Mandala South Asian Performing Arts continues its Red Line Jazz Project, blending jazz and South Asian traditions to create community connections through music in Chicago.
Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to fostering community through music, dance, storytelling, and collaborative performances, is advancing its community-building initiative known as the Red Line Jazz Project. This public arts initiative aims to activate public transit hubs and neighborhood spaces across Chicago with free live music and cultural programming.
The next performance in this series features renowned jazz guitarist Fareed Haque, who serves as both a Mandala Artist-in-Residence and the curator of the Red Line Jazz Project. Haque will perform with the Fareed Haque Group, which includes talented musicians such as Alex Austin on bass, Greg Fundis on drums, Hitesh Master on harmonium and Hindustani vocals, and Charles and Erra Sanderson Haque on percussion and woodwinds.
This free performance is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, at 6 p.m. at Taylor Park, located at 39 W. 47th St., on the edge of Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
Through these curated performances, local jazz musicians and ensembles present short live sets at or near Red Line L stations, creating spontaneous moments of connection for commuters and residents alike. The performances blend jazz improvisation with global musical influences, reflecting Chicago’s rich musical heritage and its diverse communities, including Rogers Park, Chatham, Chinatown, Uptown, Bronzeville, and Roseland.
Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso known for his mastery across various musical styles, including classical and jazz. He has recorded and toured with several ensembles, including Garage Mahal and Fareed Haque’s MathGames. Haque previously performed at Mandala’s Diwali celebration at the Harris Theater in the fall of 2023.
Reflecting on the mission of the initiative, Founding Artistic Director Pranita Nayar emphasized the project’s roots in South Asian concepts. “The Red Line Jazz Project reflects Mandala’s vision of using the arts to foster belonging, cultural exchange, and meaningful connection in everyday life by bringing live jazz performances into public spaces, transforming routine commutes into shared cultural experiences,” Nayar said. “The project uses the concept of the mandala—a symbol of unity, rhythm, and interconnectedness—as a guiding metaphor for collaborative musical expression.”
The Red Line Jazz Project aims to activate public transit spaces with live music, celebrate Chicago’s jazz legacy, and create accessible performance opportunities for artists in everyday public settings. By amplifying community voices through stories about how culture shapes city life, the initiative transforms routine travel into an immersive cultural experience where rhythm, improvisation, and community converge.
This project has been made possible through the support of the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation and Elevated Chicago, along with partnerships with Bustling Spaces and the Chicago Transit Authority.
Free neighborhood performances will continue through October 1, with upcoming showcases on September 10 and October 1 at the 95th/Dan Ryan Station featuring the Windy City Ramblers. The initiative will culminate in the Red Line Jazz Festival, a ticketed performance featuring Haque and guest artists on Friday, October 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.
A complete schedule of events is available at mandalaarts.org/events/red-line-jazz-project-2026/. For more information, visit mandalaarts.org.
This article was adapted from a press release and edited for clarity and accuracy.