{"id":1908,"date":"2015-08-23T14:16:11","date_gmt":"2015-08-23T18:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=1908"},"modified":"2015-08-24T10:07:57","modified_gmt":"2015-08-24T14:07:57","slug":"jazz-images-made-in-chicago-pokempner-sees-steve-coleman-greg-ward-onye-ozuzu-gary-bartz-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2015\/08\/jazz-images-made-in-chicago-pokempner-sees-steve-coleman-greg-ward-onye-ozuzu-gary-bartz-and-more.html","title":{"rendered":"Jazz images Made in Chicago: PoKempner sees Steve Coleman, Greg Ward & Onye Ozuzu, Gary Bartz and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marc PoKempner<\/strong> may be best known for his photos of pre-presidential Barack Obama, Chicago’s reform mayor Harold Washington<\/a> and the blues<\/a> — but his jazz photography illuminates what we hear by refreshing how we see it.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0528<\/a>

Steve Coleman, center onscreen with tenor saxophonist Maria Grande, trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, and behind them Chicago guest soloists. Photo by Marc PoKempner, all rights reserved to photos in this post.<\/p><\/div>\n

Here are some of his complex compositions in bracing color from the Pritzker Pavilion stage in Millennium Park, incorporating “The Screen<\/a>” that blows up\u00c2\u00a0live video of the events, such as performances in\u00c2\u00a0the city’s current free-admission\u00c2\u00a0Made In Chicago: World Class Jazz series<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0(programmed for the past 11 years by the Jazz Institute of Chicago<\/a>, as it has the free Chicago Jazz Festival (coming right up,\u00c2\u00a0September 3 through 6)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Alto saxophonist Steve Coleman<\/strong>‘s sterling performance Aug. 6 was the culmination of his three-week Chicago residency<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0(yet another Jazz Institute project) \u00c2\u00a0during which he and colleagues from his octet set down to show what they do and invite others to join in at South Side school rooms, community facilities\u00c2\u00a0and the co-presenting University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts<\/a>. Coleman, b. 1956, grew up here and became a professional under the street-wise guidance of saxophonist Von Freeman; since 1979 he’s been an East Coast resident and world-traveller, prolific, exploratory, well-connected as well as\u00c2\u00a0independent and highly influential.\u00c2\u00a0In\u00c2\u00a02014\u00c2\u00a0he was financially rewarded with prestigious and generous fellowships\u00c2\u00a0from the MacArthur,\u00c2\u00a0Guggenheim and Doris Duke foundations, but money needn’t change everything. Coleman is proceeding artistically as he has for some 35 years.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0536\"<\/a>

Steve Coleman on screen center, \u00c2\u00a0surrounded by guest soloists. At lower left, Coleman\u00c2\u00a0blows w\/Jonathan Finlayson, trumpet, Mike Allamana, guitar. Photo by Marc PoKempner; all rights reserved.<\/p><\/div>\n

For Made in Chicago, with bandmates trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, tenor saxophonist Maria Grande, guitarist Miles Ozaki, bassist Antony Tidd (sometimes spelled by Chicagoan Mark Harmon), drummer Sean Rickman and frequent associate Chicago guitarist and project co-coordinator Mike Allemana, Coleman wove layers of melodic lines over synchronized, syncopated, shifting, cyclical rhythms. It was quite possible to get lost in the depths. The saxophonist-composer is not, however, purposefully obscure, and launched the summer’s weekly park concerts playing bebop standards his own way, as well as chant-like riffs that tugged and tumbled with irresistible back-beats and one piece I think was\u00c2\u00a0a semi-classical air from an early 20th century operetta. Mesmerizing.<\/p>\n

\"mpok3232\"<\/a>

Dancer Mekka onstage, alto saxist Greg Ward onscreen, photo by Marc Pokempner<\/p><\/div>\n

On Aug. 13 Greg Ward<\/a><\/strong>, a Chicago-bred rising star alto saxophonist a generation younger than Coleman,\u00c2\u00a0assembled a crack ensemble to play his swirling version of\u00c2\u00a0Charles Mingus’ Black Saint and the Sinner Lady<\/a>,<\/em> an album from\u00c2\u00a01963 originally imagined for dance. Onye Ozuzu<\/a><\/strong>‘s choreography for a troupe of physically diverse but all highly energized and dramatic movers seemed inspired and perfectly attuned to\/interactive with the music. This performance was well-documented — but it should be repeated, and will travel well. Ward lives in NYC now; Ozuzu teaches at Chicago’s Columbia College.<\/p>\n

\"mpok3210\"<\/a>

Ward & band and dancer Mekka, onscreen and onstage; photo by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

\"MPOK3277\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"MPOK3280\"<\/a>

Onye Ozuzu troupe dancers; photos by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

\"MPOK3304\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"L&E&Gary-88m\"<\/a>

