Art & Music
ART
In January, 1904, the Chicago Public Library's first branch library opened. The T.B. Blackstone branch was built from funds donated by his widow for that purpose, and was designed by Solon Beman. (This was something of a family tradition, as Blackstone himself had had a library built in Branford, Connecticut, in his father's memory. In that case, too, Beman was the architect.) Among the design elements of the new library was a rotunda decorated with murals by Oliver Dennett Grover, a well-known Chicago artist who had also created murals for the World's Columbian Exposition. Over the years, the murals became dirty, the leaf-like design of the spandrels was damaged in an early cleaning attempt, the canvas on which they were painted was coming away from the walls, and there was damage to the plaster surrounds. Recently, a grant of $100,000 allowed them to be restored, and the library last week hosted an event to view and discuss the restoration. The conservators spoke, and talked about the history of the murals and what was done to fix them.
And they are glorious. The colors glow, and details that were hidden under the grime are visible once again.
This is "Literature" (click on the image for more):
MUSIC
The annual Chicago Jazz Festival is this weekend! There was a gala concert Tuesday night at the Spertus Institute to benefit the Jazz Institute of Chicago and to kick off the festival. We heard the world première of a commissioned composition by Nicole Mitchell, Honoring Grace: Michelle Obama (a tribute to the southside's most famous jazz afficionado!), performed by Mitchell's group, the Black Earth Orchestra, with guest Dee Alexander (one of my absolute favorite jazz vocalists).
The Black Earth Orchestra combines typical jazz instruments such as trumpet and saxophone, with classical instruments like violin and cello (and, of course, Mitchell's flute) and African percussion and Indian sitar. Mitchell also has a smaller group, Black Earth Strings, which will be performing at the Jazz Fest this afternoon.
Yesterday was the first day of Jazz Fest, and I took the afternoon off work so as to be sure not to miss Esperanza Spalding. This young lady is the whole package: brains, beauty, talent, poise, humor. A delightful performance.
I stayed for some, but not all, of the evening concert. Heard the Jeff Parker Quartet, which I enjoyed; The Trio with Muhal Richard Abrams, Roscoe Mitchell and George Lewis, which was way too dissonant for my taste; and Madeleine Peyroux, who I also enjoyed.
I'm going back this afternoon for more.
In January, 1904, the Chicago Public Library's first branch library opened. The T.B. Blackstone branch was built from funds donated by his widow for that purpose, and was designed by Solon Beman. (This was something of a family tradition, as Blackstone himself had had a library built in Branford, Connecticut, in his father's memory. In that case, too, Beman was the architect.) Among the design elements of the new library was a rotunda decorated with murals by Oliver Dennett Grover, a well-known Chicago artist who had also created murals for the World's Columbian Exposition. Over the years, the murals became dirty, the leaf-like design of the spandrels was damaged in an early cleaning attempt, the canvas on which they were painted was coming away from the walls, and there was damage to the plaster surrounds. Recently, a grant of $100,000 allowed them to be restored, and the library last week hosted an event to view and discuss the restoration. The conservators spoke, and talked about the history of the murals and what was done to fix them.
And they are glorious. The colors glow, and details that were hidden under the grime are visible once again.
This is "Literature" (click on the image for more):
MUSIC
The annual Chicago Jazz Festival is this weekend! There was a gala concert Tuesday night at the Spertus Institute to benefit the Jazz Institute of Chicago and to kick off the festival. We heard the world première of a commissioned composition by Nicole Mitchell, Honoring Grace: Michelle Obama (a tribute to the southside's most famous jazz afficionado!), performed by Mitchell's group, the Black Earth Orchestra, with guest Dee Alexander (one of my absolute favorite jazz vocalists).
The Black Earth Orchestra combines typical jazz instruments such as trumpet and saxophone, with classical instruments like violin and cello (and, of course, Mitchell's flute) and African percussion and Indian sitar. Mitchell also has a smaller group, Black Earth Strings, which will be performing at the Jazz Fest this afternoon.
Yesterday was the first day of Jazz Fest, and I took the afternoon off work so as to be sure not to miss Esperanza Spalding. This young lady is the whole package: brains, beauty, talent, poise, humor. A delightful performance.
I stayed for some, but not all, of the evening concert. Heard the Jeff Parker Quartet, which I enjoyed; The Trio with Muhal Richard Abrams, Roscoe Mitchell and George Lewis, which was way too dissonant for my taste; and Madeleine Peyroux, who I also enjoyed.
I'm going back this afternoon for more.