Windy City Ramblers to Close Red Line Jazz Project With Free Shows
Mario Abney leads the second-line brass collective as Mandala Arts wraps its public transit music initiative.
Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, a Chicago-based arts organization that creates community-rooted public programs through music, dance, storytelling, and collaborative performance, continues its community-building Red Line Jazz Project, a public arts initiative that is activating public transit and community spaces with free live music and cultural programming.
The Project's final free performances feature the brass band Windy City Ramblers, a second-line brass collective dedicated to inspiring youth and uplifting communities through music and culture. Led by Co-Founder and CEO Mario Abney, Windy City Ramblers brings the heartbeat of second-line tradition to the Chicago area, fostering creativity, cultural pride, and community connection. The free performances take place Thursday, September 10 and Thursday, October 1 at 4 p.m. at the 95th/Dan Ryan Station, 14 W. 95th Street.
Through these curated performances, local jazz musicians and ensembles are presenting short live sets at or near Red Line L stations, creating spontaneous moments of connection for commuters and neighborhood residents. The performances blend jazz improvisation with global musical influences, reflecting Chicago's rich musical heritage and its diverse communities, including Rogers Park, Chatham, Chinatown, Uptown, Bronzeville, Roseland, and more. The project culminates with the Red Line Jazz Festival, a ticketed performance with jazz guitarist and Mandala Artist in Residence Fareed Haque and other artists Friday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.
The Red Line Jazz Project has been made possible by the generous support of Paul M. Angell Family Foundation and Elevated Chicago and the partnership of Bustling Spaces and the Chicago Transit Authority.
The Red Line Jazz Project aims to:
Activate public transit spaces with live music and cultural programming
Celebrate Chicago's jazz legacy and the city's vibrant community of musicians
Create accessible performance opportunities for artists in everyday public settings
Spark moments of reflection, joy, and connection for commuters and passersby while amplifying community voices through stories about how culture shapes life in Chicago
Transform routine travel into an immersive cultural experience where rhythm, improvisation, and community converge
'The Red Line Jazz Project reflects Mandala's vision of using the arts to foster belonging, cultural exchange, and meaningful connection in everyday life by bringing live jazz performances into public spaces, transforming routine commutes into shared cultural experiences,' said Founding Artistic Director Pranita Nayar. 'The project uses the concept of the mandala—a symbol of unity, rhythm, and interconnectedness—as a guiding metaphor for collaborative musical expression.'
A complete schedule is available at mandalaarts.org/events/red-line-jazz-project-2026/. All programming is subject to change.
Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, founded by Artistic Director Pranita Nayar, has earned major support from the Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. From classical to contemporary, Mandala connects audiences and students with the vibrancy of the performing arts traditions of South Asia. Mandala offers powerful engagement with specialized artists and educators who represent diverse ethnic, geographical, linguistic, cultural, and gender identities. Mandala South Asian Performing Arts is supported by the Paul Angell Family Foundation, Chicago Community Trust, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Field Foundation of Illinois, Prince Charitable Trust, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
For more information, visit mandalaarts.org.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the artists
