Local music roundup: April 18-24

It feels like every week is a music festival in Evanston. There are 51 performances happening at various venues in our local area over the next seven days! The best free performance this week is likely to be Donovan’s Garage Presents the Hard Bop Quartet (see listing for April 23). Donovan Mixon never fails to bring top musicians together to create wonderful, improvisational jazz. SPACE is hosting a great contemporary R&B/hip hop show on Saturday that features Berhana, an Atlanta-based performer with Ethiopian roots. Studio 5 has booked an unique spoken word/jazz group, The Last Word, for a CD release show on Friday. Japanese jazz pianist Hiromi and banjo superstar Bela Fleck are visiting our area. And Suzanne Vega is back in town on April 24! Get out there and expand your mind with great sounds (and sights)!

Thursday, April 18

• Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Dr. The NU Chamber Orchestra will be joined by cast members form the Northwestern University Opera Theater to perform selections from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. The orchestra will also perform Louise Farrenc’s Symphony No. 3 in G Minor. $6/$4 students.
• BYO Vinyl Night, Bitter Blossom, 6:30 p.m. at 1707 Maple Ave. OK, this isn’t live music, but it’s awesome. Bitter Blossom is one of Evanston’s newest bars, located next to the AMC Theatres. They host do-it-yourself DJ nights on Thursdays, vinyl only. You also might get to see artist Daniel Burnett work on an amazing mural on the bar’s wall. As a bonus, the drinks are very good. Free admission.
• Baby No Name, 7 p.m. at Double Clutch Brewing, 2121 Ashland Ave. This is a meat-and-potatoes rock band pumping out solid original songs and some “deep cut” covers. Free admission.
• Ben Paterson Organ Trio, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Downbeat Magazine said Paterson is “as soulful a pianist/organist as exists anywhere.” He played for several years with the great Chicago tenor player Von Freeman. Paterson also has a wonderful singing voice. Le Piano has a Hammond B3 organ performance every Thursday evening. $15.
• Sondheim Tribute Revue, 7:30 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a mother lode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023-24 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• Ruen Brothers with Andrew Montana, 8 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. Henry and Rupert Stansall really are brothers. They named their duo by mashing up their first names. The music is a mix of country, alt-rock, folk, Americana, as well as soundtracks from westerns and film noir. An alt-folk singer/songwriter, Andrew Montana, will open for the Ruen Brothers. He’s based in Charlottesville, Va. $12/$22.

Friday, April 19

• Kevin Opeña, bassoon student recital, 6 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Opeña will be accompanied by Nathan Canfield on piano. The program includes works by Mozart, François Devienne, Ludwig Milde and Alexandre Tansman. Free admission.
• Reggae Music Night, 7 p.m. at Good To Go Jamaican Cuisine, 711 Howard St. Lenice and Tony Levy have created a marvelous destination for Jamaican food and reggae music. Tony is from Jamaica and has said, “I want to bring Jamaica here!” Music happens every Friday night – the Hurricane Reggae Band is one of the regular bands. Free admission.
• Chad Willetts Quartet, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Willetts is a drummer, pianist and owner/operator of this excellent East Rogers Park jazz club/restaurant. His jazz quartet features a guest artist every Friday night. $15.
• Northwestern Symphonic Wind Ensemble 7:30 p.m. at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Dr. Mallory Thompson will conduct NU’s renowned Symphonic Wind Ensemble in a program that includes works by Egil Hovland, Morten Lauridsen and Joan Tower. The concert concludes with Lontano: Symphony for Wind Ensemble, written by NU alumnus and member of the Boston Symphony trumpet section, Michael Martin. $8/$5 students.
• Sondheim Tribute Review, 7:30 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a mother lode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023 – 2024 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• The Last Word – Falling to Earth CD release, 8 p.m. at Studio 5, 1938 Dempster St. The Last Word is known for its rollicking performances that mix poetry, gritty singing and broad-shouldered Chicago jazz. The poetry is provided by Marc Kelly Smith, famed founder of the poetry slam movement. The singer is guitarist Al Day. Evanston resident Bob Long is the group’s pianist; Sarah Allen is the drummer; Brian Gephart plays sax and veteran bassist Doug Lofstrom anchors the group. This CD release event will be stellar! $25/$35.
• Aaron Lee Tasjan with Molly Martin, 8 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. When he graduated from high school, Tasjan was offered a full scholarship to the great Berklee College Of Music. He turned it down and moved from New Albany, Ohio, to Brooklyn to play music (he lives in Nashville now). Tasjan is a great songwriter – I’m hearing a Paul McCartney influence. It’s great, uplifting rock music. Martin opens for Tasjan. She’s an edgy rock singer/songwriter and School of Rock alum who’s also migrated to Nashville in recent years. $15/$20.
• Aaron Short, tenor, graduate student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, McClintock Choral & Recital Room, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Doctoral candidate Short will be accompanied by Jason Carlson on piano. His program will include works by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. Free admission.
• Wenting Shi, piano graduate student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Doctoral candidate Shi will perform works by Stravinsky and Liszt. Free admission.
• Josh Johnson and the Humble Badasses, 8:30 p.m. at Cary’s Lounge, 2251 W. Devon Ave., Chicago. Front man Johnson blows harmonica and sings for this old-school Chicago blues band that covers classics by Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter Jacobs and many other blues greats. Free admission.
• Christy Bennett, 11 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Bennett is a busy jazz vocalist who performs a late-night set at Le Piano every Friday night. She is accompanied by Kevin Fort on piano. $15.

