Enter content here
Enter content here
Enter content here
Columbia College Chicago 2003
[C]Spaces Hokin Annex - Acoustic Afternoon Music Series
Groove on the Indian Percussion and Acoustic Stylings of the Ray Spiegel Ensemble. Ray Spiegel, a tabla player who is a veteran to Mickey Hart's Diga Rhythm Band, will be accompanied by Indian classical guitarist Pandit Barunkumar Pal and Melanie Richeson on tanpura this Wed. Oct. 22, from 1pm to 3pm for FREE at Columbia College Chicago [C]Spaces Hokin Annex, 623 S. Wabash, 1st Fl. Please attend and join us in welcoming the Ray Spiegel Ensemble for the first, of hopefully many, visits to Chicago. See attachment for details.
For Columbia College Chicago [C]Spaces event information contact (312)344-7696 or . For more information on the artist contact Karlene Olesuk, KO Management (630)254-3246, or see .
CHICAGO-based singer/composer Claudia Perez kicks off the Free La Pena series with the music concert event called From Chile With Love: Claudia Perez at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Wednesday, September 3 at 8:30 PM. La Pena is a weekly showcase of Latin folk music and dance featuring, the best local and touring talent, at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Admission is free (suggested donation $5). See or call (773)728-6000.
Vocalist Claudia Perez has been a jazz singer for over 15 years. In This Love (Claudia Perezs new EP) represents her debut in the world of Pop music. Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune describes her as having "...a unique, wide open sound...she rides all manner of rhythmic backbeats as only the best vocalist can do..." Inspiration for this CD came from a recent trip to Africa where she performed with jazz musicians from all
over the world and returned with "a deeper understanding of loss and love."
She is appearing with Dave Onderdandk (guitar), Jonathan Paul (bass), Ryan
Cohan (piano), and Emilio Valdez (drums).
For more information on From Chile With Love: Claudia Perez and the La Pena series see or call (773)728-6000. For Claudia Perez booking information, photos, or other biography information on this events musicians please visit or call Karlene Olesuk, Manager, Claudia Perez Management at (312)409-3303.
Please note there are accents on the first e in Perez and n in La Pena that don't translate thru e-mail text well. If you care not to be sent e-mails please reply to or
Annie Denison Duo and Jim Kaczmarek play jazz at Joey Ts On the Fox Fri., July 18, 2003 at 7:30pm. No cover.
Joey Ts is located at 1202 Riverside Dr. in McHenry, IL. Come by to enjoy dinner items, such as, hand-rolled pastas, seafood, steaks, chocolate mousse cake and homemade ice cream; or just drinks. For dinner reservations and directions call (815)344-2445. For more information on artists and photos visit www.anniedenison.com or contact Karlene Olesuk at (630)254-3246.
Come listen to vocalist Annie Denison with the Annie Denison Duo and saxophonist Jim Kaczmarek, at Joey Ts On the Fox on Fri., July 18 at 7:30pm. No cover. For Joey Ts dinner reservations or directions call (815)344-2445. For more information on artists and photos see or contact Karlene Olesuk at (630)254-3246.
Originally from Chicago, Annie Denison moved to the Quad City area, where she performed all through her childhood and young adult years in any and all areas of musical performance....from singing with her father, cornet player, Ben Denison's traditional-jazz band at the age of 12, from punk bands to R&B, from musical theater to classical and Twentieth Century Music (including premiers of compositions of Sigmund Snopek and Jerome Kitzske). But she always returned to her first love...straight ahead jazz. Annie moved to Milwaukee in the early 80's after a stint on the Mississippi riverboat. Her move to Milwaukee was an effort to reside in an area close to two major cities, Chicago and Milwaukee, where she could find a "real jazz scene."
On the heels of her move, she was hired by a local big band, with whom she worked, on and off, for 13 years. She sang for two years at the Hyatt Regency, Milwaukee in the Atrium Lounge and says of that experience...."I learned the most singing there....3 nights a week will get you bored with your repertoire pretty fast, so you learn new tunes daily. It taught me how to keep the intensity in a song, night after night....It takes your complete concentration." She was working Thursdays at one hotel and Friday and Saturday at another, backed by pianists Richard Crabtree (Montgomery Brothers and MasterSounds), and the legendary Melvin Rhyne (Wes Montgomery Trio). Annie and her husband, drummer Bob Budny (Roland Kirk, Billy Harper, Buddy Montgomery), decided to start "The Jazz Orphans" project when they realized that they had "orphaned" their passion, the music that they loved. Jim Kaczmarek is also a member of Annie & the Jazz Orphans.
Jim Kaczmarek wanted to play saxophone from before he could say the word. Fortunately his parents were very supportive and took him to hear such greats as Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, and Phil Woods. His father, an art teacher, instilled in him a very open mind and appreciation of all styles. You might hear anything on the family stereo: from African drumming to classical music, bagpipes to The Beatles- and of course jazz. Jim performed professionally starting in high school. During the 1980s he led the WAMI nominated eclectic jazz group Kinetic Shower, which performed regularly at John Hawks Pub for seven years, and featured such Milwaukee notables as Jack Grassel, Jim Paolo, Scott Sherwood and Terry Smirl- recording with Grassel on his Magic Cereal album. While in Milwaukee, Jim also performed with David Amram, Jackie Allen, Diahann Caroll, Victor DeLorenzo, Ron DeVillars-Jack Carr Big Band, The Green Bay Packer Band, The Milwaukee Symphony, Brian Richie, Spike and the Eargoggles, and others. Jim has performed at Milwaukees world renowned music festival "Summerfest" many times.
