Do312 - What to do in Chicago

Cécile Savage (bass and vocals) and Calvin "Koco" Brunson (piano and vocals), who co-lead the jazz group "Komango," perform at Benny’s on Wednesday, December 7 and Wednesday, December 21 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. They offer a culturally diverse repertoire steeped in the African American, French and Brazilian traditions.

Cécile’s musical voyage started in Paris and meanders through Europe, Africa and North America. Cécile plays who she is: a blend of French Cabaret and American Jazz. Born in Martinique, raised in Paris, she studied piano for many years. She moved to New York City where she joined the Living Theater for a while and then decided to devote her life entirely to music. She studied guitar with Ted Dunbar through the Jazzmobile program.

It is then that she started to play electric bass with blues harmonicist Sugar Blue, with whom she also toured with Memphis Slim, and Willie Mabon. She then decided to move to Chicago where she performed with blues and jazz musicians such as Jimmy Dawkins, Von Freeman, Franz Jackson, Floyd McDaniel, George Freeman, Oscar Brown Jr., Redd Holt and many more.

She performed at the 2008 Chicago Jazz Festival: Tribute to Malachi Favors. She mainly plays a 5 string Alter Ego electric upright bass, made in Rome, Italy. She combines all musical elements in a style which is truly her own.

Her music reflects her many influences: French lyricism, bluesy melodies and passion, and her own jazz compositions with Brazilian overtones.

With jazz, blues and musical theatre the major focus of his work, Calvin "Koco" Brunson has collaborated with the late, great playwright, Oscar Brown Jr. in writing plays entitled In De Beginnin’, Journey Through Forever, and Sliced Apple. Koco is also an "Artist-in-Residence" with Urban Gateways. Koco, as a principal composer and co-founder of "Komango", brings heart-felt musical dialogue, and passionate drama colored in pastels of worldwide rhythms and genres. Coupled with inventive harmonies and truly deft keyboard skills, the music "speaks" with emotion.