I shared my background as well as some useful information about issues photographers face as we capture musicians in this Chicago Jazz Magazine interview. Take a look.
Category Archives: Digital Art Photography
Entrance To The Blue Nocturne
Entrance to the intimate, stylish Blue Nocturne performance venue on the lower level of Chicago’s Chopin Theatre is through this tiny room.
Thomas & Rockwell
FOR SALE IN MY SHOP – Discovered on a Sunday morning bike ride. The scene felt like a painting to me so I photographed it, then processed it to look like a painting.
Greem Mill Cocktail Lounge Chicago
It’s unusual to see this normally crowded legendary jazz club empty. Covid time made it so. Here’s hoping it reopens very soon.
Welcome to Summer
This sculpture is in the middle of an expressway in Chicago, not easily viewed when speeding by. She’s quite a beauty, open, warm, inviting, welcoming the way I think Summer should be. Her name is Magdalene. She was created by Dessa Kirk and my research found the following info…
Music & Musicians – Chicago #3
SLIDESHOW – Chicago was asked to stay at home during Spring 2020. All clubs were closed. Here is a slideshow as an exercise in remembering and celebrating the talents of some wonderful jazz and blues musicians.
Music & Musicians – Chicago #2
SLIDESHOW – Chicago was asked to stay at home during Spring 2020. All clubs were closed. Here is a slideshow as an exercise in remembering and celebrating the talents of some wonderful jazz and blues musicians.
Music & Musicians – Chicago #1
SLIDESHOW – The city was asked to stay at home during Spring 2020. All clubs were closed. I decided to reach back to earlier dates as an exercise in remembering and enjoying some wonderful jazz and blues musicians. Here is the first of a series of slideshows to celebrate their talents. Photos include Guy King, Juan Daniel Pastor, Patricia Barber, Dana Hall, Hunter Jay Diamond, Quentin Coaxum, Paul Wertico, and Isaiah Collier.
I Love Ya Tomorrow
I thought of this image during the Covid-19 2020 stay-at-home Spring and words from the musical Annie popped into my brain; “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I Love Ya, Tomorrow”. The song finishes “It’s only a day away”. I replaced that line with the word “Whenever” because right now I/we don’t know when life like the image above will return.
New Book Available Now
CLICK ON THE PHOTO ABOVE … for a slideshow of performers and details about my book celebrating SPACE, the music hall in Evanston, IL during its first 10 years.
2525 North South East West Any Street in the City
2525 North South East West Any Street in the City. This image is interesting to me by itself as a piece of architecture. It was captured during the 2020 Covid-19 stay at home order. It symbolizes doors closed and secured, people safe inside, stay away.
CGQ Plays Captain Marvel
SLIDESHOW – Chris Greene Quintet performed Stan Getz ‘s CAPTAIN MARVEL at the Jazz Record Art Collective. The visual artist was Abena Motaboli. Chris Greene on reeds, Damian Espinosa piano/keyboards, Marc Piane bass, Steve Corley drums. Chris Edwards percussionist
Documenting Chi-Town Jazz Festival #11
SLIDESHOW – Here are some photo highlights from the 11th Annual Chi-Town Jazz Festival Supporting Hunger Relief.
Music and Songs by Milton Suggs
SLIDESHOW – Vocalist Milton Suggs returned home to Chicago for an evening of swing, soul, and his original music at Chris Anderson’s Fulton Street Collective.
Train Yard With Stairs
The interplay of light, shadows and lines at night attracted me to this scene in a Chicago Metra maintenance yard. This is a very noisy/grainy image which makes it look very graphic. I think that’s beautiful. It’s an “…in the eye of the beholder” kind of thing.
Time Out To Visit GPC
SLIDESHOW – I decided to take a break from winter weather, news, and work. The nearby Garfield Park Conservatory offered welcome relief.
Nightlife At The Jazz Showcase
Late night bar scene at Joe and Wayne Segal’s Jazz Showcase in Chicago where Tim Warfield brought his Jazzy Christmas crew to perform during the holiday. Sold out and rightly so.
Friendly Light On A Bitter Cold Night
A scene in the urban landscape processed to look like a painting. This diner’s sign in the window offering, “Coffee, Booze, Dessert,” known to some as the three basic food groups, caught my eye. A late night hang for body and/or soul.
Documenting Creation of an Artwork
SLIDESHOW – Sculptor John Preus constructs and installs his project , Adaptation, in Keller Center for Harris Policy Lab at the University of Chicago. All photos by Harvey Tillis Photography.
Documenting Jazz Gospel Inspired Handel
SLIDESHOW – 1/18/20 – The 15th annual concert of Handel’s classic Messiah was reimagined as a spirited jazz-gospel makeover at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre…and also kicked off the “Year of Chicago Music”.
