Frank Catalano

Frank Catalano and his sextet will celebrate his latest release Bang!  at the Green Mill in Chicago on Friday, October 17th and Saturday, October 18th. This sensational 31-year-old player has been blowing audiences away since he was a teenager sitting in with legends like organist Charles Earland and touring with the likes of Tony Bennett.   Catalano  has made the Prestigious Down Beat critics Poll 3 times.  Catalano's Last CD - Mighty Burner was on the Billboard Charts for 20 straight weeks. Catalano is the only known saxman to have performed with Miles Davis, Randy Brecker, Charles Earland, Stan Getz, Betty Carter, Von Freeman, Tito Puente, Tony Bennett, and Louie Bellson while still in high school . which led to his signing to the Legenday Delmark Records at age 18 and a string of critically acclaimed recordings.

The Clayton Brothers

“It's always difficult to pick favorites out of a Clayton Brothers bouquet, given their well-deserved reputation for consistent excellence...” Dr. Judith Schlesinger, All About Jazz 

They grew up surrounded by music and now they pass it on to new generations, through live performance and education. John and Jeff Clayton lead one of the world’s reigning jazz big bands (with Jeff Hamilton) as well as a quintet known for its “consistent excellence.” For four nights, Thursday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 5th,  the Clayton Brothers Quintet will perform at the Jazz Showcase at Dearborn Station in Chicago, featuring two generations of Claytons (John, Jeff and John’s son Gerald) along with trumpet titan Terell Stafford and up-and-coming drum star Obed Calvaire. 

Craig Taborn©Andrea Canter

The Third Annual Chicago Calling Arts Festival (CCAF3) will take place October 1-12, 2008, featuring Chicago-based artists collaborating in performances and projects with artists living in other locations -- both here in the U.S. and abroad. Organized by the Borderbend Arts Collective, a not-for-profit organization, Chicago Calling is part of Chicago Artists Month, the thirteenth annual celebration of Chicago’s vibrant visual art community. In October, more than 200 exhibitions of emerging and established artists, openings, demonstrations, tours, open studios and neighborhood art walks take place at galleries, cultural centers and arts buildings throughout the city.  

The Chicago Calling collaborations will be both prepared and improvised; some performances will involve live feeds between Chicago and elsewhere. Among the scheduled projects are: a Chicago-based musician/composer collaborating with a composer from the Philippines, Chicago-based poets connecting over the radio with poets from Hawaii, and a Chicago-based musician collaborating with a British visual artist. Venues for CCAF3 will include Elastic Arts Foundation, The Velvet Lounge, Black Rock Pub & Kitchen, Heaven Gallery, Little Black Pearl Art & Design Center, WNUR (Northwestern University), Peter Jones Gallery, 32nd&Urban Gallery, AV-Aerie, and other locations. Artists involved with CCAF3 work in a wide range of media, including music, painting, video, poetry, dance, and other art forms.