Young Jazz Lions Stage
Jazz on Jackson
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2:20 PM Jason Adasiewicz’s Rolldown Jazz has produced some illustrious vibraphonists, but the list of current top-shelf players is a short one—there’s Bobby Hutcherson, Khan Jamal, Gary Burton, and maybe a few more. Young Chicago vibist Jason Adasiewicz belongs near the top of that list these days. He’s an expansive improviser with a responsive ear and a talent for writing exciting compositions, which his outstanding quintet Rolldown gives the spotlight they deserve—its granite-solid lineup features hyperexpressive cornetist Josh Berman, gentle alto saxophonist Aram Shelton, propulsive bassist Jason Roebke, and the fabulous Frank Rosaly on drums. Their self-titled debut, which came out on 482 Music last year, hinted at their limber fluidity as a live unit. The follow-up, Varmint, is due this fall on the prog-rock-friendly Cuneiform label, which speaks volumes about its structural intrigue and formal complexity, but the music nonetheless feels loose and fresh, whether the band’s launching into rollicking swing or breaking up time; the album’s reminiscent of Eric Dolphy’s Out to Lunch not just in its general aesthetic but in the pivotal role it gives to the vibes. —JC
Jazz & Heritage Stage
5 PM Jeff Parker Quartet Lately guitarist Jeff Parker has spent most of his time in rock-based or creative-music ensembles, where he can turn his immense musical imagination loose in almost any direction, but in this group he’ll show off what he picked up working in relatively straight-ahead jazz bands led by organists. Sabertooth’s Pete Benson is the outstanding organist in this quartet, which also includes saxophonist Scott Burns and inexhaustible veteran drummer George Fludas. —JC
