Tag: Entertainment

The Linda Linda’s Are Rebuilding What You Destroy

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By: Darci Michon

CHICAGO—Since their start in 2018, The Linda Linda’s have taken the modern punk rock music scene by storm. The band is made up of Lucia de Garza (guitar/vocals), Mila de Garza (drums/vocals), Bela Salazar (guitar/vocals), and Elosie Wong (bass/vocals), whose ages currently range from 14 to 20 years old. The quartet has had a very impressive career, opening for bands such as Bikini Kill, Green Day, The Rolling Stones, and Paramore. In March, the teenage rockers set off on their first-ever headlining tour. 

This past Sunday, April 13th, The Linda Linda’s stopped in Chicago, and took the Metro by storm. The night opened with Chicago’s own Adan Diaz and Baltimore-based band Pinkshift as the supporting acts. Between Diaz’s high energy indie-rock and Pinkshift’s fast-paced grungy pop-punk, the crowd was warmed up and excited for The Linda Linda’s to kick off their set.

As soon as the quartet walked onto the stage, the crowd erupted into a burst of energy, and the band launched into their song “No Obligation,” the title track of their latest album of the same name. The track, fronted by Wong, showcases the bassist’s raspy voice with uplifting lyrics that livened up the crowd and got them dancing. 

While a lot of The Linda Linda’s songs have political undertones attached to it, they are able to provide inspiring insight that is wise beyond their years. 

Throughout their career, The Linda Lindas have appeared on several musical projects including A24’s “Stop Making Sense” tribute album, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of “The Talking Heads’” concert documentary. During their performance, The Linda Lindas played their cover of “Found a Job” from the tribute album. The song, led by Salazar, was an example of pure, unbridled joy that absolutely wowed the audience

Throughout their set, the lyrics “We rebuild what you destroy” would appear on the backing screen in reference to their song “Racist, Sexist Boy.” With songs such as “Resolution/Revolution” and Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl,” The Linda Lindas not only signal a call for change, but encourage the audience to take action and stand up in the face of injustice. 

Two standout moments of The Linda Lindas’ set were, “Too Many Things” fronted by Mila de Garza and “Don’t Think” fronted by Lucia de Garza. While both songs deal with the challenges and hardships of being in this world, there is something amazing about people from all different generations and backgrounds singing about these themes that makes one feel less alone.

A truly beautiful part of the show was the never ending pit that took place in the middle of the floor. However, this was not your traditional punk rock pit. Instead of moshing, everyone was dancing. The entire floor was made up of groups of friends holding hands, jumping, and dancing around, all while singing profound lyrics about growing up, empowerment, and friendship. 

It is so important that in this chaotic world full of negativity, that we are able to build communities and connect over art and music such as The Linda Lindas to express ourselves and empower one another.

While watching the band, you can’t help but smile when thinking about how far they have come in such a short time and at such a young age. Each member is an integral part of the band and their stage presence both individually and as a whole is a force to be reckoned with. The Linda Lindas’ performance at the Metro was one of the most fun shows I have ever been to. They are not only speaking their minds to fight against injustice and discrimination, but the quartet is doing it with an optimistic energy and look on life that I think everyone could learn from. 

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A Conversation With Maddie Volger

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By: Leonardo Fontane

On Wednesday March 10th I was lucky enough to sit down and have an interview at the Fulton Street Collective with saxophonist, musician, and educator Maddie Vogler and talk about her first album “While We Have Time.” An encapsulating 9 tracks on Vogler’s album serves as a project forged by the generations of women in her family before her who inspired her to create this project and its music. 

This interview gives a peek behind the curtain on how Vogler’s album came together and what inspired it, as well as a review of her sextet’s performance at the collective that night.

Leonardo : I want to start out “simple”, what was the process of bringing this album together for you?

Maddie Volger: It took a long time overall because some of the music in the album started as small pieces of songs, and a lot of it happened during the pandemic because I didn’t have to be teaching so many hours in person. Especially in the spring of 2020 as schools pretty much shut down. As a result there was a lot of time to write and work through ideas, and at the same time I was getting my master’s in music education, so I was able to reconnect with Tito (Tito Carillo is a jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger who is the trumpeter on Voglers album and served as a mentor for her in her musical journey). When I shared some of my music with him, he said that I needed to record it and I didn’t feel ready, but he really encouraged me to record and that was a big moment where I realized that I should get into the studio and record this music. At that point it was the process of polishing the compositions. Booking a few gigs, did some editing, and then just got into the studio and “made” what you hear.

L: That ties into another question I had. For you what was breaking through that “first release” barrier like, I know many people state that as being what can be hard for them when trying to create something of their own.

