Matt Ulery

Inspired by New York's Jazz Composers Collective, the Chicago Jazz Composers Collective formed in 2001 and began presenting monthly concerts at the Green Mill, each featuring the work of two different jazz composers. Since then the CJCC has presented the music of 40 composers with over 130 Chicago area musicians performing. "It has been so encouraging to watch this grow", says founder and vibraphonist/composer Kathy Kelly. "We now have a regular forum for creating, performing, and listening to new music. The composers have really taken this opportunity to perform and used it to create some outstanding original music." In addition to the monthly concerts, CJCC has twice presented concert series' at the Chicago Cultural Center. The group has also been featured on WBEZ's Eight Forty-Eight program and in Grammy Magazine online.

The June concert features a collaborative group Tudo de Bom, inspired by the Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal, performing an eclectic mix of audience friendly original music. Vibist Kathy Kelly and trumpeter Jeff Beer will be presenting premiere works. The group will also perform works by saxophonist Juli Wood and bassist Dan DeLorenzo. Mike Schlick will hold everything together on drums.

Kathy Kelly

Matthew Scott Ulery is a Chicago-born bassist and composer. Moving to Rockford, IL at an early age, he soon began playing bass and started performing by the age of 14. Since his first performance, Ulery has played many styles of music. These include the entire spectrum of jazz, classical, rock, pop, gospel, theatre, and folk-- specifically American, South American, Balkan, and other European folk styles. He has performed not only on upright and electric bass, but has doubled on tuba and keyboards. He returned to Chicago to earn his bachelors degree in music composition at The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Ulery is currently a member of Eastern Blok (formaly the Goran Ivanovic Group), Grazyna Auguscik Quintet , and his own group, the Matt Ulery Quintet, for which he composes the entire repertoire. Visit  www.mattulery.com for more information.

Juli Wood

Juli Wood

The historic Green Mill jazz club is one of Chicago's favorite jazz venues. For more on the history of the Green Mill visit, www.greenmilljazz.com/history.html. The Green Mill is at 4802 N. Broadway in Chicago, (773) 878-5552.