FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Third annual Umbrella Music Festival set for Nov. 5-9

Celebrates Chicago's jazz and improvised music scene

Umbrella Music is pleased to announce the final schedule for the third annual Umbrella Music Festival, November 5th-9th. The event celebrates jazz and improvised music from Chicago and beyond.

Called by the Chicago Reader "perhaps the most important jazz festival in Chicago," the Umbrella Music Festival features cutting-edge jazz and improvised music from around the world, with a particular focus on artists from the diverse, cooperative, and thriving local scene.

The event kicks off Wednesday, November 5th with a special evening dubbed "European Jazz Meets Chicago," co-presented by Umbrella Music, the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs, and several European consulates and cultural organizations.

It continues at the regular Umbrella Music venues over the weekend, and for the first time will focus on a featured artist: saxophonist and composer John Tchicai. In the 1960s, with groups like the New York Contemporary Five and the New York Art Quartet, Tchicai was one of the key players in developing a revolutionary aesthetic and philosophical approach to a music which later became known as "free jazz". During that time, Tchicai performed and recorded with some of the most influential musicians in jazz, including John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Archie Shepp, and Milford Graves, to name but a few. Currently residing in France, Tchicai has remained active ever since as both a performer and educator. He is presented here in solo, duo, and ensemble settings.

UMBRELLA MUSIC is a group of Chicago musicians and presenters working to provide performance opportunities for creative and improvising musicians. Umbrella members book weekly concert series on Wednesdays at the Hideout, Thursdays at Elastic, and Sundays at the Hungry Brain. More information on the festival, the group, and the events they coordinate is available at: www.umbrellamusic.org.

2008 Umbrella Festival Schedule and Lineups

Wednesday, November 5th at The Chicago Cultural Center

"EUROPEAN JAZZ MEETS CHICAGO"

6:00 PM : Christian Weber Quartet (Switzerland)

Caroline Davis - alto saxophone
Jeb Bishop - trombone
Christian Weber - bass
Tim Daisy - drums

Claudia Cassidy Theater

6:45 PM : Elisabeth Harnik Group (Austria)

Elisabeth Harnik - piano
Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet
Jeff Parker - guitar

Preston-Bradley Hall

7:30 PM : Mikolaj Trzaska Trio (Poland)

Mikolaj Trzaska - reeds
Kent Kessler - bass
Michael Zerang - drums

Claudia Cassidy Theater

8:15 PM : Schlippenbach/Lovens Duo (Germany)

Alexander Von Schlippenbach - piano
Paul Lovens - drums

Preston-Bradley Hall

9:00 PM : ZU (Italy)

Luca Mai - baritone saxophone
Massimo Pupillo - electric bass
Jacopo Battaglia - drums

Claudia Cassidy Theater

10:00 PM : Braam/de Joode/Vatcher (The Netherlands)

Michiel Braam - piano
Wilbert De Joode - bass
Michael Vatcher - drums

Randolph Street Café

The Chicago Cultural Center
78 E Washington St
312.744.6630
chicagoculturalcenter.org
All concerts on November 5th are free to the public.

Thursday, November 6th at The Velvet Lounge

9:00 PM : Rempis/Kessler/Vatcher

Dave Rempis - saxophones
Kent Kessler - bass
Michael Vatcher - drums

10:00 PM : Josh Berman Quintet

Josh Berman - cornet
Keefe Jackson - reeds
Jason Adasiewicz - vibes
Jason Roebke - bass
Frank Rosaly - drums

11:00 PM : Alexander von Schlippenbach Solo

Alexander von Schlippenbach - piano

The Velvet Lounge
67 E Cermak Rd
312.791.9050
velvetlounge.net

$15 cover

Friday, November 7th at Elastic

9:00 PM : Harnik/Bauder/Roebke

Elisabeth Harnik - piano
Matt Bauder - reeds
Jason Roebke - bass

10:00 PM : John Tchicai Solo

John Tchicai - reeds

11:00 PM : Bik-Bent-Braam (Chicago Version)

Michiel Braam - piano
Wilbert De Joode - bass
Michael Vatcher - drums

with:

Jaimie Branch - trumpet
James Davis - trumpet
Jeb Bishop - trombone
Nick Broste - trombone
James Falzone - clarinet
Jason Stein - bass clarinet
Dave McDonnell - alto saxophone
Keefe Jackson - tenor saxophone
Dave Rempis - tenor/baritone saxophone

Elastic
2830 N Milwaukee Ave, 2nd Floor
773.772.3616
elasticarts.org

$15 requested donation

Saturday, November 8th at The Hideout

9:00 PM : Trzaska/O'Reilly/Weber/Fujiwara

Mikolaj Trzaska - reeds
Evan O'Reilly - guitar
Christian Weber - bass
Tomas Fujiwara - drums

10:00 PM : Tchicai/Drake Duo

John Tchicai - reeds
Hamid Drake - drums

11:00 PM : Douglas Ewart And Inventions

Douglas Ewart - reeds
Ed Wilkerson Jr - reeds
Mwata Bowden - reeds
Jeff Parker - guitar
Darius Savage - bass
Dushun Mosley - drums
Dee Alexander - vocals

The Hideout
1354 W Wabansia Ave
773.227.4433
hideoutchicago.com

$15 cover

Sunday, November 9th at The Hungry Brain

9:00 PM : Baker/Williams/Sandstrom/Hunt

Mars Williams - reeds
Jim Baker - piano/electronics
Brian Sandstrom - guitar/bass
Steve Hunt - drums

10:00 PM : Taylor Ho Bynum Quintet

Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet
Matt Bauder - reeds
Evan O'Reilly -guitar
Mary Halvorson - guitar
Tomas Fujiwara - drums

11:00 PM : John Tchicai Septet

John Tchicai - reeds
Nicole Mitchell - flutes
Aaron Getsug - baritone saxophone
Jaimie Branch - trumpet
Mary Halvorson - guitar
Josh Abrams - bass
Mike Reed - drums

The Hungry Brain
2319 W Belmont
773.935.2118
eiorg.org

$15 requested donation



The third annual Umbrella Music Festival is sponsored in part by The Boeing Company, and presented in conjunction with The Emerging Improvisers Organization and The Elastic Arts Foundation.