Pharmacy Gallery studio member, painter, and musician Julie Brown joins Community Voices to discuss The Art of Jazz hosted by The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space in Springfield every second Tuesday of each month. This month's event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 13, featuring Frank Parker and the UIS Jazz Ensemble, performing separately. The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m., with a suggested $10 donation at the door. Admission is open to everyone, and donations can be made by cash or card. Light refreshments, wine, and soft drinks will be available.
Brown tells us how the curators of The Art of Jazz connect with musicians throughout central Illinois to bring a variety of jazz performances to the gallery each month for The Art of Jazz, including guest performers from outside the area.
Parker, a New Orleans native who now lives in Springfield, is an accomplished trumpet player who continues to perform in New Orleans, including with R&B singer Irma Thomas. He also hosts the Jambalaya Jam, where local musicians and singers are invited to sit in with the band and give performing jazz a try. Information about those performances can be found in the Illinois Times live music listings.
The UIS Jazz Ensemble is directed by Dr. Jade Kastel, a saxophone instructor in the university’s music department. The ensemble performs a range of music, from jazz standards and well-known pieces such as by Miles Davis to unexpected arrangements of contemporary songs. The group is typically included in The Art of Jazz lineup at least once a year.
Brown is a studio member at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space with a studio there as well as artwork in the Gallery space. Brown is a painter whose work draws inspiration from old photographs. A graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield, she initially worked as an abstract painter before stepping away from painting and working in arts administration. She later returned to painting, using a collection of old photographs as inspiration for portraits. Her work sometimes combines black-and-white acrylic painting with layers of oil paint in color, and she is increasingly experimenting with unconventional colors. During the event, visitors can check out Brown's artwork in her studio, as well as her artwork in the Gallery, along with other artists artwork. The gallery also features artwork celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66, including a collection of work by Bob Waldmire. Known for his detailed drawings and maps of Route 66, Waldmire was a Springfield native whose family owned the Cozy Dog Drive-In. His intricate artwork includes small details best appreciated up close, and the gallery provides magnifying glasses for visitors to view his work. The Waldmire exhibit is scheduled to remain on display through Dec. 19, 2026.
In addition to being a painter, Brown is a musician. She performs original songs and covers with her band, Nova, and plays rhythm guitar and sings in the jazz trio Julie Jules and Company with trumpet player Frank Parker and bassist Ben Taylor. The trio specializes in bossa nova, with Brown singing in Brazilian Portuguese. Brown and her jazz trio, Julie Jules and Company, are scheduled to perform at The Art of Jazz on Tuesday, Dec. 8.
The Art of Jazz takes place at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space, 623 E. Adams St. in Springfield. No advance tickets are required. The gallery is open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m., when visitors can also explore the artwork and artists’ studios. For more information about the gallery and its events, visit thepharmacygallery.com.
Melissa Snider:
Welcome to Community Voices, a production of NPR Illinois. I'm your co-host, Melissa Snider, in the studio with Julie Brown. Julie, how are you doing today?
Julie Brown:
Pretty good, thanks.
Melissa Snider:
Julie is going to fill us in on an event happening at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space called The Art of Jazz, set to take place on Tuesday, October 13th from 6 to 8 p.m. Is that correct?
Julie Brown:
Yes.
Melissa Snider:
Well, before we go, further into the details. Julie, tell me a little bit about your background and what you do.
Julie Brown:
I'm a member of The Pharmacy. I'm a painter, and I've been a member since 2022. Most of my painting is people from old photographs.
Melissa Snider:
Oh, cool.
Julie Brown:
So I think I'm the only one around here that does that.
Melissa Snider:
I love old photos.
Julie Brown:
I do too. So I actually graduated from UIS, and I was an abstract painter. And then I quit painting for a while. I was an arts administrator for a little while, but then I started up again kind of at the end of it. And I was looking for something to do different, and I had this old photo collection, and so I was like, hey, what about this?
Melissa Snider:
That's awesome. So are they black and white paintings or do you add color too?
