UI Jazz Piano Faculty Chip Stephens in serious car accident

John "Chip" Stephens, Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Illinois and a piano virtuoso well known to audiences in the C-U area, was seriously injured in a two-vehicle collision on Friday afternoon.

Chip is recovering at Carle Clinic in Urbana and is in "good" condition at this time. His two sons, who were with him in his truck, were (I believe) released today from Carle. The driver of the other vehicle was treated and released (also from Carle).

The News-Gazette account of the story is here, for those interested.

Here's hoping for a speedy and full recovery.

Jazz in C-U, week of 5/11/2008

Plenty to see here! Make sure and get out and catch some live music. Tuesday, the Central H.S. Jazz Band plays their last local concert before traveling to NYC for the Essentially Ellington concert -- check 'em out!

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Monday, 5/12/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 5/13/2008
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ BAND
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 5/14/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 5/15/2008
KEVIN TURNER TRIO
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Friday, 5/16/2008
SHAWN and DARDEN PURCELL
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Sunday, 5/18/2008
BONEYARD JAZZ QUINTET
at URBANA FREE LIBRARY (Race St., Urbana)
2-3:30am, free admission

Sunday, 5/18/2008
HOLLY HOLMES JAZZ COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 4/27/2008

Much great jazz out there to be heard -- get out and support live music, and the venues that offer it!

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Monday, 4/28/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Tuesday, 4/29/2008
KEN SMITH TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-8pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 4/30/2008
PARKLAND JAZZ COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 4/30/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover<

Wednesday, 4/30/2008
GLENN WILSON and the JAZZ MANIACS w/special guest JIM PUGH
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
8-11pm, cover charged

Thursday, 5/1/2008
KEVIN TURNER TRIO
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Friday, 5/2/2008
FUNKY JONNY
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Saturday, 5/3/2008
TIM DEAL and FRIENDS
at EMBASSY TAVERN (114 S Race St., Urbana)
5:30-7:30pm, free admission (donations encouraged)

Jazz in C-U, week of 4/20/2008

Good fun this week. Some heavies playing with me and Chip on Wednesday night for his CD release party, come check it out!

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Sunday, 4/20/2008
SHAWN and DARDEN PURCELL w/ JEFF HELGESEN
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 4/21/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 4/23/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 4/23/2008
CHIP McNEILL - CD Release Party
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/24/2008
KEVIN TURNER TRIO
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 4/24/2008
CARLOS VEGA
at ZORBA'S (627 E. Green St., Champaign)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Thursday, 4/24/2008
CREATIVE ARTS JAZZ COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Jazz in C-U, week of 4/13/2008

Hope to see you out!

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Monday, 4/14/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 4/16/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 4/16/2008
IN YOUR EAR BIG BAND
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
6-8pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/17/2008
UI JAZZ COMBO (McNeill)
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/17/2008
GEORGE TURNER
at ZORBA'S (627 E. Green St., Champaign)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 4/18/2008
JEFF HELGESEN/DAVE DICKEY JAZZ QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
5-7pm, free admission

Jazz in C-U, week of 4/6/2008

Jump on that jazz bandwagon.

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Sunday, 4/6/2008
KELLY CORBIN JAZZ COMBO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Monday, 4/7/2008
JAM SESSION with the MRS TRIO
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Wednesday, 4/9/2008
DON HEITLER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Wednesday, 4/9/2008
JAZZ GUITAR NIGHT
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/10/2008
KEVIN TURNER
at THE GREAT IMPASTA (114 W. Church St., Champaign)
6-9pm, no cover

Thursday, 4/10/2008
UI JAZZ COMBO (Gray)
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-10pm, cover charged

Thursday, 4/10/2008
MARK O'CONNOR QUINTET
at ZORBA'S (627 E. Green St., Champaign)
9:30pm-12:30am, cover charged

Friday, 4/11/2008
JEFF HELGESEN QUINTET
at THE IRON POST (120 S Race St., Urbana)
7-9pm, cover charged

Jazz Sandwich wins Best Jazz Award at 2008 LMAs

The Buzz/WPGU's Local Music Awards were held last night, and for the first time, they actually included a separate category for jazz (in previous years, the jazz had been bundled up with blues bands, with predictable results). This year's winner? Jazz Sandwich, of which (in full disclosure) I am a member. Hooray.

Here are pics and video from the event.

Apparently, there's been some controversy surrounding the LMAs over the past few years. Lindsey Markel, over at Smile Politely, has a nice rundown, including quotes from some of the musicians.

In the past, my objections to the awards have strictly been about how utterly difficult it is for small-audience jazz groups to compete with any/all the blues groups for an award. So I was glad to see them split it out.

Now, the other issue is how arbitrary the nominee selection appears to be for the jazz groups. And maybe that's unreasonable. I suppose that if the object is to increase public exposure of a number of groups to a larger audience, you can make a case for rotating bands and individuals in and out. But I'm at a loss to suggest an explanation for selecting a community college big band as a nominee (the In Your Ear Big Band) when you've got a comparatively titanic jazz program at the University of Illinois.

I suppose I should just stop grousing and be happy that they're including jazz at all.

Congrats to all the "victors."