With live music events still on hold, Chicago independent music venues look forward to relief in the Save Our Stages part of the stimulus bill.
covid and musicians
2020 was supposed to be the Year of Chicago Music. Now, the vast and vibrant local music scene lies dormant. We check in on a Chicago family that can play guitars – and make them too.
Whether it’s Johann Sebastian Bach on the banjo, or an original work with a Cuban-style rhythm, Michael Miles is Chicago’s go-to banjo man.
Birthday celebrations during the pandemic have gotten creative, but there haven’t been too many birthday concerts. Chicago jazz composer and pianist Ramsey Lewis is adding that to the list this weekend.
The Millennium Park at Home series will deliver concerts online via YouTube and Facebook, kicking off Memorial Day weekend with a virtual version of the House Music Festival.
They must remain closed to the public under the governor’s stay-at-home order, but live music venues in Illinois can now allow small numbers of musicians and staff inside to record and livestream performances.
Music has always been a source of comfort for 18-year-old Cameron Chiu. When the coronavirus prompted a stay-at-home order, he and his classmate created a project that would bring people together.
As part of an ongoing series on how professional musicians are responding to a changing landscape, we meet a few aspiring young musicians, who tell us the downside – and the upside – of studying music during the pandemic.
It makes sense that a veteran Chicago blues and jazz musician is on the city’s oldest blues and jazz record label. We visit Dave Specter and Delmark Records for a look back — and forward.
Bus drivers have a tough job these days. And musicians are pretty much out of work. We spoke with one CTA driver who is also a songwriter with a new record. He drives people all over town, but right now he can’t play for the people.
Making a career in music and the arts is tricky in the best of times. These days, the struggle is surreal. Here’s our latest check-in with a few players on Chicago’s music scene where, to quote a famous Chicago soul singer, “Only the Strong Survive.”
The city named 2020 the Year of Chicago Music, and this week was supposed to be Cabaret Week. We visited a few jazz and cabaret folks and found a vast music scene that’s singing the blues.
