The place to be for Sunday Night Jazz no matter who is playing! If your friends invite you and they are Bobby Lewis & Jim Ryan then OF COURSE it was our #1 choice for Sunday, April 5th, 2009.
Jim Ryan asked me to come to the gig in early January so I have known about this for many, many months. The last time I saw Jim there (December ‘08) I had a blast & so Fred and I had actually looked forward to going for this entire year!
The links http://www.checkerjazz.org/ or http://www.checkerjazz.org/calendar.checkerjazz.org provide all the info. you need and I was there last night so I can add a few of my own tidbits. There is metered street parking in the area (we parked on Lake Park Ave. – meter only took 1 quarter/broken) and also a paid parking lot that is very close to The Checkerboard, the lot is off Lake Park Ave. (next to a McDonald’s).
http://www.hydeparkjazzsociety.org/ has information regarding the Society & let me say that many of the nicest folks you would ever want to meet were not only at this gig, but were working all night long and they are ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – how often do you come across that!?! And in addition this Board just lost their founder, James Wagner, THIS YEAR, January 10, 2009, may he rest in peace.
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/jan/13/entertainment/chi-hed_wagnerjan13
In spite of the sorrow they MUST be feeling they are kind, warm & welcoming. The vibe is relaxed and also energized, an atmosphere that you must experience.
This map helps you with the neighborhood. The Checkerboard Lounge is in the building in the center of this map & just around the corner from Valois (on 53rd), a favorite of President Obama’s (& also not too far from The Obama’s Hyde Park home!).
More photos of the fun last night: http://thepointandshootist.com/photos/ and http://chicagostudioclub.com/music/
and more videos at:
http://www.youtube.com/traceyacesurface
