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Join us virtually at the beautiful Garfield Park Conservatory for the first JazzCity concert of the season, a celebration of Women of Chicago Jazz. Keeping the annual tradition alive with our partners at the Chicago Park District, the concert will feature two powerhouses of the Chicago jazz scene: Coco Elysses' Elixir Ensemble and Angel Bat Dawid's Sistazz of Tha Nitty Gritty.
About the artists:
Coco Elysses’ Elixir Ensemble is the musical practice of alchemy; creating a frequency of evolution in the physical and invisible.
Coco Elysses, a modern day renaissance woman hails from Robbins, Illinois and is a producer, musician, actress, voice-over artist, screenwriter and poet. Coco completed her MFA in creative writing and was a published poet before graduation. During their second season, she was a featured musician in the critically claimed FOX drama Empire. She was recently elected as Chairperson of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). An outspoken advocate of gender equity and Black women’s wellness, Elysses is the 2nd woman President in the AACM’s 56 year history.
Coco Elysses’ Elixir Ensemble:
Coco Elysses - conga, diddley bow & vocals
Alexis Lombre - piano & vocals
Ivan Taylor - bass
Charles R. Heath IV - drums
Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty (named by Artist/Musician Lonnie Holley) emerged from the Great Black music traditions of Chicago, and active Chicago Black Artist Union Members. This ensemble comes together with a myriad of musical backgrounds, textures and sounds relying heavily on spontaneous compositions and improvisation. Sistazz of Tha Nitty Gritty have performed for Elastic Arts 3rd Annual Benefit Concert, the prestigious Kauffman Center of the Performing Arts annual Ecstatic Music Festival in New York, featured band at New Music Circle Festival in St Louis, Interference Fest: Wxmen Making Noise 2020 in Austin Tx, Fulcrum Point 22nd Annual Concert for Peace as well as performing for University of Chicago’s Arts & Public Life First Monday’s Jazz Series.
Sistazz of Tha Nitty Gritty:
Angel Bat Dawid - clarinet & vocals
Anaiet Sivad - piano
Brooklynn Skye Scott - bass