A Multidisciplinary Immersive Avant-garde jazz festival
WithanE Productions Presents
WithanE Productions Presents
in collaboration with
Calculated discomfort
Calculated Discomfort
sponsored by
Written in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to emphasize the ethos of the festival: to celebrate and root ourselves in the sound of our collective story
Tickets
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Thursday 7/23 - Sunday 7/26
Only
Be the first to know about Early Bird and VIP Limited Pass Releases, Lead Up Events, and festival announcements
for The Frē Fest
ALL INCLUSIVE PASS HOLDERS
Only
50
Be one of
with full priority access to exclusive deep listening rooms featuring the best in avant-garde and creative jazz
alongside work from Chicago's brightest emerging artist's
Thursday 7/23 - Sunday 7/26
with specialty curated lead up events all Spring and Summer long
The
Headliners
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Angel Bat Dawid
Angel Bat Dawid, A.K.A. Angel the Oracle, is a radiant voice in the worlds of spiritual jazz and creative music. Angel’s performances encourage joyous audience participation, leaving listeners uplifted, educated and refreshed. Through her clarinets, her voice, and her keyboards, Angel Bat Dawid will transport you through the history of Black music from Africa, to the church, to the jazz club, and everywhere in between
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Ernie Adams' and Shon Dervis'
Furious
Styles
Furious Styles is the dance party you get when you combine legendary Chicago DJ Shon Dervis with globe-trotting jazz drummer Ernie Adams. The duo has been igniting dance floors since the 90s with their seamless blend of house, funk and hip hop grooves. You’ll find yourself wondering why you can’t get your feet to stop moving, and your fellow attendees will be right there with you.
Vincent
Davis
Vincent Davis has been expanding the sound of the drum set for the past 50 years. A collaborator to internationally recognized jazz artists and mentor to the brightest improvises in Chicago today, master drummer Davis will wow with his singular sense of rhythm and energy. Vibraphonist Preyas Roy will join Mr. Davis for an evening of percussive delights.
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Chad Kouri
Chad Kouri is a visual artist and saxophonist who synthesizes the powers of sound, color and abstraction. Chad will perform a concert of meditative music set to a full installation of his multimedia artworks. Experience the fortifying effects of sound and color therapy in real time.
Las BomPleneras
Las BomPleneras are a revolutionary all fem Puerto Rican drum and dance group stewarding and advancing the cultural traditions of Bomba and plena. They share sacred stories of the Afro-Puerto Rican diaspora through the intoxicating rhythms and communal vocals of bomba and plena. As global attentions turns towards Puerto Rican culture, Las Bom Pleneras are here to remind us of where it all came from.
Mayda Del Valle
Mayda del Valle is Chicago's current Poet Laureate. This decorated multidisciplinary artist will captivate with her dynamic wordplay backed by a live ensemble. Telling stories of the Puerto Rican diaspora and Latinidad, Del Valle's performance will illustrate how jazz and poetry have always kept the communal record.
The Poet Laureate of Chicago
The
Visual Artist's
The festival is proud to feature some of the most engaging and promising voices in the visual art landscape who are coming out of the city of Chicago who also just so happen to be cherished Jazz and/or music community
Their work will be displayed in The Gallery at Space Time Sounds available ONLY to ticket holders
Chad Kouri will also be doing a visual art and music take over at Yodega on Saturday July 25th which is also ONLY available to ticket holders
Kari Black
Chad Kouri
David Ellis a.k.a EWERKS
Hassani Cannon
Harold Mosley
and
Warren Browne
An exclusive four-day experience for deep listeners, audiophiles, and the sonically curious
Thursday 7/23 - Sunday 7/26
Space Time Sounds & Gallery
Friday 7/24 and Saturday 7/25
Immerse yourself in The Frē Fest universe. The city's most detail oriented improvisers will play in small groups responding to the room, which will be completely adorned with multimedia artworks from Chicago’s finest emerging visual artists.
L.A.M.A.
Thursday 7/23 and Sunday 7/26
A journey through Afro diasporic percussive traditions. Join us Thursday, July 23 in the Latin American Motorcycle Club for a concert featuring purveyors of ancient hand and foot percussion traditions. Trace rhythms from West African Griots as they evolve as resistance through the Caribbean, into the Americas and how the journey has lead to the development of the form of tap dance all the way through 20th century and modern jazz. These artists and cultural torch bearers will demonstrate how the music we know and love derives from the storytelling rhythms of ancient Black cultures, and has been preserved through the hands, feet and instruments of Black Americans.
Burlington Listening Room
Friday 7/24 and Saturday 7/25
21+ free and open to the public, unwind with a beverage and bumping sonic palette cleansers provided by festival DJs. It’s like a miniature block party here.
Double Tavern
Friday 7/24 and Saturday 7/25
Step into the party room and experience bar bands like you’ve never experienced them before. Groove the night away to high energy music from the scenes most promising band leaders and collectives. And stick around for a jam session Saturday night showcasing the improvisational talents of all the artists on the festival coming together.
Get a front row seat to the pulse of Chicago's music community
Artifact Records
Friday 7/23 and Saturday 7/26
Free and open to the public, this stage is for all the sonic archaeologists. Enrich your ears with the sounds of Chicago’s avant-garde composers while browsing an extensive collection of records by festival artists and creative music collected from the past half century.
Yodega
Saturday 7/25
Allow the intricate sounds of the finest sonic architects wash over you and reset your nervous system. Solo performers will deliver meditative concerts in a room with mixed seating. Sit up close to take in the details of the performances, or lay back on a yoga mat to become one with the sound.
The Artist's Boutique at Artifact Records
Friday 7/24 - Sunday 7/26
Free and open to the public, The Artist's Boutique at Artifact Records features an exstensive record collection that represents the artists on the festival line up along side musician's merch and artist's work. Build and expand your unique collection and bring home The Frē Fest universe
Listen while you shop!
More Festival Announcements Coming soon
Lead Up Events
and many more to be announced
© 2026 Chandler Browne - all rights reserved