Julie Brown:
Oh, sometimes they're black and white. A lot of times I add color, but sometimes I'll paint them in acrylics, like in black and white, and then go over the top with oil in color. I'm moving toward like using unconventional color. Sometimes I've tried to do skin tones and stuff like that, but now I'm trying to push the color because I love color.
Melissa Snider:
For sure. Yeah. It adds a little pop.
Julie Brown:
Yeah.
Melissa Snider:
It's always interesting to see what different artists do. You know, everybody finds their niche.
Julie Brown:
They do.
Melissa Snider:
I love it.
Julie Brown:
It's kind of has to do with like what you like to look at and what comes naturally to you. So for instance, I like to paint in values. That's how I think in like darks and lights, and so working from those old photographs is really fun for me because they're black and white and then I can just do whatever I want with the color.
Melissa Snider:
Yeah, so that part kind of draws you in too. Very cool. Did you say you were an art administrator?
Julie Brown:
For a while. It was a survey of all the public sculpture all around Illinois, outside of Chicago. So I had to work with historical societies and art groups to do condition reports and research these sculptures, and all this info went to the Library of Congress. It's still there.
Melissa Snider:
That's very cool.
Julie Brown:
Yeah.
Melissa Snider:
So these sculptures that you surveyed...
Julie Brown:
We asked for information, but we didn't get too much. We did in certain areas of the state, we got a lot of help. In other areas, we didn't. I think for instance, in Southern Illinois, everything was very spread out down there, and there weren't too many sculptures. You know, you could go for like quite a long way without seeing another sculpture, so I ended up doing all of it down there. But it was really fun. For a while, I knew all the roads, how to get everywhere in Illinois and now I've forgotten it all.
Melissa Snider:
Yeah, so are these Sculptures like in different parks?
Julie Brown:
Some were in public parks. Anything that was at a university, for instance, was out, or if it was like in front of a museum, that was out. So for instance, like the sculptures in front of the Capitol building, those were not part of our survey. But there's incredibly cool sculptures around the state.
Melissa Snider:
I bet. That would be really cool. So you know the whole map, how to get from sculpture to sculpture. That'd be a fun tour to do.
Julie Brown:
Yeah, I mean, I still have my favorites. There's one down in Bunker Hill, which is of a woman writing in a book at the feet of Lincoln. And I thought she was an angel, but then I revisited it lately and she's just a woman.
Melissa Snider:
Yeah? What's her story?
Julie Brown:
I don't know.
Melissa Snider:
Just writing a book.
Julie Brown:
I can't remember. She is angelic, but I think it had to do with one of his speeches.
Melissa Snider:
Okay.
Julie Brown:
So maybe she was supposed to be a muse or something. And then there's a great one of George Rogers Clark overlooking the river in Quincy, which is really neat.
Melissa Snider:
That's really cool. So we talked about your art, your experience with art administration. You're also a musician. Is that correct? Tell me a little bit about that.
Julie Brown:
It's kind of my hobby. Right now I have two groups. I'm in a band with my boyfriend. It's called Nova. We do original songs and some covers. I don't know what you would call us, but maybe you could call us Americana because that's kind of a catch-all. And my other project is a jazz trio, Julie Jules and Company, based on one of my nicknames. That's with Frank Parker and Ben Taylor. So it's a trumpet player and bass player. And me, I play rhythm guitar and I sing. And our specialty is bossa nova because I speak Brazilian Portuguese. And so I sing the bossa nova songs in Portuguese. It's really fun.
Melissa Snider:
Very cool.
Julie Brown:
I just like doing it, and I think I'm lucky. I can't believe that I'm lucky enough to play with Frank and several people that have doctorates in music, you know?
Melissa Snider:
Yeah. No, that's so cool.
Julie Brown:
He's a good guy and a good friend.
Melissa Snider:
Oh, that's awesome. So Frank Parker is going to be at this event, The Art of Jazz.
Julie Brown:
Yes, he is.
Melissa Snider:
So can you tell me a little bit about him?
