Joe Segal

Pianist Benny Green took a few chances Thursday night at the Jazz Showcase, and the risks paid off handsomely – for both him and his listeners. The move was significant because Green typically plays with so much polish, precision and control...

Each January, the Jazz Showcase turns its spotlight toward Chicago artists, enabling the club to bypass costlier touring attractions at a time of year when audiences typically are small. That's a boon not only to the city's musicians but to listeners,...

A new year brings new hopes for music in Chicago. Here are key resolutions for 2013: Create a concise Cultural Plan. After months of town hall meetings, the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events last fall came up with a 48-page wish...

Until three weeks ago, no jazz club owner ever had been selected to receive the country's pre-eminent jazz honor: the National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Masters Fellowship, which carries with it $25,000 and considerable prestige. Anyone who follows...

Revered around the world but never a major star, worshipped by critics and connoisseurs but perpetually strapped for cash, the towering Chicago tenor saxophonist Von Freeman practically went out of his way to avoid commercial success. When trumpeter Miles...