MV: I think it was hard and if I didn’t have the people around me pushing me to record it wouldn’t be the same. At the time I viewed myself as more of a “teacher” and wasn’t sure if this was the right path for me, but I came to realize that it doesn’t matter. If you have content, you should just record and release. Of course, you do make for others in certain way which has been amazing as I’ve been able to see so much response and connect with so many people. But having that marker of your musicianship, who you are, what you made at that time, and who you were able to collaborate with at that time is just really special.

L: I was wondering if you could speak more on what is important about the group you choose to record and play with,

MV: I think a lot of it is about finding people who bring their joy of music making and are comfortable with contributing and giving feedback. Being able to have Tito be a part of this album was really special for us both as he has been my number one musical mentor in my life.

L: Now I know that this album cover has a story behind it and I was hoping if you could explain that fully to give a better understanding of what this album is about.

MV: Yes, I found the artist for the cover “Diana Cisneros” because she was a Luminarts fellow. She had a version of the cover as her own hands which caught my eye. The piece talked about her family and heritage, and I had known from the start that such ideas were the core of this album and its music. Once we connected, I wanted to use my grandmothers’ hands as the cover to show that line of women before me. As a debut album it also felt very impactful as it expressed the ideas of who and where I come from as a person. Both my grandmothers have deeply influenced who I am, so I wanted the cover to showcase one hand from each of them clasped together. Both hands wear jewelry from their families, so one has rosary beads from Cuban and my other grandmother has on a bracelet which her parents gave her. Coincidentally both had rings from their pinky fingers which we gifted down to them, so this lineage of women was really able to be captured in one painting.

L: Do you feel as if those details contribute to what you wanted to center this album around?

MV: Totally, I have the original artwork in the room that I practice in, so being able to think about those thoughts whenever I look at it is special.

L: Going back to being an educator, is there something you hope you students get out of seeing their own teacher go out and make a record.

MV: Absolutely, I feel that it makes the conversation of telling someone they are ready to put their work out has become easier. In a way I can become the “Tito” for whatever student I’m connecting with on that level. Which is an extremely important part of teaching, carrying on that line of those who taught and inspired you powerfully. This experience puts that perspective on, “I know how you feel, but you are ready to put this work out” when working with students. I also feel that it has been surprising just how much my journey resonated with my own students. For instance, a student of mine has made an arrangement of my song “Sunday Colors” for our end of year concert which really shows that impact concretely. It wasn’t something I fully realized until I saw how interested students became in the process and small details of this album.

L: You spoke a little earlier on how you have been impacted by the warm reception of your work. What it has been like not to just play but perform your own music at amazing places like the jazz showcase and Chicago jazz fest. Overall, what has the experience of being on the other side of the stage felt like for you?

MV: I think that it has felt a bit weird. I remember being a kid going to the Chicago jazz fest and seeing these spectacular performances which just blew me away. But I never really thought about what it would be like to be on the other side of that experience. It has felt surreal and almost like aging. You feel the same at the core as stuff changes around you. I’ve been able to meet so many great people which has helped me find a place in the Chicago scene but of course being a classroom teacher still does create a barrier from getting super deep in the scene. However, the album putting me out there has really created great relationships.

L: Now being a year and a half out from release do you feel like your perspective has compared to how you thought things would go.

MV: I think the answer is a bit of yes and no. Yes, in the way that I feel more comfortable in the idea of making my next project, so it feels like I have more agency in that regard compared to before. But of course, things still feel familiar, and my teaching still has its own rhythm compared to this.

L: As a final question to shift more toward you, I was wondering who you have been listening to recently.

MV: Recently I went to see Shai Maestro with Jake (Jake Shapiro is the pianist Maddie often plays with and is one of the musicians who recorded “While We Have Time” with her) at ‘Constellation’ a few months back and it was an amazing performance. The organic chemistry they all had today was extremely impressive, which prompted me to dig deeper into that listening than ever before. Outside of that, listening to “Cowboy Carter” has come back for me. I really love that project. There is so much in there for so many different people that when I talk about it with friends who are into country music, I still see new perspectives on it. I also value the message of reclamation she made with that project as it gives even more to that work. I’ve also really been digging the new Bad Bunny album, the beat drop on the first song is just so good.

L: That’s all I have for you today, thank you so much for your time and helping us better understand this amazing project you have made.

“While We Have Time” is out on all streaming platforms and is available for purchase through Maddie Vogler’s website. A phenomenal album, I hope anyone who reads this interview checks it out. I have endless admiration and respect for Maddie’s artistic work, and work as an educator. 

Look out for all the shows she is performing at, as she continues to showcase new incredible music.

 

-L

“The Army, The Navy” Make Fans Swoon At Beat Kitchen 

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By: Cassie Limberakis

CHICAGO– On Wednesday April 2nd, I had the chance to see “The Army, The Navy” at Beat Kitchen for their first ever headline show. This tour celebrates the release of their second EP “Sugar for Bugs.” 

