

SECOND SUNDAY SALONS
The Second Sunday Salon Series is a series curated by Linda Solotaire and hosted in collaboration with
Colvin House in Edgewater in Chicago and other venues around the city.
We create community and safe space for artists to present new projects, workshops and ideas,
reaching new audiences and growing our network of thinkers & collaborators.
ARTISTS BIOS ARCHIVE BELOW
March is WOMENS' Month
MUSIC • Sarah Allen
WORDS • Roberta Miles
ART • Lesly Whitehead
April is POETRY Month
MUSIC • Joe Rendon
WORDS • Lynn Fitzgerald +
ART • Tigerlily Cross
Celebrate PRIDE!
MUSIC • Robing Watson
ART/WORDS • Chuck Kramer
WORDS • Timothy David Rey & Lauren Staten
See an archive of past SALON
artists bios, artists' statements
and more.
Sunday June 14, 2026
June is Pride Month, Celebrate LOVE, Celebrate DIVERSITY,
Celebrate Chicago Artists!

MUSIC
Jazz Lady, Robin Watson
"Robin is magnetic & engaging. Her passion, humor & vocal-ease are entertaining and fill the room with positive energy that keep audiences wanting more."
Robin Watson is Jazzlady Robin. A jazz vocalist and leader, her vocal styling is described to be an appealing blend of Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Carmen McRae and Nina Simone, while her creativity is clearly influenced by that of her distant cousin, Ella Fitzgerald. Ms. Watson’s performance career has spanned decades through Chicago’s premiere jazz venues. She has wooed audiences from large stages - Petrillo Bandshell, Garfield Park Conservatory, Pheasant Run, United Center, Odyssey Cruises, Showboat, Empress and Majestic Star Casinos- and more intimate music rooms at the Peninsula Hotel, Braxton’s, Tuscany’s, John & Tony’s, Metropolitan Club, Union League Club, Como Inn, Backroom and Cotton Club.
Ms. Watson has a BA in vocal performance from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA - where she merited solo performances at the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter, the United Nations, and a Brazilian tour. She now headlines her own combo with David Turner on piano, Rolfe Hokanson on bass, & George Aparo on drums. Robin Watson’s humor, energy and authenticity make her performances compelling and engaging. Hermaine Hartman of N’Digo says, “Watch this group, for they are going places.” Rhythm of Hope International talent agent, Kathy Kelly-Hahn says “Robin’s music is swinging, sultry and fun--whatever the style. Her tremendous showmanship qualities bring rave reviews; audiences love her, and the chemistry with her talented combo is great!” “...’Drippin’ N Sugar N Blues’ is just a taste of what this jazzlady has inside,” says WDCB Radio personality, Bruce Oscar.
Ms. Watson has also performed in musical theatre, worked as a studio recording artist and served as sidewoman for Jazz Unlimited Big Band, the Al Fook Big Band, the E-Band and Steve Zuterek Trio. She has had the privilege to also have performed with many other renowned jazz artists; (among them) Harrison Bankhead, Paul Casino, Ken Chaney, Rich Corpolongo, Mel Davis, Bob Dogan, Johnie Feran, Johnny Frigo, Skip Green, Larry Hanks, Roger Harris, Steve Hart, Laura Hoffman, Scott Earl Holman, John Jeffries, Leon Joyce, Spencer Keys, Dennis Luxion, Vijay Tellis Nayak, Corky McClerkin, Frank Menzies, Harold Morrison, Tom Muellner, Dennis Murray, Bruce Oscar, Julie Ponce, Eric Remschneider, Cecile Savage, Nick Schneider, Don Stilly, Skinny Williams, and Ken Wojicik.

PHOTOGRAPHY & WORDS
Chuck Kramer
Chuck Kramer, poet & photographer, has an MA in Writing from DePaul University and taught writing in the Chicago Public Schools at the Communication Arts Center.
His poems and short stories have appeared in many publications, both online and in print,
most recently in Lothlorien Poetry Journal, The Raven’s Perch and The Good Men Project. Memoir in Chicago Quarterly Review (a Notable Essay in forthcoming Best American Essays 2023), Sobotka, Evening Street Review. Journalism in the Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times, and Reader.
He is also a photographer who freelances for the Windy City Times and whose work has
been featured in shows at the Carlos and Dominguez Gallery in Pilsen, the Center on
Halsted, the Bezazian Library, and the Microcosmic show in Highland Park, IL. Other
photos at Knack Magazine, The Muses Gallery, and A Rock and a Hard Place.
He previously was the cohost of the Weeds Poetry Open Mic and served as a workshop
coordinator with the Chicago Writing Conference.

