– Best of Chicago, NewCity

Class is Now in Session
Both tables and booths offer great sightlines to the slightly elevated, large wooden stage where the musicians take up their places. Above which hangs a giant mural that features a black man looking like a combination of Don King and Poseidon playing the trumpet – kind of like a God of World Music, the kind of which the Greeks and Romans could never have imagined. Performances at the HotHouse are a direct result of "progressive cultural programming" (read: an adventurous booking policy), and cover such eclectic musical styles as mambo, blues, acid jazz, flamenco, folk, samba, rock, fandango, big band jazz, cabaret, charanga, traditional jazz, and African dance. While the variety at HotHouse can't be beat, they tend to focus on such intriguing specialties as Afro-Caribbean beats, Latin dance, and Asian Jazz, thanks to some of the regular performers like Burhan ึ็al and the Istanbul Oriental Ensemble, Kahil El Zabar, and Yoko Noge's Jazz Me Blues. Shows generally start between 6pm and 9pm. Every group featured at the HotHouse is part of their philosophy to "focus on local, national, and international artists whose work would otherwise remain under-recognized and isolated," which helps further the ultimate goal of widening of the cultural market place in Chicago. I personally saw the Damian Espinoza Quartet ($8) recently, which was quite good even though one of their songs sounded like a car in the process of running out of gas and dying – to me, it just goes to show that when you see shows like this, you've got to take what you like with what you don't in order to appreciate the whole experience (this does not apply, however, to Irish acid jazz). Top international performers spice things up to supplement regular acts, which is one reason patrons become members. In addition to "normal" bookings, the HotHouse participates in several noteworthy festivals, including: the Chicago Jazz Festival (held annually); the Women of The New Jazz Festivals (1991, 1994, 2000), which highlights the contributions of women composers and instrumentalists; the World Music Festival (1999-2002), which brings over 90 internationally renown artists to Chicago in a ten day festival located in venues throughout the city; the Chicago/South Africa Initiative (2000), which brought eight jazz musicians to Chicago from South Africa to perform in several settings with locally based jazz musicians; and Viva Flamenco 2002, consisting of a 15-day multimedia festival showcasing Spanish and Gypsy music and dance featuring artists invited from Spain. The HotHouse also plays host to a smattering of theatre, performance art, poetry, comedy, and the occasional talent show with jugglers and acrobats. On Tuesday nights, the Hot House is often rented out very cheaply for various events that frequently feature free wine and cheese; I once dated a girl who described to me how she lived for a year on free wine and cheese at events like these.

"I should have some [stories] especially from the HotHouse – other than the Latin Jazz musician who peed in a bucket in sight of people on stage and the Argentine singer who wanted us to score downers for her and was so nervous that she needed a container on stage to barf in. I am thinking that my stories usually are about good or rally bad tippers, cleaning up vomit, pasties falling off at burlesque shows, staff squabbles, run-ins with my ex-boss. Oops - I remember one about Jorge Ben Jor performing at the HotHouse. He had a just played in L.A. and didn't want the audience getting up on the stage. I said fine, one security guy one each end on the dance floor. Jorge was so happy to be playing with the audience so close in an intimate atmosphere (he's played on a high up platform in on the beach in Rio to millions) that at one point he said (in Portuguese, which of course none of us understood) that he wanted all the beautiful women to get up on the stage. Luckily his manager knew what was up and was able to signal security. Jorge said it was one of the best times he ever had a one of his shows. And, I'd say it is in my top 5 shows I saw there."

– B.P. (June 23, 2007)

Catalysts for Music Appreciation
While you're taking in a sampling from the potpourri of entertainment offered at the HotHouse, service can be a little weak. Hey! It's a non-profit and you're legs aren't broken so head to the bar for your drinks if you haven't seen your waitress in awhile. There is a large island bar, described by some as, "understaffed and overpriced, but classy," located at the west end of the Red Room that is surrounded by a hodgepodge of barstools. Behind it, you'll find glasses hanging inside wooden shelving shaped like pillars and the following ales on tap: Rolling Rock ($3 – thank you, Local Option), Goose Island ($4), Guinness and Stella Artois (both $5 – not exactly cheap but don't worry about it). There is more in bottles including that fetid, frustratingly popular "beer" known as Heineken, which tastes like a the latter half of a skunk on a good day. After seeing someone make the mistake of ordering one, a friend of mine and I were given pause to reflect on our opinion that almost no beer that comes in a green bottle is worth passing your lips, including even Molsen (Golden), Dos Equis and Moretti – all of whom have fantastic alternate versions. Moosehead and Mickey's Big Mouths (especially with its novelty value) may be considered exceptions. Regardless, the HotHouse also has a full spirits bar. Contrary to popular belief, the house drink is not the mojito (made with light rum, fresh mint, sugar, and club soda), but rather a libation known to regulars as the "HotHouse Flower Martini," made with light rum, cranberry, splashes of pineapple and orange juice, and coconut milk. Drink specials are offered daily and are selected to coincide with the music at hand. Even though a sign at the downstairs box office proclaims: "The HotHouse reserves the right to enforce a two-drink minimum," I don't think this is even monitored unless you try not to order anything. For you cheapos out there, just buy a couple of Cokes and remember that all revenues go to bringing even better music to the HotHouse for you to see. After imbibing some or all of the above, the spacious bathrooms can be found at the very west end of the second floor, past the bar and through the gallery. One note about the men's bathroom at HotHouse: it is surprisingly pleasant and nicely decorated, especially with the huge sunflower sticking out of a purple vase. If all of this leaves you a little peckish, the HotHouse does not serve food but they openly recommend that you can bring food (Thai Spoon, Harold's Chicken, AP Deli, and the South Loop Club are all located close by).

