Studio5 Presents The Oh Yeahs, Miles Davis Tribute & More This Spring

Evanston, Ill. — Although jazz is what Studio5 is most known for, this spring, many of the musicians who will be performing at the Evanston performing arts center will are better known for their genre-bending styles that defy strict categorization and redefine what exactly jazz can sound like.

“Jazz is a huge boat,” said Steve Rashid, co-artistic director of Studio5. “Sometimes it can be loud and swinging; other times it’s quiet and soulful. And of course, it fuses easily with so many other different genres. When I’m looking for acts to book at Studio5, I love to find different musicians that will appeal to a broad range of musical tastes, yet can still be under the umbrella of jazz.”

Case in point: At least four of the artists performing this spring are known for their unique musical styles that combine jazz with another type of music. For example, on March 14, The Oh Yeahs, an acoustic trio known for their captivating combination of pop, jazz and folk, will present music from their latest album. On April 4, the nine-piece, horn-based group New Nostalgia will pump things up with their energetic form of rock-pop-jazz. And finally on May 23, The Last Word will end the season with a unique combination of jazz and spoken-word poetry.

Of course, Studio5’s line-up is also full of plenty of traditional jazz musicians as well, including many acts that are consistent audience favorites, such as The Soul Message Band, lead by B-3 organ player Chris Foreman (March 7); jazz guitartist Andy Brown (March 21); legendary jazz trumpeter Bobby Lewis (April 18); jazz composer Steve Rashid (April 25 and 26); jazz trumpeter Orbert Davis and his band performing the music of Miles Davis (May 9); and the always popular jazz vocalist Paul Marinaro (May 16).

“The variety and the talent that we have this spring is just amazing. I’ve seen many of these musicians perform before, and they always present shows that are high caliber and entertaining,” Rashid said. “I’m really excited to see what all of these artists have up their sleeve.”

Tickets for all shows range from $25 to $45, depending on the date. For tickets, please visit https://studio5.dance/calendar.

STUDIO5 SPRING EVENTS

March 7 — The Soul Message Band
8 p.m.
Chris Foreman is a true giant of the B-3 organ, and his powerful group delivers a performance that is absolutely electrifying. Blind at birth, Foreman started playing piano at age five and began formal training at seven. As a teenager he was attracted to the organ sounds of Jack McDuff, Groove Holmes, Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff. This attraction led him to pursue playing jazz on the organ, which he undertook through intensive study of recordings. He has arrived at a most exciting blend of blues-gospel and jazz and has developed a stunning command and range on the instrument. In this show, Foreman will partner with drummer Greg Rockingham and guitarist Lee Rothenberg. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $25 for theater seating, $35 for cabaret seating

March 14 — The Oh Yeahs
8 p.m.
The acoustic female trio The Oh Yeahs, made up of Leslie Beukelman, Allison Orobia, and Sarah Marie Young, is known for their ability to perform across multiple genres and gorgeous songwriting and vocal harmonies. The group recently completed a new recording called Painted Leaves, and in this concert they’ll be performing songs from their new album backed by a full rhythm section featuring Jim Tashjian and Matt Gold on guitar, Bryan Doherty on bass and Jon Deitemyer on drums. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating

March 21 — Andy Brown 10th Anniversary Concert
8 p.m.
On March 19, 2015 – ten years almost to the day before this concert – Andy Brown played a solo concert presented by Steve Rashid at the Whiskey Lounge in Evanston, and the video from that night has received almost 4 million views on YouTube. So to celebrate this video's 10-year anniversary, Brown will recreate that evening with an entire evening of his quiet, sublime solo guitar playing. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $25 for theater seating, $35 for cabaret seating

April 4 — New Nostalgia
8 p.m.
New Nostalgia is a high-octane, nine-piece horn-based band that blends jazz, pop and rock flavors together in hard-hitting instrumental ensemble arrangements. Led by saxophonist and composer/arranger Neil Carson, New Nostalgia straddles genre lines with intricate arranging and improvisation, singable melodies, and unstoppable rock energy. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating

April 18 — Bobby Lewis Quintet
8 p.m.
Curtis Mayfield, Natalie Cole, Ramsey Lewis, Jerry Butler, Donny Hathaway, Gladys Knight — those are just some of the people that 89-year-old jazz trumpeter Bobby Lewis has performed with in his career. Lewis has done more than 7,500 recording sessions and recorded over a dozen of his own CDs, which means musically, he has seen, played, and heard it all. Join us for an evening of outstanding music and fascinating stories from Lewis’s legendary career. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $30 for theater seating, $40 for cabaret seating

April 25 and 26 — Steve Rashid and His Fairly Large Ensemble
8 p.m.
Studio5’s Artistic Director and jazz composer Steve Rashid is an Emmy Award and Jeff Award winner who has composed extensively for television, film, dance and theater. In this show, Rashid takes to the stage with a sizable cast of extraordinary musicians, putting together a wide range of material that will feature some of his beloved pieces as well as some new compositions. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating

May 9 — Orbert Davis Sextet: Davis Plays Davis
8 p.m.
Emmy-Award winning trumpeter and composer Orbert Davis is the co-founder of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic (CJP), a 55+ piece symphonic jazz orchestra dedicated to bringing together audiences of diverse backgrounds through multi-genre projects. In this show, Davis will be assembling a group of five other musicians to perform the music of Miles Davis, selecting some of his favorite songs from Miles Davis’ vast repertoire. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating

May 16 — Paul Marinaro and Ben Lewis
8 p.m.
Vocalist Paul Marinaro is one of the most sought-after singers in the Chicago jazz scene who is known for delivering fresh interpretations of any material he chooses. He has been a featured performer at The Chicago Jazz Festival and his performances have been named the Best Performance of the Year multiple times by the Chicago Tribune. In this intimate evening, Marinaro will team up with pianist Ben Lewis for an evening of duets, and the results are sure to be both intriguing and entertaining. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $30 for theater seating, $40 for cabaret seating

May 23 — The Last Word
8 p.m.
Slam Poetry founder Marc Kelly Smith teams up with vocalist Al Day, pianist Bob Long, bassist Doug Lofstrom, drummer Sarah Allen and saxophonist Michael Levin to create a unique jazz ensemble that combines music, lyrics and poetry that takes spoken word into a whole new realm. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $30 for theater seating, $40 for cabaret seating

Tickets are now on sale at http://studio5.dance/calendar.

Studio5
Where: 1934 Dempster St., Evanston, IL 60202
Info: http://studio5.dance/calendar

About Studio5
Studio5 is a performing arts venue that opened in Evanston in 2016, bringing professional dance, music, and spoken word events to a 128-seat theater. Founded and curated by Dance Center Evanston director Béa Rashid and Emmy-award winning composer and jazz musician Steve Rashid, Studio5 provides North Shore arts-goers with a venue that is both state-of-the-art and intimate, connecting audiences and artists. Studio5 boasts great sight lines; comfortable seats; excellent sound; ample, free parking; and a cash bar that opens half an hour before each performance.