The Jazz Showcase The Jazz Showcase The Jazz Showcase is the oldest jazz club in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1947 by NEA Jazz Master Joe Segal, who still owns and operates the venue. Thousands of people have had their first live jazz experience at one of Segal's showcases. They have served as a launch pad for individual careers, and have brought some of the biggest names in the music to Chicago. Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is said to have celebrated his birthday performing there for many years. Many famous musicians play at the Showcase, including: Eddie Harris (jazz saxophonist) Having changed location numerous times
Ethno jazz saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Charlie Byrd recorded the album "Jazz Samba" with Verve Records; the track "Desafinado" reached #1 status in the pop charts and won the Grammy for Best Solo Performance. In 1958, Antonio Carlos de Almeida ("Jobim") introduced a style similar to samba called "bossa nova", which means “New Flair.” This music is slower, text-based, melancholic, and has a mellow sensation. A famous example of Jobim’s music is the piece “Wave,” which appears on his album of the same name. Brazilian music was gaining popularity, prompting other jazz musicians to incorporate it into their style. Dizzy Gillespie