Summertime is Jazz Festival Time in Michigan
Jackson Blues Festival
The Jackson Blues Festival will take place June 1–3 at the Jackson County Airport, Reynolds Field, 3606 Wildwood Ave., in Jackson. Daily admission is $5 on June 2, $10 on June 3 and 4.
Chene Park Summer 2017
Chene Park on the Detroit Riverfront features a number of well-known smooth jazz acts this summer, like Roy Ayers on July 19. The more mainstream jazz acts include Gregory Porter on June 7, Jean Luc Ponty and James Carter on June 21.
Jazz at the Pond in Brighton
This popular free outdoors series returns to downtown Brighton’s Mill Pond gazebo on Main Street.
Blues Fest Windsor 2017
Blues Fest Windsor is a four-day event with 28 bands starting on Thursday, July 13, and going through Sunday, July 16. It features all kinds of blues bands from all over the Midwest including Bobby Murray (Friday at 6:20), the Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Kim Wilson (Saturday 9:10), Duke Robillard (Sunday 6:50), and Joe Louis Walker (Sunday 9:30). It takes place on the Windsor Riverfront across from Caesars Windsor. It is a ticketed event.
Top of the Park 2017
The Top of features a few jazz and blues acts at Top of the Park on the stage in front of Rackham on the central campus of the University of Michigan.
There are also Summer Festival concerts in June with Diana Krall (June 6 at Hill), Pink Martini (June 13 at Power Center), and Rhiannon Giddens (June 14 at Power Center).
Music On the Plaza
This annual festival takes place at the Village Festival Plaza, Kercheval at St. Clair in downtown Grosse Pointe. Concerts start at 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays. Rain location: Maire Elementary School, 740 Cadieux.
Elkhart Jazz Festival 2017
The lineup for this year’s Elkhart Jazz Festival is impressive, as usual, as it includes some great names in swinging jazz. The list includes Ramsey Lewis Quintet, Terence Blanchard, Dave Bennett, Eddie Metz, Bria Skonberg, and Gene Bertoncini. The festival takes place June 23–25 in downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
Summer Solstice Jazz Festival in East Lansing
The 21st annual Summer Solstice Jazz Festival will make its way to downtown East Lansing June 23–24, featuring the very best of local, regional and national talent. This year the headliners are the Dafnis Prieto Sextet, the Kahil El-Zabar / David Murray Duo, and organist Tony Monaco.
This free-to-all festival is centered around a large tent located in the heart of downtown East Lansing in Parking Lot 1, 230 Albert Ave., Ann Street Plaza, located on the northwest corner of the Albert - M.A.C. intersection and the Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum, 547 East Circle Dr.
The festival is presented by the City of East Lansing, Wharton Center for Performing Arts and the MSU College of Music, with artistic direction by Rodney Whitaker.
Jazz at Roberts Riverwalk Hotel
Roberts Riverwalk Hotel, 1000 River Place Drive in Detroit, has a jazz series on Thursdays from early June to August this year. Happy Hour is 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and the music starts at 7:00 p.m.
Taylor Music and Arts in the Gardens
Starting in early June, the Music & Art in the Gardens enters its fifth season in Taylor. The Taylor Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are located at 22314 Northline Rd. in Taylor. Phone 888-383-4108. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the music starts at 6:30 p.m.
Michigan Jazz Festival
The 23nd annual Michigan Jazz Festival is Sunday, July 16, at Schoolcraft College in Livonia. See details on our front page.
Detroit Jazz Festival
The Detroit Jazz Festival is Labor Day weekend in Detroit's Hart Plaza and Campus Martius. See details in our previous issue.