Saturday, April 20

• The Barb & Barrett Show, 4 p.m. at Cary’s Lounge, 2251 W. Devon Ave., Chicago. This duo is very tight – so tight, they are married! The happy couple serves up some gentle country and folk tunes. Free admission.
• Eliana Silverman, violin student recital, 6 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, McClintock Choral & Recital Room, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Silverman will be accompanied by Nathan Canfield on piano. The program will include works by Stacy Garrop, Amy Beach and Jennifer Higdon. Free admission.
• Northwestern Contemporary Music Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. The Contemporary Music Ensemble will perform works by the Canadian composer Cassandra Miller, who’s in residency at Northwestern. The New Yorker magazine said of Miller’s compositions, “This is music that reminds us how to cry.” $8/$5 students.
• Chad Willetts Quartet, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Willetts is a drummer, pianist and owner/operator of this excellent East Rogers Park jazz club/restaurant. His Saturday night quartet features Dez Desormeaux on tenor sax. Desormeaux has that full-throated Chicago tenor sax tone! $15.
• Sondheim Tribute Revue, 7:30 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a mother lode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023 – 2024 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• Berhana with Asha Imuno, 8 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. Berhana grew up in Atlanta and is tightly connected to his Ethiopian roots. His music is a delightful mix of jazz, R&B, funk, hip-hop and East African rhythms. Opening is Imuno, a hip-hop/R&B artist from Southern California. $22.
• Emily Amesquita, mezzo-soprano, student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, McClintock Choral & Recital Room, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Accompanied by Jason Carlson on piano, Amesquita will perform works by Brahms, Mozart and Samuel Barber. Free admission.
• Petra Van Nuis, 11 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago Van Nuis is a jazz vocalist with a light, delicate voice. She performs the late-night set at Le Piano every Saturday. Van Nuis is a very active artist in Chicago and often works with her husband, jazz guitarist Andy Brown. Pianist Dennis “Deluxe” Luxon accompanies Van Nuis during the late-night set at Le Piano. $15.

Sunday, April 21

• Megan Fleischmann, soprano, graduate student recital, 12 p.m. noon at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Accompanied by Jason Carlson on piano, Fleischmann will perform works by Stephen Sondheim, Benjamin Britten and Florence Price. Free admission.
• Julianna Smith, mezzo-soprano, graduate student recital, 2:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Smith will be assisted by Uma Singh, soprano; Charles Foster, piano; Luisa Brown-Hernandez, string bass; and Jason Gluck, conductor. The program includes works by Mozart, Strauss and Berlioz. Free admission. 
• Reva Goodman & Friends, 3 p.m. at the Fat Shallot, 2902 Central St. Goodman is a guitarist and vocalist who’s been a mainstay of the Chicago country music scene for many years. She was part of Diamondback, a group that played regularly at Carol’s Pub in Uptown. Free admission.
• Steve Knight Trio, 4 p.m. at Sketchbook Brewing, 4901 Main St., Skokie. Jazz guitarist Knight arrived in Chicago in 2016 and has been playing and teaching here since then. According to Downbeat Magazine, Knight delivers “just plain, clean, rootsy guitar playing.” The trio plays throughout Chicagoland, delighting audiences with a virtuosic mix of jazz standards and pop. Free admission.
• Sam Alvarez, saxophone, student recital, 6 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Alvarez will be assisted by Isaac Boone, soprano saxophone; Ila Gupta, alto saxophone; Kurt Cox, baritone saxophone; and Nathan Canfield, piano. The program will include works by Bach, Salvatore Sciarrino and Alissa Voth. Free admission.
• Alysha Monique Quartet and Vivian Garcia, 6 p.m. at Art Makers Outpost, 609 South Blvd. Monique is a delightful singer and she plays a mean electric ukulele! Her group produces an uplifting jazz/R&B hybrid. Opener Garcia is a singer/songwriter who focuses on traditional flamenco and rumba music. Garcia is also a TEDx speaker. $25.
• Sondheim Tribute Review, 6 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a mother lode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023 – 2024 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• Amr Fahmy Trio, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Fahmy is the pianist for the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective, a hard-grooving group of top-notch musicians who often perform with the marvelous vocalist, Dee Alexander. He brings his trio to Le Piano every Sunday. $15.
• Slaughter Beach, Dog with Erin Rae, two shows at 6 and 9 p.m. at SPACE 1635 Chicago Ave. Slaughter Beach, Dog is a Philadelphia-based indie rock band that produces polished tunes easy on the ears. The band was launched by Jake Ewald in 2014. Opener Rae is an indie folk singer/songwriter from Nashville. $20/$35.
• Alba Cristina Layana Izurieta, violin, graduate student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Izurieta will be assisted by pianists Nathan Canfield and Ohad Nativ. The program will include works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Henryk Wieniawski and Florent Schmitt. Free admission.

Monday, April 22

• Michael Brazile, harpsichord, noon at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1509 Ridge Ave. Brazile is a graduate of the New England Conservatory. Brazile’s harpsichord and piano playing focuses on the expressive, solo repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries, from French lute and harpsichord music of the early 17th century to Bach’s keyboard works rendered on the modern piano. Free admission.
• Dominic Doutney, piano, graduate student recital, 6 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Doctoral candidate Doutney will perform works by Bach and Rachmaninoff as well as one of his own compositions. Free admission.
• NU Small Jazz Ensembles present the music of Nat King Cole and Jackie McClean. 7:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, McClintock Choral and Recital Room, 70 Arts Circle Dr. These two jazz greats had a major impact on the entire jazz genre: Cole recorded 30 chart-topping songs during his 30-year career and saxophonist McClean played with many jazz stars (including Miles Davis and Art Blakey) before launching a solo career as a performer and composer that combined hard bop with modal and free jazz. $6/$4 students.
• Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, two shows, 7 p.m and 9:30 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. Hiromi Uehara, known professionally as Hiromi, is a multi-genre Japanese piano superstar who has played all the major jazz festivals around the world. She started playing piano when she was 8; by 14 she was playing with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and at 17 she was sitting in with Chick Corea during his Tokyo concerts. Hiromi attended Berklee College of Music and was mentored by the great jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. Hiromi’s band, Sonicwonder, digs into the funky side of jazz, utilizing intricate rhythms and bursts of melody to get the feet moving. We’re in Herbie Hancock/Headhunters territory with this band! Hiromi’s tour started in Hawaii and will cross North America before heading to Europe. She is spending two nights in Evanston! SOLD OUT, but there may be a few tickets available at the door prior to showtime.
• Stina Hawkinson, oboe, graduate student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Hawkinson will perform works by Bach and Richard Strauss. Free admission.

