CU Jazz Blog

Jazz in C-U, week of 4/12/2009

2009-04-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lots of stuff going on this week -- get out and show your support!

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Monday, 4/13/2009
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 4/14/2009
WOODY WOODWARD ORGAN TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 4/14/2009
UI JAZZ COMBOS
at TRYON FESTIVAL THEATER / KRANNERT CENTER (Goodwin Ave., Urbana)
7:30-10pm, admission charged

Wednesday, 4/15/2009
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (Lincoln Square Village, Urbana)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 4/16/2009
UI JAZZ GUITAR ENSEMBLE
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/16/2009
UI JAZZ BAND IV
at COLWELL PLAYHOUSE / KRANNERT CENTER (Goodwin Ave., Urbana)
7:30-9:30pm, admission charged

Thursday, 4/17/2009
KELLY CORBIN GROUP w/SPECIAL GUESTS
at ZORBA'S GREEK RESTAURANT (627 E. Green St., campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 4/17/2009
WEASEL DREAMS SEXTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 4/17/2009
DUDLEY G. OWENS QUARTET
at CAFE LUNA (116 N. Chestnut, Champaign)
10:30pm, $10 cover

Saturday, 4/18/2009
DUDLEY G. OWENS QUARTET
at CAFE LUNA (116 N. Chestnut, Champaign
10:30pm, $10 cover

Embassy Tavern Closes

2009-04-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

As was widely reported last month, the Embassy Tavern on Race Street closed at the end of March, 2009. The owners had been Ross and Margie Veach since sometime in 2007 (I think).

Given the significant revenue loss being incurred by the current property holder (who leased the building to the various owners), I can't imagine that the bar will stay closed forever, but given the current economic climate, it's hard to be certain.

The bar's closing offers something of a cautionary tale about the tenuous state of live music in a community the size of Champaign-Urbana. The bar had adopted a policy of paying bands a guarantee and then accepting donations in an attempt to offset the guarantee. This model relies heavily "on the kindness of strangers". You could pack the bar and get no "donations", but presumably you'd sell enough booze and food to make it all good. Sparse attendance and you're really in bad shape...

A similar model has been attempted before. The Jazz Cafe, which opened in the location now occupied by The Iron Post, used a similar model, offering a guarantee and then charging cover, which was presumed to offset the bar's cost. This model relies exclusively on the ability of the band and venue to draw bodies.

The model currently in use by The Iron Post is to give 100% of the door to the band. The onus here is shifted to the bands to generate interest and bodies. This model relies on the tolerance of the musicians for playing for smaller crowds and less money. (This was the model typically employed by Nature's Table.) The exception is Friday Happy Hour, when there's a fixed guarantee, and no cover charge (and it's usually busy).

The bars that attempt to offer live music are, thus, accepting a certain amount of risk; so, too, in most cases, are musicians (time and effort are worth money).

What is the risk to the public? Failure to support live music forces both the venues offering it and the musicians performing it to assume risk with limited reward. The community's history is littered with venues that have attempted and abandoned the presentation of live music because of a lack of public support.

As a musician, I suppose that it's not my place to cajole the general public for not supporting jazz music, or live music in general. I do find it sad to observe folks lamenting the closing of a music venue without recognizing the recurring financial issues that cause it to happen over and over again.

Please support live music in your community.

Jazz in C-U, week of 4/5/2009

2009-04-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

Lots of great music this week! Get out and support live music and the venues that offer it.

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Sunday, 4/5/2009
MATT PLASKOTA COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 4/7/2009
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 4/8/2009
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (Lincoln Square Village, Urbana)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 4/8/2009
UI SAXOPHONE ENSEMBLE and GUITAR ENSEMBLE
at TRYON FESTIVAL THEATER / KRANNERT CENTER (Goodwin Ave., Urbana)
7-9:30pm, admission charged

Wednesday, 4/8/2009
TROMBARI featuring GLENN WILSON and JIM PUGH
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/9/2009
UI JAZZ COMBO (Stephens)
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9:30pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/9/2009
UI JAZZ TROMBONE ENSEMBLE
at TRYON FESTIVAL THEATER / KRANNERT CENTER (Goodwin Ave., Urbana)
7-9:30pm, admission charged

Thursday, 4/9/2009
THE SPLINTER GROUP
at ZORBA'S GREEK RESTAURANT (627 E. Green St., campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 4/10/2009
JEFF HELGESEN QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 4/10/2009
BRIGGS/HOUCHIN DUO
at SILVERCREEK RESTAURANT (402 N. Race St., Urbana)
6-8pm, free admission

Friday, 4/10/2009
WEAPONS OF MASS DISFUNKTION
at ZORBA'S GREEK RESTAURANT (627 E. Green St., campustown)
9pm-midnight, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 1/25/2009

2009-01-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

Lots going on, including the return of jazz to Zorba's. Get out and support some live music!