WORDS
Timothy David Rey
Timothy David Rey (he/him) is a poet, playwright, and performer. His original solo performances, monologues, poems, and plays have been produced in Chicago, Texas, and Panama (translated into Spanish). He is the author of Zip!, which was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference; The Monologue Play, which was a 2021/2022 Changing Worlds/Arts Work Fund Grant recipient; and other works. Rey’s poetry and performance pieces have been published in Obsidian: Literature of the African Diaspora, Black Horse Review, Emerge: 2022 LAMBDA Fellows Anthology, and elsewhere. His book of poetry and performance, Little Victories, was published in 2011 by NewTown Writers Press, an LGBTQ+ imprint.
Chicago poet David Hernandez wrote of Rey’s work for the jacket of Little Victories as
"...clearly concise and hits the senses like a velvet sledge hammer. This poet is a talented and gifted writer who paints with words, portraits in the mind that will always be remembered because you want them to be with you forever."

ONGOING
NON:op Inventory of Lost Books
Inventory of Lost Books is a four-room, multimedia, participatory installation that raises awareness about the growing wave of book banning in the U.S. Created by book artist Amanda Love and composer/sound artist Christophe Preissing, the project invites the public to record short readings from banned books, building a collective archive of voices representing suppressed stories.
The installation will be presented in the Chicago area and at the Cleveland Public Library from August 2026 through Spring 2027. The team aims to collect recordings from around 400 participants through neighborhood recording sessions and community partnerships. Anyone can participate—no performance experience required—and each recording takes just 5–10 minutes.
Together, these voices form a powerful, immersive experience that highlights the cultural impact of censorship and the importance of protecting diverse stories

PHOTOGRAPHY by Chuk Kramer
FACES: Out & Proud
This show, featuring years of Chuck Kramer's street photography, first opened at the Center on Halstead in 2019. The show focuses mostly on many years of PRIDE Parades, Marketdays and more LGBTQ events.

WORDS
Lauren Staten
Lauren is a Chicago poet, born and raised on the North side. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Western Illinois University in Journalism and Creative Writing, and has been involved with several publications and writing groups since 2003; including Louder than a Bomb and Weeds Poetry. After residing in Austin, Texas and returning to Chicago, she is eager to immerse herself in the local arts culture and surround herself with like-minded rebels on a quest to spread spoken word.
April is National Poetry Month

MUSIC
Joe Rendon & Friends
Joe Rendon • Leader, Congas
Jose “Joe” Rendon is a versatile percussionist and master conguero with a career spanning pop, Latin jazz, salsa, classical, and commercial music. He has performed with legendary artists including Aretha Franklin, Lalo Schifrin, Paquito D'Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, and Tito Puente.
Joe has also recorded for radio and television and performed with top international salsa artists, bringing dynamic rhythm and energy to every stage.
He leads "Joe Rendon & Friends" and performs under the banner "Joe Rendon Salsa Con Soul," bringing a blend of classic and soulful Latin rhythms to audiences.
THE BAND
Kevin O'Connell - Piano
Jose Porcayo - Bass
Jaime Claudio -Drums
Joe Rendon - Congas
__________________________________________
ONGOING
NON:op's Inventory of Lost Books
Inventory of Lost Books is a four-room, multimedia, participatory installation that raises awareness about the growing wave of book banning in the U.S. Created by book artist Amanda Love and composer/sound artist Christophe Preissing, the project invites the public to record short readings from banned books, building a collective archive of voices representing suppressed stories.
The installation will be presented in the Chicago area and at the Cleveland Public Library from August 2026 through Spring 2027. The team aims to collect recordings from around 400 participants through neighborhood recording sessions and community partnerships. Anyone can participate—no performance experience required—and each recording takes just 5–10 minutes.
Together, these voices form a powerful, immersive experience that highlights the cultural impact of censorship and the importance of protecting diverse stories
WORDS
Lynn Fitzgerald & Chicago Poets
Lynn Fitzgerald, Poet & Curator
Lynn Fitzgerald’s latest chapbook, Her Dress Does a Flip (2025) is available from dancinggirlpress.com. Her awards include the Jane Hirschfield Award for the poem, “Stendhal Syndrome,” a Community Arts Assistance Grant for artistic merit and publication of a chapbook, Closer to the
Earth, published by Moon Journal Press, three National Endowment for the Humanities
Fellowships, three Oppenheimer Awards, a Council for Basic Education Award, and University of Chicago and Newberry Library grants for scholarship.
She has taught in Kuwait, Lebanon, and China, where she served as an advisor for the Baccalaureate Program. She is a professor of literature, film, and writing for the Chicago City Colleges.
Michael Ryan Chandler, Poet is also a novelist who writes across various genres including: supernatural fiction, fantasy, and memoir. Michael has worked as a landscaper, server, teacher, actor, voice actor, textbook editor, and freelance magazine writer, among other professions. His many jobs have informed both his poetry and his worldview. Michael has lived in Korea, Colombia, and Saudi Arabia. He currently hosts a poetry open mic called Last Fridays Poetry.
Marcy Rae Henry, Poet is a Xicana artist and author of death is a mariachi, winner of the May Sarton Poetry Prize, when to go to the Taj Mahal, the body is where it all begins, dream life of night owls, and We Are Primary Colors. Awards include a Chicago Community Arts Assistance Grant, an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship, four Pushcart nominations. MRae is senior editor for RHINO and has no social media accounts.
Thomas Holton, Poet is a Florida-born writer and poet based in Chicago. His poems and short stories have appeared in Red Ogre Review, hu the zine, Oyez Review, Ink in Thirds, WREATH, and Written On a Napkin. He writes the Substack newsletter, "Does it Swim?", and his debut poetry chapbook and short film, "Warm Numb, Jagged Spiral, Hey Teddy!" is available now.
Moira Sullivan, Poet is a retired translator and marketer for an international nonprofit. She has
co-curated a community open mic at the former Café Express South in Evanston and
served as an associate editor at RHINO (2011-2014). Currently, she serves on the Off
Campus Writers’ Workshop Board. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in three
anthologies (Further Persons Imperfect, Turning Points, and Meaningful Conflicts) among
others.
Stephanie Sullivan, Poet is an actor with an MFA in Acting and over 25 years of experience performing on stage. She is also a painter who began a portrait business in 2014 creating custom portraits of people’s beloved pets. By day, she works as a real estate agent in the Chicago area. She’s also the proud mom of an amazing four-year-old who inspires much of the joy and perspective she brings to her creative work.

