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2025 Jazz Thaw Schedule

Sip, sizzle, and swing during Jazz Thaw!

Shake off the cold weather blues by enjoying FREE live jazz music at establishments throughout the Downtown Oak Park district!

Presented by Downtown Oak Park in partnership with 90.9 WDCB “Chicago’s Home for Jazz!”

Saturday, March 8, 2025

1PM – 4PM

Q-BBQ
124 N Marion St
(708) 628-3421
www.q-bbq.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

A trio that plays Jazz Standards.

Listen to Knight play here.

“Knight utilizes space, sweet chord voicings, and hip single-note work. A vibey production style helps Knight lean into hard bop and the George Benson/Grant Green playbook.” – Oscar Jordan for Vintage Guitar

Watch Kinght play live here.

Beer Shop
1026 North Blvd
(847) 946-4164
www.beershophq.com

 

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Tommy Bradford Trio

This trio plays interpretations of master composers like Davis and Parker along with modern music like Wonder and Clapton along with Funk.

Listen to Bradford play here.

“The band’s innovative genre-melding original compositions are also a continuing surprise and delight to fans of all backgrounds.”

Watch Bradford perform here.

Wise Cup
1018 Lake St
(708) 628-3707
facebook.com/wisecup

 

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Guitarist Scott Hesse is a well-respected figure in the Chicago jazz community. Known especially for his harmonic and rhythmic inventiveness, Scott is equally at home in straight-ahead or avant garde settings.

“Hesse’s music is all about dialogue and development within an expert ensemble; students of next-generation improvised musical art should benefit from the advanced ideas presented here.”
-James D. Armstrong, Jr., JazzNow Magazine

Watch Hesse perform here.

Encore! by Little Gem 
187 N Marion St
(708) 613-5491
encorelittlegem.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Stay tuned!

3PM to 6PM

Nando’s PERi-PERi
1138 Lake St
(708) 434-6296
www.nandosperiperi.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

This trio plays everything from mellow bossa novas and upbeat sambas to jazz classics, Maracujaz is a musical journey to Brazilian jazz!

Listen to their music here.

“Maracujaz will put you right in the heart of Carnaval!”

Watch them perform here.

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Sushi House
1107 Lake St
(708) 660-8899
www.mysushihouse.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

This trio performs jazz, funk, Latin jazz, and salsa.

Listen to their music here.

Watch them perform here.

Lou Malnati’s
1038 Lake St
(708) 358-0800
www.loumalnatis.com/oak-park

*Seating is first come, first serve*

He performs the guitar in the style of a Tristano-style cool jazz sound.

Listen to him play here.

Watch him perform here.

Comedy Plex Comedy Club
1128 Lake St Lower Level
(708) 665-7539
https://www.comedyplex.com/

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Dudzienski plays music that is inspired during his youth by the jazz of the late 1950s and 1960s and has since then continued to be influenced by the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic language of that era.

Listen to his music here.

“Saxophonist and composer Gregory Dudzienski is Chicago’s most eloquent proponent of the mid-20th century jazz sound. His lean and elegant compositions, warm and soulful tone, and expressive playing mark his work that is rooted in tradition yet refreshingly modern. ”

Watch him perform here.

Tre Sorelle
1111 Lake St
(708) 445-9700
tresorelleoakpark.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Michele Thomas’s music is a bold synthesis of styles incorporating her gospel roots, her love of folk and neo-soul, and even a passion for rock. Though it siphons from a broad array of stylistic sources, it just feels like the spirit of jazz—an improvisatory music always shapeshifting, never stagnant.

“(She) has her own vocal sound, which is beautiful by the Grace of God.”

Watch her perform here.

 

5PM to 8PM

Q-BBQ
124 N Marion St
(708) 628-3421
www.q-bbq.com

Harry Tonchev Trio

Harry Tonchev’s high-energy trio focuses on improvisational music by exploring a mixture of originals and standards from the Great American Songbook.

“His conversational approach keeps audiences engaged and on their toes.”

Watch the trio play here.

Beer Shop
1026 North Blvd
(847) 946-4164
www.beershophq.com

Paul Abella Trio

This trio performs a fusion of pop melodies, Jazz harmonies, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, and Funk rhythms, and jammy improvisations with punk ferocity.

The Paul Abella Trio was recently referred to as “earthy jazz funk.”

Watch the trio play here.

Katy’s Dumplings
1113 Lake St
(708) 383-9888
www.katysdumplings.com

A duo that plays melodic and rhythmic classical jazz sounds.

 

7PM to 10PM

Tre Sorelle
1111 Lake St
(708) 445-9700
tresorelleoakpark.com

 

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Nando’s PERi-PERi
1138 Lake St
(708) 434-6296
www.nandosperiperi.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Chicago-influenced stamp on the Latin Jazz classics of artists like Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera and others. 

Watch them perform here.

Sushi House
1107 Lake St
(708) 660-8899
www.mysushihouse.com

*Seating is first, come first serve*

Rosenberg performs Jazz standards along with the latest generation of jazz music.

“One of Jazz, Bass, and Music world’s treasures! There is a great bass tone, great swing, and lovely fire in everything that Marlene does.”

Listen here.

Khyber Pass
1031 Lake St
(708) 445-9032
khyberpassrestaurant.com

*Seating is first, come first serve*

He plays the saxophone and the clarinet. and performs jazz, blues, and popular music.

Listen to him perform here.

Watch him perform here.

10PM to Midnight

Comedy Plex Comedy Club
1128 Lake St Lower Level
(708) 665-7539
https://www.comedyplex.com/

*Seating is first come, first serve*

The band focuses on all original material penned by Shawn, is his own unique voice. The results are a high energy mixture of bebop, rock, hip hop, classical and fusion.

Listen to the band play here.

“Reviews marvel at Maxwell’s willingness to invent various ensembles to surround his sumptuous alto playing, never settling into a consistent albeit comfortable motif. Yet the music he creates continually satisfies the appetite of jazz fans wanting something creative rather than conventional.” – Chicago Jazz.com

Watch the band play here.

Jazz Brunch

Sunday, March 9

11AM to 2PM

Little Gem Cafe
Encore!
187 N Marion St
(708) 613-5491
encorelittlegem.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Stay Tuned!

More to come.

Lea French Cafe
106 N Marion St
(708) 613-5994
leafrenchcafe.com

*Seating is first come, first serve*

Erik Skov Duo

A jazz duo that leans into contemporary jazz compositions.

“Kov has established himself as an up-and-coming new jazz guitar voice in a city whit an abundantly rich jazz & blues heritage.”

Watch him play here.