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Sunday, 1/25/2009
SHAWN PURCELL/KEVIN TURNER COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 1/26/2009
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 1/29/2009
U/I JAZZ ENSEMBLE
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 1/29/2009
CHIP McNEILL QUARTET
at ZORBA'S GREEK RESTAURANT (627 E. Green St., campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 1/30/2009
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 1/30/2009
BRIGGS/HOUCHIN DUO
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Saturday, 1/31/2009
KEN SMITH JAZZ QUARTET
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
9pm-12am, free admission (donations encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 1/18/2009

2009-01-20T07:57:00.000-08:00

Plenty of jazz going on -- get out there and support live music!

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Monday, 1/19/2009
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 1/22/2009
U/I CONCERT JAZZ BAND
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Thursday, 1/22/2009
CHIP McNEILL QUARTET
at ZORBA'S GREEK RESTAURANT (627 E. Green St., Champaign (between Sixth St. and Wright St. in campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 1/23/2009
CHAMPAIGN CENTRAL H.S. JAZZ ENSEMBLE
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Saturday, 1/24/2009
JOAN HICKEY QUARTET with JEFF HELGESEN
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-9pm, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 1/11/2009

2009-01-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

Jazz back in full "swing" -- get out and support some local live music. Please note that the Monday night jam session is now 7-10pm. Also note that Donnie Heitler's Wednesday night gigs are on hiatus.

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Sunday, 1/11/2009
GEORGE TURNER TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 1/12/2009
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 1/14/2009
WOODY WOODWARD ORGAN TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 1/15/2009
HOLLY HOLMES/CHRIS REYMAN
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Friday, 1/16/2009
CONDITION BLUE
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 1/16/2009
DARDEN PURCELL QUARTET
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S. Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, no cover (donations encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 1/4/2009

2009-01-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Get out and support jazz musicians and venues!

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Sunday, 1/4/2009
KELLY CORBIN QUARTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 1/5/2009
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged -- NOTE TIME CHANGE

Wednesday, 1/7/2009
CHIP McNEILL SEXTET featuring GLENN WILSON
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 1/8/2009
ADAM LARSON COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 1/8/2009
FUNKY JONNY
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S. Race St., Urbana)
7:30-10pm, no cover (donations encouraged)

Friday, 1/9/2009
WEASEL DREAMS SEXTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Jazz in C-U, week of 12/28/2008

2008-12-29T08:49:00.000-08:00

The week between holidays -- still some good jazz to find in town! Support your local music scene. Happy holidays!

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Monday, 12/29/2008
JAZZ MAYHEM
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 12/30/2008
DAVID PHY/SALSA JAZZ
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 12/30/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Friday, 1/2/2009
CHIP McNEILL QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
9-11pm, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 12/14/2008

2008-12-15T07:12:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the dearth of posts.

Still plenty of jazz for you out there -- musicians need some holiday cheer, too!

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Monday, 12/15/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 12/16/2008
CENTRAL H.S. JAZZ BAND
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 12/16/2008
TURNER/DRISCOLL/NOLTE TRIO
at CAFE LUNA (116 N. Chestnut, Champaign)
7:30-9:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 12/17/2008
KEN SMITH QUARTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 12/17/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
7:30-9:30pm, cover charged

Friday, 12/19/2008
JEFF HELGESEN QUINTET featuring CHIP McNEILL
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Election Day

2008-11-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

Please take the time to get out and cast your vote today.

Jazz in C-U, week of 11/2/2008

2008-11-03T11:23:00.001-08:00

Get out and celebrate the end of a long election cycle with some live jazz!

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Sunday, 11/2/2008
ED SCHALLER SEXTET (DMA Recital)
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm

Monday, 11/3/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 11/4/2008
DAVID PHY LATIN JAZZ (DMA concert)
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7:30pm-10:30, cover charged

Wednesday, 11/5/2008
PARKLAND JAZZ COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 11/5/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 11/5/2008
C-U JAZZ CRUSADERS
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 11/6/2008
UI JAZZ COMBO (Carillo)/ UI TROMBONE COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana
7-9pm, cover charged

Thursday, 11/6/2008
GEORGE TURNER
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 10/26/2008

2008-10-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

There's a scary amount of jazz out there this week. You know what to do.