ART
Tigerlily Cross
Tigerlily Cross, Painter
Artist Statement 2026
I have been making and selling art for decades at venues such as art guilds, galleries, libraries, fairs, bars and nightclubs, annual Chicago art shows, the DP History Center, and most recently the Northbrook YMCA.
A self-taught painter, I first began mark-making—according to my mother—around the age of four. As an “Army brat,” I was rarely in one place for long, so I learned early how to entertain myself through art. Art became my friend, my everything—and it remains my lifeblood, my heart and soul, my source of stability.
Born in Long Beach, California, I spent my youth living in many states across the U.S. before my father moved us back to California. There, I met and married my spouse. Later, we moved to the islands of Hawaii, where I worked as a legal secretary in Honolulu before returning fully to art and jewelry-making on Maui and Oahu.
I opened a small shop and sold my art and jewelry to people from all over the world. I crafted shell and coral jewelry, created tropical paintings, and taught myself the art of sand painting, replicating authentic Hawaiian petroglyphs. These works were sold through the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Twenty years ago, the mainland called us back. After visiting Illinois—my husband’s birthplace—we chose to make it our home. We are very happy here and feel deeply connected to Midwestern values.
My artistic practice spans a wide range of mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, and graphite. I have also worked in sculpture, wall-hanging weaving, ceramics, jewelry, painted jean jackets, and altered art clothing.
Currently, my work focuses on engaging the viewer—to look beyond the image and into a merging of meaning, an esoteric mood, a certain presence. Whether human, animal, or earth-based, I explore layers of atmosphere and emotional resonance—the feeling beneath what we see. An image can affect us far more deeply than its surface definition.
My aim is to create connection.
In a world where our devices are constantly in hand, I worry we are drifting away from what distinguishes us as human. Through painting, I seek to hold space for that connection—to gather complexity, emotion, and presence into something we can feel, together.
March is Women's Month