“The Army, The Navy” is made up of childhood friends Maia Ciambriello and Sasha Goldberg. They met through a shared singing coach and have since been inseparable. They write songs about everything under the sun, including dead baby rats. The song “Vienna: In Memoriam” is about a deceased baby rat killed by their house cat in New Orleans. 

The opener for this show was Aggie Miller, a folk musician from New York. A friend of Miller named Emma accompanied Miller on guitar with her viola. Her sound can best be described as a hybrid between Andrew Bird and Joni Mitchell. 

After the show ended, Miller stuck around at the merch booth to connect more deeply with fans. 

Goldberg and Ciambriello then came onto the stage wearing oversized versions of their tour merch. Their harmonies are intricate and methodical. Their music also has a pulse, inviting movement. 

Near the end of their performance, they did a mashup of their song “40%” and “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child. This mashup was inventive and witty, inviting everyone on the floor to sing and dance in unison. Each note and accent is deliberately written, meant to evoke some sort of emotion in the audience. 

Both members of the band are natural musicians, allowing their musical intelligence to shine through within their writing. In the track, “Persimmon” the lyrics “What’s a flame to a candle if you’re melting regardless” refers to the inevitability of strong human emotion affecting life actions. 

“It’s giving boygenius, in a dissonant and cool way.” Said 16-year-old concert goer, Evelyn.

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Positive Energy Envelopes Nubya Garcia Show At SPACE

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By: Ella Grace

CHICAGO– On Wednesday, April 9, saxophonist Nubya Garcia brought her unique UK neo-jazz to SPACE in Evanston, IL. A medium-sized venue tucked away behind a pizza joint, SPACE was packed standing-room only with a multi-generational audience.


Opening for Garcia on this leg of the tour, the show began with vocalist Magi Merlin accompanied by bassist Funky What and some pre-recorded tracks.


Traveling from their home of Montreal, Magi Merlin donned a thrifted Canadian tuxedo and noted that their merch was made with thrifted t-shirts. Together, the duo performed several songs that they co-wrote, a few of which are featured on their brand new EP A Weird Little Dog, released just five days before the show. Two painted duct tape dog sculptures decorated the stage as a nod to the EP. Magi Merlin utilized effect pedals to sing poppy vocals over a nice mix of upbeat, funky beats and some more chill, trippy tracks. Though their music was extremely different from the main act to follow, the audience seemed to enjoy their set and they did a good job of getting the crowd excited for Garcia.


Accompanied by a band of drums, upright bass, and keys switching between grand piano and Rhodes, Garcia entered the stage and began her set with a chill, meditative opening.


I was instantly struck by her beautiful buttery tenor sax tone, which she maintained throughout the full dynamic range, even at the softest, most delicate moments. Use of effects pedals enhanced her sound, including delay, reverb, and octave effects. The overall mix was great as well, with balanced sound across the band.


Garcia did not address the audience until a couple songs in. As she picked up the microphone to speak, audience members shouted compliments like “I love your nails!” before she could even get a word out. The room radiated positivity.


Another voice from the crowd yelled “I love your Tiny Desk!” referencing Garcia’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert which was recorded two weeks before and released publicly that morning. Garcia noted that the day felt special and monumental for that reason.


This show and the Tiny Desk Concert were part of a larger ongoing tour to promote Garcia’s most recent album entitled Odyssey, released September 20th of last year. She played exclusively works from the album for both performances. At SPACE, Garcia opened with the first track on the album, “Dawn.” She played five other pieces from the album including “Solstice,” “Clarity,” and “We Walk In Gold.” Though Garcia leads the band, she lets the other talented musicians shine with their own solos throughout the set.


An artist with bold fashion, Garcia came dressed in an all-black outfit with a long, flowy trenchcoat in contrasting white over it. Her hair was slicked back into a bun to reveal large golden earrings, and she wore big black leather heeled boots. “If you think it’s hard playing the saxophone, try doing it in heels!” Said Garcia.


In a jocular tone, it seemed intended as an unserious anecdote, but it also speaks to a larger point. Jazz has historically been and continues to be a fairly male-dominated genre and Garcia is a trailblazer as one of few female jazz instrumentalists performing at her level.


About halfway through the show, Garcia asked the audience for a lighter. After procuring one, she used it to light some incense, explaining that she made the incense herself to go along with the album before handing it down to be passed around the audience as she performed the next piece. It smelled amazing. Garcia explained that she wanted to engage all five senses, as most concert experiences neglect the sense of smell.


