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Johnny Pacheco, salsa music icon, dies at age 85on February 16, 2021 at 8:39 pm
NEW YORK — Salsa idol Johnny Pacheco, who was a co-founder of Fania Records, Eddie Palmieri’s bandmate and backer of music stars such as Ruben Blades, Willie Colon and Celia Cruz, died Monday. He was 85.
He had been hospitalized in New York a few days earlier for pneumonia, his wife, Maria Elena “Cuqui” Pacheco, said on the artist’s Facebook account.
Fania Records tweeted that the musician was “the man most responsible for the genre of salsa music. He was a visionary and his music will live on eternally.”
In a post on his social media, Blades said that “Pacheco leaves us with an important musical legacy, represented by all the collaborations he made during his distinguished career.”
Singer Marc Anthony lamented the loss of Pacheco, calling him “maestro of maestros” and a good friend.
“Your sense of humor was contagious and I am forever grateful for your support, for the opportunity to be in your presence and for your amazing legacy,” Anthony wrote.
Pacheco was born March 25, 1935, in the Dominican Republic into a family of musicians. In the 1940s the family moved to New York, where he taught himself to play accordion, violin, saxophone and clarinet and studied percussion at Juilliard.
In 1954 he formed The Chuchulecos Boys with Palmieri on piano, Barry Rogers on trombone and other musicians who would gain renown in the salsa scene, such as Al Santiago, Mike Collazo and Ray Santos.
But the life-changing moment came in 1963, when Pacheco partnered with attorney Jerry Masucci to found Fania Records.
Pacheco was the music director, composer, arranger and producer, overseeing the label’s genre of music that came to be known as salsa — a mixture of Cuban mambo, guaracha and chachacha, Puerto Rican rhythms and Dominican meringue. He received the Latin Recording Academy Music Excellence Award in 2005 and was nominated for multiple Grammys and Latin Grammys.
“His music and legacy will endure forever and continue to inspire music creators around the world,” Gabriel Abaroa Jr., president and CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, said in a statement.
Pacheco is survived by his wife and their four children.
Johnny Pacheco, salsa music icon, dies at age 85on February 16, 2021 at 8:39 pm Read More »
Ten Great Things to Do in Februaryon February 16, 2021 at 7:56 pm
PLEASE NOTE: Events may be postponed or simply canceled. Please call ahead to make sure they are still scheduled to take place.
1
FESTIVAL
Hygge Fest
Andersonville’s annual neighborhood celebration of hygge — the Danish word expressing a general state of coziness, comfort, and contentment — is halfway through a monthlong take-out fest amid COVID-19 restrictions. Local restaurants and shops are offering special packages or discounts on hygge-at-home products like to-go cocktails, virtual wine tastings, sweet treats, and self-care supplies. And if you’ve developed a jigsaw-puzzle habit during lockdown, you can refresh your supply on February 27 at the Great Andersonville Jigsaw Exchange, taking place in the parking lot behind Women & Children First.
Various locations. Andersonville. Various prices. andersonville.org
2
ART
Monet and Chicago
The Art Institute reopened again on February 11, after the pandemic forced two separate closures in 2020. The return to business (at 25 percent capacity) comes with an extension of this major Monet exhibition, which highlights the painter’s relationship to a then-budding Midwestern metropolis.
Through June 14. Art Institute of Chicago. Loop. $7. artic.edu
3
ART
Immersive Van Gogh
This Toronto import turns familiar Van Gogh paintings into vast animated canvases (the walls are 35 feet high in parts of the space) synced to a surround-sound score. It’s a tech-driven art “experience” for everyone who had a poster of The Starry Night on their dorm-room wall.
Through Sept. 6. Lighthouse ArtSpace at Germania Place. Old Town. $40–$100. vangoghchicago.com
4
HISTORY
Mandela: Struggle for Freedom
The life of the South African political prisoner and president materializes in this interactive exhibit, which includes a true-to-scale replica of the Robben Island prison cell where Mandela was held captive. Virtual tours are also available.
Feb. 20–Sept. 12. Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. Skokie. Free–$15. ilholocaustmuseum.org
5
OPERA
Sole e Amore (Sun and Love)
Think warm thoughts as you bask in the sound of rising Lyric Opera stars from the Ryan Opera Center’s 2020–21 ensemble, performing lesser-known pieces by Italian composers including Verdi, Puccini, and Rossini. Lyric’s music director designate, Enrique Mazzola, serves as host and accompanist for the recital, streaming on Lyric’s Facebook and YouTube channels (and available on demand for a few months after its premiere).
FREE Feb. 21. 6 p.m. lyricopera.org
6
THEATER
Chicago Theatre Week
The League of Chicago Theatres’ annual showcase usually takes the form of deeply discounted tickets to live performances on the city’s multitude of stages. That can’t be the case this year, but the show, as they say, must go on, so the 2021 campaign will encompass cross promotion of the digital content offerings many theaters have produced. Would-be audience members can choose a virtual theater experience from the menu at the Chicago Theatre Week website to enjoy at home. If you’re so moved, you can donate the money you would have spent on tickets.
Feb. 25–Mar. 7. Various prices. chicagotheatreweek.com
7
TALK
Bill Gates: How to Avoid a Climate Disaster
The title of this Chicago Humanities Festival–produced YouTube Live talk is also the title of the Microsoft cofounder and megaphilanthropist’s new book (a copy is included in the event price and shipped to ticket holders by Seminary Co-op). Gates will discuss climate-change solutions and the challenges laid out therein with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, the hosts of the podcast Armchair Expert.
