Shawn Mullins, Sheila E., Alejandro Escovedo and More are Heading to City Winery

City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph Street, Grammy-nominated Americana artist Shawn Mullins, Queen of Percussion Sheila E., Mexican American rock musician Alejandro Escovedo and more. The following shows go on sale to the public on Friday, January 17 at noon. Tickets will be available at citywinery.com/chicago.

All City Winery Chicago events are open to all ages and start at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m., unless noted.

Chicago Philharmonic Brunch Series

Sundays, Feb. 16/Mar. 22/Apr. 26; 12 p.m.
$25 GA ticket, plus $20 brunch buffet option

Sunday, February 16: In the Realm of Senses - Pictures at an Exhibition

This concert is a unique multi-sensory performance of Modest Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." Multi-instrumentalist Jeff Yang has arranged and transformed this classical music staple, based on the paintings of Russian artist Viktor Hartmann, for two players and eight instruments. Throughout the performance, audiences will experience stunning music paired with animated lithographs by Chicago Philharmonic's own John Gaudette, along with other sensory elements. The program will also include Maurice Ravel's beautiful, nostalgic duo for violin and cello.

Sunday, March 22: Strings, Syrah, & Sisterhood Celebrating Women's History Month

This concert held in honor of Women's History Month will feature works written by a diverse group of living, female composers performed by an all-women Chicago Philharmonic Chamber ensemble. This concert honors the contributions of women throughout history and contemporary society, as well as celebrates the pioneers who paved the way for American women composers. Some of these include: Jesse Montgomery (b.1981), Caroline Shaw (b.1982), and Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972). Each piece represents the music of a variety of world cultures and explores themes of world music, folk music, and the traditions of Western classical music in a fresh and accessible way.

Sunday, April 26: Na Zdraví! To Winds and Wine

The Chicago Philharmonic Chamber players celebrate the history and future of Chicago's Czech culture with the Chicago premiere of composer Jacob Beranek's "Wind Quintet." This performance also includes a rare chance to hear from the composer in person as Beranek, a 20-year-old Czech-American prodigy composer, will introduce the concert. Plus, the Chamber Players treat audiences to Sir Malcolm Arnold's "Three Shanties," including a surprisingly spritely version of "What Should We Do With a Drunken Sailor?" Rounding out the program is "Wind Quintet No. 2" by the Czech father of the woodwind quintet, Anton Reicha.

Play On feat. Marquis Hill - A Benefit Concert for Merit School of Music

Monday, March 2; 7:00 p.m.

$25/$30/$35/$45

Merit School of Music presents a special jazz concert benefiting equal access to music education. Merit alum and internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill will headline the Second Annual Play On concert. Recently voted by The New York Times as one of the nation's Top Jazz Artists of 2019, Hill breaks down the barriers that divide musical genres, effortlessly fusing contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, and neo-soul. This thrilling trumpeter, born and raised on Chicago's culturally rich South Side, became a presence on the global scene virtually overnight after winning the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in 2014. Merit School of Music is dedicated to helping young people transform their lives by removing barriers to a high-quality music education, with nearly 70 percent of students benefitting from need-based financial aid and low-cost instrument rental. Merit enables motivated students, regardless of economic circumstance, to develop their talent and to use music as a springboard for achieving their full personal potential, with virtually 100 percent of our conservatory graduates going on to college. A limited number of special MOJO package tickets are available for $100.

Alejandro Escovedo feat. Antonio Gramentieri & Alex Ruiz - Performing songs from The Crossing, en Español

Wednesday-Thursday, March 18-19

$35/$45/$48/$55

Mexican American singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo has explored an array of musical identities throughout his career, including punk and roots-rock, alt-country, hard rock, Tex-Mex, folk and string quartets. Escovedo began his trailblazing career with San Francisco's famed punk band The Nuns followed by stints with the Austin-based alt-country rockers, Rank & File and the True Believers. He continued with countless all-star collaborations and a series of beloved solo albums beginning with 1992's acclaimed Gravity. Escovedo has earned a surplus of distinctions including the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award for Performing in 2006. His most recent album The Crossing, released in September 2018, follows the story of two young immigrants, one from Mexico and one from Italy, as they come to the United States to pursue their American dream and in search of their punk rock idols.

Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles - With special guest Andrea von Kampen

Thursday, March 26

$35/$38/$45/$48

Dave Simonett has spent almost two decades as the lead singer, guitar player and songwriter for the widely popular and beloved roots band, Tramped By Turtles. He also fronts Dead Man Winter, a bull-bodied, emotionally resonant brand of Americana-infused indie rock band. He now boldly steps forward with a shining collection of new solo material for the first time under his own name called Red Tail. While Dead Man Winter's Furnace was a much-needed cathartic experience for Simonett during a dark time, he is not connecting these songs on Red Tail to his own life as he prefers to allow listeners to develop their own interpretations. The conversational and poetic style in which Simonett writes lends itself to this perfectly, inspired by the spacious and stark Northern woods of Minnesota, where he's from. Drawing from the outdoors, Simonett uses light, weather and imagery to paint introspective, cinematic scenes that are easy to lose yourself in.