MUSIC
Sarah Allen • Art for Arts Sake
Sara Allen, Leader, Drummer - leads and ALL STARR Jazz Ensemble performing the works of Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and others.
The project is called Art for Arts Sake and features Steve Million-piano, Stacy McMichael-bass, Rachel Castellanos-trombone, James Davis-trumpet, Brian Gephart-saxophones, Juli Wood-saxophones, and Sarah Allen-drums
SARAH ALLEN has drummed her way through a broad range of musical situations, performing and recording throughout the U.S. and in Europe and Asia with jazz, pop, folk, klezmer, musical theater and classical ensembles, including Blue Man Group, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (Six!; Three Musketeers; Seussical), The Goodman Theatre (Jungle Book), Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Fannie: The Life and Music of Fannie Lou Hamer), Writers Theatre (Sweet Charity), Broadway Playhouse, Drury Lane Oak Brook, and Steppenwolf Studio Theater; the Aretha Franklin Orchestra, the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, The Last Word (with poet Marc Kelly Smith), Bobby Conn (Rise Up!, Lovessongs), Bobbi Wilsyn, Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, Fred Simon (Dreamhouse); and dancing and drumming in Jellyeye.
With her four albums as a leader, multiple studio projects as a side man, and countless
worldwide performances, saxophonist, vocalist and composer JUILI WOOD has established
herself as a solid, swinging, lyrical and entertaining performer on Chicago’s music scene. Juli has performed at jazz clubs and festivals nationally and internationally, including Chicago Jazz Fest, Hyde Park Jazz Fest, Milwaukee’s Summerfest; many of Chicago’s premier jazz clubs –Jazz Showcase, Green Mill, Andy’s and Katerina’s; and she has performed internationally at the Skansen Jazz and Blues Fest (Stockholm), Pori Jazz Fest (Finland), Bent J’s club (Aarhus, Denmark), Storyville (Helsinki), Arlandia Jazz Fest (Aaland Islands, Finland) and the Made in Chicago jazz festival in Poznan Poland, to name a few.
STEVE MILLION is a pianist, composer, and arranger from Chicago, by way of NTSU (Denton, TX), Kansas City and New York. Steve has led countless projects, resulting in recordings as a leader (Million to One, Thanks A Million, Truth Is, Poetic Necessities, Mood Point, Live in Racine, Remembering the Way Home), as well as JazzWords with singer Sarah Marie Young; What I Meant to Say with guitarist Steve Cardenas; and Perfectly Spaced with jazz violinist Mark Feldman. Steve has also performed and recorded locally and abroad with jazz luminaries including Chris Potter, Randy Brecker, Dick Oatts, Seve Cardenas, Michael Moore, Ron Vincent and Mark Feldman.
A master of tenor, soprano and alto saxophones, BRIAN GEPHART is also a prolific composer who leads and records with his own groups featuring sextet, quartet and trio lineups; the Brian Gephart Group can currently be heard in residency at Sketchbook in Skokie. Brian also co-led the Gephart-Long quartet with pianist/composer Bob Long, a partnership which produced six albums. Brian was featured at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 2014, performing a 50th Anniversary tribute to John Coltrane’s album A Love Supreme with the John Hanrahan Quartet; as well as on Chicago’s 2017 Jazz Festival, performing that iconic work with Marshal Vente’s Large Ensemble.
Chicago trumpeter JAMES DAVIS is a prolific and versatile contributor to the diverse blend of musical communities that make up the modern Chicago scene – playing blistering solos with the New Standard Jazz Orchestra, interpreting Matt Ulery’s intricate and delicate chamber-jazz or sharing the frontline of bassist Chris Dammann’s freewheeling sextet with AACM legend Ed Wilkerson. James’ own recording project Beveled produced Arc & Edge in 2025, cited in All About Jazz as “sonically unique and harmonically sophisticated” with a “sense of momentum and excitement.”
Rachel Castellanos is a Chicago-area trombonist, versatile across jazz, salsa, orchestral, brass and contemporary music. Rachel has performed with jazz legends Clark Terry and Slide Hampton; rock and pop legends Bob Weir, Ben Folds, Janelle Monáe and Pete Townshend; as well as with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and in Mexico with Orquesta Sinfónica UANL. A founding member of New Chicago Brass and the Ottava Quartet, Rachel was a touring member of the Alliance Brass Quintet.
Stacy McMichael is a thriving professional upright and electric bassist and educator, who has been featured onstage in theatrical productions that include 1776; Dreamgirls; Cabaret ZaZou; Hairspray and the North American debut and subsequent tour of SIX! Stacy also performed at Lollapalooza Paris in 2023, with superstar dj Kygo. Stacy can be heard at local jazz venues with singer/instrumentalist Jeanne Tanner, saxophonist Frank Catalano and ensembles lePercolateur
and Paris la Nuit.

