Name: Christian Dillingham Quartet
Start: 2026-07-12T20:00:00
Location: Dearborn Station

Chicago is set to transform into a jazz lover's haven with a series of captivating performances from some of the most revered names in the jazz world today. The Jazz Showcase will host an eclectic mix from the Christian Dillingham Quartet to Gabriel Wade Quintet, Julian Davis Reid's introspective Circle of Trust, and the genre-blending K.I.M. These events promise to highlight the rich tapestry of jazz, providing audiences the opportunity to experience a wide array of musical styles, all under the welcoming roof of Dearborn Station.

Jazz in Chicago: A Vibrant Celebration of Diverse Musical Expressions

In 2026, the Jazz Showcase is set to present an array of performances that will captivate jazz enthusiasts and cultural aficionados in Chicago. Featuring both seasoned veterans and emerging talents, the lineup includes the soulful Dee Alexander, Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian Dillingham, and the unique Sabertooth Organ Quartet, among others. These events promise to bring the timeless sounds of jazz into contemporary relevance, offering a blend of classical and modern styles that reflect the diverse musical landscape of today. Join us as we explore the detailed offerings of this exciting musical season.

Jazz Showcase Prepares an Exciting Lineup of Musical Excellence in 2026

Christian Dillingham Quartet

Jazz Showcase

Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian Dillingham is equally at home in two musical worlds. His parents spun jazz records around the house, while his mother was an avid pianist who loved to play Chopin and Debussy. These childhood experiences left a deep impression and ended up as the foundational philosophy of his career in music. Dillingham is that rare musician who excels in an orchestral setting, yet has an intuitive feel for nuance and the improvisational skills necessary to play jazz.

Dearborn Station

Born on Chicago’s west side, DEE ALEXANDER is one of Chicago’s most gifted and respected female vocalist/songwriters. Her talents span every music genre, from Gospel to R&B and Blues to Neo-Soul, yet her true heart and soul are experienced through her performance of Jazz. Whether in a soft, sultry ballad or a scat-filled romp, she delivers with a passion for music that comes across in every note, and a grace that is truly her own. Alexander boasts long and fruitful associations with Chicago’s jazz elite, including Ramsey Lewis, Orbert Davis, Nicole Mitchell, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, and the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). She leads her own Dee Alexander Quartet, as well as the Evolution Ensemble, whose music ranges from original compositions to renditions of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix. Her Jazz Institute of Chicago-commissioned tribute to Nina Simone and Dinah Washington, Sirens of Song, marked the beginning of worldwide recognition, and her performance on the Millennium Park Pritzker Pavilion stage launched a period of extensive touring in Europe. Alexander has received the Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz award and the 3Arts Award for Music. Her CD, Wild is the Wind, was named the album of the summer in France; earned her top votes in Downbeat’s Readers’ and Critics’ polls; received 5 stars in Downbeat; and was chosen as one of the magazine’s top ten recordings in the first decade of the new millennium. She has garnered accolades in African, Australian, European, and North American press. She is currently a host on the WFMT Jazz Radio Network.

Alexander Mclean Project

A bold performer, soulful composer and passionate educator, Trumpeter Marques Carrol is dedicated to preserving the authentic culture of Jazz and spreading his holistic love of music around the world.

Marques Carroll Quintet

New Orleans born saxophonist Donald Harrison is a musician/composer who master musicians consider a master of every era of jazz, soul, funk, and a composer of orchestral classical music. He is also a genius, according to geniuses like Eddie Palmieri and Mike Clark. In the HBO drama Treme, Emmy winning director David Simon created two characters to portray how Harrison innovated new styles of music. Harrison has appeared as an actor/musician in 9 episodes of Treme, Oscar-winning director Johnathon Demme’s film Rachel Getting Married, Spike Lee’s When The Levee’s Broke documentary, and Marvel’s Luke Cage. This talented artist is the recognized Big Chief of Congo Square in Afro-New Orleans culture and was made a Chief in 2019 by Queen Diambi Kabatusuila in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa.

Donald Harrison Quartet

BakerzMillion is an all-star jazz sextet in the tradition of the classic Blue Note groups of the 1960s. Featuring Andy Baker (trombone, tunes), Steve Million (piano, tunes), Eric Jacobson (trumpet), Jim Gailloreto (saxophones), Tim Davis (drums) and John Tate (bass), the band was formed in 2005 to perform new, original compositions by co-leaders Andy Baker and Steve Million.

BakerzMillion

Guitar great Bobby Broom knows exactly when he first fell in love with the jazz organ. The magic moment came at age 10 when he put on one of the albums his father had brought home, Charles Earland’s Black Talk! Young Bobby didn’t know or care much about jazz yet. “I was just into music,” he says. But after playing the “Mighty Burner’s” now-classic 1969 album, he was sold.

Bobby Broom Trio CD Release

Joe Farnsworth has spent his life on the bandstand with the Kings of music, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, and George Coleman. He is now sharing what spirit and wisdom the greats gave him with the great young Sarah Hanahan. Sarah is one the greatest young stars on the alto saxophone playing with the spirit of Jackie McLean and Pharaoh Sanders. Nobody sounds like she does.

Joe Farnsworth Quartet

Chicago musician Abigail Riccards has made an international name for herself in the jazz and pop music community for nearly 20 years. After launching her career in New York City in 2002 at storied clubs like Birdland, the Jazz Standard, Smalls, and the Kitano, she garnered praise as a selected semifinalist in the 2004 Thelonius Monk International Jazz Competition. After nearly a decade on the east coast, Riccards broadened her scope to the iconic Chicago jazz scene, where she frequently headlines legendary clubs such as the Green Mill, the Jazz Showcase, and Winter’s Jazz Club. After releasing her 3rd studio album in 2013, she performed on the main stage at the Chicago Jazz Festival with Matt Wilson’s Honey and Salt tour. She has also collaborated with artists such as Jane Monheit, Peter Bernstein, Joel Frahm, and Mulgrew Miller.

Abigail Riccards Quintet

In August 1979, the ensemble was the opening band on the first night of the First Annual Chicago Jazz Festival. 44 years later, the CJO stands as not only the oldest professional big band in Chicago, but also the second oldest professional civic jazz orchestra in the United States (second only to the Columbus Jazz Orchestra).

Chicago Jazz Orchestra

Charles “Rick” Heath IV is a world renowned drummer, educator, producer who has toured and recorded with Ramsey Lewis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Phillip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire, and many others. Charles is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia College and the University of Illinois (Circle Campus). Charles Heath is constantly breaking barriers as a humanitarian and musicians'; leading with first class professionalism and style.

Charles Heath Quartet

Born in Havana, pianist, composer and arranger Chuchito Valdés (Jesús Valdés Jr.) comes from one of the most distinguished musical families of Cuba. The son of legendary Cuban pianist Jesús “Chucho” Valdés, Chuchito also learned from listening to the recordings of his grandfather, Bebo Valdés, one of Cuba’s greatest composers.

Chuchito Valdes Trio

Named a 2024 Downbeat Magazine “Rising Star”, composer and percussionist Thaddeus Tukes is one of the most dynamic musicians in America. Presented as the "World's Best Vibraphonist" by World Expo 2020 in Dubai, his virtuosity and creativity "brings poetry to the vibraphone" (Chicago Tribune, 2019), which has captivated audiences around the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, Symphony Center in Chicago, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. As one of “Chicago’s Hidden Gems” (CBS, 2023), Thaddeus honors the legacy of the jazz tradition and beyond.

Christian Dillingham Quartet

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