By TOM BOWSER
Day 2 of the 2016 Chicago Jazz Festival: The Edwin Daugherty Sextet performed at the Von Freeman Pavilion (South Promenade) as a tribute to the music of Chicago legends Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin, and Eddie Harris.
Edwin Daugherty shares a similar legacy with Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin and Eddie Harris. All four men studied music with Walter Dyett at DuSable High School in Chicago, Illinois. Walter Dyett's music program trained and influenced a substantial number of talented musicians that went on to gain national and international notoriety in music.
During the performance Edwin Daugherty spoke of the generations of jazz musicians that were guided by Walter Dyett. In fact, on stage that day were 3 different generations of Chicago jazz saxophone players.
Unfortunately I did NOT hear the name of the tenor sax player pictured on the left below. He was very talented! Edwin Daugherty is the tenor saxophone player pictured in the foreground of the second (right hand) picture below. Ari Brown is the tenor sax player in the background and to the right of Edwin. Click an image below to see a larger version.
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I also enjoyed the chemistry between bassist Chuck Webb and pianist Willie Pickens. You can tell that Chuck Web and Willie Pickens are seasoned jazz veterans. They are both great soloists, but as importantly they know how to play cohesively with the drummer to form the foundation of the band.
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It was a great show and the Edwin Daugherty Sextet was lavished with generous applause both during and at the end of the show.
The band:
Edwin Daugherty - saxophone
Ari Brown - saxophone
Chuck Webb - bass
Willie Pickens - piano
Artee “Duke” Payne - saxophone - was replaced for this show by a saxophonist whose name I did not hear when it was announced.
Avreeayl Ra - drums - was replaced for this show by a drummer whose name I did not hear when it was announced.
The Chicago Jazz festival is well worth your time. It's one of the largest FREE jazz festivals in the world. The 2017 Chicago Jazz Festival is just around the corner so include it when you plan your next vacation or decide how to use those accumulated sick days! New to jazz? Try it, you might like what you hear and see! There are lots of different styles of jazz each with their own unique flavor and vibe. If you don't like one style of jazz you may like a different style.
The Chicago Jazz Festival is produced by the Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) and programmed by the Jazz Institute of Chicago.