South Shore Jazz Fest Cancelled

Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and other jazz legends performed there, but the South Shore JazzFest -- which has brought throngs to the South Shore Cultural Center annually since 1981 - will not take place this year, said event founder Geraldine de Haas.

Family responsibilities and a lack of sponsors mean that de Haas no longer can produce the event, she said. The festival has been a summertime ritual, most recently on an August weekend, featuring free music along the lakefront outside the South Shore Cultural Center, at 7059 S. South Shore Dr.

"We just found out in April, " said de Haas, that planned sponsors would not be supporting her non-profit producing organization, Jazz Unites, Inc.
In addition, she said, her husband, the noted Chicago bassist Eddie de Haas, has been ill and needs her full-time attention.Because the event has been staged by Jazz Unites and not by the Chicago Park District, the park administration has no plans to step in.

"What Geraldine has done in the past is a rental, and we have waived the permit fees, " said park district communications director Jessica Maxey-Faulkner. "If she is not holding her event, then it's probably not happening."Added de Haas, "It's been quite a journey with Jazz Unites, and I would do it all over again." What I might do, maybe this fall, if I can raise some money, is do a farewell concert and thank everybody. I really want to say thank you, thank you, thank you."

CANDID JAZZBLAST
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