As the set seemed to be coming to a close, Garcia took off her coat and said they would perform one more song despite already going over their time. They ended the show with the last track on the album, “Triumphance.” Garcia noted that “Triumphance” is the first song she has written lyrics for, a sort of spoken word string of affirmations that she shared with the audience to close out the show.


Repeated like mantras, the lyrics included: “Your journey is yours… Your difference is your power, our differences are our collective power.”


Jazz is a large umbrella term encompassing dozens of subgenres including Garcia’s own style of neo-jazz. While some might argue more progressive styles fall outside the categorization of jazz, you can hear a deep connection to the lineage as Garcia quoted standards like “Equinox” and played with a prophetic sound reminiscent of John Coltrane.


All of the subgenres beneath jazz’s umbrella maintain an emphasis on improvisation, innovation, musical conversation, and collaboration. By thriving as a black female instrumentalist in jazz Garcia reminds us that we all benefit from including a diversity of voices in the experience of musical conversation.


“Our differences are our collective power,” Says Garcia.

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Caravan Palace Rocks House of Blues

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By: Ella Grace

CHICAGO– On Friday, April 4th, Caravan Palace brought electro swing to a packed crowd at Chicago’s House of Blues. In fact, it was so full, I could barely see the stage. My first time at the venue, I was immediately struck by its maximalist decor. Every wall was covered in colorful, eclectic, kitschy art, including paintings, statues, and even religious iconography.

Electro swing is a subgenre of electronic dance music (EDM) that mixes jazz influence, usually in the form of samples, with house music. Hailing from France, Caravan Palace is probably the most popular electro swing group to date. One of my go-to artists in middle school, Caravan Palace has not been a consistent presence in my playlists more recently, so when I saw their current tour included Chicago, I got excited for a little nostalgia trip. Middle school Ella dreamed of seeing them live.

As the lights came down and the show began, a long recorded music intro kept the audience in anticipation before the band came out on stage, opening with a jazz manouche-inspired track. The six-member ensemble included Arnaud “Vial” de Bosredon on guitar and synths, Charles Delaporte on bass and synths, Martin Berlugue on trombone, Lucas Saint-Cricq on saxophone, Zoé Colotis on lead vocals and clarinet, and Paul-Marie Barbier on keyboards, percussion, and electric vibraphone. Throughout the show, all of the musicians doubled on other instruments, showcasing their multi-talented prowess. In addition to producing the music, they also all contributed to the visual aspect of the show with coordinated dance moves throughout.

Lead singer Zoé Colotis also pulled off multiple costume changes. Starting off in a sparkly black oversized jacket, she later took it off to reveal a sparkly silver romper. Towards the end of the show, she added a black blazer over the top of that, and fit in one more costume change to a black leather mini skirt and sheer black blouse. She showcased these all against a static backdrop of the male instrumentalists in matching white collared short-sleeve shirts. The final visual element that tied everything together was some exceptionally detailed and dynamic lighting.

Caravan Palace performed many of their big hits from across multiple albums throughout their discography including “Black Betty,” “Rock It For Me,” and “Fool.” They performed several tracks from their album titled <l°_°l> including “Wonderland,” “Midnight,” and “Aftermath,” as well as their number one top track “Lone Digger.” I think the woman next to me spoke for many in attendance when she shouted “Oh! This is my favorite song!” as they began that track.

With bumping disco/house beats, the jazz influence came across mostly through samples, walking basslines, horn solis, and swing feel. In jazz, the same tune generally doesn’t sound exactly the same twice, due to the improvisational nature of the music. As a result, live performances usually do not sound exactly like recorded versions of the same songs by the same artists. The goal of the performance is to spontaneously create something new. 

Conversely, Caravan Palace’s performance stuck very close to their recorded tracks, replicating them almost exactly, which is impressive in its own right and is often very hard to do well. They relied heavily on samples and other pre-recorded material to achieve this, and the live instrumentation acted almost more as decoration on top rather than the core sound all of the time, to no degradation of the overall energy of the performance.

It can be challenging to perfectly mix so much live instrumentation, acoustic and electric, with so much pre-recorded audio, and initially, I was disappointed with the overall sound. The horns and vocals sounded a bit muddy, and I could barely hear them over the electronic sounds. The sound improved marginally as the show progressed, and I also noticed a significant improvement when I moved from the balcony to the main floor, suggesting the acoustics of the hall played a part in the mixing issues as well. 

Towards the end of the set, halfway through one of Caravan Palace’s first big hits “Brotherswing” (from their debut self-titled album), the sound completely cut out and they had to stop the song. Maintaining complete composure, Colotis explained that they had had some bus trouble earlier in the day and arrived late to the venue, missing their soundcheck, which explained all of the mixing issues. I do not envy the engineer who had to mix their complicated sound on the fly. Happily, the sound was restored and the band restarted the song. The mix sounded much better to me after that and there were no more technical issues.

