After an incredibly busy season touring across the country from Seattle to Miami and just before the big European summer tour, acclaimed Russian-born Chicago-based cellist Ian Maksin will please his hometown fans with a full length program at his favorite local venue – City Winery!
By tradition, the first set will be kicked off with a Suite for Unaccompanied Cello by J.S. Bach, then Maksin will offer a usual eclectic array of solo cello fare including several brand new compositions of his own as well as funky arrangements of famous rock tunes. In the second set, Maksin will be joined by Romanian guitarist extraordinaire Gabriel Datcu for some unique cello-guitar action: shredding everything from Duke Ellington to Drake, from B. B. King to David Bowie, from Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers to Aerosmith cleverly trading off solos in their own unique funky style and sonority.
Cellist and composer Ian Maksin has gained international recognition for his beautiful tone, his own unique innovative style of playing the instrument and for taking the cello well outside its conventional role. In his current hometown Chicago, Maksin often performs at city’s premier venues such as Ravinia Festival, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center, Old Town School of Folk Music, Chopin Theatre and City Winery Chicago. He can be heard live on WFMT, WTTW, WBEZ, and his performances have consistently been featured as “Critic’s Pick” in the Chicago Tribune, Metromix and Time Out Chicago. In 2012 he was named “Citizen Musician” by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for his contribution to city’s vibrant musical life and community engagement.
Apart from being highly regarded as a classical artist, Maksin collaborates with artists of other genres playing jazz, blues, flamenco, rock, R&B and world music, blending many styles together using cello as the common denominator. He can often be heard and seen in collaborative projects with many other leading Chicago artists such as Goran Ivanovic, Grazyna Auguscik, Paulino Garcia, Howard Levy and Corky Siegel as well as members of Steppenwolf Theater Company, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera and Joffrey Ballet. As a guest artist, he has performed and recorded with such artists as Andrea Bocelli, P. Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan and Barry Gibb. He has also opened performances for Sting and his guitarist Dominic Miller.
All City Winery Chicago events are open to all ages and start at 8pm, unless noted. To purchase concert tickets or for more information on becoming a VinoFile™ member, please call (312) 733-WINE (9463) or visit www.citywinery.com/chicago.
Tickets to the above shows are on sale to the public now. Members of City Winery Chicago’s signature VinoFile™ program have access to ticket sales in advance, in addition to receiving: a waiver of ticket service fees; 50% off 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.
The artists above are among a diverse mix of the most respected names in pop, rock, jazz, blues, world music, theater, dance, spoken word and comedy presented at City Winery Chicago, including previously announced headliners and supporting acts): (Jul. 2, 7 & 10pm); Ian Maksin with Gabriel Datcu (Jul. 3, 7:30pm); Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers with Gill Landry (Jul. 4); Hollywood Nights – A Tribute to Bob Seger (Jul. 6); Terri Clark (Jul. 8, 7:30pm); An Evening with Macy Gray (Jul. 10 & 11); “Concert for the Camp – Rustic Falls Nature Fundraiser” (Jul. 12, 7:30pm); Bonerama (Jul. 13); Aaron Neville Duo (Jul. 14 & 15); The Chicago Starlets Reunion Show (Jul. 15, 11:30pm) Books & Brunch (Jul. 17, 1pm); Benefit for Ukraine featuring Oleg Skrypka and Lynne Jordan & the Shivers (Jul. 17); I Got You: The Songs of Tom Kitt (Jul. 18, 7:30pm); Al Stewart (Jul. 19); Reverend Horton Heat & Dale Watson (Jul. 20); Darrell Scott with Peter Mulvey (Jul. 21); Rich Robinson Band with Bonnie Bishop (Jul. 22); Jackopierce (Jul. 23-24); Booker T. Jones (Jul. 25); Laith Al-Saadi (Jul. 26); Zoso – The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience (Jul. 27); Louis Prima Jr. & the Witnesses (Jul. 28); Michael McDermott (Jul. 29); Brandy Clark with Maybe April (Jul. 30); Marc Broussard Acoustic Duo (Jul. 31).
Opened in 2012, City Winery Chicago is a fully operational winery, restaurant with outdoor patio, concert hall and private event space located in the heart of the West Loop at 1200 W. Randolph, in the historic urban Fulton Market district. Once a refrigerated food distribution warehouse, the 1911 building has been transformed into a contemporary 33,000 square foot haven for those passionate about wine, music and culinary arts. The décor evokes the romance of being in wine country, from the exposed stainless steel fermenting tanks and French oak barrels, to the aroma of fermenting grapes.
Chicago’s only fully operation winery has produced dozens of in-house wines sourced from vineyards in California, Oregon, Washington, Argentina and Chile, including a Wine Enthusiast 90-point 2012 Bien Nacido Vineyard Reserve pinot noir. With more than 400 unique producers from around the world City Winery is recognized with 2014 and 2015 Best of Awards of Excellence “for having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world” by Wine Spectator. The globally inspired, locally sourced, wine-focused food menu is conceived for pairing and sharing. The concert hall accommodates up to 300 guests, all seated at tables with complete beverage and dining service, ensuring a comfortable “listening room” experience enhanced by a state-of-the-art Meyer Sound system. Riedel is the official and exclusive provider of glassware, showing City Winery’s commitment to enjoying quality wine in a quality vessel. American Airlines is the Official Airline and Virgin Hotels Chicago is the Official Hotel of City Winery. For more information, please visit www.citywinery.com.