Greg tells us that he has recorded and produced his new album "Acoustic". He has traveled through the middle-east to try to understand the roots of one of our deepest human conflicts and how we can overcome it to create peace. Greg started growing the team with 4 awesome people, including media, promo, radio, and an assistant. Also he commenced the music-video competition for "Hills", the first track of " Acoustic ". You can check that out here: www.gregspero.com/makehills/ .

Greg premiered "Acoustic" in Canada with two killin shows at the Trane Studio (one of the premiere jazz clubs worldwide) and released "Acoustic" on iTunes:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/acoustic/id475005634 .  See the new studio video for "Hills"

Greg has launched his new website: www.gregspero.com and performed at the Blue Note in New York City recently. Back in Chicago, Greg Spero will have his CD Release Party for

"Acoustic"

on

Friday, December 16, 2011

9:00 pm – 1:00 am

AND

Saturday, December 17, 2011

10:00 pm  – 2:00 am

at

Close-Up 2

416 S. Clark

Chicago, IL

(312) 385 – 1111

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1920 W. Irving Park Rd.

Chicago, Il

(773) 348 – 7592

http://www.katerinas.com/

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Jim Ryan Quartet

featuring

Jim Ryan on piano

Stewert Miller on bass

Ernie Adams on drums

and Pat Mallinger on sax

or

Bobby Lewis on trumpet

EVERY TUESDAY

in

November and

December 2011

5:00 – 8:30 pm

at

Andy’s Jazz Club

11 E. Hubbard St.

Chicago, IL

(312)  642 – 6805

$5 cover.

Jim Ryan Quartet at Andy’s, check them out!

Poster by Chicago Studio Club 2011.

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

12:30 – 1:30 pm

Chicago Cultural Center

Preston Bradley Hall

78 E. Washington St.

Chicago, IL

(312) 744 – 6630

Bob Dogan:

Growing up near 63rd St. and Cottage Grove Ave. in Chicago, IL, pianist Bob Dogan came under the influence of the crop of jazz greats who performed at the many flourishing clubs in the neighborhood (including the Pershing Hotel, where Ahmad Jamal famously held forth). Virtually all of those venues are gone now, but the infectious energy and outsize personality that lit them up lives on in Dogan’s playing. A fluent, two-handed threat, he combines bop school finesse with modern harmonies, still influenced by his onetime teacher, Jaki Byard. Boasting past ties with the likes of Maynard Ferguson and Sunday’s festival honoree, Ira Sullivan, he’s the best kind of old school musician: classic without being nostalgic.

Dogan, who sometimes sings, frequently writes.  On Thursday, September 1, 2011, he’ll perform a set of originals with a band of distinguished longtime associates: bass trumpeter Ryan Shultz, saxophonist Ron Dewar, and the rhythm team featured on his recent trio album, My Blues Roots, bassist Dan DeLorenzo and drummer Joe Adamik. As he demonstrates on the recording, Dogan draws uncommon warmth from the blues. Many of today’s music-school-trained prodigies would kill to have his touch.

Bob Dogan LIVE!

Thanks to Bob Dogan for use of his photo.

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Mick Archer Trio

A RECORD RELEASE PARTY!

Friday, May 27, 2011

8:00 – 11:00 pm

Davenport’s

1383 N. Milwaukee

Chicago, IL

(773) 278 – 1830

$13 cover includes CD!

Poster by Chicago Studio Club 2011, click on it for MORE!

Mick Archer Trio LIVE in Chicago!

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Click on poster for MORE!

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It is exactly the same concept as his http://www.mickarcher.com/dueling.htm

dueling pianos, but with a quintet.

Visit Mick’s website now, to find out about him and what he does  . . .

http://www.mickarcher.com/ , and THEN read on.

To quote Mick:

" There will be a huge tip tank in the middle of the stage, request slips and perhaps a menu,

and we will play anything they want for a minimum of $5 ( and we will stop it for $6, etc.).

If someone wants to sing it costs 20 bucks.

We can have guest artists sit in, but this is not an open mic!

We meet once, probably at Curtis Hall in The Fine Arts Building.

We rehearse for an two hours and then Mick starts the video camera rolling.

Each of the three singers should have 5 tunes that, combined, represent a huge spectrum of music

(i.e., Sinatra, Elvis, Beatles, disco, new wave, 80′s hair band, hip hop, Irish, blues, C&W, etc.).

Mick will have the video edited into an EPK and put up on a page on his website/facebook.

We’ll be playing for chump change on off-nights rock clubs to start,

but then Mick will pitch it for actual money gigs.