WORDS
Roberta Miles • Loose Chicks
Roberta Miles is a jazz singer, poet, writer, and visual artist. Her award-winning autobiographical monologues touch on growing up in Chicago in the 70’s and her life’s indiscretions and romantic regrets. Roberta chronicles her quest for mental and physical health with brutally hilarious candor. She has crafted her monologues into the one-woman show, “I Want a Banana, and Other Desperate Love Stories.” Roberta performs her work at live lit and storytelling events including God, Sex & Death, This Much is True, The Make Ready at the Dandelion Theatre, Stoop Stories, and Seven Deadly Sins. She is a staple performer with Beast Women and Three Cat Productions and has written and performed with Steppenwolf’s Project Compass.
She is the producer of the long-running shows Cafe Cabaret and Loose Chicks.
Loose Chicks is a recurring live Chicago storytelling show that features a diverse lineup of women sharing raw, honest, and often hilarious stories about identity, relationships, resilience, and transformation. This women’s storytelling event is a space for voices that are rarely heard in mainstream storytelling, and audiences consistently describe it as powerful, provocative, and deeply relatable.
ONGOING
NON:op's Inventory of Lost Books
Inventory of Lost Books is a four-room, multimedia, participatory installation that raises awareness about the growing wave of book banning in the U.S. Created by book artist Amanda Love and composer/sound artist Christophe Preissing, the project invites the public to record short readings from banned books, building a collective archive of voices representing suppressed stories.
The installation will be presented in the Chicago area and at the Cleveland Public Library from August 2026 through Spring 2027. The team aims to collect recordings from around 400 participants through neighborhood recording sessions and community partnerships. Anyone can participate—no performance experience required—and each recording takes just 5–10 minutes.
Together, these voices form a powerful, immersive experience that highlights the cultural impact of censorship and the importance of protecting diverse stories

PHOTGRAPHY
Lesly Whitehead
Lesley Whitehead is a professional photographer whose work centers on visibility, identity, and the lived experience of women 50+. With over 15 years behind the camera, her portraits focus on authenticity, strength, and presence—challenging cultural narratives around aging and beauty.
She is the creator of the 50 Over 50 Portrait Campaign, a photographic project dedicated to celebrating women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. Through her work, Lesley creates space for women to be seen not as they were—but as they are now.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Women are not meant to disappear with age.
And yet, after 50, society subtly—and sometimes aggressively—tells women to become quieter, smaller, more palatable. These portraits push back.
I photograph women 50+ as an act of resistance.
This work is not about nostalgia or “aging gracefully.” It is about power, presence, and unapologetic visibility. These women carry decades of lived experience, resilience, and self-knowledge—qualities too often overlooked in a youth-obsessed culture.
I do not photograph women to make them look younger. I photograph them to make them visible.
Each portrait honors truth over perfection and confidence over conformity. This is a celebration of women who have earned their voice and refuse to surrender it.
This body of work invites viewers to confront their own assumptions about age, beauty, and relevance—and to recognize what has always been true:
Women do not fade with time.
They sharpen.
About the Artists
Second* Sunday Salon 02.15.26

the band
Michael Levin on reeds, Kraig McCreary-lead guitar, Bob Long-keys, Doug Lofstrum-bass, Alpha Stewart on drums
Doug Lofstrom (bass)
Doug Lofstrom is a bassist and composer based in the Chicago area. Lofstrom has been
composing prolifically since the 1970s; his wide-ranging style reflects his ongoing
involvement in dance, film, theater and symphonic music. His works have been
performed by the St. Louis, Atlanta and Oregon Symphony Orchestras, and the Present
Music and CUBE chamber ensembles. He has taught music at Columbia College since
1986, and is the founding director of The New Quartet.
douglofstrom.com
Michael Levin (wind instruments)
Michael Levin has performed and recorded with a large sampling of local and
international artists, including Diane Schuur, Clark Terry, Barrett Deems, Bernard Purdie
and The Temptations. His solos are prominently featured in recordings by a long list of
Chicago House Music producers. He makes numerous appearances at clubs and festivals throughout the Midwest, including Ravinia, Chicago Fest, The Jazz Showcase, and The
House of Blues.
michaellevinmusic.com
Bob Long (keyboard)
Bob Long is an Evanston-based pianist, composer and songwriter. Long is a performing
and composing member of The Last Word Quintet and Adjunct Professor of History at
Elgin Community College and at Elmhurst University. He teaches piano at the School of
Rock Evanston.
facebook.com/bob.long.906/about
Kraig McCreary (lead guitar)
Kraig McCreary is a world-class journeyman musician based in Chicago. He has toured
and recorded with a long list of artists, and played sessions for numerous films and
commercials. His compositions in many genres have been featured on PBS, The Oprah Show, and many other programs. A multi instrumentalist, McCreary is a well-known and
respected producer/arranger.
kraigmccreary.com
Alpha Stewart (drums & percussion)
Alpha Stewart has been well-known as a versatile percussionist and drummer in the
Chicago music scene for over 40 years. Stewart has a reputation for sensitive and soulful
playing and appearances with various local artists like The Val Leventhal Trio, John
Temmerman Band and Lance Brown. He is an active presence in jazz, blues and fusion
jams throughout the city.
.

