“Billy Hart, Yotam Silberstein and Omar Avital: In Concert” Reviewed by Julia W. Rath

***** Cool jazz, hot blues, and a warm welcome greeted the audience on Thursday, August 31st when the Lighthouse ArtSpace hosted Billy Hart, Yotam Silberstein, and Omer Avital, three super-talented and highly proficient musicians visiting Chicago. Hart, the famed percussionist, played with passion and immense skill—and of course, with heart—and showcased his creative succession of bangs, knocks, and crashes. Avital on double bass was amazing, especially in the way he played pizzicato, often making the instrument sing in a higher pitch than is standard. Silberstein on electric guitar thrilled us all with his ease and grace in playing melodies and improvising awesome riffs. He played the part of band leader, making all the announcements of which numbers would be played and especially about how thrilled he was to perform with his fellow band members.

While the first number was a bit all over the place, the concert found its stride shortly thereafter. We were treated to a mélange of jazz hits arranged by Leroy Anderson, which included theme and variation, followed by two Brazilian jazz numbers: the first of which was called “Seranata”, followed by a rhythmic composition by Nelson Cavaquinho. We were told that being in Chicago meant including the blues, and this indeed was the inspiration for the last number they played.

The concert was preceded by the “Mozart Immersive” exhibit, where Mozart’s music comes to life via video projections in adjacent rooms. During the concert, the walls were decorated with similar projected artwork, featuring the themes from previous performances of the immersive artwork series: notably Monet, Frida Kahlo, and Van Gogh. Note that the sound system for this production was excellent and could not have been better!

The Chicago Jazz Festival began today and will last for the long Labor Day weekend—but the scope of jazz music is not just limited to Grant Park. We were treated to a stellar one-hour performance in this lovely indoor venue. You’ll have to check out the trio the next time they return to the Chicago area.

Billy Hart, Yotam Silberstein, Omer Avital performed at 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. at the Lighthouse ArtSpace, located at 108 W. Germania Place, in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. This was the final evening of the “Live at Lighthouse” summer concert series, which featured five jazz performances in partnership with the Michael Brovkine Agency.

Tickets for each concert started at $65 and included a free welcome drink plus the “Mozart Immersive” experience at 7:00 p.m. VIP tickets included a souvenir poster signed by the featured artists, and a meet and greet following the show.

For more information about the series and future offerings, please see: www.lighthouseartspace.com