"Even if one has simply stepped in for one of these libations, d้cor alone does not allow one to forget that HotHouse is first and foremost, a Mecca, if you will, of artistic and musical diversity. The bar has been an oasis of sorts where racial, financial and political tensions are relaxed."

– Barfly

A Respite in the Gallery
If you're on your way to the restrooms or simply need a break from the action, make sure you duck into the cool, yellowish/green-painted gallery at least for a few minutes. The gallery is another large room, though smaller than the Red Room, that features works from local artists – all of which is for sale. I once saw an interesting exhibition there in February 2003, called "An Exhibition Celebrating the El." These works featured paintings of the El and the room itself hosted weekly performances by El musicians. Such events in the gallery take place on a small stage at one end and can the room can easily accommodate a couple hundred folding chairs.

The Student Body
Patrons at the HotHouse consist of a crowd almost as diverse as the performers. Older members tend to come for the jazz and blues performances while the Latin community frequents shows by their brethren. Students in the area from Columbia, Loyola and the Art Institute can get in for half price and come for all manner of concerts, as does the international hostelling crowd, many of whom stay at the nearby J. Ira & Nicki Harris Family Hostel on Congress Parkway and work at the HotHouse on a volunteer basis. There is no dress code at the HotHouse, but most people, "express themselves with a dramatic and stylish flair to be fashioned appropriately for an evening out at a nice place," as is recommended by the establishment. While people tend to dress nicely, you'll find a refreshing lack of pretension. Faux-jazz and blues connoisseurs, poseurs and the leather jacketed crowd tend to keep to their jazz clubs, blues tourist traps and piano bars of the River North and Gold Coast areas. People that love music, appreciate a relaxed-yet-refined atmosphere and are savvy enough to have heard about it come to the HotHouse. This is all part of the HotHouse's belief that such performances should be made available to all economic classes. The result is that the place is usually hoppin' and it's an ideal locale for a date or for entertaining guests, particularly after a meal at the nearby Italian Village Restaurant in the Loop or Won Kow in Chinatown (I once had an order of sweet and sour chicken there that was so good I almost cried).

The Economics Behind the World's Finest Music
As far as I understand, the HotHouse is the only non-profit bar in the city that I know of, with the possible exception of the Old Town School of Folk Music if you want to put both establishments in the same category. The HotHouse didn't start that way, however. In 1987, the HotHouse was founded as a for profit center for a broad range of multi-arts and community based activities, including those organized by The Center for International Performance and Exhibition (CIPEX). In 1995, the board of directors of CIPEX decided to formally become a wholly non-profit organization and change the name to Center for International Performance and Exhibition doing business as "HotHouse," and, thanks to a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. Mac Arthur Foundation, relocated to its current Balbo location.

Foundations
The HotHouse was initially located at 1569 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park in what used to be a welfare office. At that time, HotHouse was decorated with Weeds-like flea market chic and outrageous artwork. The music featured was a subset of HotHouse's current programme, consisting primarily of avant-garde jazz, salsa, African music and even poetry with musical accompaniment to patrons sitting on folding chairs. The Official Chicago Bar Guide in 1994 went on to note that HotHouse was a "hotbed of Cuban-American activism" back then as it frequently held benefits to "help the people of the embargoed island." After working through some financial difficulties, which led to the space being transformed from its earthy predecessor into the Blue Note (now just, "The Note" thanks to threats by Blue Note Records), the HotHouse moved to its present day locale. Even though it is more sophisticated, the HotHouse has stayed true to its roots by continuing to attract an impressive array of superb and eclectic artists from around the world for only a modest charge to the public. As a result of their successful rebirth, the HotHouse now hosts 800 events a year and reaches an audience in excess of 48,000 people annually. A total of 5,000+ cultural and socially relevant events have been held since the HotHouse began at its original location.

"The stream of international talent that graces this space is nothing short of astounding."