Singer-Songwriter, Leader
Scott Wills
Scott Wills is an artist, musician and videographer based in Chicago. For the past decade he has focused on writing and recording original songs and instrumental compositions, which he releases through his record label, Manatauck Music.
The songs Wills writes span many genres, including American traditional, country, blues, jazz, cabaret and rock. His songs, known for their incisive, sardonic lyrics and emotionally articulate melodies, explore themes of transition, transformation, redemption, and mortality.
“Growing up, I listened to Handel on the radio and Hank Williams on the jukebox,” he says, explaining his eclectic musical tastes. “I got fired up by the work of artists I heard and the way they affected me, songwriters like Jacques Brel, Randy Newman, Paul Siebel, Leonard Cohen and, of course, Bob Dylan. I decided to make a lifelong study and practice of songwriting.” He counts among his musical influences such diverse personalities as Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Mississippi John Hurt, Henry Purcell and Leonard Bernstein. “For lyric mentors I look to poets,” he says, citing Conrad Aiken, Elizabeth Bishop, TS Eliot, and Langston Hughes in addition to master lyricists Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim.
Wills was born in Western Pennsylvania. His father was an engineer, his mother a classically-trained singer. He lived a peripatetic life, eventually landing in Chicago in the 70s where he became involved in the Folk Music scene lead by the likes of John Prine, Steve Goodman, Bonnie Koloc and Fred Holstein. After trying his hand as a performer, he took up graphic design to support himself and his family. His designs of logos, album covers and promotional graphics for such Chicago musicians as The Casualaires, Jump ‘N the Saddle, The Odd, and the Vanessa Davis Band helped to launch his fledgling design career. He continued to write songs and soak up musical influences.
In 2001 Wills met composer and producer Andy Mitran at the Men’s Art Forum, and began a long and productive collaboration. At Mitran’s recording studio, Mitran Mitran, the two continue to co-produce and record original works, including Wills’ two solo albums, the virtual band Bad Wiring’s EP Good Medicine, and The Remberton Consort’s A Christmas of the Heart.
In 2020, Wills’ northside Chicago home was invaded by colonies of rats. He demolished and rat-proofed his basement, and built a recording studio there (“I should have called it Rodent Records,” he quips), where he produces recordings of his and other artists’ music and poetry. He founded the Manatauck Music record label and its publishing arm, Dymaduzzin, as vehicles for his original work. His recordings feature collaborations with many excellent musicians from across the country.
Wills releases his music under several monikers, each with its unique attitude and musical slant. The band Claxton Clay projects a warm, spiritual vibe steeped in Americana, infused with country blues, cabaret jazz, and gospel. Mo Stanton is an edgier persona, with roots in rockabilly, alt-country, and New Orleans funk. The virtual band Bad Wiring explores sonic landscapes with surrealistic lyrics. The Remberton Consort is heavily influenced by the music of Medieval and Renaissance Europe. For about fifteen years, Wills and his wife, actor Betsey Means, hosted house concerts in their home, featuring a rotating parade of musicians, poets, and actors, including Val Leventhal, Al Day, Barbara Silverman, Steve Rosen and Lance Brown. The concerts became a community-building haven for all seeking live performances in an intimate, performer-friendly venue. In addition to his own work, Wills produces videos and composes music for Means’ production company, Womanlore Performing Women in History. Wills’s current album in production, Claxton Clay’s PlainSong, will be released in spring 2026. His music and music videos are available through Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Youtube, and other online sources.

Multi Media Artist
Cara Winter
Cara Winter has been a working artist for over 30 years. She began in the theater, attending Interlochen Arts Camp on scholarship as a musical theater student. She then became a Trustee Scholar at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she graduated with a BFA in 1997. Also a classically trained singer, Cara has performed with The New York Oratorio Society at Carnegie Hall, The Bach Festival Chorus of Kalamazoo College, St. Joseph’s Church Choir in Chicago, and (just once!) with the late, great Pete Seeger at Cooper Union.
During the late 1990’s, Cara worked in experimental theater with several companies on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, including Expanded Arts, H.E.R.E., and The Hyperbolic Players. During this time, Cara performed and wrote, and then directed; plays under her creation were a gender-bent version of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, and the Off-Broadway premiere of The Illusion, by Tony Kushner. Cara has also performed in dozens of regional and stock productions, and toured the country three times with A Christmas Carol and The Adventures of Curious George.
Cara is also an accomplished screenwriter and producer. Since 2013, Cara has developed over a dozen TV shows, miniseries, and feature scripts, and pitched herself and her projects to Lionsgate, 21 Laps, Hello Sunshine, OWN, and Lucky Chap. She is a founding member of Cottage Grove Productions, a Chicago-based film production company whose short films include Bosom (currently streaming on KweliTV) and Cottage Grove, which streamed on AMC+, and earned a Chicago/Midwest Regional Emmy® Award nomination.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Cara began making visual art. In addition to working with acrylic paint on canvas, Cara engages with text, spiritual mythologies, wood, bark, and the occasional found object. In 2021, in response to a deep need for tactile (as opposed to digital) writing, Cara purchased a 1950’s Smith Corona manual typewriter and began making original, one-of-a-kind works. This has morphed into a public art project, called typeface, an interactive experience which promotes reflection, face-to-face communication, and encourages audiences to have a new, different, and tactile relationship with the written word.
Cara works primarily out of her in-home studio, coined ‘the treehouse’ for its majestic, second-story view of a 100-year-old maple tree. This exhibit of Cara’s, Black and Blue, is her first. She resides in Chicago, Illinois with her son, Avery.

