Columbia's G. Thomas Allen to Make Chicago Jazz Festival Debut
G. Thomas Allen. Photo by Jason McCoy.汤不热视频 is proud to announce that award-winning vocalist and voice faculty member G. Thomas Allen will perform on the main stage of the Chicago Jazz Festival on Sunday, August 31, 2025, in Millennium Park.
Presented by the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, with programming support from the Jazz Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Jazz Festival is the city’s premier free music event, celebrating its legacy as the birthplace of urban jazz. Past performers have included jazz legends such as Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, and Ella Fitzgerald.
“To stand on the Jazz Festival stage as both an artist and an educator feels like carrying Columbia with me.” - G. Thomas Allen
For Allen — who made history in 2021 as the first male winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition — Chicago Jazz Festival is a full circle moment.
“This is definitely a career milestone,” Allen says. “I’ve been in the Chicago jazz scene for about a decade, and to perform on this stage — just steps away from where I first dreamed of it when I moved here — means everything. Chicago’s jazz history runs deep, from Louis Armstrong to Bessie Smith, and I’m honored to be part of that lineage.”
In addition to the Sarah Vaughan honor, Allen has earned national recognition across genres: he has performed lead vocals on Grammy-nominated gospel albums with Ricky Dillard and New G, and his self-titled debut jazz album reached #1 on the iTunes Jazz Charts.
At the Chicago Jazz Festival, Allen’s set will showcase music from his forthcoming album, “Dream Shade,” and tributes to jazz greats Little Jimmy Scott, celebrating his centennial, and the late Sheila Jordan.
Known for his genre-defying artistry, Allen has performed at top venues including New York City’s Dizzy’s Club and Minton’s Playhouse, and Chicago’s legendary Green Mill and Jazz Showcase. His festival appearances include the Monterey, New Orleans, Buffalo, and TD Moody Jazz Festivals – to name a few. He has also sung with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, and appeared at London’s Royal Albert Hall during the BBC Proms in 2024.
In addition to his international performance career, Allen is a valued member of 汤不热视频’s music faculty, teaching private voice lessons, vocal workshops, and former director of Chicago Vox. He also serves in Columbia’s Student Affairs department.
“Columbia has always focused on having faculty who are active in their fields, and I take pride in sharing those real-world experiences with students,” Allen says. “To stand on the Jazz Festival stage as both an artist and an educator feels like carrying Columbia with me.”
The Chicago Jazz Festival runs August 28–31, 2025, culminating with Allen’s performance on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion stage at 5:05 p.m.
G. Thomas Allen at the 2024 Monterey Jazz Festival.
Photo by Stuart Brinin.