Feb. 05--We already knew that Chicago guitarist Fareed Haque covers a wider stretch of the waterfront than most: Jazz, classical, funk, world music and jam-band idioms all flow easily -- and persuasively -- from his fingers.
But now Haque, a busily touring artist who's also a music professor at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, has taken a bold step in spreading the gospel of musical eclecticism. He recently launched a weekly Chicago New Music Jam Session at the Tonic Room, on North Halsted Street, that invites all comers to share the stage with him and his rhythm section: bassist Alex Austin and drummer Greg Fundis.
That means musicians well-known and obscure -- from any musical genre imaginable -- get a shot at playing with a guitarist of Haque's stature. And audiences get to hear a conglomeration of musical styles not likely to unfold in most music rooms.
On any given Sunday, it would seem the results could range from thrilling to disastrous, or both, as Haque discovered during the first session, a few weeks ago.
"We had two rappers, two singers, three or four horn players, some really good, some not so great," says Haque. "And that wasn't really the point. A jam session isn't necessarily about those people that are at the same level getting together."
On the contrary, Haque says he believes that the conventional jam session tends to be restrictive, with like-minded players focusing on certain musical traditions and repertoire. Nothing wrong with that, of course, except that it runs counter to Haque's obviously wide-open sensibility on what improvised music can be.
"Many jam sessions are rigidly one thing or another, and that can be intimidating to even talented musicians who might feel that their particular specialty wouldn't be understood or appreciated or accommodated," says Haque. "Let's say if a fantastic oud player comes and says 'I'd like to play,' I'm certainly not going to call a jazz standard.
"In my world, I play with musicians from so many different walks of life and so many different styles ... but there's no one place where they're all sort of welcome. And I wanted to create an environment where there was a welcoming atmosphere."
Haque thinks he has found that at his weekly Tonic Room sessions, trumpeting the gatherings via social media and word-of-mouth. Considering that a blizzard struck during the first event and more than 50 people showed up -- roughly half of them musicians -- Haque may be on to something. Still, it would seem challenging to harness all that far-flung music into a comprehensible performance, or at least an enjoyable one.
How can Haque possibly make all of this sound cohere?
"I think for the most part you have to let people do that on their own, with a little bit of guidance," says Haque. "But there's always going to be someone who will come up (on stage) and won't know when to shut up.
"I watched Von Freeman (handle) this with all the tenderness and love and tact you could imagine," adds Haque, referring to the late saxophonist's sessions at the New Apartment Lounge on East 75th Street.
"He'd be like, 'OK, baby, OK, baby, come on now, you're beautiful, you're beautiful,' and he'd just walk them off the stage gently.
"So a little of that always comes into play. Some will come who are a little too drunk or not drunk enough," quips Haque. "You have to be able to be polite about that, but firm, occasionally. That doesn't happen as often as you think it might."
What does happen, says Haque, are musical juxtapositions of unusual sorts. On one evening, while Haque and friends were coursing through Lee Morgan's classic "The Sidewinder," a rapper entered the fray, free-styling between choruses. And a session that was supposed to run until midnight stretched to 1:30 in the morning.
All of which sounds fine, but what's in it for Haque, who -- between his academic, performance and family responsibilities -- does not exactly lack for ways to occupy his time.
"I wanted to get a chance to play with my trio without having to be on a show," says the guitarist. "On a big stage, for the most part, you can't work out things -- you play things you've already worked out.
"I'm working on a few different concepts on the guitar, and I just felt like I needed a place to work those things out."
Haque now has precisely such a forum, and listeners have the opportunity to hear him experimenting -- in the company of unexpected guests.
Also worth hearing
Bobby Lewis: The poetic Chicago trumpeter returns to the city's most prominent jazz room leading a quintet. 8 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4, 8 and 10 p.m. Sunday; at the Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Court; $20-$35; 312-360-0234 or jazzshowcase.com
Orbert Davis and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic: Trumpeter Davis leads his large ensemble in music of Gunther Schuller and the premiere of a score by saxophonist Daniel Schnyder. 7:30 p.m. Friday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $42-$72; 312-294-3000 or cso.org or chicagojazzphilharmonic.org
Makaya McCraven: The propulsive Chicago drummer celebrates the release of his newest album, "In the Moment." 9 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway; $12; 773-878-5552 or greenmilljazz.com
Russ Johnson: A trumpeter of keen sensitivities and questing spirit, Johnson will share the stage with bass clarinetist Jason Stein, bassist Anton Hatwich and drummer Timothy Daisy. 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave.; $10; constellation-chicago.com
hreich@tribpub.com
Twitter @howardreich
Chicago New Music Jam Session, hosted by Fareed Haque
When: 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Tonic Room, 2447 N. Halsted St.
Tickets: no cover; 773-248-8400 or tonicroom.ticketfly.com
"