Mick will be responsible for booking and providing the P.A., lights, etc.,

and will take leader cut, but members who create work for the band will

be compensated. Like all of his bands,

whoever makes the commitment to take the time, make the video,

and put their name behind the project

will get first call. He will NEVER put a member in the position of

having to turn down a better paying gig as long as they are responsible

for their own subs. He expects to be about 3 deep at every position,

so don’t worry about your calendars. This will not be a crappy cover band,

but rather a humorous extension of our various solo careers.

It’s an easy sell, he already has clubs and agents interested".

So, there you have it, contact Mick:

http://www.mickarcher.com/

mickarcher1@comcast.net

(312) 391-1234

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Vijay Tellis-Nayak

Vijay’s began playing piano at the age of five. His musical acclaim began early, winning local piano competitions. Starting at ten years old, he won the Eastern Illinois University Young Composers Contest three years in a row, garnering national attention for his orchestral compositions. He continued studying music and began performing professionally in high school on piano and guitar. He attended Northwestern University on scholarship from the Oak Park Arts Alliance and received a bachelors degree in Music Technology in 1997. During that time, he studied recording arts as well as jazz and classical piano, composition, music theory and communication studies. In 1999 Vijay received his masters degree from Northwestern University’s Communication Studies department. During undergraduate studies, Vijay began performing with Chris Clemente and Chris Siebold in what would become "Kick the Cat".

In addition to currently being a member of Kick the Cat, Ernie Denov’s "Bad Dog U", Nicholas Barron Hyperactive, Band of Joes, Frank Catalano Group, and Louis Stockwell Organ Quartet, Vijay has performed with Fareed Haque Group, Orbert Davis, Bill Quateman, Street Dancer, Luis Ewerling’s Acor do Brasil, the national tours of The Lion King and Wicked, Sumo, Kalyan Pathak’s Jayho Jazzmata, Tributosaurus, Brother Brother, Mike Ferro’s Townsound, Funk House, Ross Bon and too many others to name.

In addition to performing, Vijay also is one of the owners of the celebrated Chicago recording studio Curried Bagel Recording.

These photos of Vijay Tellis Nayak were taken by and are property of Chicago Studio Club. They were taken at a July 2010 performance featuring the Band of Joe’s, at Jazz Showcase. Click on pix for MORE about Vijay Tellis-Nayak!

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Bassist Larry Gray demonstrates an impressive versatility and an uncommon musical curiosity. Originally a jazz guitarist, Larry switched to the double bass and quickly developed a reputation as a first-call sideman. Within a short time, he began to work at Chicago’s premier jazz club, the Jazz Showcase, where he appeared with increasing frequency, often with drummer Wilbur Campbell and pianist Willie Pickens.

Fred Simon has been making music for more than thirty-five years, composing for records, live performance, film, dance, and television, with instrumentation ranging from solo piano to symphonic orchestra. Fred has recorded and/or performed with Ralph Towner (Oregon), Paul McCandless (Oregon), Larry Coryell, Lyle Mays, Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico (Pat Metheny Group), Bonnie Herman (Singers Unlimited), Kurt Elling, Fareed Haque, David Onderdonk, Ingrid Graudins, Ross Traut, The Stan Kenton Orchestra, and many others.

Evanston SPACE        1245  Chicago  Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202          (847) 492 – 8860

$12 in advance – $15 day of – $20 reserved table seating

Evanston SPACE, 1245 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL / USA.

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CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW STORM!

Thursday, Jan. 7, 2009

7:30pm – 11:30pm Bassist John Bany, Charlie Braugham on drums

& on piano Jim Ryan!

at 6881 N. Milwaukee, Niles, IL.

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Nick Tesker on piano at Chambers in Niles, IL.

Nick looks right at us for this photo opp.!

John Bany on upright bass,

Chuck Fuscone on drums & Dave Poe on sax. 

Pianist Nick Tesker, Bassist John Bany and Drummer Chuck Fuscone at Chambers Restaurant, 6881 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles, IL, where they have Live Music Thursday through Sunday evenings and a dance floor too! 

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In these photos, trombonist Loren Binford jams with pianist Jim Ryan, bassists Nick Tountas & Richie Pardo.

Thursday through Sunday

Live Music at Chambers

6881 N. Milwaukee

Niles, IL 60714

847-647-8282

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the Hyde Park Jazz Society

Sun., Dec. 20, 2009   

7:30 – 11:30pm

 Room 43

1043 E. 43rd

Chicago, IL

F Y I – - Click on pix  . . . you MAY go places!

