Artists Spotlight for the 2026 Chicago Jazz Festival, Sunday September 6

JAY PRITZKER PAVILION

7:45 - 9 p.m. - Paquito D’Rivera

name) emblemized the Latin jazz of the ‘50s and ‘60s, Paquito (ditto) has long been the poster boy for a broader version of Latin jazz in the modern era. A 2005 NEA Jazz Master, the Cuban-born alto saxophonist and clarinetist would be deserving of all-time honors had he done nothing but co-found (with Chucho Valdes) the group Irakere, which boldly introduced rock and classical music into the Latin jazz mix. Its recordings made a loud noise in the states when they were released. More than 45 years after defecting from Cuba and emigrating to the U.S., the 78-year-old D’Rivera is as active as ever in a broad a range of settings including small groups and orchestras and venues ranging from jazz clubs to symphony halls. (Earlier this year, a new recording of his circus-inspired work for clarinet octet, “The Elephant and the Clown,” was released by the Barcelona Municipal Band.) Today, he will be backed by the great Diego Urcola on trumpet and valve trombone, Alex Brown on piano, Oscar Stagnaro on electric bass and Chicago native Mark Walker on drums.

6:25 - 7:25 p.m. - Bethany Pickens Soulful Coalition

For pianist Bethany Pickens, family has always come first, as it should. Her late father Willie was one of the most beloved musicians in Chicago and beyond. And her mother, who was always at Willie’s side, was equally dear to those who knew her. Today, in addition to her original compositions – all kissed by her father’s bountiful spirit – she will perform “Irma in July,” which Willie composed for his wife of 56 years after her passing. The Coalition includes vibraphonist and festival regular Thaddeus Tukes, acoustic bassist Joshua Ramos and drummer Charles Heath.

5:05 - 6:05 p.m. - Isaiah Collier: “COLLIER plays COLTRANE”

If any young musician can be entrusted with the music of John Coltrane on the 100th anniversary of his birth, it is Isaiah Collier. From the start of his quickly accelerating career, the saxophonist has had a Trane-like presence with his curiosity, spirituality and ability to connect with listeners while maintaining an inner intensity. Best known for his work with his band the Chosen Few, Collier has drawn upon his experiences with the AACM (Ari Brown was a mentor), teamed with singer Dee Alexander and played with strings and horn section, as he does on the title track of his probing but uplifting new EP, Joy. On another of the songs, he plays all the instruments himself. There’s no telling which aspects of Coltrane’s legacy he will take on today; even he may not know until he takes the stage. But whether he plugs into the religiosity of A Love Supreme or journeys to the outer reaches of Ascension, the music will be in good hands. Joining Collier will be pianist Davis Whitfield, bassist Way Campbell and drummer Tim Regis.

4 - 4:45 p.m. – Bruce Henry Quintet

Based on his three-and-a-half octave range and the ease with which he moves from up to down and back, you can say that Chicagoan Bruce Henry is four singers in one: a baritone, a tenor, an alto and a falsetto. A crowd-pleaser with his spirited, socially minded tributes to such greats as Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Marvin Gaye, he shows off his skills as a songwriter steeped in gospel and the blues on his most recent album, A New Song, a collaboration with guitarist Dean Magraw. Today, he’ll be backed by pianist Miguel de la Cerna, bassist Joshua Ramos and drummer Charles “Rick” Heath IV, with saxophonist Kevin King joining in on selected tunes.

VON FREEMAN PAVILION (NORTH PROMENADE)

3 - 3:45 p.m. - Jeremiah Hunt

Is it possible to lay claim to the tag “bassist’s bassist” while still in your thirties? Having played and recorded with new generation artists such as Isaiah Collier, Makaya McCraven and Marquis Hill as well as distinguished mainstream veteran players such as Pharez Whitted and Bobby Broom, Jeremiah Hunt has earned such a distinction. He’ll continue enriching his profile today leading a sextet including alto saxophonist Brent Griffin, trumpeter Alphonso Horne, guitar great Broom, pianist Richard Johnson and drummer Jonathan Pinson. They’ll perform original tunes from Hunt’s forthcoming debut album as well as songs by Chick Corea, Cedar Walton and Charles Mingus – a towering influence to whom Hunt has paid tribute on other occasions.

