The 26th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival could have been renamed the Jazz Tribute Fest.
Over the course of four days, the performances included centennial tributes for Count Basie, Coleman Hawkins and Fats Waller, as well as musical salutes to the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, pianists Art Hodes and Pete Johnson, soprano sax legend Steve Lacy and Art Ensemble of Chicago bassist Malachi Favors Maghostut.
One exceptionally star-studded homage was the swinging, jubilant set of Basie standards performed by the New Kansas City 7 on Friday night. The septet consisted of Basie alumni, and the emcee for the program was the jovial, quick-witted tenorist Frank Foster.
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