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Thursdays

Dec. 3, 10 & 17, 2009

7:30pm – 11:30pm

 Live Music at

Chambers

6881 N. Milwaukee

Niles, IL 60714

847-647-8282

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6:30 to 9:00 pm

Trumpeter Harold "Rocky" Goins

and

Pianist Dean Allrick

Rocky is from the Big Band Era of Jazz & plays elegantly as does

the multi-talented Dean Allrick on piano and smooooth vocals!

Katerina’s

1920 W. Irving Park Rd.

Chicago, IL

773-348-7592

 $5 cover

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"Spero is fresh and exciting," adds Chicago’s most prominent female Latin artist Guia Rivera.  "Even people, who don’t like jazz, like Spero.  He’s that good."  

What can we expect from a musician who has three generations of Spero coursing through his bloodline?  It was his father and grandfather who raised him in the tradition of true musicianship. But what we don’t expect: abnormality.  He’s fearless to break from the established rules of music theory, truly wild in improvisational technique.  Spero constantly pushes the boundaries onstage and offstage with his eccentric, signature style of playing.  When you hear him experiment with jazz fusion onstage, you wonder, is this guy high or something?  Think Jimi Hendrix but on a keyboard.  Spero’s drug of choice: coffee.  He’s racked up so many points on his Starbucks card, he’s one junkie who just can’t live without java.  Fans, be aware that a fresh batch of chocolate brownies will appease the budding jazz musician.  

Another question: Can one truly equate jazz musician with being sexy?  Today we can.  Depending on his mood, Spero decides if he wants to rock a ‘fro this fashion season.  The ladies love him regardless.  Spero, perhaps, draws upon the Freudian instinct to procreate.  He’s already begun to give birth to a revolution mating hiphop, rock, and metal with avant-garde jazz.  The result is his current jazz fusion CD "Live in 25" available at online stores.  

His credo comes from studying Jazz Piano and Composition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  A proud Fighting Illini, Spero graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music Composition and Jazz Performance.  He further studied jazz piano with world-renowned musicians include the likes of Chip Stephens, Joan Hickey and Chip McNeill.  His most recent recording on Frank Catalano’s  Mighty Burner CD debuted at 11 on the Jazz Billboard Charts and after 20 weeks on the Billboards became a best-selling jazz album for 2006.  He has shared the stage with countless respected musicians, including Harrison Bankhead, and Leon Joyce (of the Ramsey Lewis Trio), Frank Russell, Dede Sampio and Robert Lee Irving III (the latter three of the Miles Davis ensembles).

This past year Spero has built a name for himself as a solo artist.  Each performance is a revelation in the sporadic experiment of jazz fusion. Those hip to the music happenings in Chicago flock to Spero’s performances at the House of Blues Chicago, The Green Mill, Andy’s Jazz Club, Martyrs’, Fitzgerald’s among many venues.  Greg Spero has toured nationally with his closest collaborators in his GMG Trio, whose most recent album was nominated as Best Jazz Album by the Chicago Music Awards.

Spero is an instrumental leader on the new scene.  We’re letting the world know Chicago still breeds the forerunners in jazz fusion. 

Pianist Greg Spero 

LIVE at Room 43, 1043 E. 43rd St.,

7:30 – 11:30 pm on Sun., Nov. 22, 2009

with Frank Russell, bass guitar,

Peter Lerner, guitar & Charles Heath, drums.

See you there!

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Vocalist Angel Spiccia’s Quartet this summer (2009): Maurice on piano, Jim Cox on bass, Phil Gratteau on drums.

Maurice with his wife behind him and his daughter center stage, looks happy!

Contact:

Maurice Spiccia

rees42@aol.com (847) 729-1484 & (847) 729-2304 (fax) 

F Y I -  – Click on pix . . . you MAY go places!

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Wed., October 28, 2009

8:00pm & 9:30pm

Tommy’s Dracula Quartet

With Bill Overton on tenor sax,

Jim Cox on  upright bass,

Phil Gratteau on drums,

and special guest vocalist

Arlene Bardelle

JAZZ SHOWCASE

Dearborn Station

806 S. Plymouth Ct.

Chicago, IL 60605

(312) 360-0234

(Polk & Dearborn)

Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL

This event is sponsored by WDCB jazz radio. 

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Vocalist

Spider Saloff

with

Tommy

on piano

 Katerina’s

1920 W. Irving Park Rd. / Chicago, IL

773 – 348 – 7592

Read more about Spider’s exciting new endeavors

on her SpiderJazz blog!

F Y I — Click on pix . . . you MAY go places!

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