Friday, May 29, 2009

Jazz jam session puts spotlight on young Englewood musicians

Chi-Town:
On a recent weekday night, nine-year-old Rashad Johnson found himself in some very grown-up company – playing his trumpet in a jazz ensemble at a fine-dining restaurant in Englewood.

“I want to impress people. I want a make name for myself,” says Johnson, who together with friends Joshua Yeo and Thomas Campbell was playing for the first time with the jazz ensemble at Sikia.

The restaurant, specializing in African fare, is staffed by Washburne Culinary Institute students. Once a month, the eatery is home to the Young Natives Student Jam Session, open to all Chicago jazz students from fourth grade up until college.

The students find out what it’s like to play in front of an audience, along with well-known Chicago jazz musicians. During the recent jam session, musician Corey Wilkes guided the young musicians through the session.

“The more you play, the more you experience, the more you will get better,” says Wilkes. “It’s like anything in life. You have to be around people that are better than you that will make you grow.”
A place worth going to over in Englewood.

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