Von Freeman © Andrea Canter

On Thursday, July 26 Made in Chicago presents Great Black Music Ensemble: Tribute to Fletcher Henderson at 7:00 p.m. at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. A bandleader on the 1930s, Fletcher Henderson is considered by many to be the real King of Swing, having been left in the shadow of his contemporary, Benny Goodman. AACM Chicago’s Great Black Music Ensemble, under the direction of Mwata Bowden pays tribute to Henderson’s contributions with contemporary arrangements penned by Burgess Gardner, Nicole Mitchell, Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Douglas Ewart and Mwata Bowden. Joining the ensemble will be two contemporaries of Henderson, local heroes Von Freeman and Franz Jackson.

The July 26 concert will open a pre-show at 6:30 featuring the South Shore Youth Jazz Ensemble: Celebrating its 12th anniversary as part of the CPD Teen Arts Internship program, the South Shore Youth Jazz Ensemble is a Chicago Park District program under the management of the Environment, Culture and Special Events Department.

On Thursday, August 2 Made in Chicago presents Blues/Jazz Summit Chicago I at 7:00 p.m. at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Bluesman Dave Specter is the perfect person to draw the connection between blues and jazz. His newly formed big band is comprised of blues and jazz musicians; making full use of the fact that blues is the foundation that jazz was built upon. Special guest include Sharon Lewis, Billy Branch, Ari Brown, Lurie Bell & Chris Forman.

Douglas Ewart © Andrea Canter

On Thursday, August 9 Made in Chicago presents Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Orchestra: Tribute to Alice Coltrane with special guest Myra Melford at 7:00 p.m. at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Highly critically acclaimed flautist and composer Nicole Mitchell’s trajectory is rising fast. Her large and small ensembles have performed all over the world in recent years, mesmerizing audiences with her lyricism and airy spontaneity. Teamed with Chicago- born pianist Myra Melford and long- time cohorts Harrision Bankhead on bass, Hamid Drake on percussion and Maia on harp, Mitchell has expanded her Black Earth Ensemble for this tribute to the kindred spirit of Alice Coltrane.

The August 9 concert will open a pre-show at 6:30 featuring the Jazz Institute of Chicago's Jazz Links Ensemble. The Jazz Links program matches veterans with young aspiring musicians in and out of school Members of the Jazz Links Student Council are featured in ensembles performing throughout the year and are mentored by Jon Faddis and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble.

On Thursday, August 16 Made in Chicago presents Legends and Lions: Ragtime and Beyond at 7:00 p.m.at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Legend Muhal Richard Abrams is a world renowned composer and pianist originally from Chicago, now residing in New York. A lifelong student of experimentation, he is one of the creators and foremost practitioners of creative improvised music. As performing musician, he has developed a highly respected command of a variety of musical styles both as a pianist and composer. The versatile Mr. Abrams and members of The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), of which he is co-founder, are responsible for some of the most original new music approaches of the last two decades. Young Lion Reginald Robinson recently won the MacArthur Fellowship in recognition of his brilliant and largely self-taught pianism. He is a young man writing contemporary ragtime compositions that are completely authentic in form, yet utterly contemporary and fresh to the ear. Launching a new direction in his career, Robinson will feature his original compositions with the Fulcrum Point chamber orchestra.

Dee Alexander

On Thursday, August 23 Made in Chicago presents Sirens of Song: Dee Alexander’s Tribute to Nina Simone and Dinah Washington at 7:00 p.m. at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Vocalist Dee Alexander is one of Chicago’s hidden treasures. Known as a “musician’s musician” she’s capable of tuning her instrument in myriad ways. She can be seen fronting a big band singing Gershwin , or her own Evolution Quartet where her range of creative experimentation to well loved standards sets her apart from most of her contemporaries. Sirens of Song will pay tribute to Alexander’s musical influences including the wide ranging Nina Simone and native Chicago blues and jazz diva Dinah Washington.

The August 23 concert will open a pre-show at 6:30 featuring the Jazz Institute of Chicago's Jazz Links Ensemble. The Jazz Links program matches veterans with young aspiring musicians in and out of school Members of the Jazz Links Student Council are featured in ensembles performing throughout the year and are mentored by Jon Faddis and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble.

On Monday, August 27 Made in Chicago presents Chicago Jazz Philharmonic On Tap: Songs from Chicago Songbook at 7:00 p.m. at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Orbert Davis’ over-50 piece orchestra is one of the most versatile large orchestra’s anywhere, and certainly Chicago’s most adventurous unit. This outing acknowledges the diverse writing and song styling originating from the windy city, featuring Maggie Brown, Jackie Allen, Terisa Griffin. Also featured will be Lane Alexander's Chicago Human Rhythm Project, collaborating with the orchestra on an original composition written expressly to integrate tap as a percussive musical voice.

Obert Davis