The City of Chicago may make it impossible to continue the Sunday Night Jazz Series of the Hyde Park Jazz Society--the non-profit group that returned jazz to Hyde Park and the surrounding area with such events as the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, the weekly CheckerJAZZ series, and now weekly concerts at ROOM 43.  


Background:

Now in its fifth year of presenting live jazz in the greater Hyde Park area, the Hyde Park Jazz Society (HPJS), founded by Jim Wagner, has been programming music in ROOM 43, located at 1043 E. 43rd Street in Chicago’s 4th Ward. Norman Bolden, owner of ROOM 43, provided a much-needed home for HPJS in June 2009 when it lost its venue at the Checkerboard Lounge and had to end CheckerJAZZ in Hyde Park. 

Norman Bolden applied for the required Public Place of Amusement license (PPA) so that HPJS could present jazz at ROOM 43.  All that remains for the PPA (issued by the Business Affairs Department), is the approval of the Zoning Department regarding parking spaces.  But neither Zoning nor Business Affairs has shown any willingness to proceed with the licensing. 

In the meantime, in order to continue its weekly Sunday Night Jazz Series, HPJS has had to spend what is left of its resources on a Special Events License and Insurance, both of which expire on October 17th. 

Without a PPA, the Sunday Night Jazz Series becomes homeless after October 17, 2010. This would be a huge blow to the Hyde Park Jazz Society, to the musicians, and to the many members of the community --black, white, Asian, Hispanic—who only want to listen to the music they love.  

We ask that the Zoning Department give Norman Bolden an administrative adjustment and sign off on his parking. Those who have come to hear jazz on a Sunday know how available and simple parking is for ROOM 43--significantly better than in Hyde Park. With the Zoning stamp, we then ask that the City issue the PPA.

Visit our website to learn more about the Hyde Park Jazz Society:  http://www.hydeparkjazzsociety.com/

IMPORTANT NOTE: The request for contribution that appears after you sign is not associated with the Hyde Park Jazz Society. It is just the petition website asking for donations. Please DO NOT CONTRIBUTE MONEY. Thank you for signing the petition!

Greg Spero