Checking The Tunes
A couple reviews the variety of music on the juke box between live jazz performances at Chicago’s Green Mill.
Chicago Athletic Association Building
The Chicago Athletic Association building on Michigan Avenue across from Millennium Park
Brandee Younger, Jazz Harpist
Listening to Brandee Younger now on WBGO brought back memories of her from 8/29/18 when Dana Hall’s band performed MCoy Tyner’s “Extensions” at Chris Anderson’s Jazz Record Art Collective, JRAC, in Chicago.
Street Fair in the Spring
Here is a city street fair with whirling rides seen through the leaves and branches of a tree in early Spring.
Life Is Great, Be Cool To Each Other
The news is so extreme, divisive and tense that I had to pull this memory out from a pleasant bicycle ride through the city. “Life Is Great Be Cool To Each Other” is a graffiti artist’s mural in a quiet Pilsen neighborhood.
Patricia Barber at the Green Mill
12/23/19 – The Patricia Barber Trio performed at Chicago’s Green Mill during their regular Monday night residency. Songs from her highly praised latest album, “Higher”, were featured. Barber on piano, Larry Kohut on bass, and Jon Deitemyer on drums.
Kelly Sill At The Green Mill
To quote National Jazz Critic Neil Tesser, Sill’s “… oceanic tone carries on a Chicago bass tradition that starts with Milt Hinton and runs through such artists as Wilbur Ware and Rufus Reid”… Here he accompanied Mike Jones on piano and Eric Montzka on drums at a recent Green Mill gig.
The Masters
Kirk Brown on piano and Yosef Ben Israel quietly, brilliantly solo during a set with the Ari Brown Quintet at The Promontory in Chicago.
Smiley Plays The Blues
Smiley Tillmon played the blues with his band recently at SPACE in Evanston, IL as part of their Blue Monday series.
Just Chairs
Chairs stacked in the corner of a music club. Soon they would be spread around the room for guests arriving that evening.
Maggie Burrell!
Maggie Burrell, performing at the Fulton Street Collective, was the perfect singer for this great band, The Chicago Yestet.
Caroline Davis & Rob Clearfield at the Green Mill
Caroline Davis & Rob Clearfield performed their new album, “Persona” at a CD release party at Chicago’s Green Mill.
Stu Mindeman at the Jazz Record Art Collective
Stu Mindeman played with the Artie Black Quintet as they performed Eddie Harris’ “THE IN SOUND” at Chris Anderson’s Jazz Record Art Collective, JRAC, in Chicago.
Victor Goines at the Hyde Park Jazz Society
Victor Goines performed at The Promontory in Chicago for the Hyde Park Jazz Society’s Sunday night series.
Haunted On Lake Street
I was walking in the rain to my car along a dark street. An “L” train roared overhead as this building came into view. The corner restaurant had been closed for months. No signs of life around. Yet a few lights, especially in the tower burned bright. What could be happening there? I quickened my pace. Oooooo…
Bridal Shop At Dusk On 26th Street, Chicago
Bridal Shop At Dusk On 26thStreet in Little Village, La Villita, a Mexican neighborhood in Chicago.
1558 N Damen, Chicago
1558 N Damen in Chicago is one of the busiest elevated “L” train stations in the city after rush hour. Commuters walk or bicycle here, then train to and from their next destination.
Rocking Chair on the Porch of a Hyde Park Chicago Home
Rocking Chair on the Porch of a Hyde Park Chicago Home.
Slideshow – 2019 Chicago Jazz Festival – Thursday
A slideshow with some of the great musicians at the 41st Annual Chicago Jazz Festival on Thursday, 8/29/19.
Used To Be Used To Be
A used to be grand old home from more than a century ago on what used to be Grand Boulevard in Chicago.
Two Doors To Doors
Entry to the elevated “L” platform to catch a Green Line rapid transit train at Ashland Avenue and Lake Street in Chicago.
Choppers In The Sun
Choppers fast food restaurant at Ashland Ave and Wabansia in Chicago on a sunny day.
Green Line Stop At Ashland
Waiting area on the elevated “L” platform to catch a Green Line rapid transit train at Ashland Avenue and Lake Street in Chicago.
Bud Billikan Parade 2019
A scene at the Bud Billikan Parade 2019, “Celebrating 90 Years of Excellence”.
Umbrellas Waiting
The full title of this image is, “Umbrellas On A Deck Late Friday Summer Afternoon Waiting For The Weekend To Begin.” This is a straight photograph. Available in Urban Landscapes at Prints For Sale.