Fred Anderson Park

Fred Anderson Park Concert Memories
2013-2017

Celebrating the concerts we had for the groundbreaking, grand opening and inaugural seasons of Fred Anderson Park in Chicago.

This South Loop community park is named for tenor saxophonist and composer Fred Anderson
(1929 – 2010), one of Chicago’s most acclaimed and cherished musicians, who lived and
worked nearby for three decades.

Anderson came to Evanston, Illinois as a child during the Great Migration. Inspired by
the music of Charlie Parker, he became an original member of the renowned Association
for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, performing in the first AACM concert in
1965.

He worked full time and was devoted to his family, while releasing more than 30
recordings, performing to capacity audiences around the world, and mentoring countless
young musicians. In 1979, Anderson opened the Velvet Lounge, revered for its
innovative music and diverse, loyal patronage. He described his motto as “patience,
sincerity, and consistency.”