Infinite Opus. Score Eternal at Hamilton Park & Cultural Center

The 26th Annual Englewood Jazz Festival, presented by Live the Spirit Residency, returns to Chicago’s historic Hamilton Park, expanding to five nights this year on September 16–20, 2025, marking a powerful milestone in American music: the 60th Anniversary of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). All events are FREE.

Renée Baker conducts the World Premiere of her composition “Infinite Opus. Score Eternal”, featuring Ugochi Nwaogwugwu, Dee Alexander, vocals; Taalib din Ziyad, vocals, flutes; Edwin Daugherty, saxophones; Mwata Bowden, clarinet and saxophones; Alex Wing, Carlos Pride and Art Burton, percussion; Bruce Nelson, vibes; and Carl Siegfried, bass.

Renee' C. Baker is a pioneering multidisciplinary artist whose work spans music, visual art, film, and composition. With over 2,000 orchestral and chamber works, she is known for her fearless innovation and genre-defying creativity. As founding music director and conductor of the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project (CMOP) and the MODERN BLACK MUSIC ENSEMBLE, Baker blends classical structure with the freedom of jazz, crafting immersive experiences where sound, movement, and visuals converge. Her groundbreaking conducting language, CCL/FLOW, guides ensembles through her “painted score” works, transforming performance into a transcendent, exploratory journey. A creator of dynamic ensembles like the Mantra Blue Free Orchestra and Berlin’s Bleueblue Walkers/Bass Kollektief, Baker constantly pushes the boundaries of contemporary music. Also a visual and film artist, Baker integrates movement and projection into her sonic theatre, building surreal, interactive spaces that merge experimentalism with classical form. Her graphic score novels have been acclaimed in Berlin, London, Poland, Scotland, and Vietnam. She currently serves as a member and interim Chair of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM).