News Archives - Patricia Barber

Whipsmart Women Kick off Chicago’s 45th Jazz Festival

The 45th Chicago Jazz Festival kicked off its headline events with two erudite individuals, Esperanza Spalding and Patricia Barber. Both worldly, wordy intellectuals, they’re also groovers, sensualists, bad-asses. Night two of the fest tasted barbs from Barber, who claimed she hadn’t been invited since 1992. (In fact, she last appeared in 2002.) Barber alleged her first appearance was heralded by a warning not to sing originals, which she summarily ignored. Originals made up the lion’s share of this rare and substantial set, which comprised six self-penned pieces, several from the ’90s (“Like JT,” “Touch Of Trash,” “Company”) and five standards, if jazz police will permit Sandy Denny’s “Who Knows Where The Time Goes?” and “Black Magic Woman.” The latter she waxed live at the Green Mill on Companion (Blue Note/Premonition 1999) with the insinuating guitar of John McLean, but that chair has long been held by the versatile Neil Alger. Alger contributed lovely acoustic accompaniment to Jobim’s “Triste” and fuzzed-out snark on “Trash,” but the 1968 Peter Green classic, with its heritage as an Otis Rush lift and feature for Santana, was pregnant with shred expectation in Millennium Park. Alger delivered with composure and insouciance (later performing with his own Here And Now, alongside incisive trumpeter Chad McCullough, at the fest’s WDCB Jazz Lounge). Barber’s drummer, Jon Deitemyer, was also additionally booked — clearly a first-call accompanist for vocalists — appearing with up-and-coming singer Isabella Isherwood and pianist Jeremy Kahn. But it was Emma Dayhuff who stood out in tandem with Barber on a stunning duo of “Wild Is The Wind,” during which she eked uncommon resonance and poignancy from her contrabass with hypersensitive arco work. Barber, the ice queen, unapologetically grey and gay (her hair was dark 23 years ago and she insisted her closer “Devil’s Food” was a “gay song”), reminded that she remains a school of one. She hit poised long notes vocally, yet she has a line in sharp instrumentals, too (check out “Crash” from Live: A Fortnight In France, Blue Note 2004), which she sometimes neglects in favor of her skewering observations about contemporary society or folk she either adores or finds insufferable. Michael Jackson, DOWNBEAT September 9, 2025 Photo by Valerie Booth READ THE FULL ARTICLE

pbadmin2025-09-28T18:35:13+00:00

Chicago Jazz Fest gives established beacons and rising stars a chance to shine

Singer-songwriter and pianist Patricia Barber was singing about that same technoskepticism while Spalding was still in high school. “Company,” off her breakthrough 1998 album, got a suave and sophisticated redux on Friday, Barber preparing the Pavilion Steinway to sound like a hollow banjo and Jon Deitemyer holding down the skittering rimshot groove. No one on the Chicago scene writes music remotely like Barber’s. Who else could reference Hockney, Hopper, Goya and Picasso without eliciting eyerolls (from 2002’s “If I Were Blue”), or write couplets like “Do you think of me like salt? / Do you taste me in your tears?” (from 2008’s “Snow”)? Or smuggle progressive jazz — those lancelet-sharp lyrics, on a canvas of fuzzed-out guitar and progressive harmony — in lounge-listening sheep’s clothing? And yet: Barber has not played the Chicago Jazz Festival since 1992, near the very start of her local career. When she did, she said, she was warned by a member of the festival committee not to play any originals. But on Friday? “I just played a set of all original music,” Barber said, to raucous applause. Her thoughtful colleagues helped those subtleties sing. Like Barber’s music itself, guitarist Neal Algers subtly bucks expectation, from his harmonic slipperiness to étude-like efficiency in his solo passagework off Santana’s “Black Magic Woman.” And bassist Emma Dayhuff has been a high point of every ensemble I’ve heard her in, urging bandmates and audience alike to think deeper, listen deeper. In her first solo, Dayhuff hushed her sound over the course of the solo; the others onstage followed her. The entire Pavilion seemed lean in, hanging off her every note. Hannah Edgar, CHICAGO TRIBUNE September 2, 2025 Photo by Valerie Booth READ THE FULL ARTICLE

pbadmin2025-09-28T18:35:13+00:00

10 best singers from Illinois

Patricia Barber is a true innovator in modern jazz, creating music that defies convention and captivates with its depth. Born in Schaumburg, Illinois, Barber has spent decades blending traditional jazz with blues, pop, and even poetic lyricism. Her haunting voice and virtuosic piano skills are at the heart of celebrated albums like Café Blue and Modern Cool, which have earned critical acclaim for their sophistication and artistry. What sets Barber apart is her ability to explore deeply intellectual and introspective themes within her music, pushing the boundaries of jazz while remaining true to its roots. A fixture of Chicago’s music scene, Barber continues to challenge and inspire listeners worldwide, proving that jazz is not just timeless but ever-evolving. - Singersroom.com

pbadmin2025-09-28T18:35:13+00:00

Best Singers from Iowa

Patricia Barber is an extraordinary jazz musician known for her introspective, intellectual approach to both piano and vocals. Born in Iowa City, Iowa, Barber grew up immersed in music, honing her craft and developing a distinctive style that blends jazz with elements of blues, pop, and avant-garde. Albums like Nightclub and Modern Cool highlight her ability to reinterpret jazz standards while crafting original compositions that challenge the listener both musically and emotionally. Her sophisticated, moody sound has earned her a dedicated following, and her ability to experiment and evolve has kept her at the forefront of modern jazz. Barber’s music is as much about thought and emotion as it is about technical skill, making her a true standout in the jazz world. - Singersroom.com