Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Marks Black History Month With Music, Film and Conversation (Chicago, IL) – The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic will commemorate Black History Month next month with a two-day event exploring the lasting impact of the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Chicago’s West Side.
Titled When the West Side Burned, the program will take place Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Kehrein Center for the Arts, 5628 W. Washington Blvd. The event combines live music, film, and community discussion to examine a period of grief, unrest and resilience following King’s death.
The performances are based on original compositions by Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Artistic Director Orbert Davis, written for the WTTW documentary Chicago Stories: When the West Side Burned. The film, produced by filmmaker Dan Andries, chronicles the days after King’s assassination, when anger and sorrow spilled into the streets of Chicago and left deep scars on West Side neighborhoods.
Through archival footage and music, the documentary highlights King’s ties to Chicago, the hope his work inspired, and the long road to recovery faced by communities affected by the unrest. Davis’ sweeping score serves as the foundation for the live concert portions of the program.
Friday’s events are geared toward students and seniors and will feature open rehearsals and talkback sessions at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Organizers say the behind-the-scenes access is designed to spark discussion about the historical events and their continued relevance today. Teachers attending with school groups will receive educational guides to support classroom learning. Admission for Friday’s sessions is $1 per person.
Saturday’s public program begins at 4 p.m. with a screening of the 55-minute documentary, followed at 6 p.m. by a community conversation moderated by Andries. The discussion will include West Side leaders sharing personal memories of Dr. King and reflecting on ongoing efforts toward social justice.
The evening concludes at 7 p.m. with a concert featuring Davis’ original compositions alongside music from the 1960s that reflects both the turmoil and optimism of the era. Food and beverages from local West Side vendors will be available throughout the evening. Admission to all Saturday events is $2 per person.
The Black History Month program is supported by partnerships with WTTW-PBS, Discover Music: Discover Life, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the Illinois Arts Council, Ozinga, The Seabury Foundation, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation and an anonymous donor.
More information and tickets are available at www.chijazzphil.org.
Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Marks Black History Month With Music, Film and Conversation
