Chicago: the primary destination for the Great Migration, thousands of African Americans left the South in the 1910s. The musicians amongst them brought with them the sounds of trad, ragtime, gospel and blues. Amalgamating with the faster tempos and hot jazz stylings of the Windy City’s musicians, it accelerated the progression of American Jazz, sparking the Jazz age. 

The city would go on to bear musical fruits from its residents Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, King Oliver and many other instigators; later, Herbie Hancock, Ramsey Lewis and innovators of the avant-garde, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Today, the city hosts some of the music’s most progressive talents. 

We’re taking the cue from International Jazz Day to shine a light on albums from and associated with Chi-Town. 

Oscar Peterson: Blues In Chicago 

When placing a needle to wax, there’s little more immersive then than an MC introducing each indivudual member of the band, the audience whooping and applauding in anticipation. And what a line-up it is; the one and only Oscar Peterson leads trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Buddy Rich. The band swung hard at the Chicago Opera House on this night in 1955, making it one of the finest live albums to be recorded at this venue—which by the way, will soon be celebrating its centenary. 

Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago 

With Adderley on alto sax and John Coltrane on soprano sax, this Verve recording showcases two of the greatest to ever do it. Opening track ‘Limehouse Blues’ can leave you breathless if you come unprepared; one of the stand outs of the album, it particularly showcases Adderley’s bebop roots alongside Coltrane’s affinity for bringing as many notes as possible to the story. Wynton Kelly’s magic touch on the keys elevates their harmonic wizardry. What’s more, Adderley’s album was recorded the same year as Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’—with the very same rhythm section. 

In the original liner notes, Mercury’s recording director Jack Tracy proclaims that “this is fundamentally a session which featured solos by three outstanding progressive jazzmen”. 

Makaya McCraven: Deciphering the Message

Arguably one of the most influential musicians based in Chicago today is drummer and producer Makaya McCraven. Honing in on Blue Note’s catalogue from the ‘60s, he applies his ‘beat scientist’ approach to assembling clips from live shows, inventing brand new tracks. The record oozes old-skool charm through a hip-hop infused modern lens. McCraven is a masterful producer, demonstrating how this tool of invention—and in this case, reinvention—is an artform that reflects one of the pillars of jazz; it is a call and response between the ‘60s and now. If only the musicians featured, such as Art Blakey, Horace Silver and Dexter Gordon, could hear his response. 

Bennie Green: Back On The Scene (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) 

An amalgamation of hard bop, swing, and Latin-influenced jazz, Chicago-born trombonist Bennie Green made his Blue Note debut in 1958 with ‘Back on the Scene’. At the time of recording, it seemed as though every American trombonist was taking cues from J.J Johnson—but not Bennie Green. His full-bodied tone married the past with the future-facing present, by drawing from both swing and emerging R&B sounds. You’ll also hear fellow trombonist and composer Melba Liston shine on this record. Reissued as part of the Tone Poet Audiophile vinyl series, the music has been remastered by renowned engineer, Kevin Gray. 

Brandee Younger: Brand New Life

Harpist and composer Brandee Younger refers to Chicago as her “second home”, and chose to record ‘Brand New Life’ in the city with a number of local collaborators. Her second release for Impulse! pays homage to the great Dorothy Ashby by reinterpreting her music with elements of soul, hip-hop and funk. Younger is the very first to record Ashby’s composition ‘You’re a Girl for One Man Only’ and she lays down a fresh version of Stevie Wonder’s ‘If It’s Magic’—which was Younger’s first exposure to the harpist’s playing. The record was produced by Makaya McCraven and features two of Chicago’s busiest jazz musicians, bassist Junius Paul and vibraphonist Joel Ross. 

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Tina Edwards is a music journalist, DJ and broadcaster. She’s the co-founder of curatorial platforms re:sonate and Queer Jazz, and hosts her own Bandcamp Club called Jazz-ish Jazz Club. She has bylines in Bandcamp Daily, Downbeat, Monocle and more.

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_{Header image: Chicago skyline. Photo: Sebastian Arroyo on Unsplash.}