While living in Hyde Park, the north side of Chicago provided a space to escape our neighborhood joints and dance in nightclubs like Club Berlin and the Smart Bar.

This week I discuss volunteering for Southend Musicworks, an organization led by Leo Krumpholz that brought alternative music to Chicago from 1987 to 1994. I mention meeting Terry Riley and George Brooks and recall outstanding performances from Maria João with Aki Takase on piano and the duo of Marion Brown and Mal Waldron.