On Friday, May 15, Athenaeum Center welcomes Allysa Allgood to the Paradiso, closing out this season of our Strictly Chicago Series. This season’s lineup of local Chicago artists captured the depth of musical talent this city has to offer, and Alyssa Allgood is a shining example. She is a celebrated jazz performer and brings both artistry and authenticity to the stage, performing original works she has written and arranged herself.
Her latest album, From Here, contains all original music that dives into themes of unavoidable change and shifts in identity, with the hope of reaching a greater connection with listeners. The songs “blend modern jazz language with deep personal storytelling” creating a well-rounded and engaging listening experience. It’s an honest and expressive body of work that shows Alyssa Allgood’s voice as both a performer and a writer.
We connected with Alyssa Allgood to discuss her musical career and her upcoming performance. She reflects on her musical past describing music as an “important fabric of [her] identity”. She also touches on educating the musicians of the future during her time at Loyola and the curiosity, vulnerability, and risk-taking that comes with it.
Alyssa Allgood: Strictly Chicago Series
5/15/26 | Doors: 7:00 PM | Show: 8:00 PM
Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture, Paradiso
2936 N Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657 · Free Parking
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ACTC: You’re a key part of the Chicago jazz scene. What’s your connection to the city, and how has it shaped your sound? You were recently named “Best Individual Jazz Musician” by the Chicago Reader—what did that recognition mean to you, especially coming from your own city?
Alyssa Allgood: I’m proud to call this vibrant city home. I love the realness of Chicago and the unpretentious nature of its people. Chicago has grit and sophistication that can definitely be heard in my music. It meant a lot to be voted “Best Individual Jazz Musician” because it feels like my community is telling me they see my work and want me to keep going. That kind of message is invaluable as an independent artist.
ACTC: In addition to performing, you also write and arrange your own music. How does that change the way you approach a song?
AA: My work as a songwriter and arranger has given me greater connection to music and greater command of how I can tell a story. Being able to reimagine a jazz standard or write my own songs allows me to personalize the music and offer a fresh perspective to listeners. I focus on delivering impactful and authentic songs that empower my audiences to see themselves in the music.
ACTC: You grew up in a musical family and started young. How did that shape your confidence and your relationship with music early on? What do you still take with you to gigs, literally or figuratively?
AA: Being involved in music from an early age made it an important fabric of my identity and helped me see value in music as a way of life. One of the things I still take with me to gigs is being as prepared as anyone else on the bandstand. That’s especially important to my identity as a singer who is also a songwriter and bandleader.
ACTC:You’ve studied at DePaul and now teach at Loyola. What feels most different between teaching and working in the industry? And what do your students bring into the room?
AA: The biggest difference between teaching and working in the industry is that school music programs have a centralized community while the community of the music industry is much more spread out. I’m grateful to be part of the music community at Loyola. My students bring curiosity, vulnerability and risktaking to the music. I’m honored to help them find meaningful expression through singing jazz and to develop confidence as people through this art form.
ACTC: What creative risks are you taking in your music right now? Or what do you want to explore next?
AA: I just recorded my first album of all original music! This album explores the moments where change becomes unavoidable – the quiet, internal shifts that redefine how we love, create, and see ourselves. Each song lives at a different point in that transformation, blending modern jazz language with deeply personal storytelling. The music took shape through coaching sessions with 2X Grammy-winner Nicole Zuraitis, and it’s my most musically evolved songbook yet.
ACTC: What can audiences expect from this performance at Athenaeum Center? Who are you playing with, and what can you share about the program?
AA: I’ll have an incredible band of Chicago musicians with me – Julius Tucker (piano), Clark Sommers (bass) and Kyle Swan (drums). We will present a program of modern vocal jazz music, including reimagined versions of beloved jazz standards and my original material. Audiences can expect to be uplifted and entertained through stories, connection and the special Chicago blend of grit and sophistication.
About the Strictly Chicago Series at Athenaeum Center featuring Alyssa Allgood
Strictly Chicago is Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture’s ongoing concert series celebrating the depth, diversity, and creative vitality of Chicago’s music community. Through intimate live performances, the series spotlights homegrown artists whose work reflects the cultural roots, personal histories, and evolving sounds that shape this city. Each concert invites audiences to experience music not only as entertainment, but as a living expression of place, belonging, and artistic legacy.
The 2026 Spring season concludes with Alyssa Allgood on May 15, following performances by Nathan Graham, Half Gringa, La Rosa Noir, and Sun Queen, and concluding with Alyssa Allgood on May 15. Spanning indie, alternative, folk, soul, jazz, and beyond, Strictly Chicago reflects the breadth of voices making vital work across Chicagoland today.
By centering local artists on its stages, Athenaeum Center affirms its mission to support thoughtful cultural exchange through live performance. Strictly Chicago creates space for musicians to develop work over time, for audiences to engage deeply with artists from their own communities, and for the city’s musical heritage to be reimagined, one performance, one room, and one shared experience at a time.
