Music Lovers, How About Some Jazz?

This year’s Chicago Jazz Festival runs Thursday, August 28, through Sunday, August 31.  The festival takes place each year the week before Labor Day and admission is free.

There are several events scheduled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of jazz icon Sun Ra’s birth (May 22, 1914).

A film screening of Sun Ra:  A Joyful Noise and Mystery Mr. Ra was held at 6 p.m. on Monday, August 25, at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater, 78 East Washington Street.  Both films will be shown again Tuesday, August 26.  The screenings include a discussion with Robert Mugge, director of Sun Ra:  A Joyful Noise.

I attended the screening on Monday.  Mystery Mr. Ra has French subtitles when English is spoken.  However, there are no English subtitles for the French narration.  I felt like I was missing out and that I probably would have learned something interesting if I were fluent in French.  Seeing and hearing the performances on the film were still a valuable experience.  Sun Ra:  A Joyful Noise provides a good education on Sun Ra and the core group of talented jazz musicians that performed with him.  The costumes are otherworldly!  If you’re not familiar with Sun Ra, these films are a great introduction.  I left feeling he was a talented and creative musician and director.  It was amazing to hear Robert Mugge talk about the film and tell stories about his time spent with Sun Ra and the other performers!

For those wanting a live experience, the Sun Ra Arkestra will be performing at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 31, at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.  Marshall Allen now directs the orchestra.  Come early to get a good seat—there are other performances beginning at 5 p.m.

There will be a full lineup of performances taking place Thursday through Sunday with the majority of Thursday’s events at the Chicago Cultural Center, and Millennium Park hosting the events Friday through Sunday.

For a complete schedule, visit the websites of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which coordinates the festival, and the Jazz Institute of Chicago, which provides programming.