Mark your calendar for a special “Donovan’s Garage” Jazz Event—“A String Thing” featuring Dave Onderdonk and Donovan Mixon on guitars, bassist Geoff Lowe and drummer Steve Corley on Tuesday, June 24 at AKAR Auditorium @ The Church in Evanston.
AKAR Auditorium is the new performance space in the former church located across from Willard School in Evanston at 2715 Hurd Avenue. Doors open at 6 with music at 7. As with all “Donovan’s Garage” jazz events, the music will be world class and admission free (with donations gratefully accepted.)
“We’ll be sharing 90 minutes of original music and reimagined themes that draw from Jazz, classical, and global traditions,” says Donovan Mixon, the Evanston-based jazz guitarist who established the “Donovan’s Garage” jazz events in Evanston.
(If you haven’t heard of these shows yet, learn about them at www.Donovanmixon.com. You’ll get the point and hopefully join us at this remarkable performance space.)
On stage that evening will be:
David Onderdonk, Guitar: “David brings a wide range of experience, including collaborations with Pharoah Sanders, Kurt Elling, and Mavis Staples,” says Mixon. The show will be a reunion of sorts for Onderdonk and Mixon, who last shared a stage about 10 years ago. Well known in Chicago jazz circles, Onderdonk has played at venues such as Andy’s, The Green Mill, and The Jazz Showcase.
Donovan Mixon, Guitar: A long-time Evanstonian, Mixon draws on his experiences living and performing for more than 15 years in different parts of the world. He has shared the stage with artists that include Lee Konitz and Eddie Henderson, as well as Chicago’s Robert Irving III, Willie Pickens and Ernest Dawkins. Mixon is about to release his new album, “Finding Center.” He credits the influence of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musician) in giving shape to his work.
Geoff Lowe, Bass: Over the course of his long career, Lowe has performed with artists that include Ben E. King, the Shirelles, the Platters, and many more. Internationally he has played at the North Sea Jazz Festival, the International Cultural Festival in Vietnam, and closer to home, the Chicago Jazz Festival.
Steve Corley, Percussion: A key figure in the Chicago jazz scene and familiar to jazz fans in Evanston, Corley is a member of the Chris Greene Quartet, voted Chicago’s best jazz band in a Chicago Reader poll. He has performed extensively with the quartet and is known for his energetic and skillful playing style.
A special added feature of this “Donovan’s Garage” event is an exhibit of work by the Evanston-based artist, painter, and woodcarver Jevoid Simmons. His art, primarily in a folk/primitive style, centers on his family’s migration from Alabama to the Midwest after fleeing racial violence in the early 1950s.
AKAR Auditorium @ The Church is owned by Evanstonian Steve Rogers who has converted the former Second Church of Christ Scientist into a performance space, hosting the “Donovan’s Garage” jazz shows, community events, and art exhibitions in a venue with theatre-style seating.