— About —
— OUR STORY —
The Jazz Showcase is the oldest historic jazz club in Chicago, founded in 1947 by Joe Segal, now owned and operated by Wayne Segal (Joe Segal’s son). The greatest names in Jazz have played here, including but not limited to:
Roy Hargrove, Chris Potter, Frank Morgan, Danilo Perez, Larry Coryell, Paul Wertico, James Carter, Stu Katz, Ira Sullivan, Winard Harper, McCoy Tyner, Dexter Gordon, Bunky Green, Count Basie, Kenny Burrell, Milt Jackson, Jimmy Smith, Randy Weston, Barry Harris, Joey DeFrancesco, Jack McDuff, Bill Evans, Walter Bishop Jr., Sun Ra, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Sonny Stitt, Yusef Lateef, Eddie Jefferson, Richie Cole, Joe Lovano, Dizzy Gillespie (who appeared there on his birthday for many years), Johnny Griffin, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Howard McGee, George Benson, Pat Martino, Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Philly Joe Jones, Charles McPherson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Ernestine Anderson, Lou Donaldson, Hank Crawford, Jimmy McGriff, Lonny Liston Smith, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Muhal Richard Abrahms, Zoot Sims/Al Cohn, Joe Williams, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Joe Farrell, Art Farmer, Bobby Hutcherson, the Capp/Pierce Juggernaut, Freddie Hubbard, and others. Ahmad Jamal recorded his trio album Chicago Revisited here in 1992. Joe Segal produced the live album “The Chase” by Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon here in 1970.
Today, the Jazz showcase continues to be a thriving Jazz club in Chicago, bringing in top international & Chicago homegrown musicians.
For those curious about our origins and founder here are recent articles about the late Joe Segal
New York Times
New City Music
Chicago Tribune
