Film, photos, music, dance and more through October

Jazz shout out

The Italian jazz trio Young Shouts will perform at venues in Madison, Chicago and Milwaukee from Sept. 21-24. Ian Patterson of “All About Jazz” writes that the groups latest album, “aLive Shouts,” “is a gutsy ode to an African American singer of enduring significance. Silvia Bolognesi’s Young Shouts honor Bessie Jones not merely by borrowing her lyrics, but by playing with the sort of passion and sincerity that was the singer’s musical currency.” For more, click here.

Celluloid and paper

The Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago is presenting a series of screenings inspired by Italian books. The initiative coincides with the reopening of the recently expanded Institute library. Luchino Visconti 1963 film “The Leopard” will be screened at 6 p.m. on Sept. 28.  Based on the novel “The Leopard” by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, the film traces the waning of the noble home of Fabrizio Corbero, Prince of Salina (the Leopard) and the corresponding rise to eminence of the enormously wealthy ex-peasant Don Calogero Sedara. For more, click here.

Climate emergency

Photographer Silvia Camporesi and Professor Giovanni Aloi will present and discuss Camporesi’s series chronicling the aftermath of the flooding that devastated Emilia-Romagna. The presentation will take place at 2 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago. For more, click here.

Through their eyes

Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago will present “Through Our Eyes,” a long-term photography project involving 156 children aged 9 to 17 in several migrant hotspots around the world, through Oct. 8. Each picture is presented with a note written by the children describing their memories and recounting their hopes and dreams for the future. The exhibit is presented in collaboration with Still I Rise, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and protecting refugee  around the world. For more, click here.

Migrant stories in Italian cinema

The Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago in collaboration and FACETS Chicago will present a selection of Italian movies that explore issues of migration and identity through the cinematic medium. Six films will be screened from Oct. 5-8 at FACETS, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. The series is presented under the Institute’s 2023 theme “Chi Siamo: [Re]Presenting Italian Culture,” dedicated to representation, diversity and inclusion in Italian culture, with a specific focus on processes of cross-cultural integration in contemporary and modern practices. The selected movies range from documentaries to drama explore these topics and reveal how public discourse has changed over time. For more, click here.

Cinematic trove

The 59^th Chicago International Film Festival will feature nine films either produced or co-produced by Italians. The festival runs from Oct. 11-22, with screenings at Cinema/Chicago, 212 W Van Buren St. For more, click here.

Cutting-edge jazz

The Joe Policastro Trio will release their latest recording, “Ceremony,” at the Green Mill Jazz Club in Chicago on Oct. 13 and 14. This is the trio’s sixth album. Known primarily for avant-garde jazz, they specialize in sparse, idiosyncratic takes on iconic scores from movies and musicals like “Goldfinger,” “Cool Hand Luke,” “The Godfather” and “West Side Story.” Copies of the recording will be available for purchase at the event. For more, click here.

The sounds of terror

Composer Claudio Simonetti has written and recorded some of the most influential scores and soundtracks in horror, including “Suspiria,” “Dawn of the Dead” and “Tenebre.” On Oct. 15 at the Copernicus Center in Chicago, Simonetti and his group, Goblin, will celebrate Dario Argento’s 1985 classic “Demons,” with a live performance of the score set to a screening of the movie. A best-of performance of Simonetti’s other works will follow. For more, click here.

Viva Vivaldi!

Baroque favorite Antonio Vivaldi takes center stage at the Harris Theater on Oct. 16 in a celebration of the 345th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Forget “The Four Seasons,” and get ready to immerse yourself in a diverse program from Vivaldi’s catalog performed by Music of the Baroque, one of the leading ensembles in the country devoted to the performance of 18th-century works. Their chorus and orchestra have been hailed for their intensity, inventiveness and brilliance. For details, click here.

Dances of future past

After a milestone 60th anniversary season, Giordano Dance Chicago will step into their next decade by dipping their toes into the past. Their program Unlimited|Season 61 at the Harris Theater on Oct. 27 and 28 will feature the return of three Giordano greats, from the ’90s to now. The program will include 1999’s athletic “Le Grand Futur is Here!,” 2012’s breakneck “Jolt” and 2016’s noir-style “Sneaky Pete.” Founded by jazz dance legend Gus Giordano, the troupe is under the direction of his daughter Nan. For more, click here.

Channeling Dean

Tony Ocean’s life changed when the Chicago-area singer did a Dean Martin impersonation at one of his shows. The owner of the venue was so impressed, he teamed Ocean with two other artists who channeled Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., and “The Pack Is Back” was born. Thirty years and 8,000 shows later, Ocean continues to light up stages across the country with his upbeat, nostalgic performances. Catch his Dean Martin Show at the Des Plaines Theatre on Oct. 29. For more, click here.