Moms and Murder - Live Podcast

Friday, March 27

$25/$28/$32/$35

Moms and Murder features friends Mandy and Melissa as they take a deep dive into different cases each week, some popular and some less well-known. Weaving in their own commentary and perspectives as friends, wives, mothers, and true crime fans, they offer up honest storytelling and a discussion of day to day life.

Chicago Soul Spectacular

Sunday, March 29; 7:00 p.m.

$15/$18/$22/$25

Chicago Soul Spectacular is a star-studded line-up of the city's best singers and a funky rhythm section who has backed-up a cache of legendary soul and rock artists including The Temptations, Buddy Guy, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, Jeff Tweedy, Donald Byrd, The Breeders, members of Phish, Paul Simon, Chris Thile & Bruno Mars. These theatrical and highly entertaining concerts are curated by Billy Bungeroth, founder of JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, and Second City alum Julie B. Nichols.

Lyfe Jennings

Friday-Saturday, April 3-4; 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

$45/$48/$55/$58

Socially-minded R&B singer Lyfe Jennings proves, "You can talk about something real and relevant and still get some record spins." Without prefabricated hype, glossy ad campaigns or sexual videos, Jennings' message has become a phenomenon. The platinum-selling Atlanta based R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer and instrumentalist plays the guitar, bass and piano, which he integrates into his music. Jennings has cemented that relationship with his live performances that possess fans with the spirit to share the lived-in truths learned first-hand from his relationships, betrayal and the streets.

Shawn Mullins

Tuesday, April 7

$28/$30/$32/$35

Shawn Mullins is an American singer-songwriter who specializes in folk rock, instrumental rock, adult alternative, and Americana music. He is best known for the 1998 single "Lullaby", which hit number one on the Adult Top 40 and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Whether composing alone or with others, the Atlanta native has always been a dynamic songsmith. Forging influences from folk and R&B to traditional country and even Broadway musicals with pop-leaning melodic sensibilities, he crafts memorable, affecting tunes. With a supple baritone that still allows him to channel Prince, as well as wail the blues and growl with grit, Mullins has been engaging audiences since he won his first high-school talent contest with his own composition. For the 20th anniversary of Mullin's album Soul's Core, he has recorded two new versions of the album and called the project Soul's Core Revival-featuring brand new recordings with new arrangements of the songs. One album is a new stripped-down solo performance, and the second is a new studio recording with his full band, Soul Carnival.

Sheila E.

Sunday-Monday, April 12-13

$55/$58/$65/$68

Percussionist/drummer Sheila E. became a touring musician before the age of 20, performing and/or recording with music legends such as George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham, Con Funk Shun, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Gloria Estefan, Patti LaBelle, and Stevie Nicks among others. Sheila E.'s producing, arranging, and performance talents have been showcased throughout the music and film industry with appearances on, The Academy Awards, The Latin Grammy Awards, and BET Awards, to name a few. In 2014, Sheila E. released her literary biography titled The Beat of My Own Drum, and her solo album, ICON. In 2018, Sheila E. released, ICONIC: Message for America, an album that displays her efforts in awareness to social issues and humanitarianism. She continues to produce and perform music throughout the world. Her current single, "No Line" with the legendary Snoop Dogg, is her continued contribution to the music industry.

Bob Schneider

Friday, April 17

$28/$32/$35/$42

One of Austin's most celebrated musicians, Bob Schneider, released his 2018 album, Blood and Bonesa?? -his 7th studio album since his 2001 solo debut a??Lonelylanda?? - via his Shockorama Records imprint. Blood and Bonesa?? captures Schneider at a unique, and distinct place. Most of the songs on the album about this phase in his life, dealing with traumatic events as well as joy. While the performance and production are stellar, the songwriting finds Schneider in a particularly reflective mode. There are live favorites like "Make Drugs Get Money" and "Texaco" that encourage even the most reserved crowds to dance, but more often the album finds Schneider reflecting on marriage, parenthood, and mortality.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on January 17 at noon. Only members of City Winery Chicago's signature VinoFile™ program have access to ticket sales tomorrow in addition to receiving: a waiver of ticketing fees; free valet parking; Restaurant Loyalty Rewards, such as a free pair of VIP concert tickets for every $500 spent on food & beverage in the restaurant; exclusive membership-only events; and access to the proprietary City Winery Virtual Sommelier™, which helps make suggestions for wines one might enjoy based on past consumption at the venue.

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