“You have been the best audience. Keep being happy. The world needs peace and love. Just dance!” Colotis told the crowd before the last song. 

After the song, she said “merci beaucoup,” before exiting the stage with the rest of the band. It seemed like the end of the show, but as the crowd chanted “One more song!” a pre-recorded track began to play with a male voice saying “Oh no, we’re not done yet…” The band re-emerged and launched into “Comics” from <l°_°l>. In fact, the “one more song” chant earned the crowd at least three more songs.

After the last of these, the band took a big bow to ceaseless cheers and applause from the crowd, but the show was not quite over yet.

“We try to spread love through our music,” Colotis began before explaining that the band had seen a posting on social media from a couple who met at one of their Chicago shows three years ago. They invited the couple up on stage and sure enough, the man got down on one knee and proposed! Not to be outdone, his partner responded by pulling out a ring of their own and joining him on one knee! The audience unsurprisingly went crazy at the engagement. What a way to end the show!

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Remembering Some of Chicago’s Finest with AIRMW and Experimental Sound Studio

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By: Leonardo Fontane


CHICAGO–On Saturday March 30th Asian Improv aRts Midwest and Experimental Sound Studio (ESS) teamed up to present a listening party of recently digitized tapes from the Fred Anderson Trio at the Velvet lounge circa 1998-2001.


This event was a way to present a viewing of recently found footage from the 1998 Fred Anderson Trio’s performance in Osaka Japan. Long standing bassist of the Anderson Trio and founder of AIRMW, Tatsu Aoki, was present for this event. Even being able to bring out the bass he used for the performance.
Part of what made this screening so special is the fact that both Aoki and Fred Anderson have had such an impact on music in Chicago. Anderson was an esteemed player who acted as a mentor for many musicians in the city.


He founded a club called, “Velvet Lounge” which acted as a space to allow for young players to stretch their wings and play different styles and ideas without shame. They could also hear Fred’s group put on stunning sets weekly.


Aoki is also an extremely well-respected artist not just for his incredible playing ability but also for his work uplifting Asian arts in the city A beautiful part of Aoki’s attendance was his ability to give fresh insight into the history of the Osaka performance experience.


The concert itself was programmed and set up by fellow musician, Yoko Noge, Noge was able to coordinate the travel of over 60 Chicago musicians to Japan for a multi day festival. Some of the festival’s activities included musicians visiting local schools to teach and interact with students as well as multiple large showcases.


Aoki explained how the Anderson Trio attracted fans from all over Japan with even people from Tokyo taking bullet trains out to Osaka for the performance. After Aoki’s brief history of the event the viewing of the performance started, and with it the audience was whisked back in time to a truly breathtaking set of music.


Starting with a driving Latin feel that was bolstered by Aoki and drummer Hamid Drake’s extremely strong rhythmic feel. An enticing instrumentation of just bass drums and sax allowed this set to have a looser feel without a chordal instrument to set as many boundaries to the sound.


As a result, Anderson’s playing in the first half of the set was able to effortlessly stretch from sections of very sparse phrasing with great deals of space into large tightly knit chromatic lines.


Through minutes of open space Anderson cleverly played off the accompaniment from Drake, each able to truly build and carry a complex conversation over the backbone of Aoki’s playing.


After a nearly twenty-minute experience from the trio Drake closed the first half with a hard-hitting solo filled with complex rudiments while maintaining an unwavering groove.


The second half of this set was started by a moving Aoki bassline which set a strong feel into your body. It was here in the performance where one viewing this recording could understand the attraction of the Trio for so many people in Japan.


The ability Anderson, Aoki, and Drake possessed as one playing unit presented itself as a reason to pay attention to the music that was being born in Chicago. One living entity of sound, expression, and emotion the Trio’s set contained an essence only those who fully understand their fellow bandmates can achieve.


After another beautifully crafted solo from Anderson the set ended with a very large round of applause in Osaka. Being able to experience this legendary performance from such important Chicago figures highlights exactly why the preservation efforts from ESS to digitize tapes is so important.
Both Tatsu and the viewing gave key information on the late 90s scene of jazz in Chicago, as well as leaving a listener with much to think about.


The work done by AIRMW is also a testament to this music culture as they provide a space for these events that must be uplifted so that every person may experience music’s magic.

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Greer – ‘Big Smile’ review: A Debut That Says “Sci-Fi Love Rock is so alive”

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By: Quyen Cobb

CHICAGO– On Friday March 21, 2025, California-based band, Greer, released their highly awaited debut album, “Big Smile,” following a four year hiatus, which came after two EPs and a handful of singles released between 2019 and 2021.