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Sunday, 10/26/2008
HEARTLAND JAZZ ORCHESTRA
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 10/27/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 10/29/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 10/29/2008
WEAPONS OF MASS DISFUNKTION
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
8:30-10:30pm, cover charged

Thursday, 10/30/2008
MARK O'CONNOR QUINTET
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 10/31/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 10/31/2008
HOUCHIN/BRIGGS DUO
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Friday, 10/31/2008
GEORGE TURNER/LARA DRISCOLL DUO
at SILVERCREEK RESTAURANT (402 N Race St., Urbana)
6-8pm, no cover

Jazz in C-U, week of 10/12/2008

2008-10-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

Things are hopping -- get out and support local jazz!!

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Monday, 10/13/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 10/15/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 10/16/2008
U/I JAZZ BAND #4
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 10/16/2008
JAZZ SANDWICH
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 10/17/2008
JEFF HELGESEN QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 10/17/2008
GEORGE TURNER/HOLLY HOLMES DUO
at SILVERCREEK RESTAURANT (402 N Race St., Urbana)
6-8pm, no cover

Friday, 10/17/2008
WEAPONS OF MASS DISFUNKTION
at ZORBA'S (Green St./campustown, Champaign)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 10/5/2008

2008-10-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Monday, 10/6/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 10/8/2008
IN YOUR EAR BIG BAND
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-8pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 10/8/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 10/9/2008
U/I JAZZ COMBO (McNeill) / JAZZ SAX COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 10/9/2008
FUNKY JONNY
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
7:30-10:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Thursday, 10/9/2008
CHARLES LANE
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 10/10/2008
DESAFINADO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, cover charged

Friday, 10/10/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Saturday, 10/11/2008
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MACHINE
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 9/28/2008

2008-09-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

Plenty to see and do this week -- support live jazz!

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Monday, 9/29/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 10/1/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 10/2/2008
ED SCHALLER SEXTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, cover charged

Thursday, 10/2/2008
U/I GUITAR ENSEMBLE
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 10/2/2008
JAZZ SANDWICH
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
8-11pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Thursday, 10/2/2008
ROB DENTY
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 10/3/2008
DARDEN PURCELL QUARTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, no cover

Saturday, 10/4/2008
DENISE LaGRASSA
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 9/21/2008

2008-09-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Fall! Make sure to get out and check out some jazz this week.

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Monday, 9/22/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 9/24/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 9/25/2008
U/I JAZZ COMBO (Bridgewater)
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Thursday, 9/25/2008
DARDEN PURCELL
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 9/26/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 9/26/2008
BRIGGS/HOUCHIN GROUP
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 9/14/2008

2008-09-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Fall jazz in overdrive! Get out and support live music. You'll thank me for it.

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Sunday, 9/14/2008
DARDEN PURCELL QUARTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 9/15/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 9/17/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 9/18/2008
U/I JAZZ #4
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Thursday, 9/18/2008
BRIGGS/HOUCHIN TRIO
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 9/19/2008
JEFF HELGESEN QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 9/19/2008
HOUCHIN/BRIGGS DUO
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Saturday, 9/20/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at PEARL'S COFFEE HOUSE (Philo Rd Christian Church, Urbana)
7:30-9:30pm, free admission

Saturday, 9/20/2008
JEFF HELGESEN QUARTET with RACHAEL LEE and DON HEITLER
at ALTO VINYARDS WINERY (North Duncan Rd., Champaign)
7:30-10:30pm, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 9/7/2008

2008-09-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

Lots of jazz, get out and support some! Note that the Monday Jam Session at The Iron Post is back, but its time has been changed to 6-8pm.

Sunday, 9/7/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at CHAMPAIGN PUBLIC LIBRARY
2:30-4:30pm, free admission

Monday, 9/8/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
NOTE TIME CHANGE!
6-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 9/10/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 9/10/2008
JAZZ GUITAR NIGHT
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Thursday, 9/11/2008
FUNKY JONNY
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
7:30-10:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Thursday, 9/11/2008
U/I JAZZ COMBO (Hall)
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Thursday, 9/11/2008
C-U JAZZ CRUSADERS
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 9/12/2008
DESAFINADO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, cover charged

Friday, 9/12/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 8/31/2008

2008-08-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

Great jazz throughout the week. Get out and support it and the venues that offer it!

NOTE - no jam session Monday night. When the sessions resume, they'll be 6-8pm.

