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Mike Reed

He // Him // His

Drummer and Composer

Chicago, Illinois

Photo of Mike Reed.

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Mike Reed is a musician, composer and presenter based in Chicago. Reed has been part of the vibrant Chicago jazz and improvised music community since 1997. While performing in a variety of projects locally, nationally and internationally, Reed also leads two widely acclaimed groups, Loose Assembly and People, Places & Things. Reed was named Chicagoan of the Year for Jazz (2008) by the Chicago Tribune and in the 57th annual Downbeat critics poll was distinguished as "Rising Jazz Star". (People, Places & Things also named as "Rising Jazz Group".) Over the years he has had the pleasure to work with luminaries in the jazz and improvised music world including Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Fred Anderson and Julian Priester among others.As a producer Reed serves as Chairman for the Chicago Jazz Festival Programming Committee and from 2009-11 he served as vice chairman for the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Reed is also the Director of the internationally renown Pitchfork Music Festival, drawing over 50,000 attendees to Chicago over 3 days and featuring today's most cutting edge rock and pop artists.In April 2013 Reed opened Constellation a venue with a mission is to present progressive performance and forward-thinking music with a focus on jazz, improvisation and contemporary classical.

Donor -This award is generously supported by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

This artist page was last updated on: 01.04.2025

Cover of album by Mike Reed.

People Places and Things: A New Kind of Dance by Mike Reed, 2015.

Image courtesy of the artist.

Cover of album by Mike Reed.

EMPATHETIC: Loose Assembly: Empathetic Parts by Mike Reed, 2010.

Image courtesy of the artist.

Cover of album by Mike Reed and Roscoe Mitchell.

MAGIC: Roscoe Mitchell/Mike Reed: In Pursuit of Magic by Roscoe Mitchell and Mike Reed, 2014.

Photo courtesy of the artist.