Tuesday, April 23

• Donovan’s Garage presents the Hard Bop Quartet, 7 p.m. at Second Church of Christ, Scientist, 2715 Hurd Ave. Donovan Mixon has been providing top-notch jazz performances to Evanston residents since the early days of the COVID pandemic. He has transformed it from warm weather performances from his garage studio behind his home at 1135 Cleveland St. to a year-round series of concerts at Second Church of Christ, Scientist when summer fades into winter. The show on April 23 will focus on the hard bop sub-genre of jazz – that is, bebop with rhythm and blues influences. Expect to hear music by Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter and Thelonious Monk, plus original tunes. Mixon will be front and center with his guitar; his bandmates will be jazz heavyweights Fred Jackson Jr. on saxophone, Ernie Adams on drums and Theodis Rodgers Jr. on organ. Free admission.
• Irish Music Session, 7 p.m. at Sketchbook Brewing Evanston, 821 Chicago Ave. Traditional Irish music session with a shifting cast of players. Sketchbook owner Shawn Decker usually brings his fiddle and joins in the session. Folks who can play Irish music can join in! Free admission.
• Cabaret Night featuring Nitz and Friends North, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Daryl Nitz has been performing and producing cabaret shows in Chicago for years while teaching for three decades in Chicago area public schools. He retired last year from his teaching career and is devoting full time to his art. This is a recurring show every Tuesday night. $15.
• Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, two shows, 7 p.m and 9:30 p.m. at SPACE 1635 Chicago Ave. Hiromi Uehara, known professionally as Hiromi, is a multi-genre Japanese piano superstar who has played all the major jazz festivals around the world. She started playing piano when she was 8; by 14 she was playing with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and at 17 she was sitting in with Chick Corea during his Tokyo concerts. Hiromi attended Berklee College of Music and was mentored by the great jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. Hiromi’s band, Sonicwonder, digs into the funky side of jazz, utilizing intricate rhythms and bursts of melody to get the feet moving. We’re in Herbie Hancock/Headhunters territory with this band! Hiromi’s tour started in Hawaii and will cross North America before heading to Europe. She is spending two nights in Evanston! SOLD OUT, though there may be a few tickets available at the door prior to showtime.
• Northwestern University Jazz Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. The outstanding NU Jazz Orchestra will present a program of Frank Foster compositions. Foster was an outstanding saxophonist and prolific composer, best known for his contributions to the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1950s and ’60s – Shiny Stockings and Blues in Hoss’ Flat are among his most famous. He took over the leadership of the Count Basie Orchestra in 1986 and the band won two Grammy awards during his time at the helm. $8/$5 students.

Wednesday, April 24

• Stuart Rosenberg Ensemble, 6 p.m. at Le Tour, 625 Davis St. Local violinist/ mandolinist Rosenberg and his backing band have a Wednesday evening residency at Amy Morton’s newest restaurant. The repertoire includes Django Reinhardt jazz, Brazilian Choro, Italian film music and more. Free admission.
• The Tim Fitzgerald Guitar Trio, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Fitzgerald is a skilled guitarist heavily influenced by jazz great Wes Montgomery. Organist Tom Vaitsas often joins Fitzgerald. This is a recurring show on Wednesday nights. $15.
• Bela Fleck, 7:30 p.m. at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Fleck has broken the banjo out of its county/bluegrass/folk niche and taken it into every musical genre imaginable! He built a band, the Flecktones, with world-class players such as Evanstonian Howard Levy on harmonica and piano and Victor Wooten on bass. He formed a trio with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and bassist Stanley Clarke. He collaborated with superstar bass player Edgar Meyer to write a double concerto for banjo and bass and performed it with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Fleck can do anything with the banjo, but he still loves bluegrass music. This concert in Skokie is part of his tour to support his latest album, My Bluegrass Heart. $46/$80.
• Suzanne Vega, 8 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. Vega has been to Evanston several times and always packs the house at SPACE. She will present two shows before leaving town. Vega broke out in 1985 and was one of the leaders of the neo-folk scene; her second album, Solitude Standing, is a classic. Vega’s hit song, Luka, is still in heavy rotation on Spotify and broadcast radio. Her other hit song, Tom’s Diner, has been remixed and covered several times. It’s a dance club staple. SOLD OUT, but there may be a few tickets available at the door just before showtime.
• Jackson Pierzina, bass-baritone vocalist, student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Pierzina will perform songs by Bach, Mozart, Verdi and Ralph Vaughan Williams as well as popular favorites such as Misty by Erroll Garner and It’s Only a Paper Moon by Harold Arlen. Free admission.
• Kyle Madsen Organ Trio, 9 p.m. at Prairie Moon, 1635 Chicago Ave. After Madsen completed his saxophone and jazz curriculum at Chicago’s Roosevelt University, he began working his way into the Chicago jazz scene. He’s bringing his organ trio to Evanston as part of the Moon Jazz series. Madsen’s bandmates are Brad MacDonald on organ and Gustavo Cortinas on drums. $7.