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Studio5 Presents Sons of The Never Wrong, Ryan Cohan, Dee Alexander and Paul Marinaro, and More This Fall
Studio5 in Evanston presents a variety of music this fall, including Ryan Cohan performing a world premiere, Sons of the Never Wrong & more.
Evanston, Ill. — The time-honored music of jazz legends and the cutting-edge music of today’s up-and-coming jazz stars will both share center stage this fall at Studio5, a performing arts venue in Evanston.
“Audiences always love hearing music that they know and love, but it’s also exciting to experience new, original music for the first time. And I’m thrilled that our line-up this season is a great mixture of both old and new,” said Steve Rashid, artistic director of Studio5.
If you’re interested in hearing something original, you won’t want to miss a world premiere from composer Ryan Cohan on Sept. 26, where he will be presenting his new work, Prism. Designed for a large orchestra made up of piano, woodwinds, acoustic bass, drums, and strings, Prism draws on both jazz and world music and is all about how we are made up of a contradictory spectrum of experiences and beliefs that create who we are.
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Cohan’s most recent album was named Best Jazz Album of 2020 by the Chicago Tribune, and Rashid said he is thrilled to have Cohan make his debut appearance on the Studio5 stage. “We are thrilled and honored that Ryan chose Studio5 to premiere this work. This is going to be gorgeous,” Rashid said.
Another group that takes “original” to a whole new evel is the alt-folk band The Sons of the Never Wrong, which will be returning to Studio5 on Oct. 24. Known for their whimsical songs that are a combination of jazz, folk, and pop, as well as their soaring harmonies and trademark brand of humor, the band has earned a cult-like following for more than 30 years.
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If you’re looking for jazz music that has an international flair, don’t miss Fareed Haque and Goran Ivanovic on Nov. 21. Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso who fuses world music with classical jazz to create something fearlessly new. In this show, he’ll be teamed up with Ivanovic, a jazz guitarist known for blending classical, Balkan, and cinematic soundtracks, and together they are sure to impress with their unique combination of sounds.
Finally, on Dec. 19, composer/guitarist Kenny Reichert and his Italian wife, composer/guitarist Sara d'Ippolito Reichert, will perform their unique mixture of jazz, pop, classical, and folk music, for an evening of ethereal, melancholy melodies.
Of course, jazz wouldn’t be what it is without the great jazz composers of the past, and several of the groups in Studio5’s fall lineup are proud to offer their own take on the work of famous jazz composers. For example, Chicago jazz legend Dee Alexander will be joined by stellar jazz vocalist Paul Marinaro (Dec. 12), and each will give their unique interpretations of music from the Great American Songbook. Both Marinaro and Alexander are fan favorites who have performed at Studio5 many times before, but this is the first time that they will be performing together at Studio5.
Other more traditional jazz groups coming to Studio5 include guitarist John Moulder, who will be playing with trumpet player Derrik Gardner (Sept. 19); pianist Reggie Thomas with singer Mardra Thomas (Oct. 10); the Alyssa Allgood Quintet (Oct. 31); Raíces, a Latin jazz group that performs the music of composer Cal Tjader and other Latin jazz composers of the 1950s and ’60s (Nov. 7); and The Chicago Cellar Boys, who perform the hot dance and jazz music of the 1920s and 1930s (Dec. 5).
“All of these groups are top-notch jazz musicians, and I can’t wait to see what they all put together for us this season!” Rashid said.
If you can’t attend any show in person, Studio5 now also offers a streaming option for all shows. The shows are broadcast in high resolution audio and video using multiple cameras, and viewers can watch the show live online or for up to seven days following the event. Tickets for all streaming shows are $12, and the links to purchase streaming tickets are usually available a few days before each show.
Tickets for all shows in-person range from $35 to $50, depending on the date and include all taxes and fees. For tickets, please visit https://studio5.dance/calendar.
STUDIO5 FALL EVENTS
Sept. 19 — John Moulder
8 p.m.
Guitarist/composer John Moulder performs with trumpet player Derrick Gardner for an evening of top-flight jazz. Gardner is the Director of Jazz Studies at Northwestern University, and has traveled the world playing with acclaimed bands, including the Count Basie Orchestra, Harry Connick Jr.’s Big Band, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and more. Moulder and Gardner will be joined by Jim Trompeter on piano, Lawrence Kohut on bass, and Paul Wertico on drums. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating
Sept. 26 — Ryan Cohan
8 p.m.
