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Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/403159
Where the hep Cats play As temperAtures fAll And ChiCAgo's jAzz sCene heAts up, sAx mAn Fran Catalano delivers the lowdown on the City's top venues for live jAms. by john dugan Younger musicians like vibraphonist Stefon Harris join veterans such as alto saxophonist Bobby Watson and trumpeter Roy Hargrove nightly at the Jazz Showcase. Chicago saxophonist Frank Catalano released his first solo album on the city's Delmark label at the tender age of 19. In the nearly two decades since, the tenor sax man has recorded or toured with legends of jazz ( Von Freeman, Louie Bellson) and industrial music (Ministry) and staked out a bandleader career on six albums. He recently scored a number-one hit on iTunes with a John Coltrane tribute record featuring former Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain (check them out live this month in their Super Band Concert, November 14 at Mayne Stage, 1328 W. Morse Ave., 773-381-4551; maynestage.com). A weekly late-night resident at the famed Green Mill, Catalano knows where to scope out a good cocktail and great jazz. Coming up, his favorite venues in Chicago's thriving jazz scene: "The Green Mill (4802 N. Broadway St., 773-878-5552; greenmilljazz .com) is a personal must-experience place in my book. It's a really special place—it feels like you're walking back in time to the 1930s, to Prohibition. The music there runs every night until 3:30 or 4 a m, so I love it as a late-night person. Everybody likes to sit in the Al Capone booth, but if I am going to listen to somebody, I sit at the huge wraparound bar." Frank's pick: Fareed Haque, November 21–22. "I had the opportunity to start my career at Andy's Jazz Club (11 E. Hubbard St., 312-642-6805; andys jazzclub.com) at the age of 17, sitting in with Charles Earland. I like to point out that if you're under 21 and have a parent with you, they'll let you into the 5 o'clock set. They actually have eight hours of music (usually bebop and mainstream jazz) a night, and that's pretty amazing. I've never heard a bad band at Andy's." Frank's pick: John Bany Sessions, November 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. "I used to live in Roscoe Village, so I remember Constellation (3111 N. Western Ave.; constellation-chicago.com) when it was the Viaduct Theater. It CoNtiNuEd oN pAgE 68 "We oWe a debt of gratitude to the jazz shoWcase." photography by Steve LogginS 66 michiganavemag.com culture Jazz It up