{"id":2539,"date":"2019-01-10T12:39:36","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T17:39:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=2539"},"modified":"2019-01-10T12:42:27","modified_gmt":"2019-01-10T17:42:27","slug":"extraordinary-popular-delusions-chicago-free-improv-all-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2019\/01\/extraordinary-popular-delusions-chicago-free-improv-all-stars.html","title":{"rendered":"Extraordinary Popular Delusions, Chicago free improv all-stars"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Jim Baker, keys& synth; Brian Sandstrom, bass; Steve Hunt, drums; Ed Wilkerson, saxes, didgeridoo, oud, Mars Williams, reeds and toys — photo by Marc PoKempner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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 13 years<\/em>. My article on EPD,<\/a> which features saxophonists Mars Williams and Edward Wilkerson Jr. (they switch off), multi-instrumentalist (bass, guitar, trumpet) Brian Sandstrom and percussionist\/drummer Steve Hunt — all of whom have extensive creative music experience — was published today in the Chicago Reader — which I last wrote for in the 1980s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Brian Sandstrom, bass and distorted guitar; Jim Baker, analog synth; Steve Hunt, drums.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Photos here by Marc PoKempner, from the free-form improv ensemble’s current regular gig, in the upstairs loft of the Beat Kitchen (they start around 9 pm, usually end by 11). No cover, no minimum (they put out a tip jazz), no limits — same as their interactive performance as part of painter Lewis Achenbach’s Jazz Occurrence at the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue, 6 pm. on January 24. See you there? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 13 years. My article on EPD, which features saxophonists Mars Williams and Edward Wilkerson Jr. (they switch off), multi-instrumentalist (bass, guitar, trumpet) Brian Sandstrom and percussionist\/drummer Steve Hunt — all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2541,"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":[3,1],"tags":[1699,1701,1702,1697,19,1355,20,1706,1700,1705,1359,1703,1704],"class_list":{"0":"post-2539","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-main","8":"category-uncategorized","9":"tag-beat-kitchen","10":"tag-brian-sandstrom","11":"tag-edward-wilkerson-jr","12":"tag-extraordinary-popular-delusions","13":"tag-free-improvisation","14":"tag-howard-mandel","15":"tag-jazz","16":"tag-jazz-occurrence","17":"tag-jim-baker","18":"tag-lewis-achenbach","19":"tag-marc-pokempner","20":"tag-mars-williams","21":"tag-steve-hunt","22":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/20181105EPD01Mars3-RR.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-EX","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1959,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2015\/12\/solstice-beyond-jazz-unruly-mashup-to-meditative-rhythm.html","url_meta":{"origin":2539,"position":0},"title":"Solstice beyond jazz, unruly mashup to meditative rhythm","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"December 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Saxophonist Mars Williams and band ecstatically wed\u00c2\u00a0holiday\u00c2\u00a0songs and\u00c2\u00a0Albert Ayler anthems at the Hungry Brain in Chicago past 12 pm December 20 \u00c2\u00a0-- the deepest, darkest, longest night of the year -- then\u00c2\u00a0at 6 am December 21 percussionists Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang performed a flowing, meditative\u00c2\u00a0duet to get the\u00c2\u00a0sun up,\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\/2015\/12\/zerang-drake.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/zerang-drake.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/zerang-drake.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2957,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2021\/12\/holidays-with-music-in-person-or-not.html","url_meta":{"origin":2539,"position":1},"title":"Holidays with music, in person or not","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"December 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Despite my avowed abhorrence of Christmas music, I enjoyed maestro Kurt Elling leading his hometown quintet in a holiday-themed performance at Chicago's City Winery last Sunday. Kurt Elling \u00c2\u00a9 Marc PoKempner My entire evening -- accompanied by best friends, and including the surprise discovery after the Winery show of a\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\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1674,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2014\/08\/ferocious-memorial-to-good-humored-avant-gardist.html","url_meta":{"origin":2539,"position":2},"title":"Ferocious memorial to good-humored avant-gardist","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"August 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Saxophonists Mars Williams and Ken Vandermark played like\u00c2\u00a0wild beasts before\u00c2\u00a0a tight and determinedly transgressive troupe recalling\u00c2\u00a0little-known but regionally influential multi-instrumentalist\/bandleader Hal Russell (1926-1992) last night in Millenium Park's swanky Pritzker Pavillion (the one designed by Frank Gehry) as part of the city's free Made In Chicago: World Class Jazz series.\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\/russell-concert.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/russell-concert.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/russell-concert.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1684,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2014\/08\/chi-venues-beyond-jazz-billy-martin-space-beat-kitchen-outcats.html","url_meta":{"origin":2539,"position":3},"title":"Chi venues beyond jazz: Billy Martin @ Space, Beat Kitchen outcats","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"August 6, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Evanston Il's\u00c2\u00a0cross-genre club Space showcased drummer Billy Martin's lively, upbeat Wicked Knee brass band last night, and the\u00c2\u00a0neighborhood\u00c2\u00a0tavern Beat Kitchen hosted\u00c2\u00a0its weekly exploratory\u00c2\u00a0jam by Extraordinary Popular Delusions\u00c2\u00a0the night before. I've barely scratched the surface but clearly Chicago's got a broad range\u00c2\u00a0of performance venues fun to poke into, considering the bookings.\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":2107,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2016\/09\/chi-jazz-fest-2016-details-in-photos-and-words.html","url_meta":{"origin":2539,"position":4},"title":"Chi jazz fest 2016, details in photos and words","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"My DownBeat overview of the 38th annual Chicago Jazz Festival, comprehensive as I could make it, didn't\u00c2\u00a0go into depth on any of the couple dozen performances I heard from Sept 1 through 4 in downtown Millennium Park and the Cultural\u00c2\u00a0Center.\u00c2\u00a0So here, with imagery by my photojournalist colleagues\u00c2\u00a0and friends Marc PoKempner\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\/2016\/09\/MPOK3288a-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/MPOK3288a-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/MPOK3288a-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2924,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2021\/08\/city-of-chicago-music-promoter.html","url_meta":{"origin":2539,"position":5},"title":"City of Chicago, music promoter","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"August 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Lollapalooza 2021 had some 385,000 attendees (without significant Covid-19 outbreak, fortunately) but featured little of host Chicago's indigenous talent or styles. And that's just wrong, declared Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events commissioner Mark Kelly, launching the month-long Chicago in Tune Mark Kelly, photos \u00c2\u00a9 Lauren Deutsch \"festival\" at\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\/2021\/08\/MPOK0299-e.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/MPOK0299-e.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/MPOK0299-e.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/MPOK0299-e.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2539","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=2539"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2539\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}