NON:op
Inventory of Lost Books - audience participation
Inventory of Lost Books is a four-room, multimedia, participatory installation that raises awareness about the growing wave of book banning in the U.S. Created by book artist Amanda Love and composer/sound artist Christophe Preissing, the project invites the public to record short readings from banned books, building a collective archive of voices representing suppressed stories.
The installation will be presented in the Chicago area and at the Cleveland Public Library from August 2026 through Spring 2027. The team aims to collect recordings from around 400 participants through neighborhood recording sessions and community partnerships. Anyone can participate—no performance experience required—and each recording takes just 5–10 minutes.
Together, these voices form a powerful, immersive experience that highlights the cultural impact of censorship and the importance of protecting diverse stories.


*Every now and again the actual second Sunday of the month has something we don't want to compete with - this February it's the Super Bowl on 2/8/26. We think Football lovers love music and art too - so we wanted to be sure to include them.
Thank You to everyone who participated in the December 2025 Salon!
We were able to donate $983.17 to ICIRR!

ICIRR is dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrants and refugees to full and equal participation in the civic, cultural, social, and political life of our diverse society
Learn more about ICIRR here.

MUSIC
Fareed Haque . Guitar
Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation.
Born in 1963 to a Pakistani father and Chilean mother, Fareed’s extensive travels and especially long stays in Spain, France, Iran, Pakistan, and Chile exposed Haque to different kinds of music from a very early age. While this natural eclecticism has become a hallmark of Haque’s music, it was repeated visits to Von Freeman’s Chicago jam sessions that gave Haque a grounding in the Chicago blues and jazz traditions. The 1981 recipient of North Texas State University’s Jazz Guitar Scholarship, Haque spent a year studying with renowned jazz guitarist and pedagogue Jack Peterson. Fareed’s growing interest in the classical guitar led him to transfer to Northwestern University, where he completed his studies in classical guitar under David Buch, John Holmquist, and Anne Waller.
Soon after his transfer to NU, Haque came to the attention of multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy and joined his latin-fusion group Chevere. Thru Levy, Haque was introduced to Paquito D’Rivera and began a long and fruitful relationship with the Cuban NEA Jazz Master. Numerous world tours and recordings including Manhattan Burn, Celebration, Havana Cafe, Tico Tico, Live at the MCG were to follow. Especially notable is the classic and award winning “Reunion” featuring Haque along with Arturo Sandoval, Danilo Perez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mark Walker, and David Fink.
Thru D’Rivera, Haque was brought to the attention of Sting, who had just begun his record label Pangaea. Sting invited Haque to join the label where he released 2 critically acclaimed recordings, “Voices Rising” and “Manresa”. Haque toured briefly with Sting, including notable appearances at The Montreux Jazz Festival, as well as NBC’s Michelob Presents Sunday Night with David Sanborn, but his own career demands led Haque in other directions.
After a short stint at Warner Bros. recording “Majestad” (unreleased and featuring John Patitucci, Michael Landau, Russel Ferrante, Grazinha, Lenny Castro, and Carlos Vega), Bruce Lundvall signed Haque to the legendary Bluenote Records. While at Bluenote, Haque recorded three albums as a leader: “Sacred Addiction”, “Opaque”, and “Déjà vu”. Haque toured and recorded extensively with other artists, including tours and 3 CDs with Javon Jackson: “A Look within”, “For One Who Knows”, and “Good People”. In addition, sideman credits include tours and recordings with Joe Henderson, Herbie Mann, Bob James, Richie Cole, Joey Calderazzo, Kahil El Zabar and the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, and numerous Bluenote recordings for producer/arranger Bob Belden alongside Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Joe Lovano, Paul Motian, and many others. Numerous classical recitals, as well as appearances with the Vermeer Quartet and many symphonies across the US and abroad, added to an incredible diversity of performances during this period.
Thru Belden, Haque was invited to join forces with Joe Zawinul as part of his Zawinul Syndicate. The group proved to be one of Joe’s best and most eclectic. Included were percussionist and vocalist Arto Tuncboyacian, drummer Paco Sery, bassist Mathew Garrison, along with Haque on a hybrid acoustic ‘Guistar’ and Electric Guitar. A year of extensive touring brought Haque closer to his Jazz/Rock roots.
