Chicago Jazz Festival

The Chicago Jazz Festival kicks off today with performances from noon till 4pm in the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park:
12-12:50pm: Umbrella Music: Bridging Improvised Music and Dance
1:05-1:55pm: Jodie Christian Quintet
2:10-3pm: The MIYUMI Project Big Band: “Trans-Rooted” featuring JASC Tsukasa Taiko
3:15-4pm: Jim Wagner's All Stars featuring Willie Pickens, Ari Brown, Jimmy Ellis, Robert Shy, Frank Russell, Corey Wilkes and Maggie Brown

At 5pm, flutist Nicole Mitchell and pianist Anthony Davis perform at Roosevelt University's Ganz Hall, 430 S. Michigan Ave. All performances are free.

George Willborn @ Jokes & Notes

Bring in the Labor Day holiday weekend tonight with lots of laughter at Jokes & Notes comedy club, 4641 S. King Dr. Chicago's own George Willborn, comedian and co-host of "The Michael Baisden Show," will host; others on the lineup include Marlon Mitchell and Torris Brown. Doors open at 8pm; show begins at 8:30pm. Tickets are $10 in advance/$15 at door. Call (773) 971-7290 or (773) 373-3390 for more info.

Avreeyal Ra, Edward Wilkinson, Harrison Bankhead & Michael Zerang @ Velvet Lounge

Jazz with a touch of free improv tonight at the Velvet Lounge (67 E Cermak), featuring a dynamite cast of characters: dual percussionists Avreeyal Ra and Michael Zerang and bassist Harrison Bankhead anchor the multi-dimensional reeds of Edward Wilkerson (founder of 8 Bold Souls). Also: special guest Alex Duval! 8:30 p.m. doors, 9:00 music.

plain plane @ Slow

Come out to Slow at 6:00PM for the opening reception of plain plane.This exhibition features Chicago painter Todd Chilton and New York sculptor Mike Peter Smith. Running through September 4, Chilton's paintings utilizes pragmatic principles to challenge the absolutes of the past while Smith's sculptural works focus on the impulsive and childlike demeanor of life.

Chicago Photography Collective September Salon Show

The Chicago Photography Collective (CPC) is hosting a member's salon show throughout the month of September. The CPC is group of over 25 established photographers whose methods and subject matter run the photographic gamut - digital and film, inkjet and silver prints, black + white and color, portraits and street photography, abstracts and documentary. This salon show will consist of approximately 50 photographs from twenty of the group's members. The opening reception is tonight at 29 E. Madison from 5pm to 8pm, and the show will be up through October 2.

SPILL @ Betty Rhymer Gallery

Come on out this evening at 4:30PM to the opening reception of SPILL at the Betty Rhymer Gallery, 280 S. Columbus Drive! This is an SAIC Undergraduate painting exhibition curated by Judith Geichman and John Phillips. This exhibition features work by Brian James Bartlett, Stephanie Brown, Inah Choe, Jan Christopher-Berkson, Chris Urban, Coyote Detlaff, Jennifer Diaz, Sarah Doll, John Dominguez, Danica Favorito, Rachel Fay, Ali Gibbons, Danny Giles, Wyatt Grant, Samantha Haring, Zachary Hunter Harvey, Alyssa Herlocher, Ji Soo Hong, Julieann Hu, Heelim Hwang, Ryan Ingebritson, Emma E. James, Elizabeth Jung, Andre Kerm...an, Youjeong Kwon, Jihee Lee, Manuel López Aguilar, Betsy O'Brien, Sohhee Oh, Tilghman Pelczar, Tessa Perutz, Stephani Plichta, Betany Porter, Brenna Quinn, Dan Rizzo-Orr, Daniel Schmid, Joey K Sheung, Jessica Turcios, Tully, Jobet Uy and Nayeon Yang.

Illusion of Safety, Jon Mueller, Fielded & Psychic Steel @ Reuben's Palace

Come out tonight at 9:30pm to drone and zone out to the jams of Illusion of Safety, Jon Mueller, Fielded & Psychic Steel at Reuben's Palace,1620 N Fairfield! Experience the electro-acoustic, noise, sound collage, improvisation, and power electronics of Illusions of Safety, the acoustic and rambunctious rhythms of Jon Mueller, lush melodies with perfect harmonies of Fielded and Ppogged drumming with intricate synths of Psychic Steel all in one night. Admission is free, suggested donation is 5 dollars. Please RSVP here!

The First and Only Lesson @ The Chicago Center for the Performing Arts

Pablo Perea's The First and Only Lesson premieres tonight at The Chicago Center for the Performing Arts (777 N Green Street). This one-night-only showing offers a meet and greet reception with the film's cast and crew beginning at 5:30pm. Screenings for the 22-minute film start at 6:30pm and 8pm. Tickets are $20 at the box office with all proceeds going towards upcoming film festival entry fees. Street parking is available -- especially on Chicago Avenue -- or in the $8 parking lot directly across the street from the theater.