For instance two musical events created by the Experimental Piano Series (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=76408581754):
- Heaven Gallery (1550 North Milwaukee, 2nd floor) presented Eric Glick Rieman & Chicago Scratch Orchestra on January 7th. It was a night of a lot of fun! Rieman, visiting musician from California, played very innovated tunes that transmitted depth, emotion, and a sense of relaxed state of mind. The Chicago Scratch Orchestra played three compositions by difference composers, one of them by my friend Dan Godston. These pieces were full of dynamism and intricate combination of tunes and words. The event ended with audience participation in what I experienced as some sort of music therapeutic exorcism. A real experience on the power of music to transcend differences. A lot of fun!!
The other musical event was at PianoForte (http://www.pianofortefoundation.org) on January 8th with Keith Kirchoff & Eric Glick Rieman. Both of them gave an excellent performance and Kirchoff (http://www.keithkirchoff.com/) made that little piano talked!
On the art exhibits front two fantastic shows both at the Chicago Cultural Center. The first one Polaridad Complementaria.Recent Works from Cuba which is over by now, was an group show of 54 artworks by 24 Cuban artists focused on the capacity of those artists to connect the local reality to global concerns and universal issues. Few artists' work got my attention: Santiago Rodriguez Olazabal, Rene Pe~na, Glenda Leon, Abel Barroso, and Lidzie Alviza. Check them up! You won't get disappointed.
Finding Vivian Maier: Chicago Street Photographer showcase the work of Maier an accomplished street photographer, that chronicled the life in Chicago’s Loop and surrounding districts for decades. She was discovered accidentally in an estate auction in 2009. The photographs depict the life and style of Chicago in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. The body of work presented demonstrates the eye of someone with photography training. This was not Maier though who seemed to have taken upon photography as art without holding any art degree to her name.
The show continues till the end of March. There will be a gallery talk on March 24, 12:15 pm: with Lanny Silverman, DCA Chief Curator of Exhibitions