Julie Brown:
I know him very well. He's one of my best friends. He's from New Orleans. He lives in Springfield now. He still goes down there and plays with Irma Thomas, who is a huge New Orleans musician and singer, kind of an R&B singer. He usually goes down there for Jazz Fest. And I'd say he's one of the more amazing people in our community as far as music, because he's very encouraging. Like when he has a gig, a lot of times he calls it the Jambalaya Jam, and he invites people to sit in with his band.
Melissa Snider:
Cool.
Julia Brown:
So people from the community can come and try out being a jazz singer. If they play an instrument they can sit in, and it's very exciting.
Melissa Snider:
How can people find out about that?
Julie Brown:
Illinois Times music, live music listings.
Melissa Snider:
Okay, online?
Julie Brown:
Yeah, just look for Frank Parker's Jambalaya Jam. But for this, at The Pharmacy, he'll have his band. And I'm not exactly sure who will be with him because it kind of depends on who's available. But I'm pretty sure he will have Ben Taylor, the bass player, that's also in my band, but he'll have other personnel too. And they'll be top-notch people.
Melissa Snider:
It's going to be Frank Parker and the UIS Jazz Band not playing together, right?
Julie Brown:
Right. They're playing separately. It's A two-hour thing, so I imagine each one of them will play for about an hour.
Melissa Snider:
Okay. Starting at 6 p.m. until 8, Tuesday, October 13th. Does it cost to get in?
Julie Brown:
No, there's a suggested donation, $10.
Melissa Snider:
Okay, $10 suggested donation, but if you don't have it, just come on and enjoy the music.
Julie Brown:
You're still welcome, very welcome to come in. There's light refreshments and there's wine and soft drinks and that kind of thing.
Melissa Snider:
Right on— and this is taking place at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space.
Julie Brown:
Right. 623 East Adams.
Melissa Snider:
So you have some art in The Pharmacy?
Julie Brown:
Yeah, I'm a member and I actually have a studio in there.
Melissa Snider:
Is your art on display there? So can you see some of your paintings of the old photos that you're talking about?
Julie Brown:
Definitely. You can go back to my studio. There's a lot of them sitting around and there are some on the walls being displayed.
Melissa Snider:
There's also some new art at the pharmacy, right?
Julie Brown:
The other art that's there now is almost all associated with the Route 66 100-year anniversary. So we have a display of Bob Waldmire's work. This is the second year it's been up, and it'll be up until December 19th. He was kind of a god of Route 66. He did a lot of maps and went around and sold them commercially, and he was a very quirky individual. His family owned the Cozy Dog Drive-In, and his artwork is just amazing. We have magnifying glasses because they need to be looked at with magnifying glasses to be appreciated. They're so tiny. Yeah, they have very a lot of tiny details.
Melissa Snider:
I love tiny details. I love tiny artwork.
Julie Brown:
Yeah,
Melissa Snider:
So cool.
Julie Brown:
It's pretty cool.
Melissa Snider:
And what are the hours for the pharmacy if somebody wants to check out your artwork or this other artwork there?
Julie Brown:
Fridays and Saturdays, 12 to 6.
Melissa Snider:
Awesome.
For those of you just joining us, you are listening to Community Voices, a production of NPR Illinois 91.9 UIS. I'm your co-host, Melissa Snider, in the studio with Julie Brown. We are getting to know Julie, talking about her art, her music. She's also filling us in on the Art of Jazz set to take place Tuesday, October 13th at the Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space in Springfield.
So the Art of Jazz, is this a monthly event that you do?
Julie Brown:
Yeah.
Melissa Snider:
So is it like every second Tuesday of every month?
Julie Brown:
Yes, it is, and it's been going on for maybe three years. It was started by Jose Gobu, who used to be one of my band members. He moved back to Brazil. He was here in the U.S. getting his doctorate in music from U of I, and he started playing with my band because he was friends with my bass player. So I was like, do you want to be in the band? Come on, because he was amazing. He did, and so we worked a lot together. But he started the art of jazz. Now he's passed that along to Max Beckman, a bass player in Springfield, who's amazing. And so they're the curators of it and they arrange the music. They're connected with a lot of jazz musicians all over central Illinois, so they bring people in. At times they brought in like world-class performers.
