After returning home from the Philippines recently, I’ve found myself reflecting quite a bit — not only on music, but on purpose, community, hospitality, education, and the relationships that shape a life over time.

The past several months have felt like an important turning point for me creatively and personally.

One major milestone has been the completion of recording for my upcoming album, Hard Bop – For the Record. This project represents some of the most focused and honest music I’ve recorded in years, and in many ways reflects both where I come from musically and where I’m headed next. Remarkably, it also marks my 25th album as a leader — something I could hardly have imagined when this journey first began.

At the same time, another dream has officially taken shape with the formation of ELM — Everybody Loves Music — a new nonprofit initiative centered around the belief that music is more than entertainment alone. Music has the power to connect generations, support healing, strengthen communities, and create spaces where people feel seen, welcomed, and uplifted.

That realization has also deeply influenced how I think about live performance itself. Whether performing in restaurants, clubs, private events, or international hotels and resorts, I’ve increasingly come to believe that the best music doesn’t overpower a room — it enhances it. The atmosphere matters. The human connection matters. The experience matters.

Last weekend, shortly after returning home, I was back performing at Sorrento’s Italian Joint here in Cincinnati. One guest wrote that they specifically made reservations because they saw there would be live music that evening. Comments like that mean a great deal to me because they reinforce something I’ve believed for a long time: music can genuinely shape how people experience a place and remember an evening.

I also recently had the opportunity to share some of these reflections in a feature interview with Bold Journey Magazine. We talked about everything from performing internationally and building long-term relationships through music, to the deeper realization that music can serve as connection, healing, atmosphere, and community.

You can read the article here:
https://boldjourney.com/meet-greg-chako

As always, thank you to everyone who has supported my music and projects over the years — audiences, students, fellow musicians, venue owners, hospitality professionals, presenters, friends, and family. Your encouragement continues to mean more than you know.

There is much more ahead, and I look forward to sharing it with you soon.

Warmly,

Greg Chako
CincyJazzman.com