Jim Baker
Odum
An evening of solo acoustic piano and analog synthesizer from Chicago keyboardist Jim Baker.
Jim Baker (b.1950, Chicago) has been playing in and around town and elsewhere for decades, mostly on piano and ARP synthesizer—and mostly as an improviser, teaming with Fred Anderson, Ken Vandermark, Michael Zerang, Mars Williams, Brian Sandstrom, Steve Hunt, Edward Wilkerson, Jr., David Boykin, Rob Mazurek, Guillermo Gregorio, Nicole Mitchell, Tortoise, Fed Lonberg-Holm and many others. During the 1980s, Baker performed frequently in groups led by saxophonist Harold Jones (a.k.a. Hal Raru), and also played in the Nicholas Tremulis band. After leaving the Tremulis group, Baker was an active participant in the then-nascent free improvisation scene. For a number of years Baker was the house pianist for Fred Anderson’s weekly sessions at the Velvet Lounge. He continues today as one of our leading experimentalists, performing in concerts and festivals throughout North America and Europe.