“Big Smile,” released on Epitaph Records, comes in at 38 minutes across 13 songs. The album contains multiple instrumental and acoustic tracks which are thoroughly mixed with ground-shaking, rockin’ pop classics.


Purveyors of guitar pop, as reflected by their prior discography, the foursome continue the trend on “Big Smile,” stacking the album with jangly guitars, ghostly harmonies, pop hooks, and lyrical longing. Their sound is recognizable, but it is far from the same: “Big Smile” offers something different—something otherworldly.


The band sounds tighter and more dynamic than ever before, incorporating an exploratory range of sounds, from synths to fuzz, embracing the modern and the retro. It’s electrifying!


Momentum builds on the first track, “Omnibus,” which starts off with shimmering noisy keys, layered guitars, and distorted vocals that are buried in the mix. “Omnibus” poses as an experimental soundscape that picks up when the vocals come to the forefront and the band kicks in, filling out the track.


The end of “Omnibus” leads listeners into the catchy, waltzing “One in the Same,” which might just be the most yearning song of the century and is followed by track three: “Had Enough,” a driving song that maintains the exact opposite sentiments, speaking to the general dissatisfaction with life and the disappointments that tend to come with it.


“Miracle Fighting Red Baron” is an instant classic. It’s both sneering and science-fictional. The bass line through the chorus is kicking, and the song builds and falls throughout its duration.


Track seven, “1994,” is expansive and flaunts Greer’s flexibility as a band, showcasing the thought that went into the Rob Schnapf’s production of the “Big Smile” as an entire album. Schnapf has also produced albums for artists like Beck, Dr. Dog, and FIDLAR. On “Test Virgin Opposites,” Greer flexed their discordant muscles, leaving listeners aware of the band’s depth of skill in conjunction with Schnapf’s production know-how.


“Big Smile” is not just for electric-guitar-music-lovers, there are plenty of ballads, acoustic tracks, and instrumentals for the more mellow listeners. If that’s more your speed, you might take note of “Fighter Pilot Eats a Lemon” or “She Knows.”


So, if you’re a fan of pensive lyricism, synthy guitar music, and songs you could cry to, Greer’s “Big Smile” is definitely an album to check out.


Greer will kick off their tour of the USA on May 30 in Phoenix, AZ. You can catch them in Chicago at Bottom Lounge on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.


Website: https://greertheband.com/
Bandcamp: https://greertheband.bandcamp.com/album/big-smile
Greer – Big Smile
Released March 21, 2025 on Epitaph Records

By: Quyen Cobb

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The World is On Fire, So Is Isaiah Collier 

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By: Leonardo Fontane

CHICAGO– On Friday March 28th the Jazz Showcase was lit up with a blaze of music from Isaiah Collier and The Chosen Few. A Chicago native, Collier, has been a shining star in carrying the legacy of jazz and Chicago’s music into the next generation.


A culmination of post Coltrane sax, AfroFuturism, and Creative Music influences straight from the AACM, Collier is carving his name into music history one performance at a time. Just this past October “The World Is On Fire” was released by Isaiah Collier and The Chosen Few, a charged album full of riveting improvisation and commentary on the state of America and the injustices which have been trespassed against the black community.


With such power in his music, it is unsurprising that Collier brought such an invigorating performance to the sold-out audience at the Showcase.


Coming to the stage with sunglasses, glittering gold pendant around his neck, and silver Tenor sax, a hush fell upon the crowd as pianist Richard Gibbs III started the first tune entitled “Generalife” by saxophonist Ben Solomon. Gibbs began with a solo filled with chords, trills, and language which floated across the keys as he fluidly interacted with the rest of the rhythm section.


Within these first few minutes Collier introduces the idea of the “little instruments”. Evoking ideas pioneered in jazz by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Collier glided his hand across a set of chimes not only adding texture to the sonic atmosphere but also signaling the rhythm section and Gibbs to be ready for Collier to start playing.


Once Collier did begin blowing, each piece of the picture fell into place. Full of emotion and blazing ideas, Collier created a whirlwind of story through his horn with soaring wails of sound and hard hitting multi phonic blasts that tied together perfectly with his cascading sixteenth note lines.
After a few minutes of soloing the tune came to its absolute boiling point at which time Collier brought back the main melodic line of the tune expertly guiding the sound back down to a simmer in preparation for their next piece.


It is within this tune Collier later identified as his composition “The Almighty” off his project with the same name where Collier first takes the mic to sing. This epic of a composition started with swelling bowed bass, piano, and cymbals while Collier sang the phrase “You said freedom has a price. Is that freedom worth your life?”


Such a phrase begs a very real question to the audience present, poking at dormant ideas. As Collier’s singing built, as did the rhythm section with Collier moving to the horn not soon after.