In 1993 Jim Kaczmarek got an assistantship to teach Jazz Theory at Northern Illinois University, where he performed with NIUs Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Ron Modell, for two years. During that time he performed with such greats as Louie Bellson, Hal Crook, Paquito D,Rivera, Jon Faddis, Carl Fontana, Gary Foster, Fareed Haque, Marian McPartland, Bob Mintzer, Claudio Roditi, Tito Puente, Marshall Royall and Clark Terry. His Combo with trumpet phenom Tito Carrillo was awarded outstanding Combo at the 1995 Elmhurst Jazz Festival. He also team taught with Fareed Haque and helped to write the Jazz Theory curriculum.
In recent years Jim has performed with Jerry Bergonzi, Brass Tracks, The Buckinghams, Bun E. Carlos, College of DuPage Arts Big Band, Mark Colby, Liz Mandville Greeson, Win Society, Greg Koch, Paul McKee, Gary Puckett, and Pete Special. He has studied with or taken lessons from many great teachers including Steve Duke, George Coleman, Hal Crook, Dave Hazeltine, Fareed Haque, Lee Konitz, and Dave Liebman.
Jim currently lives in Chicago and teaches music at James Shields Elementary School. He is also assistant director for the Chicago South Shore Youth Jazz Ensemble under the direction of world renowned educator Ronald Carter. This group has performed with Wynton Marsallis, and at the Chicago Jazz Festival with Hamiet Bluiett, Joseph Bowie, Ernest Dawkins, and Orbert Davis. Jim also teaches at Evanston Township High School where students of his have won DownBeat awards. Jim is thrilled to be playing with the Annie Denison Duo and Annie & the Jazz Orphans- having fun, making music.
Come listen to vocalist Annie Denison with the Annie Denison Duo and Jim Kaczmarek, at Joey Ts On the Fox Fri., July 18 at 7:30pm. No cover. For Joey Ts dinner reservations or directions call (815)344-2445. For more information on artists and photos see or contact Karlene Olesuk at (630)254-3246.
# # #
To: Classical Music Editors and Writers From: Rembrandt Chamber Players Contact: Karlene Olesuk, Administrative Director, RCP For information & tickets call 773-248-4883 or see
REMBRANDT CHAMBER PLAYERS ANNOUNCE ITS 2002-2003 SEASON BEGINNING OCTOBER 7, 2002. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE WORLD PREMIERE OF SEBASTIAN HUYDTS PIANO QUARTET AS WELL AS WORKS OF SCHUBERT, THUILLE, BACH, MOZART, HURNIK AND DVORAK.
GALA BENEFIT - - SCHUBERT FANTASY: Rembrandt Chamber Players commences its 13th Season on Mon., Oct. 7 at Pick Staiger Concert Hall at Northwestern University in Evanston with a performance of the Schubert Quintet for 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos as well as the rarely performed Sextet for woodwinds and piano by Ludwig Thuille. In addition, RCP keyboard artists Zeyda Ruga Suzuki and David Schrader will team for a performance of the Schubert Fantasie in f minor for piano 4 hands. The concert which will begin at 8pm will be preceded by the annual Benefit at 6pm. Guest artists will include Stephen Balderston, cello, Roberta Freier, violin, J. Lawrie Bloom, clarinet, Dennis Michel, bassoon, and Jonathan Boen, french horn. For further information & tickets call 773-248-4883 or see
BACH TO BACH -- HOLIDAY CONCERTS: The Season continues with the annual Holiday Concert featuring a rarely heard version of the Bach Brandenburg Concerto #2 with horn instead of trumpet and an arrangement of the Gamba Sonata in g minor for cello, winds and strings as well as other concerti of Bach. The concerts will be held at St. Lukes Church in Evanston on Thur., Dec. 5 at 7:30pm, and in Chicago at Thorne Auditorium on Sun. at 3pm on Dec. 8, 2002.
CONTRAST IN 3, 4, AND 5: The 2002-03 Season continues in Jan. with the world premiere of Sebastian Huydts, Quartet for Piano, violin, viola and cello as well as a trio sonata by Bach and the Mozart quintet in g minor for 2 violins, 2 violas and cello. Guest artists will include Richard Young, viola, Yuko Mori, violin and Sebastian Huydts, piano. The performances will be held on Sun., Jan., 19, 2003 at 7:30pm at Lutkin Hall in Evanston and Mon., Jan., 20 at 7:30pm at Thorne Auditorium in Chicago.
CZECHMATE!: The regular season concludes with a Czech program featuring the 1994 RCP commission of Ilja Hurniks Variations on a theme of Pergolesi, the Mozart Trio in E flat for clarinet, viola and piano and the Quartet in E flat for piano and strings of Dvorak. Guest clarinetist, J. Lawrie Bloom will join the members of RCP for his 8th appearance. Concerts will be performed on Sun., April 6 at Thorne Auditorium, Chicago at 7:30pm and on Mon., April 7 at Lutkin Hall, Evanston at 7:30pm. For further information & tickets call 773-248-4883 or see
# # #
Fareed Haque, an acclaimed jazz and classical guitarist of Chilean and Pakistani descent (see for CD release) recently undertook a project combining his music with poets reading works of Pablo Neruda, a Nobel Prize-winning author of Chilean descent (see and/or ).
# # #