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Blues and jazz musician Guy King picks up on his whereabouts whenever he picks off a tune.
King knows he’s in “sweet home” Chicago or the suburbs if audiences immediately applaud his taking a standard in a sudden, new direction.
“You kind of know, ‘Oh, they know. They know what it is,’” King said. “Or they are familiar with it enough to be moved by it.
“You can feel an energy.”
Make no mistake, blues and jazz enthusiasts in Kane County yearning to stoke that vibe don’t have to venture to Chicago. In June, King and multiple performers collaborated on the unofficial summer kickoff at the annual Blues on the Fox Festival at RiverEdge Park in Aurora.
Here are some other nearby venues for blues and jazz and upcoming performers. But first, some words from the musicians – before they let any improvisation do the talking.
While King since has shifted to traveling to areas more distant from Chicago, he always reveres the opportunity to play close to home.
Proximity has little to do with it.
“Chicago – the city, surrounding suburbs, and even further along – when I go through town, there’s the heritage of the blues. It’s all part of it,” King said. “Even though it’s not municipal Chicago, I still see it as part of the audience and their awareness and their knowledge of music and the blues. I think they’re very receptive to it.”
Saxophonist Braden Smith agrees. Reared in northern California and raised in performance at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, King now hones his craft in Aurora.
On most Wednesdays, he and his group play jazz at French 75, an art gallery and cocktail lounge King operates with his mother. The Braden Smith Quartet was set to play at The Venue in downtown Aurora in June and is expecting to release an album of new music by year’s end.
“We’ve cultivated a little bit of a following here as a Wednesday-night place where you can hear high-quality jazz music in a [1940s] and ‘50s bebop and post-bop sort of a style,” Smith said. “Most of what we play at the gallery are standards and that sort of thing, but we have a good amount of original music that we have recorded as a group, and that took a little traction here and got some buzz.”
Here’s a look at venues in the county that offer jazz and blues performances.
Old Elburn Hall
Live jazz music every Wednesday. Doors open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7 p.m.
130 N Main St., Elburn
Visit www.oldelburnhall.com for music calendar.
Club Arcada Speakeasy & Restaurant
Located in Arcada Theatre at 105 E. Main St., St. Charles.
Visit website for updated offerings www.clubarcada.com
French 75 Gallery & Lounge
The Braden Smith Quartet performs live jazz from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesdays. 56 East Galena Blvd., Aurora. www.french75gallery.com
The House Pub
Live musical performances at 9 p.m. Thursdays may feature jazz and blues. 16 Riverside Ave., St. Charles. http://www.thehousepub.com/
Martini Room
Live musical performances from 8-11 p.m. Fridays may feature jazz and blues. 161 E. Chicago St., Elgin www.martiniroomelgin.com
Pollyanna Brewing
Musical performances from 2-5 p.m. July 20 and Aug. 3, 24, and 31 may feature jazz and blues. 106 S. Riverside Ave., St. Charles. www.pollyannabrewing.com
The Venue
The Venue offers a plethora of jazz and blues musicians every month. Check website for music calendar and upcoming performances. 21 S. Broadway, Aurora www.themusicvenue.org
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