When you think of Chicago, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Capone and speakeasies? Deep-dish pizza? The Blues Brothers? Da Bulls? Da Bears? Ditka? Here’s another one to add to your list: the JUBA Collective, founded by JJA Percussionist of the Year and the man the Chicago Tribune hails as Artist of the Year, percussionist Kahil El’ Zabar. The JUBA Collective is set to take Chicago by storm for the whole month of September, featuring a cornucopia of free events including open rehearsals, lectures and discussions, and concerts in conjunction with the World Music Festival.
The JUBA Collective “is a cross-pollination of jazz, house, hip-hop, R&B, funk and Latin sounds combined with forceful spoken word and visual arts.” Their self-titled, debut CD on Premonition came out in May, and El’ Zabar’s Love Outside of Dreams (Delmark), featuring David Murray and Fred Hopkins, will be released soon.
The members of the JUBA Collective are:
Kahil El Zabar-JUBA founder/percussionist/composer
Dzine-JUBA co-founder/painter/sculptor
Ari Brown-sax/clarinet/composer/educator
Robert “Baabe” Irving III-keyboards/producer
Fareed Haque-guitar
Frank Orrall-DJ/producer
Primeridian-jazzcore hip-hop duo featuring Tree and Simeon
Tamara Madison-Shaw and Susan Sandoval-poets/vocalists
Schedule of events:
Saturday, September 7 at 4 p.m. at the MCA-Opening Reception and the Dzine Wall Project, featuring art by Dzine and music by Paris-based DJ and Palais de Tokyo Curator Jerome Sans.
Tuesday, September 10 at 6 p.m. at the MCA-Dzine and Barry Blinderman (Director and Curator of Illinois State University Galleries) Discussion. The two talk about graffiti and mural art and their relationship with club and electronic music.
Saturday, September 14 at 3 p.m. at the MCA-JUBA Jam Chicago Style, with special guest musicians and artists.
Saturday, September 21 at 8 p.m. at the MCA in conjunction with the World Music Festival-Omar Sosa’s Octet, featuring improv jazz, Oakland-based rap and Arabic vocals, followed by the JUBA Quartet, featuring El Zabar, Fareed Haque, Ari Brown and Robert “Baabe” Irving.
Sunday, September 22 at 2 p.m. at the Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1400 North Humboldt Blvd-World Music Festival JUBA Jam. JUBA Collective mixes it up with World Music Festival groups Yerba Buena and Truco & Zaperoko.
Tuesday, September 24 at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the MCA-JUBA Collective Open Rehearsal Kahil El Zabar Lecture. El Zabar follows up the rehearsal with a lecture on the verbal history of jazz in Chicago.
Saturday, September 28 at 9 p.m. at Park West, 322 West Armitage-JUBA Collective Concert at the World Music Festival.
All shows are free except for the concerts on Sept. 21 and 28, which will be $12.
For more info on the JUBA Collective, contact:
Green Chief PR/Tony Barnett
1658 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago IL 60647
(773) 395-8496
[email protected]
Or
Premonition Records
1147 West Ohio Street
#306
Chicago IL 60622
(312) 243-7323 or (800) 457-1374
www.premonitionandmusic.com
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