Chicago Commemorates 30th Annual Jazz Festival

30 never looked so good! The Chicago Jazz Festival, the city of Chicago's longest running music festival, announces headliners Sonny Rollins and Ornette Coleman for the 30th Annual event, August 28-31, 2008. What was born from concerts to remember jazz greats Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, has turned into an annual celebration of jazz music that is not to be missed. This Labor Day weekend tradition begins with a free evening concert at Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion on August 28, and then moves to Grant Park for three days of free music, August 29-31.

What better way to begin the celebration of 30 years of jazz than with two-time GRAMMYÒ Award winner and 2004 GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Sonny Rollins. Rollins officially opens The Chicago Jazz Festival on August 28 at 6:30 p.m. at a new location, the world-renowned Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Rollins is one of the last of the originals-a running mate of Miles Davis, Clifford Jordan and Max Roach, he was among the inventors of the language of Bebop. Rollins emerged from shedding time in Chicago in the 50s with a signature sound that has astounded audiences and inspired countless musicians for over 50 years.

The Chicago Jazz Festival then moves to Grant Park, August 29-31, for three stages of free music, activities and more from 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. This year's Artist-in-Residence is Chicago-based composer, arranger, musician and educator, Edward Wilkerson, Jr. As a composer, Wilkerson has been highly inspired by the music of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus, as a reed player his sound takes flight from Coleman Hawkins. Like many Chicago reed players you can hear the whole history of jazz in his ideas. Known for founding the cutting edge 8 Bold Souls (with whom he performs on Sunday evening at the Petrillo Music Shell), Wilkerson kicks-off the music at 12 noon at the Jazz on Jackson Stage on Friday, August 29.

Closing out the event on Sunday, August 31 at the Petrillo Music Shell is saxophonist/composer Ornette Coleman. Known as the creator of what has been called "free jazz," Coleman's contribution to the jazz idiom has been the theory and practice of "harmolodics" -an approach that has been internationally recognized as a founding principle of creative improvised music. Over the course of five decades he has been recognized with awards including the MacArthur "Genius" Award, an induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letter. the NEA Jazz Masters and more. And after fifty years of being in the vanguard the rest of the world finally caught up to him as indicated by his receiving of both a Grammy award for his acclaimed album Sound Grammar, and the 2007 Pulitzer Award.

In celebration of the 30th Annual event, Gerald Wilson, T.S. Galloway, Vijay Iyer and Dave Douglas have each been commissioned by the Chicago Jazz Festival to create a piece in honor of the milestone anniversary. In addition to this year's incredible line-up of Chicago's and the world's greatest jazz musicians, the Chicago Jazz Festival features an art fair located in the rose garden between Jackson Blvd. and Buckingham Fountain, Chicago's world famous restaurants will offer delights and beer and soda vendors will have thirst quenchers onsite. As always, the entire family can enjoy jazz at all of the stages and a new kid's activity area will be making its debut this year.

Other highlights include Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Dee Dee Bridgewater and more!

The four day festival is the centerpiece of seven days of jazz activities beginning with Monday's Made in Chicago closing concert in Millennium Park, Tuesday's Jazz Institute 40th Birthday gala concert and Wednesday's Jazz Club Tour.

The Chicago Jazz Festival is produced by the Mayor's Office of Special Events and programmed with the Jazz Institute of Chicago. Current sponsors include the Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Tribune, CLTV-Chicagoland's Television, Comcast, Communications Direct, DownBeat Magazine, Hinckley Springs, Jazz Times Magazine, National City, Pepsi Cola, TAVA and WGN-Television.