Screaming atop the cymbals behind him Collier’s sound strikes into your bone sending shivers coursing throughout your body paired with angular lines which danced through The Showcase. It is here that Collier breaks the thermometer he set, as this part of the set plays as a near religious experience. One in which a listener is gripping the edge of their seat as they are enveloped within the sonic atmosphere “The Chosen Few” builds.


Finally, the saga ends with an abrupt pivot to large hits guided by Collier followed by a short Cadenza of more open free ideas.


To begin the succeeding tune, Collier speaks to the audience expressing how he feels that what the world needs more currently is love. Collier proceeded to jump into lyrics about love and peace as his rhythm section joined with a three-feel highlighting a danceable nature.


Within the tune Josh Ramos allotted time to be heard blowing with a beautiful bass solo in the upper register of the instrument. Gibbs then took over with a heavy chord centered solo with intriguing voicings and strongly structured phrases.


All of this leads back to Collier who punches through with vibrato and trill driven playing that cements this tunes strength in feel, constantly moving and giving way to a new layer of purpose.
Collier took upon “little instruments” of percussive practice to create a more dynamic sound once the texture thinned to just his singing and Gibbs piano.


Once the previous tune ended Collier struck up a new rhythm from a handheld drum he struck with a mallet and bells he had attached to his shoes. Without skipping a beat, drummer Jayden Richardson jumped in with his own cymbal guided groove before transferring to swing feel, after which Collier utilized more percussive mallet instruments.


The penultimate piece of music finished with Collier taking to his horn again, giving the audience every part of his playing.


To End the night Collier conducted the audience in a three-part harmony with the lyrics “Peace and Love.” A message he helped the audience feel and connect with by utilizing such an interactive idea.
Collier delivered an unforgettable performance that was a testament to his artistic craft and ingenuity. With people like Collier leading the charge in jazz music, the next generation of artists looks bright and promising.


His ability to electrify and energize an audience speaks to the caliber of player he is, and how strongly he carries the culture of the music with him. An unbelievable showing of what is to come from him now and in the future.


Make sure to keep the name Isaiah Collier on your radar from now till the end of time.

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Tigran Hamasyan Brings Harmony to Thalia Hall

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To call Tigran Hamasyan unique would be an understatement. He is the only Armenian pianist and composer blending elements of jazz, metal, and Armenian folk music into a syncretic original sound. When I first discovered his music in high school, I was absolutely blown away by the rhythmic complexity; it was unlike anything I had heard before. A devout listener since, I even included one of his compositions on my senior recital a month ago. Needless to say, when I saw Hamasyan had a Chicago stop at Thalia Hall on his current tour, I knew I had to be there.

On the evening of Tuesday, March 25, I joined a large audience eagerly awaiting Hamasyan’s performance at Thalia Hall. My first time at the venue, I was struck by its ornate beauty. Modeled after the Prague opera house, the hall was built in 1892 and has served as a hub for artistic performance and community ever since.

Shrouded in fog-machine smoke, Hamasyan finally took the stage along with a drummer, bassist, and an additional synth player. Basked in blue lights, they began with a rather understated opening: relaxed, quiet solo piano with Hamasyan’s signature whistling doubling his delicate piano melody. Bass and synths gently layered in, maintaining the ambient, meditative feel of the piece as Hamasyan switched over to synth and began lyricless singing with heavy reverb. The packed crowd remained silent, still, and reverent. Cymbal rolls from the drummer marked the climax of the piece as Hamasyan played louder and more lush on the piano, before symmetrically returning to the quiet intro and fading out to cheers and applause from the crowd.

The next song started similarly chill, but already with more of a drum groove, before red lights coordinated with launching into a loud, intense metal-influenced section. This juxtaposition was a through-line in the show; jumping from beautifully delicate, soft upper-register piano melodies that sounded like folk songs to dark, intense, heavy, loud metal sections reminiscent of math rock. All of Hamasyan’s music also features odd time signatures, insane metric modulations and at times even superimposing one time signature on top of another, elements probably only fully appreciated by fellow musicians in the audience. It is highly intellectual music disguised by how easy and effortless they make it look. With such specific time feels, you have to be incredibly precise, accurate and exacting; any rhythmic rounding or estimating ruins the whole thing. They certainly deliver, with not a single misstep as they maintain metronomic accuracy even through the most rhythmically-complex passages. Until you have tried yourself to perform one of Hamasyan’s songs, as I did for my senior recital a month ago, you cannot fully appreciate the difficulty of what they accomplish.

