On Friday, September 20th, Vocalo presented a free “Summer Finale” concert in Millennium Park in downtown Chicago featuring several homegrown Chicago artists. Vocalo was one of five organizations selected to present free programming this summer as part of Millennium Park’s 20th Anniversary Summer Season, and the second year of Millennium Park’s Residency Program.
Gates opened at 5:00pm, and guests were serenaded for two hours by Chicago-native DJ Lady D as they awaited the main show, beginning at 7:00pm with opening act KAINA. Chicago-based singer-songwriter KAINA performed with a solid rhythm section and her show had a mellow, laid-back vibe, featuring lyrics about her experiences growing up in Chicago.
Next came my personal favorite act of the night, renowned trumpeter Marquis Hill, who performed alongside Rhodes, electric bass, drums, and vibraphone. I’ve heard Hill live several times before, and he never disappoints. He is perhaps most recognized for his unique warm and breathy tone, which somehow always comes across beautifully in every live sound setup. This is no small feat, and I think it is important to note his absolute mastery of the microphone. His ensemble as a whole also always crafts a great live sound with good balance and blend, and Friday night was no exception.
Hill performed songs from his new album Composers Collective: Beyond the Jukebox, complete with samples of an unidentified male speaking straight wisdom with repeated lines like: “the sound of music is very powerful,” and “music is light, light is music, music is food, music is nutrition.” The samples definitely reflected how I felt about the performance.
To further enhance the performance, Hill incorporated use of harmonizer and delay effects on his trumpet sound for some songs and occasionally picked up some auxiliary percussion as he cued samples such as clave, shaker, and even surprisingly-effective finger cymbals. Halfway through the 45-minute set, Hill brought out guest vocalist Manasseh Croft to round out the last few songs.
The final act of the night was Pivot Gang, “a hip hop collective of independent rappers with a wide range of styles carefully synchronized into one sound,” according to their bio. The group was founded about five years ago in Chicago’s West Side by brothers Saba and Joseph Chilliams alongside their cousin John Walt and their high school friend. This was a special performance for the group; not only were they back in their hometown, but it was also the birthday of former member SqueakPIVOT, who was shot and killed in August of 2021.
Pivot Gang got the mid-sized crowd on their feet and moving with their good energy and great stage presence. On stage were a dj, guitarist, Rhodes player, and five rappers. Everyone on stage donned cool, unique outfits and showcased their unique character while remaining cohesive as a group.
I think it is wonderful that Chicago funds free cultural programming like this for the public, and Vocalo definitely understood the assignment with their well-crafted lineup celebrating Chicago artists. The audience clearly appreciated all of the acts, but Pivot Gang seemed to be a favorite, which makes sense as they have the most fans out of all of the artists on the bill. For the last song of the night, Pivot Gang invited KAINA and Marquis Hill back to the stage to sing with them and improvise a trumpet solo respectively. It was a satisfying and climactic conclusion to the evening of quality Chicago music.
A portion of this article was redacted after initial publication.