Mike Reed taps one half of his brain to play drums in the jazz ensemble People, Places & Things; the other half he devotes to booking bands for some of the summer’s top festivals, including Pitchfork and the Chicago Jazz Festival. Chicago asked the 38-year-old what’s capturing his attention right now.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO NOW

Sandro Perri. At moments it’s Tropicalia, at other moments post-rock. I really like this local band Outer Minds. They’re like what happened in ’66 with the Mamas and the Papas, but it’s kind of garage-y. Old Eubie Blake, mostly him playing ragtime and stride piano kinds of things.
 

LATEST IPOD PLAYLIST

The Beau Brummels
“Laugh, Laugh”

King Harvest
“Dancing in the Moonlight”

Jackie DeShannon and the Byrds
“Splendor in the Grass”

Gene Chandler
“Duke of Earl”

Diana Ross and the Supremes
“Come See About Me”

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS I DRAW INSPIRATION FROM

Jazz em Augusto in Lisbon in August, the Middelheim in Antwerp in August, Moers Festival in Germany in May, and Saalfelden in Austria in August. At Saalfelden, Reed says, “you feel like you’re in Sundance for free jazz.”

MUSICIANS TO WATCH

Jason Stein
He’s a bass clarinet player. I really enjoyed his last record.

Marquis Hill
A classy guy and a great trumpet player.

FAVORITE CHICAGO HANGOUTS

Le Bouchon for lunch; Lao Sze Chuan for dinner; Hungry Brain, the Hideout, and Maude’s after-hours
 

MORE FROM OUR SUMMER MUSIC PREVIEW:

13 Chicago Concerts to Buy Tickets for Now | Rising Chicago Musicians Offer Throwback Sounds
Kelly Hogan’s New Album: Made the Old-Fashioned Way | The Perfect Summer Playlist

Photograph: Dave Rentauskas