Heat On

Heat On is a new Chicago powerhouse, multigenerational jazz quartet led by drummer and composer Lily Finnegan, featuring saxophonists Edward Wilkerson Jr. and Fred Jackson Jr. and bassist Nick Macri. Their debut album comes out on Cuneiform Records June 2025.

Lily Finnegan is a Chicago-born and -based drummer, composer, improviser, and organizer. In addition to Heat On, Finnegan is a member of Ken Vandermark’s Edition Redux, the Sarah Clausen Trio and a co-led duo project with violinist gabby fluke-mogul. Lily’s wide ranging interests and cross-genre influence are embodied in her collaborations with artists including James Brandon Lewis, Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid, Macie Stewart, Fay Victor, Sylvia Bolognesi, Ed Wilkerson, Shanta Nurullah, Dave Rempis, Katie Ernst, Jason Stein, Devon Gates, Katinka Kleijn, Emma Dayhuff, and Lia Kohl. Lily co-curates the Option Series, a showcase of contemporary approaches to improvisation and composition, held at Experimental Sound Studio. She was spotlighted as a “Chicagoan of Note” by The Chicago Reader for her musical organizing work in the city. In 2025, she became a member of the independent music cooperative Catalytic Sound.

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