1:50 - 2:45 p.m. - Chuck Webb and Guru Tonic

Veteran bassist Chuck Webb, who has accompanied such jazz greats as Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner and David Sanborn and been one of Chicago’s first-call studio players, became a headliner in his own right in an amusing way. To celebrate his birthday, his wife arranged for a party at the Hyde Park Jazz Society – and booked her husband as the featured performer. Webb has enjoyed the spotlight ever since. With his band Guru Tonic – pianist and keyboardist Tom Vaitsas, guitarist Tim Fitzgerald and drummer Linard Stroud – he will today celebrate the soul jazz of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Music, he says, “that bridged the gap between straight ahead jazz and emerging funk and soul music.”

12:40 - 1:35 p.m. - John Wojciechowski Quartet

In a town know for its tough tenors, John Wojciechowski has been part of a contemporary wave of saxophonists honoring that legacy. On the classically named 2022 album, Tenor Time, he teamed up with Geof Bradfield and Scott Burns to salute such Chicago tenor greats as Johnny Griffin, Von Freeman and Clifford Jordan. A Detroit native, Wojciechowski has left his mark on the local scene as a member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, the Chicago Yestet, the Ryan Cohan Sextet and the New Standard Jazz Orchestra. Today he will offer a sneak listen to his forthcoming album, Live at the Jazz Showcase, in the expert company of pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer and cymbals artist Dana Hall.

11:30 - 12:25 p.m. - M.A.D.D. Rhythms

Jazz and tap dance have made for lively partners going back to vaudeville and the swing era. M.A.D.D. Rhythms, a Chicago-based collective dedicated to performing and preserving the art, has been an important force in Making a Difference Dancing. The troupe includes tap artists Star Dixon, Donnetta “LilBit” Jackson, Caleb Jackson and Andrew Carr, with vibraphonist Thaddeus Tukes, trumpeter Dakarai Barclay, bassist Joshua Ramos and drummer Charles Heath IV providing the lively rhythms and airy melodies.

HARRIS THEATER ROOFTOP STAGE

11 a.m. - Victoria Aliz Quintet

performers at this year’s festival a product of the Chicago High School for the Arts, bridges jazz, musical theater and music rooted in her Puerto Rican heritage through her experience as a worship leader. A music education student at North Park University, she helped re-establish a vocal jazz ensemble there early this year. That effort will be reflected in her performance today with vocalists Andrea Hernandez and Stephanie Garcia, acoustic guitarist and electric bassist Talha Waqar and pianist Yash Pawar.

Noon - 12:45.p.m. - Blue Aura

As they demonstrated with their mesmerizing performance in June at the Fulton Street Collective, Blue Aura is one of those bands that isn’t easy to categorize, and they’re all the better for it. Led by drummer and composer Francis Bassett-Dilley, they draw you in with their exploratory, mysterious and sometimes disruptive collective sound. With a cool blues sensibility beneath it all, this is music to get lost in. The band features Aaron Kaufman-Levine on alto saxophone, Sam Butler on trumpet, Brandon Harper on piano and Brendan Keller-Tuberg on bass.

1 - 1:45 p.m. - Miriam Goroff-Behel Quintet

It’s one thing to fall under the genius influence of Charlie Parker, as many young saxophonists do. It’s another to be able to put that into practice as excitingly as alto saxophonist Miriam Goroff-Behel has done. A graduate of New Trier High School who started playing saxophone in seventh grade, they got to tour South Africa with a 22-piece big band under the aegis of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra (Goroff-Behel was featured soloist on “Trane,” which tells you a lot about their depth and power). And now they are midway through their jazz studies at the prestigious Juilliard School. Today’s eagerly awaited set will feature a talented young group:  Brandon Harper on piano, Jackson Wheeler on guitar, Micah Collier on bass and Colin Dorion on drums.

