A powerhouse reedman and one of the leaders of the Chicago musical avant-garde, Vandermark was chosen Tribune Musical Man of the Year a few years back, and was picked "best musician of the year" in the New York-based jazz magazine Cadence. The same magazine called the Vandermark 5's Target or Flag (Atavistic) the year's best album. Since then, Vandermark has been the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation genius grant (a sizable $265,500), and the Vandermark 5 has released a new disc, Simpatico. While the 33 year-old Boston native has become a Chicago free-jazz institution by playing with such a wide-ranging bunch of groups (the NRG Ensemble, Caffeine, Steam, Cinghiale, Signal to Noise Unit, the Steel Wool Trio, Witches and Devils, the Vandermark Five, Barrage Double Trio and the mainstream R&B outfit Royals.html>Crown Royals), he's apparently decided to concentrate his energies on the Vandermark Five, Steam and the DKV Trio. He recently left the NRG Ensemble which he'd been a part of since the death of founder Hal Russell, citing musical differences.
He also plays with a number of international musicians when they're in town including German reedman Peter Brotzmann, French bassist Joelle Leandre and Swedish free-improv saxophonist Mats Gustafson, as well as a number of older Americans like free-jazzer Joe McPhee and ex-Sun Ra drummer Robert Barry.
Vandermark has gradually grown more restrained, and developed increasing control of his previously full-throttle outbursts. His Unheard Quartet is now sadly defunct. Vandermark recently contributed to indie film Dutch Harbor's soundtrack, working with David Grubbs, Charles Kim, Doug McCombs, Jim O'Rourke, and Rick Rizzo. The Vandermark Five's fifth record is Simpatico.
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