Pianist/composer Ryan Cohan has worked with countless jazz luminaries and has received numerous awards and fellowships. In this performance, his group, Two Quartets (made up of a jazz quartet and a string quartet) will perform the world premiere of his new work, Prism, which is about how we are all made up of a contradictory spectrum of experiences, beliefs, and cultures, and it is this tension that shapes who we are. Drawing on world music traditions as well as classical and modern jazz, Prism reveals the extraordinary beauty hidden within the everyday, encouraging listeners to see beyond the surface and appreciate the subtle interplay of light and shadow in our lives. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $40 for theater seating, $50 for cabaret seating
Oct. 10 — Reggie Thomas’s Trio Nexus with Mardra Thomas
8 p.m.
Master jazz pianist Reggie Thomas has toured worldwide and performs regularly as the pianist for the legendary Count Basie Orchestra. In this show, he’ll be joined by two long-time musical partners, bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer George Fludas, as well as the remarkable vocalist Mardra Thomas who has been described as having the phrasing of Nancy Wilson and sound of Eartha Kitt. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating
Oct. 24 — Sons of The Never Wrong
8 p.m.
Sons of the Never Wrong is a turbo-charged altfolk trio from Chicago that delivers witty, whimsical songs with their signature soaring harmonies. Made up of Bruce Roper, Sue Demel and Deborah Lader, their oddball humor and spontaneous stories ignite their live shows and have earned them a cult-like international following for over 30 years. Combining influences of folk, jazz, pop and rock, their sound is wildly original, their energy is contagious, and their banter is hilarious. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $40 for theater seating, $50 for cabaret seating
Oct. 31 — Alyssa Allgood Quintet
8 p.m.
Don’t miss stellar vocalist Alyssa Allgood, who was named a Rising Star Female Vocalist in the 2024 and 2025 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll and voted Best Individual Jazz Musician in the 2024 Chicago Reader Poll. Allgood is not only a wonderful stylist with a strong ability to both interpret and improvise, but she also has developed into a genuine composer, writing and delivering songs with melodic, harmonic and lyrical depth. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating
Nov. 7 — Raíces
8 p.m.
Raíces is a Latin jazz group that was founded by Rubin Alvarez and is now led by vibraphonist Joe Sonnefeldt that harkens back to the great Latin jazz groups of the 1950s and ’60s — delightfully retro and modern at the same time. Featuring Joe Sonnefeldt on vibes and percussion, Bobby Delgado on timbales and bongos, Jorge Leal on congas, Joe Rendon on percussion, Stuart Seale on piano, and Eric Wilman Ferrer Yard on electric bass. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating
Nov. 21 — Fareed Haque & Goran Ivanovic
8 p.m.
Modern jazz guitar virtuoso Fareed Haque joins fellow guitarist Goran Ivanovic for an evening of stellar jazz. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, Haque blends tradition with fearless innovation, while Ivanovic’s music merges the precision of classical music with the soulful intensity of Balkan folk and the evocative depth of film scores. Together, they will create an evening of jazz you won’t soon forget. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $40 for theater seating, $50 for cabaret seating
Dec. 5 — The Chicago Cellar Boys
8 p.m.
Named the Best Jazz Ensemble in Chicago in 2023 by the Chicago Reader, The Cellar Boys are a vintage jazz band that prides itself on its authentic and bold approach in interpreting the jazz and hot dance styles of the 1920s and 1930s. Their swinging, retro sounds will make you want to jump up out of your seat and dance. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 for cabaret seating
Dec. 12 — Dee Alexander and Paul Marinaro
8 p.m.
Two of Chicago’s most well-loved jazz artists team up for an evening of unforgettable music. Dee Alexander is one of Chicago’s most gifted and respected jazz artists who is known for her versatility in any genre. Vocalist Paul Marinaro, dubbed as having “one of the most beautiful vocal instruments in the business today” by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune, always brings a fresh interpretation to anything he tackles. Here, Alexander and Marinaro join forces to showcase their unique interpretations of the Great American Songbook. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $40 for theater seating, $50 for cabaret seating
Dec. 19 — Sara & Kenny
8 p.m.
In this concert, Wisconsin meets Italy as composer/guitarist Kenny Reichert and his Italian wife, composer/guitarist Sara d'Ippolito Reichert, perform a unique mixture of jazz, pop, classical, and folk music to form a stunningly inventive concoction. We hope you’ll enjoy this evening of intimate musical exploration with these two wonderful young artists. This concert will be recorded live for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB.
Tickets: $35 for theater seating, $45 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.
