38th Annual Jazz Club Tour from the Jazz Institute of Chicago August 31st
To kick off the 38th Chicago Jazz Festival (Sept 1-4), on August 31 from 6 p.m. to midnight, jazz enthusiasts can explore the diverse offerings of Chicago's jazz scene on the Jazz Institute of Chicago's 33rd annual Jazz Club Tour. Equipped with a collectible button that grants club admission and trolley access, participants can sample the flavor of Chicago's thriving jazz scene at 14 jazz clubs for one low price.
The tour connects music to communities and people to music. It offers the safety and convenience of transportation to open doors not only to new musical experiences, but geographical vistas previously uncharted as well.
"The Jazz Club Tour is a true product of Chicago at its best," said Jazz Institute of Chicago's Executive Director Lauren Deutsch. "It's an unparalleled opportunity to explore the common elements and celebrate the differences in the diverse cultures that comprise a city that is second to none."
Participants can start at any of the participating clubs, enjoy music for as long as they want and hop on and off the trolleys circulating the club tour routes all night. Patrons will experience everything from Chicago style blues at Rosa's Lounge on the west side to the longstanding Bebop traditions of the Jazz Showcase in the south Loop to the Green Mill's 1930's ambiance on the north side with many musical styles in between.
New to the tour this year are The Quarry, Jerry's Sandwich Shop, the Hungry Brain and Rosa's, as well as the return of Old Town School of Folk Music and Constellation.
"I've been going on this tour for over 15 years and every year I am surprised by something I've never heard before," said one Jazz Club Tour patron last year.
Buttons can be purchased at participating clubs (listed below) and jazzinchicago.org for $40 in advance or for $50 on the day of the tour, with special discounts for members of the Jazz Institute of Chicago. Advance rates apply through August 30.
Visit jazzinchicago.org for more details on the Jazz Club Tour, to purchase buttons and to access the full line up of Chicago Jazz Festival.
2016 Participating Clubs*
Andy's Jazz Club - 11 East Hubbard Street City Life - 712 East 83rd Street
Constellation - 3111 North Western Ave
Hungry Brain - 2319 West Belmont
Jerry's Sandwiches - 1938 West Division Street
M Lounge - 1520 South Wabash Avenue Norman's Bistro - 1001 East 43rd Street Old Town School of Folk Music - 4544 North Lincoln Avenue
Red Peppers Lounge - 428 East 87th Street
Reggie's - 2105 S. State
Rosa's - 3420 West Armitage Avenue
The Green Mill - 4802 North Broadway
The Jazz Showcase - 806 South Plymouth Court
The Quarry - 2423 East 75th Street