in late May.
With my enthusiasm dampened only slightly by the slow pace of southbound traffic down Harlem Avenue, I arrived to find convenient street parking across from Philander’s main entrance on Pleasant Street. Just inside that entrance, and down a few carpeted stairs, is Philander’s bar area. It is segmented by booths from the main dining room, and has striking black and white checkerboard flooring. The large octagon-shaped bar has a black and dark green patterned slate surface with oak trim, and almost completely fills this section. Visible from the bar, but running silently, are two large flat-screen TVs. According to their website, Philander’s derives its name from Oak Park historian Philander Barclay, and its walls are decorated with some of Barclay’s historical black-and-white photos depicting Oak Park in its heyday.
Live jazz is performed in a smaller open room that faces the bar on one end, and has a large window looking out to the street on the other. A black grand piano and a few small tables and chairs are to the side and in back of where the musicians play. Manager Beth Jostes said that in August 2009 this area is scheduled to receive a major upgrade with the installation of a formal elevated stage, dedicated seating, and other improvements.
I arrived early enough to get a seat at the bar directly in front of where the musicians would later play, and to order some food items from Philander’s bar menu. I started with the New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp, which was served over mashed potatoes with a paprika butter sauce. This is a genuine Southern specialty dish which Philander’s got right with an authentic presentation and great taste. Continuing on a Louisiana theme, I also had the Cajun Tenderloin Tips served in a creamy sauce with tomato, green onion, and mushrooms. These were very tender, and the sauce was so good it was hard to resist moping up every drop with the savory garlic bread served with the dish. The bar menu also contained a variety of salads and sandwiches for those seeking lighter fare.
With surprisingly good timing, I finished my meal shortly before the music began, and by turning my bar stool one hundred and eighty degrees, I put myself in a perfect position to see and hear the trio perform. From the start, it was apparent that Dame offered optimism, enthusiasm, and joy for both her partners and the jazz standards they played together. This musical attitude was just as appealing as her considerable vocal and flute playing skills. Respect for the songs, both lyrics and melody, can separate the best of the vocalists from the rest of the pack. Dame clearly shows that respect, and her intelligent phrasing proves she actually listens to the lyrics that she sings. Sad to say, this is not true of all her jazz-singing contemporaries.
Bob Dogan’s unique and personal piano style offers more sincerity than swing and blended perfectly with Dame’s straightforward vocalizations. Jim Cox remains one of Chicago’s greatest acoustic bass players, whose relaxed expertise enables him to blend seamlessly into any musical style or situation.
As I had hoped, this first-time pairing of Dame, Dogan and Cox was a resounding musical success. Philander’s, a great historical restaurant venue was the perfect place for that pairing to happen and deserves our support for scheduling renovations and improvements that renew its long time commitment to live music.
For more information contact:
Elaine's Website! and carletonhotel.com/restaurants.
Chicago freelance writer Randy Freedman is a jazz connoisseur, photographer, food critic, humorist, and devoted music fan. He is a regular contributor to Chicago Jazz Magazine.
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