Year-round music series aims to reignite jazz culture in Bronzeville

Jazzin' & Jammin' in Bronzeville event headlined by Melody Angel & Friends. (Nadia Adams/MEDILL)
Jazzin' & Jammin' in Bronzeville event headlined by Melody Angel & Friends. (Nadia Adams/MEDILL)

By Nadia Adams
Medill Reports

The Bronzeville community of Chicago was had a bustling and savvy jazz culture.  Its stages were home to legendary entertainment greats like Louis Armstrong, Nat “King” Cole, Dinah Washington and Quincy Jones. Famous venues like the Sunset Cafe, the Regal Theater and the Savoy Ballroom hosted the most iconic shows from the 1920’s to the 1970’s.

After the economic downturn in the black community that followed the Great Migration, the culture faded away and moved to the north side of Chicago and elsewhere.

Six years ago, Anita Strange-Rebecchi founded Jazzin’ & Jammin’ in Bronzeville to bring the history and culture of jazz and blues back to Bronzeville. The resurgence of the genre features younger artists like Mud City Blu.  The monthly event takes place at Corpus Christi Catholic Church and this summer it will move to the church’s courtyard.

Low-reen & Maxwell St. Market Blues will headline the event on June 14.

Photo at top: Melody Angel & Friends perform at Jazzin’ & Jammin’ in Bronzeville on April 26, 2019. (Nadia Adams/MEDILL)