2 - 2:45 p.m. - Michael Davenport Quartet

Following stints in San Francisco and New York, where a major highlight was earning a Latin Grammy nomination as a student contributor to Bobby Sanabria’s big band tribute to Machito, Kenya Revisited Live, saxophonist Michael Davenport is back in his hometown to add to his many accomplishments. A soloist of soulful intensity, he will team up with pianist Elio Wijaya and drummer Macari Ramsey on a set of originals and standards – some of which will appear on Davenport’s forthcoming album.

3 - 3:45 p.m. - Carmani Edwards

Bassist and composer Carmani “Mani” Edwards, a South Side native, has made an important contribution to Chicago culture in celebrating the artistry of Black women and queer folks via improvised jazz, soul and poetry, which they frequently perform with vocalist Indigo. Today, Edwards and Indigo will be joined by other members of their artistic crew including trombonist Tromblau, whose Tromblau and Friends blends house music and klezmer; trumpeter Dakarai Barclay, whose music explores the origins of Black American music in all its forms; acclaimed young pianist Anaiet Soul and drummer and singer-songwriter Daniel Gayden. One looks forward to hearing Edwards stir all these parts together.

WDCB JAZZ LOUNGE

Noon - 1:45 p.m. - Arman Sangalang Quartet w/ special guest Jon Irabagon

One of the rising stars on the Chicago scene – “A revelation and a delight, and a quantum leap into another orbit entirely,” wrote critic Neil Tesser – tenor saxophonist Arman Sangalang plays with a rare kind of intensity and risk-taking approach for an artist in his twenties. With his two albums, 2023’s Quartet and the new Waypoints (on which he passes the “Body and Soul” tenor test with flying colors), he has given the new, locally based Calligram label a major boost. What makes today’s performance even more noteworthy is the guest appearance of star saxophonist Jon Irabagon. The band will feature guitarist Dave Miller, bassist Ethan Philion and drummer Quin Kirchner.

2:15 - 4 p.m. - Alex Beltran (Sunday Soul)

Having played in bands supporting the likes of Aretha Franklin and the Temptations, Chicago tenor saxophonist Alex Beltran brings a keen appreciation for soul music to his jazz endeavors.  His quartet, including guitarist Terry Bartolotta, organist Andrew Lawrence and drummer Greg Artry, will share that sensibility today via an intriguing selections of songs that will draw from a list including Duke Pearson’s “Chant,” Wayne Shorter’s “Venus Di Mildew,” Carla Bley’s “Lawns” and his own arrangement of “Mrs. Robinson” from The Graduate. His Sunday Soul will provide an interesting alternative to Beltran’s praised 2024 quartet album, Rift, which draws on the joys and challenges of growing up in a Mexican American household.

4:30 - 6:15 p.m. - Michele Thomas Septet

Thomas has taken up residence in a category of jazz vocalists who both dedicate themselves to original compositions and interpretations of works by artists who have inspired her. Today she will display both sides of her artistry and connect the dots between them by drawing from The Assumption, her conceptually bold album of of personal reflections, and Messenger, which gathers arrangements of songs by Stevie Wonder. What makes today’s set extra-special is the opportunity to perform with a full septet, the setting in which the songs were written. The band will include drummer (and co-producer) Darren Scorza, saxophonist Matt Shevitz, trumpeter Chris Davis, guitarist Tim Fitzgerald, keyboardist Chris Mahieu and bassist Cory Biggerstaff.

6:45 - 7:45 p.m. - Ricardo Jiménez Quintet

For a young artist, Chicago singer and trumpeter Ricardo Jiménez has compiled an impressive amount of air mileage and the musical rewards to draw from it. As a recipient of a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which requires recent college graduates to travel around the world for a year without returning home, he contributed to Bollywood productions, taught music in Senegal and performed in Austria, India, Sri Lanka and Brazil. All the while, he has dedicated himself to examining and connecting with his Puerto Rican roots – and the Great American Songbook. One in a minority of singers of his generation who embrace vocalese, he was influenced early and often by the singing legends including Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. It’s safe to say that having studied trumpet performance and biology, he has a unique musical sensibility. Today, he’ll lead a band including Oliver Scott on piano; Joshua Achiron on guitar; Stephen Parisi on bass and TJ Thompson on drums.