About First Monday Jazz
Launched in 2013, First Monday Jazz is APL's longest-running program, featuring emerging and established Chicago musicians and vocalists on the first Monday of every month. From renowned vocalists Dee Alexander and Margaret Murphy-Webb, bassist Junius Paul, and saxophonist Edwin Daugherty, to multi-instrumentalists Sam Thousand, MAIA and fusion artist Micah Collier, First Monday Jazz has welcomed over 100 outstanding musicians to the Arts Block.
This year, First Monday Jazz 2025: Big Band Summer takes us on a journey back to the golden age of big band jazz in Chicago. As the 1920s exploded with musical energy from the South mixed with a growing nightlife culture, our city became an epicenter where the raw spirit of early jazz blossomed into the power of larger ensembles. Imagine the scene: bustling cabarets, elegant ballrooms like the Savoy (on 47th and King Drive), and grand theaters such as the Regal hosting musical forces that would define an era. In this electric atmosphere, bandleaders like the legendary Earl Hines helped shape the big band sound, known for its tight arrangements, bold horn sections, and driving rhythm perfect for dancing.
First Monday Jazz 2025 is co-curated by renowned Chicago musician and band leader Theophilus Reed. Together, APL invites audiences to celebrate this incredible history and the lasting impact of big band jazz in Chicago. Theo’s dynamic curation brings the spirit of the big band era to life, filling the Arts Lawn with bold, brassy sounds under the summer sky in Washington Park:
June 14: Theo Reed and his Jazz Friends
July 7: The South Side Big Band
August 4: TocaLive
September 8: Tom Tom's Big Band
October 6: Clif Wallace Big Band
Savoy Ballroom, roller skaters, April 1941
Photo of Regal Theater: "Movie theater, Southside, Chicago, Illinois"(1941, Library of Congress)
MEET THE BANDS
The South Side Big Band
In the early 1990s, arranger/producer Tom "Tom Tom" Washington established the South Side Big Band to retain the "hip-ly" played music of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, inviting young musicians into the ranks with fully experienced musicians who performed music from that era.
The band features legendary musicians Art Hoyle, Gene "Daddy G" Barge, Willie Henderson, Willie "Big Willie" Woods, and vocalists Teddy Thomas, Curtis Prince, and Dr. Odies Williams. Together, they bring over 400 years of combined professional music experience.
The South Side Big Band also includes Tyrone Hines, Robyn Sutton, Marvin Davis, Steven Berry, Pharez Whitted, Miguel Delacerna, Philip Castleberry, Bernard Reed, Edward House, Jarrad Harris, Ron Griffin, Studio & Show Musicians Tracey Kirk, Kenny Anderson, Al Smith, Jess Williams, Wayne Johnson, Sam Walton, Bill Farland, Theodis Rogers and Bernard Reed Jazz Historian & Liaison Melvin Williams.
TocaLive
TocaLive is a distinguished, award-winning percussionist from Chicago. His musical journey began in the 1970s, when he mastered traditional West African rhythms, including Rumba and 6/8 patterns, before expanding to Mambo, Samba, and other complex rhythms. Early in his career, he refined his craft with renowned African dance troupes, including Julian Swain's Inner-City Dancers and the Najwa Dance Troupe, developing expertise in ethnic rhythms.
He has collaborated with music legends, including Mongo Santamaria, Armando Peraza, Giovanni Hidalgo, Jerry Butler, Ramsey Lewis, Pharaoh Sanders, Maurice White, Angela Bofill, and the late Bernie Mac. His career spans performances with The Emotions, Soul Children of Chicago, Donald Lawrence, Sounds of Blackness, and others. Toca has also appeared in commercials, jingles, and popular programs, like the Tom Joyner Morning Show and Oprah Winfrey's Get With The Program.
Toca blends R&B, gospel, and jazz to craft a signature sound, brought to life by his world-class ensemble, TOCA LIVE. The band features renowned musicians Malcolm Banks (drums), Keith Henderson (guitar), Roger Harris (keyboards), Ron Hall (bass), James Perkins (saxophone/flute), and Theophilus Reed (vocals).
Driven by a passion for instrumental music, Tom Tom's Big Band unites some of Chicago's finest musicians to keep this American art form alive—and to inspire the next generation by helping revive band programs in public schools.
Pianist, arranger, and producer, Tom "Tom Tom" Washington was raised in the Ida B. Wells projects on Chicago's South Side. He began his music career playing the drums and later transitioned to the keyboard. He received formal music training from influential professor and musical arranger James Mack at Crane Junior College, and went on to arrange dozens of records for Chicago music legends, including Earth, Wind & Fire, The Emotions, Tyrone Davis, Deniece Williams, The Staple Singers, Ramsey Lewis, Leroy Hutson, The Chi-Lites, Otis Leavill, Betty Everett, Jerry Butler, and Loleatta Holloway
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Clif Wallace has called several places across the Midwest, South, and East Coast home—an experience that likely shapes his versatility as a drummer, composer, bandleader, and DJ. Clif Wallace has become one of the city's most in-demand drummers for a wide range of musical genres.
Recently, Clif toured with saxophonist and clarinetist Victor Goines and vocalist Tammy McCann. He has performed with notable artists and ensembles like the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Black Ensemble Theater, Orbert Davis, Marquis Hill, Robert Irving III, and many more. In 2018, Clif assembled the Clif Wallace Big Band, an ensemble that performs a musical repertoire that appeals to a wide range of listeners.
