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Miles Hardemon plays the trumpet at Back Alley Jazz Festival in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club Chicago
SOUTH SHORE — A Chicago tradition continued to evolve Saturday as jazz reverberated through the 7300 block of South Paxton Street — from the middle of the street, not from the alleys.
South Shore residents and people from around Chicago gathered for Back Alley Jazz Festival, which is reviving a tradition on the South Side that started in the ‘60s.
This year, musicians didn’t perform in residents’ garages like they did last year and in the ‘70s.
The jazz fans on hand like Eve Clemmer said they liked the new layout.
“I kind of like this setup better. Get yourself a chair and you just enjoy the views. It’s just great,” said Clemmer, who remembers watching jazz in back alleys when she was a kid.
“It’s a part of my history. It’s a part of my community. It’s a good part. … Nobody’s hollering, nobody’s fighting. Everybody’s enjoying and that’s how this city should be.”
More than a music event, it is something that brings people together, fosters a sense of community and educates young folks about a vital piece of South Side history, said the organizers.
The Young Leaders perform during the 2019 Back Alley Jazz Fest in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoAttendees dance to jazz music in the middle of the Paxton Street, which was closed to vehicles during Back Alley Jazz Fest in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoDevin Shaw plays the keyboard at Back Alley Jazz Festival in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoJimmy Ellis, grand marshal of Back Alley Jazz, listens to music with his wife, Joan. Jimmy Ellis, who worked with legends like Nat King Cole, Sun Ra and other big names in the jazz scene, was one of the people who started live jazz in back alleys. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoTwo generations of Clemmers witnessed jazz in the alley in the ’70s and today. “It’s a part of my history. It’s a part of my community,” said Eve Clemmer, center, who is in between her mom and sister. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoMarcus Hammonds and his daughter, Memphis, serve lemonade to a customer. Local vendors from the neighborhood were at the Back Alley Jazz Festival. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoMelanie and Memphis Hammonds and their mom get ready to set up their lemonade stand. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoFriends greet each other at Back Alley Jazz Fest in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoOrganizers say that bringing the community together is one of the goals of Back Alley Jazz Fest. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoJoan Ellis, wife of famed Jimmy Ellis, listens to music with her husband during Back Alley Jazz Fest in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoAn attendee of Back Alley Jazz Fest sits in the sun while listening to the live performance. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoJazz-related art was installed on a South Shore resident’s front yard during Back Alley Jazz Fest. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoShirley Crossley listens to music during the Back Alley Jazz Festival in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoA kid does cartwheels while a band plays in the middle of the street, which was closed to vehicles during Back Alley Jazz Fest Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoMusicians play their instruments during the Back Alley Jazz fest in South Shore. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club ChicagoPeople dressed up for Back Alley Jazz Fest. Credit: Pat Nabong/Block Club Chicago
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