Larry Gray, bass; Ernie Adams, drums; Gary Bartz, alto sax; photo by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

PoKempner’s vision is also vivid and informative in the most straightahead settings. Fireburning veteran alto saxophonist Gary Bartz helped celebrate Charlie Parker Month at the Jazz Showcase, delighting in the Chicago all-stars who he’d had one rehearsal with: Pianist Willie Pickens, bassist Larry Gray and drummer Ernie Adams. See the interplay, hear the moment?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"DSCF3922\"<\/a>

Willie Pickens, piano; Gary Bartz, alto sax; Larry Gray, bass; Ernie Adams, drums; Charlie Parker smiling upon them at the\u00c2\u00a0Jazz Showcase; photo by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Marc PoKempner may be best known for his photos of pre-presidential Barack Obama, Chicago’s reform mayor Harold Washington and the blues — but his jazz photography illuminates what we hear by refreshing how we see it. Here are some of his complex compositions in bracing color from the Pritzker Pavilion stage in Millennium Park, incorporating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1908","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-main","8":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/IMG_0528-1.jpeg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-uM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1401,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2013\/09\/chicago-jazz-festival-13-in-marc-pokempners-photos.html","url_meta":{"origin":1908,"position":0},"title":"Chicago Jazz Festival ’13, in Marc PoKempner’s photos","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Photo-journalist Marc PoKempner, a long-time collaborator and one of my bffs, has a clear eye as well as a sharp ear for music. He captured some of the diversity and vigor of the 35th annual Chicago Jazz Festival, August 28 - Sept 1 \u00c2\u00a02013. Click on these photos for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2310,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2017\/09\/jazz-on-millennium-parks-big-screen-pokempner-photos.html","url_meta":{"origin":1908,"position":1},"title":"Jazz on Millennium Park’s big screen – PoKempner photos","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A 40-by-22\u00c2\u00bd-foot LED screen is a dominating feature of the stage in the Pritzker Pavilion of Chicago's Millennium Park, difficult to ignore though many try. Photographer Marc PoKempner does the opposite in his shots from the 39th annual Chicago Jazz Festival: he uses what he (and everybody else) sees to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Boom Tic Boom\"","block_context":{"text":"Boom Tic Boom","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/tag\/boom-tic-boom"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/MPK5975-e-300x195.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1707,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2014\/09\/chicago-jazz-fest-highlights-a-la-pokempner-vision.html","url_meta":{"origin":1908,"position":2},"title":"Chicago Jazz Fest highlights a la PoKempner-vision","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"No one was shot at any jazz festivals held throughout the U.S. over Labor Day weekend, unless artists and audiences captured by photography count. Marc PoKempner was among the expert\u00c2\u00a0photogs creating views of the sounds at the 36th annual Chicago Jazz Festival. Marc is especially good incorporating\u00c2\u00a0into his compositions the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_3456a.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_3456a.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_3456a.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_3456a.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_3456a.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2539,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2019\/01\/extraordinary-popular-delusions-chicago-free-improv-all-stars.html","url_meta":{"origin":1908,"position":3},"title":"Extraordinary Popular Delusions, Chicago free improv all-stars","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 10, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Jim Baker, keys& synth; Brian Sandstrom, bass; Steve Hunt, drums; Ed Wilkerson, saxes, didgeridoo, oud, Mars Williams, reeds and toys -- photo by Marc PoKempner Keyboardist and synthesizer specialist Jim Baker has led the collective quartet Extraordinary Popular Delusions playing every Monday night in obscure Chicago venues for the past\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2321,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2017\/09\/youssou-ndour-on-stage-screen-pokempner-photos.html","url_meta":{"origin":1908,"position":4},"title":"Youssou N’Dour on stage & screen, PoKempner photos","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Photo-journalist Marc PoKempner's images from the Chicago Jazz Fest, as featured in my previous post, and these from Senegalese superstar Youssou N'Dour's rousing who two weeks earlier, exhibit how he's dealing straightforwardly and creatively with the screen backing musicians at the Pritzker Pavilion of Millennium Park. Giving us eyefuls to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Chicago\"","block_context":{"text":"Chicago","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/tag\/chicago"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/MPK5446-e.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/MPK5446-e.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/MPK5446-e.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1700,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2014\/08\/chicago-jazz-festival-club-tour-images.html","url_meta":{"origin":1908,"position":5},"title":"Chicago Jazz Festival club tour images","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"August 30, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The 36th annual Chicago Jazz Festival (mostly free) kicked off Wednesday with a trolley tour of\u00c2\u00a0neighborhood clubs. Marc PoKempner captured performers' and crowds' spirits in his images: The Jazz Festival continues tonight -- Saturday -- with headlining vibist Gary Burton receiving JJA Jazz Awards for his playing and Best Book\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/peppers-po.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/peppers-po.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/peppers-po.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/peppers-po.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1908"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1908\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}