Melissa Snider:
Wow.
Julie Brown:
It's amazing. Yeah.
Melissa Snider:
Does the UIS jazz ensemble play every time?
Julie Brown:
They're usually included in the lineup at least once a year. So for about a year, I was a singer with the UIS Jazz Band when Brian Starkey was the director. And it was really fun to be in the band because it was so exciting for me to sing with like a big group behind me, like a big, huge horn section, a bunch of saxophones, flutes, clarinets, you know, drums, electric guitar, bass. Oh, it was fabulous.
Melissa Snider:
That's amazing.
Julie Brown:
And the songs were beautifully arranged. And we played a lot of interesting stuff. One thing that's been consistent with the UIS Jazz Band, they've always had great choice of materials every time I've heard them, even when I was in it. You know, I noticed that it kept up anything from like jazz standards to like, you know, well-known jazz pieces like 'So What' by Miles Davis to, you know, songs that you wouldn't expect. Like when I was in it, I got to sing a jazz arrangement from Postmodern Jukebox of 'All About That Bass.'
Melissa Snider:
Okay
Julie Brown:
And that was fun.
Melissa Snider
Interesting. So do you all kind of collaborate on what songs you want to do or is that this the director who does that?
Julie Brown:
The director is responsible for that. Jade Kastel is the director now, and she's an instructor here in saxophone in the music department. And she directs the UIS Jazz Band. I usually work at the Art of Jazz because the pharmacy is a co-op gallery and all the members have to work a certain number of hours per month at our events and manning the gallery during our open times. So I usually sign up to work for the Art of Jazz. I'm really looking forward. It should be a great night.
Melissa Snider:
So that is The Art of Jazz with Frank Parker and the UIS Jazz Ensemble. Tuesday, October 13th from 6 to 8 p.m. $10 donation at the door. As far as the $10 donation goes, can you get a ticket kind of ahead of time or do you just pay that at the door? Is it cash or card?
Julie Brown:
No, just show up. We just have like a box, a plexiglass box that you could put it in, or if you wanted to do it by card, we'll take that.
Melissa Snider:
Just at the door?
Julie Brown:
Yeah.
Melissa Snider:
And that's at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space. Is there a website that people can go to for more information about the event?
Julie Brown:
The Pharmacy has a website, thepharmacygallery.com.
Melissa Snider:
And you actually do this event every second Tuesday of the month, right? Yes. Awesome.
Julie Brown:
Yeah, and I'm not sure who's going to be in there in November because we had a cancellation. As far as I know, they're finding somebody, but in December, it will be me.
Melissa Snider:
Julie Jules...
Julie Brown:
And company.
Melissa Snider:
...And company. That is right. You said December..?
Julie Brown:
8th.
Melissa Snider:
December 8th. We can't wait for that. Thank you so much, Julie.
Julie Brown:
Thank you.
Melissa Snider:
Once again, Julie Brown in the studio with me, your co-host, Melissa Snider. This is Community Voices 91.9 UIS.
Community Voices is events you might have missed and conversations with neighbors, artists, and area businesspeople. You can suggest a guest or comment at communityvoices@nprillinois.org. Get to know your neighbors with Community Voices weekdays at noon and 10 p.m., Saturdays at 5 p.m. and on demand at nprillinois.org.
Jeff Williams:
You're listening to Community Voices, Randy Eccles, Tim Boll, Ko'u Hopkins, contributors like Craig McFarland, Elizabeth Wake, co-hosts Melissa Snider, and me, Jeff Williams. Community Voices is events that you might have missed. It's conversations with neighbors, artists, and area businesspeople, and potentially you. Or do you know of a certain someone who you just may want to recommend for a segment on Community Voices? Suggest a guest or comment at communityvoices@nprillinois.org. Get to know your neighbors with Community Voices weekdays at noon and 10 p.m. Saturdays at 5 p.m. and on demand at nprillinois.org. W-U-I-S 91.9 FM. And thank you for your support. Community Voices is a production of NPR Illinois.