Hamasyan did not speak and address the crowd until after the first three songs. Then, he only said “Hello, Chicago!” and briefly introduced the other musicians. Later on, he spoke a little about the music they performed, all from his newest album The Bird of A Thousand Voices, released in August of last year. The album is just one part of a larger multi-media project including an online video game, dramatic film series, kinetic art installation, and a staged performance theatrical adaption. It is all based on the ancient Armenian folk tale Hazaran Blbul, about a mythical bird that brings harmony to the world with a thousand different songs. As a result, the music from this project in particular sounds epic and cinematic, and I could tell Hamasyan put a lot of emotion and passion into his singing and playing.

With a whopping 24 tracks, they could not play everything on the album, but some they did perform included “Red, White And Black Worlds,” “The Saviour Is Condemned,” “Forty Days In The Realm Of The Bottomless Eye,” and “The Well Of Death And Resurrection.” When synths, layering, and other electronics are used in the studio, it can be hard to translate the exact album sound to a live setting, which can lead to disappointment for fans highly familiar with an artist’s discography (like myself in this case). However, I was impressed at how similar to the record everything sounded and left very satisfied by the performance.

While the Armenian folk music influence can be heard in some of the melodic material, and the metal influence comes out in the sound of certain sections and the math rock rhythms, Hamasyan’s jazz influence becomes most pronounced when he takes solos. I could hear some jazz language and harmony coming out during his extended solos, which always garnered loud cheers from the audience. Hamasyan also allowed the drummer and synth player to shine with their own solos on some of the songs. The drummer consistently busted out mind-bending rhythms and grooves while the synth player could lay down super fast runs with metronomic accuracy. Sometimes, Hamasyan would play running eighth-note lines so complex that I thought they had to be improvised, but then I would realize that another musician on stage was doubling them, so they had to be written out, though the band played entirely from memory with no sheet music. I found myself making a stank face multiple times during the show.

On the last song, Hamasyan invited the audience to sing a delicate melody with him as he whistled and played it on piano. It was a motif that had been strategically recurring throughout the show and was now embedded in our subconscious. Guided by Hamasyan, the audience’s hums created a beautiful and touching moment of serenity, reflection, and connection that mirrored the subdued intro to the show before the band launched into a high-energy, uptempo closer. When they finished, they stood, bowed reverently, and exited the stage, but the audience’s ceaseless cheers brought them back out for a dynamic encore.

Hamasyan maintained his unique originality by delivering a live performance unlike any I have heard before. Since becoming a fan of his music, seeing him live has been on my bucket list. I left Thalia Hall feeling incredibly fulfilled and content. With all the conflict and strife in the world today, we are in desperate need of harmony. Like the mythical bird of a thousand songs, Hamasyan brings healing to the world with his music.

Emile Mosseri Comes to Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music

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Emile Mosseri is a renaissance man. Not only has he composed multiple movie scores (Minari (2020), Kajilloinaire (2019) and The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)) he has also released two other albums filled with lyrics, Heaven Hunters in 2023 and trying to be born this past February. Mosseri’s eclectic combination of instruments combined with his crisp falsetto makes his music truly stand out as a tree among shrubs. I had the pleasure of seeing Emile Mosseri perform at Old Town School of Folk Music on March 20th.

As an opener, Mosseri had Paul Dally, a folk singer from Vashon Island. His deep bass voice accompanied by his red acoustic guitar made him seem like a 21st century Johnny Cash. “I know I’m a sloppy player, it sounds kind of intentional,” he remarked.

When Mosseri entered the stage, the audience cheered gleefully. During the very beginning of the show, his capo got lost somewhere in the ether on stage. Another audience member pointed out the lost capo and Mosseri quipped back “You’ve got a good eye, what’s it 2020 something like that.” I chuckled with enthusiasm.

Around a quarter of the way through the show, Mosseri recognized an audience member as a parent of Patrick Thomas, who now works as a big shot in the music business. The audience member shouted “You stayed at my house!” In response, Mosseri exclaimed “Oh my gosh, thank you for coming! Jesus Cranberries! That’s something my wife’s grandpa used to say.” Mosseri’s drummer even attempted to FaceTime Patrick during his set.

Mosser’s band consisted of three other guys who all exuded a very cool and suave vibe. In his song, “this time i lost my mind” he refers to his beloved as a jelly bean singing “You’re the jelly bean that is stuck in my teeth.” Mosseri and his band also played many songs from audience suggestions. He played a cover of “I Get Along Without You Very Well” by the legendary jazz musician Chet Baker and another cover of “Time Has Told Me” by Nick Drake. In one of his last audience-suggested songs of the night, “Infinite Love” from the Kajillionaire soundtrack, he had two microphones fixed with reverb.

After the show ended, Mosseri stuck around to talk to ardent fans and sell vinyl records. I spoke to him about my favorite of his film scores Minari, and we bonded over having immigrant families come to the US. Emile Mosseri’s performance at The Old Town School of Folk Music was one that brought a sense of community and warmed the hearts of many.