Figi, Jamil

Jamil Figi, an American jazz critic, was born May 22, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois. While growing up in Monroe, Wisconsin Figi frequently heard live jazz in Madison, Wisconsin and Chicago. Soon after high school graduation, Figi settled in Chicago and on his first night in the new city heard Lester Young play live in a nightclub. For the rest of his life, Figi remained an avid fan of Young's playing.

An influential jazz writer, Figi's work first appeared in small magazines in the early 1960's, particularly in the literary magazine December. During this time, Figi also began writing the Chicago modern jazz column for Coda magazine and liner notes for record companies, mostly notably Chicago's Delmark label. Liner notes written by Figi include: Sun Ra, Sun Song; John Young Trio, The John Young Trio; Roscoe Mitchell, Sound; Joseph Jarman, Song For; and Bud Powell, Bouncing with Bud.

Figi also wrote for John and Leni Sinclair's Change, a publication devoted to the new jazz of the 1960's as well as the popular weekly Chicago Reader. In 1969, Figi wrote his first Downbeat article about Booby Blue Bland and later interviewed jazz great, Cecil Taylor. During the 1980's, Figi became one of Downbeat's staff record reviewers. Figi was highly involved with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. Figi was also a board member of the Jazz Institute of Chicago and a programming committee member for the Chicago Jazz Festival.

Figi died in Chicago on May 30, 1999.

From the guide to the Jazz Institute of Chicago. Figi, Jamil. Papers, 1964-1983, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)