Feb. 25. 7 p.m. $36. chicagohumanities.org
8
ARCHITECTURE
Reflections of an Architecture Critic: A Conversation with Blair Kamin
Longtime Chicago Tribune columnist Kamin took a buyout from the paper in January after 33 years — 28 of them as its architecture critic, wherein he won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1999. He reflects on nearly three decades of covering Chicago’s built environment in this conversation with Illinois Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture dean Reed Kroloff, broadcast via Zoom.
Feb. 25. 6 p.m. $15. architecture.org
9
FOLK
Black History Month Virtual Concert: Preserving and Persevering
Chicago Children’s Choir’s annual Black History Month concert honors the role of music in the preservation of African traditions and the fight for racial equality and justice. This year’s program, like so much else, has gone digital; tune into CCC’s Facebook page or YouTube channel to hear a program including “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (a.k.a. the Black National Anthem), “Wade in the Water,” and “We Shall Overcome,” among other selections.
FREE Feb. 25. 7 p.m. ccchoir.org
10
DANCE
Bolero
The Joffrey Ballet returns to performance with the virtual premiere of a new short work choreographed by company member Yoshihisa Arai. Originally intended for Joffrey’s annual gala last April, Bolero has been reworked to eliminate physical contact between dancers (the costumes incorporate face coverings). Filmed in the black-box theater at Joffrey Tower, the performance streams on the company’s YouTube channel for one night only.
FREE Feb. 26. Virtual event. 7 p.m. joffrey.org
Ten Great Things to Do in Februaryon February 16, 2021 at 7:56 pm Read More »
A Shop to Help You Art Up Your Potted Plantson February 16, 2021 at 5:06 pm
In 2018, Damiane Nickles hosted a dinner party in his home, and guests were impressed by his slew of botanicals potted in unique containers. The enthusiasm for his leafy couplings sparked the idea for Not a Plant Shop, an online treasure-trove of unusual decor. “I’m giving people a more curated experience around the culture of indoor houseplants,” says Nickles, 27, who sells both plant and pot together as an artful unit. The self-professed “big thrifter,” who studied design at Syracuse University and previously worked at an urban farm, combs antique malls and flea markets across the Midwest for vessels. A recent peek at his inventory turned up a Fatsia japonica rooted in a swirled drinking glass ($70) and a Rhapis excelsa sitting pretty in a midcentury-modern-style ice bucket ($75). Nickles also works with local makers on unexpected collaborations — for example, Marz Community Brewing Co. cheesemonger Alisha Norris Jones paired a washed bufarolo with a Nickles-selected tray, planter, and plant cutting, all meant to be enjoyed while listening to a mood-setting playlist ($65 for the package). Monstera deliciosa, take me away. notaplantshop.com
A Shop to Help You Art Up Your Potted Plantson February 16, 2021 at 5:06 pm Read More »
Chicago Bulls Rumors: Bulls have not called on Lonzo Ball, yeton February 16, 2021 at 3:30 pm
The Chicago Bulls could be looking for a point guard at the NBA trade deadline, and Lonzo Ball continues to be the rumored target.
At this stage, the Bulls are just treading water in the Eastern Conference. Having dealt with several injuries over the last few weeks, Chicago continues to play competitive basketball for the most part.
Billy Donovan has had an enormous effect on the Bulls, and it’s shown through their ability to still win some games without some important pieces at times. At 11-15, the Bulls sit at the ninth seed out East and still have a legitimate chance at making the playoffs.
If they are to do so, and if they are to remotely make any noise, the Bulls will need to address the point guard position. Throughout this season, Coby White has shown he can be an explosive player just as he was during his rookie campaign.
But, White’s inability to be a true facilitator and, more importantly, play defense, has given Chicago reason to look for a different option. At this stage, White might be better suited as a sixth man — and he’d be fantastic at that role.
Who would the Bulls go after if they were to need a more prototypical point guard? Rumors have been active for weeks now that Chicago is interested in New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, and the interest remains legitimate. It’s been confirmed, but that’s just about the extent of the situation.
Though the Bulls are interested, a recent report says that Chicago has yet to reach out to New Orleans in regards to a potential trade. For now, they continue to do what they have done for weeks on end now: monitor Ball’s situation.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Bulls continue to watch for Ball’s status ahead of the deadline, but still have yet to formally discuss a Ball trade. If that’s the case, it makes one wonder just how serious they are about a deal.
Some trades have already happened this season — some big ones, too. If the Bulls wanted to make a real playoff run, why wouldn’t they have tried to execute a deal yet?
A lineup of Ball, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. would be a much improved lineup overall. That has mostly to do with Ball’s ability to defend and facilitate the offense. If Chicago could get Ball for maybe a pick, while keeping their core (and White, off the bench), then they immediately become a more interesting team.
So far this season, Ball is averaging 13.7 points, 4.7 assists 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Those are not numbers which will jump off the page to anybody, but on the Bulls, he’d have a star scorer in LaVine who would instantly take those assist numbers even higher.
We’ll also continue to monitor the situation with Ball going forward, and maybe the Bulls will have themselves a new point guard sooner or later.