In 2001, Haque’s interest in jam bands and the jam scene led him to co-found the jam super-group Garaj Mahal featuring Kai Eckhardt, Eric Levy, and Alan Hertz. This began 10 years of extensive touring across the US, performing in excess of 200 shows per year. Haque also joined George Brooks’ group Summit, featuring Zakir Hussain and Steve Smith. Haque was voted ‘Most Valuable Player’ at the 2002 High Sierra Music Festival. Haque and Garaj Mahal released 3 Live CDs as well as 5 studio CDs: “Mondo Garaj”, “Blueberry Cave”, “w00t”, “More Mr. Nice Guy”, and “Discovery”, which featured Haque’s debut of the Moog Guitar.
In 2004, Fareed premiered his “Lahara Double Concerto” for Sitar/Guitar and Tabla with The Chicago Sinfonietta at Symphony Center in Chicago, under the baton of maestro Paul Freeman, featuring tabla virtuoso Ustad Zakir Hussain, to whom the work is dedicated.
In 2006, Fareed was commissioned to compose a classical guitar concerto for the Fulcrum Point Ensemble. His “Gamelan Concerto” was premiered in May of ’06 at The Harris theatre in Millenium Park.
In 2007, Garaj Mahal won an Independent Music Award.
In 2009 Haque was voted ‘Best World Guitarist’ by Guitar Player Magazine’s Readers’ poll. His acclaimed 2009 release Flat Planet was twice #1 on the World Jazz Radio charts.
After 10 years of over 2000 dates with Garaj Mahal, Haque’s interest in electronic music and the Moog Guitar spurred him to leave Garaj Mahal and form Fareed Haque’s MathGames, featuring bassist Alex Austin and drummer Greg Fundis.
Notable events during this time include Haque performing and assistant directing the first Jazz Festival in Frutillar, Chile under his mentor and friend Paquito D’Rivera, and appearances with his own groups at Java Jazz, The Chicago Jazz Festival, The Twents Guitar Festival, The Indy Jazz Fest, Coleman Hawkins Jazz Fest, Jazz in June, The Lafayette and South Bend Jazz Festivals, Sophia Jazz Fest, Bulgaria and many others around the world. Haque also performed both the Aranjuez and Villa-Lobos guitar concertos with The Chicago Philharmonic, under the baton of Lucia Matos at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall.
Learn more about Fareed here.

WORDS
Ivan Ramos (iRise)
Ivan Ramos, known artistically as iRiSe, has dedicated the last twenty years to teaching, writing, and performing poetry. iRiSe has performed and collaborated with a diverse range of Chicago's talent—including musicians, producers, D.J.'s, and fellow poets. This collaborative spirit has allowed him to add his poetic voice into the rich tapestry of Chicago’s musical and spoken word landscape.
Ivan's artistic work is the driving force behind his advocacy for all people. His poetry is not just performance; it is a catalyst for dialogue and understanding, fueling his dedication to social justice, equity, and empowerment for all indigenous and marginalized communities.
Visit iRise Instagram here

DANCE
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre (CRDT) was born to explore and celebrate the complexities of American identity at the intersections of culture heritage & identity.
CRDT is led by Artistic Director Wilfredo Rivera, a Honduran native whose unique life and artistic experiences shape the company's ethos. Ceqrau Rivera artists are fearless storytellers who help people understand and engage with themselves and the world around them. With a focus on the development of high quality art, each piece the company makes centers around a specific experience. The company engages in research and radical collaboration to convey narratives through a diverse group of artists.
Cerqua Rivera also builds bridges with its community through local and national touring, workshops, interactive previews of work in progress, and full concerts.
See Chicago Dance says the company “possesses a blended magic that is difficult to come by” and “creates a deeper sense of community and intimacy.”
New City Stage raves that Cerqua Rivera "speaks straight to the heart, feeding a hunger [you] may not even realize.”
The company will perform and excerpt from
Place Between Earth & Sky
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Curation Wilfredo Rivera
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Choreography Shannon Alvis
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Composition Clarice Assad
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Costumes Jordan Ross
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Performers: Caitlin Yatsuhashi & Bennett Cullen
For schedule & more info. www.cerquarivera.org