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Sunday, 8/31/2008
SHAWN PURCELL JAZZ COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 9/3/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 9/4/2008
JAZZ SANDWICH
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
8-11pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Thursday, 9/4/2008
KELLY CORBIN
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9pm-midnight, cover charged

Thursday, 9/4/2008
U/I CONCERT JAZZ BAND
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Thursday, 9/4/2008
RON DEWAR QUARTET
at CAFE LUNA (116 N. Chestnut St., Champaign)
9pm-midnight, admission charged

Friday, 9/5/2008
RON DEWAR QUARTET
at CAFE LUNA (116 N. Chestnut St., Champaign)
9pm-midnight, admission charged

Friday, 9/5/2008
GEORGE TURNER QUARTET
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
9pm-midnight, free admission (donations encouraged)

Saturday, 9/6/2008
GEORGE TURNER TRIO
at KOFUSION (1 E. Main St., Champaign)
6:30-9:30pm, no cover

Saturday, 9/6/2008
RON DEWAR QUARTET
at CAFE LUNA (116 N. Chestnut St., Champaign)
9pm-midnight, admission charged

Cafe Luna presents Ron Dewar Quartet

2008-08-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

Cafe Luna (116 N Chestnut St., Champaign) will be featuring live music September 4, 5, and 6 with Ron Dewar (saxophone), Don Heitler (piano), Ed Schaller (bass), and Mark McKnight (drums).

A good turnout for Ron's sets could go a long way towards promoting additional music at this venue.

Cafe Luna is in the old train station building, at the corner of Chestnut and University in Champaign. Music will be outside, weather permitting. In case of inclement weather, music will move indoors.

Ron Dewar was a fixture on the Champaign-Urbana music scene for three decades. He was a member of John Garvey's celebrated jazz ensemble in the 1960s, and returned briefly in the early 1980s. He has been living and performing in Chicago for several years, and will be appearing at the Chicago Jazz Festival this year with Don Heitler.

Get out and support some live music!

--JH

Brief note...

2008-08-25T09:14:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the light blogging.

Between the Nature's Table reunion and some other projects, it's been difficult to keep things up-to-date here.

To come soon -- some reflections on the Nature's Table reunion, notes about upcoming appearances by Ron Dewar, and more.

Jazz in C-U, week of 8/24/2008

2008-08-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

Interesting stuff this week -- get out and support live music in C-U!

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Monday, 8/25/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 8/27/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 8/27/2008
U/I JAZZ COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, free admission<

Friday, 8/29/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, cover charged

Friday, 8/29/2008
UI JAZZ FACULTY: BEYOND COOL
at ALLERTON MUSIC BARN (Allerton Park, Monticello)
8:30pm, admission charged

Saturday, 8/30/2008
DESAFINADO
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30pm, free admission (donation encouraged)

Saturday, 8/30/2008
MATT WARNOCK TRIO
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
9pm, free admission (donation encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 7/27/2008

2008-07-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Get out and get some!

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Monday, 7/28/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 7/30/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 7/31/2008
KEVIN TURNER TRIO
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Friday, 8/1/2008
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MACHINE
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Saturday, 8/2/2008
JAZZ MAYHEM
at ALTO VINYARDS WINERY (North Duncan Rd., Champaign)
7:30-10:30pm, cover charged

"Beyond Cool" concert scheduled for 8/29

2008-07-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

The UI jazz faculty has scheduled a concert titled "Beyond Cool" to be held at the Allerton Music Barn on August 29th.

The instrumentation will be identical to the Miles Davis nonet that recorded what came to be called "Birth of the Cool" -- trumpet, alto sax, trombone, baritone sax, french horn, tuba, piano, bass, and drums.

Some of the selections to be performed will be from the "Birth of the Cool" recording, while the balance of the material will be arrangements written by the jazz faculty for this instrumentation.

Personnel will be:

Chip McNeill, alto saxophone
Glenn Wilson, baritone saxophone
Jeff Helgesen, trumpet
Kaz Machala, horn
Jim Pugh, trombone
Karl Kramer, tuba
Chip Stephens, piano
Larry Gray, bass
Dana Hall, drums

For additional information, visit the Allerton Music Barn events page.

Jazz in C-U, week of 7/20/2008

2008-07-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

Better late than never.

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Monday, 7/21/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 7/23/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 7/24/2008
HOUCHIN/BRIGGS GROUP
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Thursday, 7/24/2008
KEVIN TURNER TRIO
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 7/24/2008
CHIP McNEILL QUARTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Friday, 7/25/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Friday, 7/25/2008
ROB DENTY TRIO
at ZORBA'S (Green St., Campustown)
9pm-midnight, cover charged