Artists Spotlight for the 2026 Chicago Jazz Festival, Saturday September 5

JAY PRITZKER PAVILION

7:45-9 p.m. - M.E.B. (Miles Electric Band) celebrating The Miles Davis Centennial

In this, the 100th anniversary of Miles Davis’ birth, there have been plenty of tributes to his great acoustic bands of the ‘50s and early ‘60s. But the trumpeter’s extended foray into electric music, including In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, On the Corner and Jack Johnson, is less frequently saluted. A sizable portion of Davis’ following has never cottoned to his shift from tradition-minded jazz to fusion music that drew from Jimi Hendrix rock and James Brown funk, however brilliant and groundbreaking those efforts were. Big shout out, then, to Miles’ nephew and former band member Vince Wilburn Jr. for putting together the star-studded Miles Electric Band. Guaranteed to light up the sky over Millennium Park with its combustible playing, the band features the imposing front line of trumpeter Theo Croker (taking the place of band regular Keyon Harrold); tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Antoine Roney and Hendrix-influenced guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly, making a rare return to his hometown, where he came up through the AACM and played with Von Freeman and Muhal Richard Abrams. Chicago will have its fingerprints all over the performance. Wilburn, MEB’s drummer and artistic director; music director and pianist/keyboardist Robert “Baabe” Irving III; bassist Darryl Jones (yes, the Rolling Stones’ longtime member) and keyboardist Greg Spero all hail from the Windy City. Rounding out the band will be percussionist Munyungo Jackson; DJ Logic and DJ Hapa on turntables and Nigerian master Rasaki Aladokun on percussion.

6:25-7:25 p.m. - Paul Marinaro's “Mood Ellington”

Paul Marinaro’s “Mood Ellington”

Drawing from his new album, Mood Ellington, Marinaro will today lead a terrific nonet on a selection of classics including “I’m Beginning to See the Light” and “I’m Just a Lucky So and So,” with arrangements by the distinguished likes of Alan Broadbent, John Clayton and Bill Cunliffe. The band includes pianist Tom Vaitsas, guitarist Mike Allemana, bassist John Tate, drummer Neil Hemphill, reed and flute players Rich Moore and Scott Burns, baritone saxophonist and bass clarinetist Ted Hogarth, trumpeter Eric Jacobson and trombonist Raphael Crawford. True to the album title, this is music of many moods, ranging from upbeat swingers to darker-toned tunes – some of which, Marinaro says, are “slightly sardonic, adult and exotic.”

5:05-6:05 p.m. - Patricia Brennan Septet

One of the great success stories in jazz in recent years, vibraphonist Patricia Brennan has made her mark in multiple stylistic and band settings in rapid fashion, boldly departing convention every step of the way. Her 2024 album, Breaking Stretch, which she’ll perform from today, was embraced for its bold vision in blending futuristic sounds, Afro-Cuban rhythms, electronics and edgy percussion. Boasting reeds, brass and rhythm, it was named top album in the DownBeat Critics Poll, in which she also was named vibraphonist of the year. On that breakthrough and her more recent effort, Of the Near and Far, an exploration of and meditation on astronomy that invited listeners to “seek the light of hope amidst the darkness of the abyss,” her originality as a vibist comes through every step of the way. Today, performing material from Breaking Stretch and a new tune or two, she will lead an all-star septet including Cuban virtuoso Kali Rodriguez-Pena on trumpet; the prolific Chicagoan Jon Irabagon on alto and sopranino saxophones; Mark Shim on tenor saxophone; Kim Cass on bass; Dan Weiss on drums, and Mauricio Herrera on percussion.

4-4:45 p.m. - Prodigio Claudio

Touted as the most popular cuatro player in the world (cuatro in his case being the 10-string national instrument of Puerto Rico), Eligio “Prodigio” Claudio Diaz saw his life take a decisive early turn at age seven when his family moved from New Jersey to Puerto Rico. Recognized from early on for his musical skills, he studied with master player Maso Rivera and earned the tag El Niño Prodigio. Heard in multiple genres, he played with salsa great Willie Colon, brought his personal, virtuosic skills to tropical jazz and traditional jibaro music, recorded more than 50 albums including Prodigio’s Delights and became a prolific producer as well. Today, he will be accompanied by Osvaldo Aviles on congas, Fredy Quintero on bass and Angel Salas on vocals and flute.

VON FREEMAN PAVILION (NORTH PROMENADE)

3-3:45 p.m. - Miguel de la Cerna Trio

Miguel de la Cerna is such an outstanding accompanist of vocalists and so skilled as a music director (for artists including the stupendous Dee Alexander), his achievements as a pianist and leader of his own groups can get overlooked. That certainly won’t happen today, when he leads a crisp trio with bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Greg Artry. The grandson of General Morgan, who played piano with Billie Holiday, Miguel is an elegant stylist who moves seamlessly from bop to blues to classical touches.

