Chicago’s avant-garde collective Umbrella Music kicked off its sixth annual music festival Wednesday, leaving no doubt this year’s crop of visiting artists and Chicago stalwarts deserve a spot in any jazz fan’s weekend plans. more ›

Get past the Egyptology and science fiction influences and you'll find Sun Ra was firmly rooted in bop tradition. more ›

If you like hip-hop -- the type of hip-hop that makes everyone jump up and down and yell out a chorus in synch, or the type that includes lyrics about cars and money and hoes or, ahem, finding out your one-night stand's husband is having an affair with a gay minister -- then tonight's show at Schubas is not for you. Kill the Vultures, who are opening for fellow Minneapolis(ans?)(ites?) Stnnng, are classified as a... more ›

For a brief moment, Chicagoist contemplated not going to the Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings show on Friday night (beer-fueled inertia is a powerful force). Thank God we rose to the occasion as our collective mind was freed with our ass following right behind. Then we woke up this morning (thanks for the day off, Messrs. Presidents!) and flipped on Comedy Central for our Daily Show fix and found ourselves smack dab in the middle of the classic blaxploitation parody I’m Gonna Get You Sucka. Finally, this week's Reader article about the "funk archaeologist" had us burning with jealousy. The signs are clear: it’s time for another trip to one of our favorite record stores: Dusty Groove America. more ›