Chicago Soul Jazz Collective to celebrate release of new album with two shows at Winter's Jazz Club

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

On its new album, "No Wind & No Rain," Chicago Soul Jazz Collective continues to break new musical ground.

To celebrate the release of the album, Chicago Soul Jazz Collective will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 18 and 5:30 p.m. April 19 at Winter's Jazz Club, 465 N. McClurg Court, Chicago. For tickets, go to wintersjazzclub.com.

I had the chance to talk to Chicago Soul Jazz Collective band leader and saxophone player John Fournier about the new album.

 

Q – Great talking to you again. The last time we spoke, Chicago Soul Jazz Collective had just released its debut album, “Soulaphone.” I understand you originally had limited quantities of that record made to primarily sell at shows but that jazz stations across the country discovered the album and it ended up becoming one of the top jazz releases that year. Did that surprise you?

Yes, it shocked me. I had never experienced a situation where a record organically found an audience like that. With so many records being released constantly, it is almost impossible to get people’s attention and I think it shows how much love there is out there for this style of music that we had so much surprise success with that record.

 

 

Q – And now Chicago Soul Jazz Collective has released its fourth album, “No Wind & No Rain.” How do you think the band has grown since the release of your debut album?

 

The band has grown in every conceivable way. The compositions are now all original and the arrangements are much more complicated. 

 

We have taken the spirit and initial influence of the "Soulaphone" record and transformed it into a grooving soul, blues, jazz, and gospel juggernaut. We also have embraced the greats and traditions of our home city Chicago and absorbed all those influences into a truly Chicago Sound.

 

Q – Chicago jazz vocalist Dee Alexander is featured on this album as she was on the band’s last album, “On the Way to Be Free.” What do you think her addition brought to the band?

 

Dee Alexander is one of the top living interpreters of jazz and she recently was named as one of the 2026 Jazz Legacy Fellows by the Mellon Foundation. So she brings a level of vocal artistry and interpretation to our compositions that take them to a world class level. 

 

When Dee joined the ensemble for "On the Way To Be Free," our third album, everything we did took a giant leap forward and we suddenly found ourselves with an international audience and headlining major jazz festivals. Thank you Dee!!

 

Q – That record was critically acclaimed and the band started playing at both Chicago Jazz Fest and Hyde Park Jazz Fest along with becoming regulars at establishments like the Jazz Showcase. Were those goals of yours?

 

Our goals were and are to make the best records and play the best live shows we possibly can. And to be the best individual musicians and people we possibly can be. 

 

Where we play and whatever opportunities come our way are great and we truly appreciate the success, but we concentrate solely on the music and the joy of playing and do not worry about anything past that.

 

 

Q – Your new record features a tribute to the late Chicago jazz musician Ramsey Lewis, “A Groove for Ramsey." How did he influence you?

 

Ramsey was a bonafide Chicago genius and institution; nobody ever like him before and we will never see one like him again. His commitment to the city of Chicago and his fusion of many styles of music in his incredible career make him the Godfather of what we are doing and we thought we should honor his name and legacy on the new record.

 

Q – I know the theme of your new album is about the importance of perseverance, something that is expressed in the album’s title. In addition, it seems like you also want young people to understand that they can take control of their future. In the song “Message to a Child,” you talk about how “tomorrow belongs to you.” Please elaborate.

 

I’m a father and also a teacher, so I work with children and spend a lot of time teaching the new generation. I personally feel that being a child is more difficult than it has been for past generations and a lot of these kids are really struggling. 

 

There are a lot of reasons for this, but that is a much longer conversation. Suffice to say, I wanted to create a song with a message to them that if you hold onto the beauty and kindness in this world that things will get better.

 

This song truly is my message to kids and Dee sings it incredibly well.

 

Q – You also are in a funk band, The Meadowlark Lemons, which recently released its first album. Do you like being able to show off all your musical sides?

 

Everyone in the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective are very active with many ensembles in the city. The Meadowlark Lemons are a great and gritty little combo and I recommend you check them out.

 

Everybody in the CSJC being able to play in so many other bands keeps what we do fresh and moving forward.