1:50-2:45 p.m. - Joan Collaso

A well-travelled crowd-pleaser, Joan Collaso started out as a jingles singer in Chicago (back when that was a prime source of employment for vocalists) and developed into a jazz, blues and gospel stylist with an international following. The founder and executive director of the Timeless Gifts Youth Program for the Performing Arts, which pairs aspiring young artists with seasoned mentors, she has appeared with such greats as Stevie Wonder, Ramsey Lewis and Jeffery Osborne. A fest favorite, she will perform today in a special setting, backed by a trio of vocalists (Rayzine Collaso, Jessica Walton and Justice Walton). The band will include her husband Larry Hanks on piano; James Perkins on saxophone; Ron Hall on bass; Keith Henderson on guitar and Kenari Allison on drums.

12:40-1:35 p.m. - Kevin King Regime

12:40 - 1:35 p.m. - Kevin King Regime

Oboe, bassoon, flute, clarinet, saxophones: South Side artist Kevin King has all the bases covered in the woodwind department. Today, he’ll concentrate on tenor saxophone (plus synth and effects) in leading the Kevin King Regime, a culmination of his vision of a heavy metal instrumental band with improvisation – “as if Pharoah Sanders was the frontman to Black Sabbath instead of Ozzy Osbourne,” he says. King, who has played with everyone from avant-garde heroes the Art Ensemble of Chicago to blues legend Buddy Guy, will be joined by Nick Litman on electric bass and effects and Shravan Raghuram on drums.

11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m. - Josh Berman & Jason Stein Quartet

Two of the most distinctive and some would say indefatigable players on Chicago’s free-improvising scene, cornetist Josh Berman and bass clarinetist Jason Stein have long proven unpredictable as musicians and conceptualists. You never know what puckish sounds, structures or textures are going to emanate from Berman’s horn or what melodic as well as harmonic depths Stein is going to reach with his challenging instrument. Ultimately, it’s the way they interact with their fellow players that counts most. They’ll show off those skills today in the company of the ever-more-impressive bassist Katie Ernst and drummer Jeremy Cunningham – both leaders in their own right. Berman likely will draw from his superb new album, Everybody Else’s Life, Too.

WDCB JAZZ LOUNGE

Noon-1:45 p.m. - Gabriel Wade Quintet

Noon - 1:45 p.m. - Gabriel Wade Quintet

A gifted young trumpeter who hails from Little Rock, Arkansas, Gabriel Wade has steadily attracted attention in Chicago with his mature reflective sound, characterized by a warm tone, relaxed sense of time and post-bop confidence. His closeknit quintet consists of fellow alumni of Northern Illinois University: alto and tenor saxophonist Jared Schultz, pianist Isaiah Jones Jr., bassist Nat Lin and drummer Sid Smith IV. They’ll be playing material from Wade’s debut album, Live at the Jazz Showcase.

2:15-4 p.m. - Ella Grace Sextet

A fresh voice on the Chicago scene, trumpeter Ella Grace came here from Minnesota, where (how can we not include this?) she studied with Steve Strand, a founding member of Prince’s NPG Hornz. As she will demonstrate with originals from her recent debut album, Figments, Grace is a lyrical player with the kind of poise it takes most musicians years to attain. Keen on details and uncovering hidden connections in the music, she will lead an impressive group of fellow DePaul alums: vocalist Julie Danielle, saxophonist Garrett Munz, pianist Aval Stanley, bassist Marion Mallard and drummer Jayden Richardson.

4:30-6:15 p.m. - John Hanrahan Quartet (Coltrane Tribute)

The jazz festival is offering numerous tributes to John Coltrane in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the tenor giant’s birth. For fans of his inescapable masterwork A Love Supreme –  especially those who have never heard it performed live – this is the place to be. With Anthony Bruno holding forth on saxophone, drummer John Hanrahan’s quartet will take its own approach to the music, with Hanrahan following in the footsteps of Elvin Jones, pianist John Kattke taking pages from McCoy Tyner and bassist Chris Bernhardt honoring Jimmy Garrison. And if A Love Supreme isn’t enough to stir your soul, the quartet also will perform tunes by the late, great, sorely missed Wayne Shorter.

6:45-7:45 p.m. - Frank Russell Quintet

Celebrated Chicago bassist Frank Russell, who has played with everyone from Freddie Hubbard to the Headhunters, Willie Pickens to Wallace Roney, has embarked on an album tribute to Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the legendary South African a cappella group that attained prominence in the states via their appearance on Paul Simon’s Graceland. Having worked with Ladysmith in a pair of plays at the Steppenwolf Theater (he won the 2020 Jeff Award for Original Music in a Play for Lindiwe) and conversed with its founder, Dr. Joseph Shabalala, he’s primed for the salute. Today, the fest audience will get a sampling of the album in progress, as performed by Russell, Tim McNamama on saxophone and flute, Kevin O’Connell on keyboards, Malcom Banks on drums and Tony Carpenter on percussion.