Summertime is Jazz Festival Time in Michigan
Weekly Series
Jazzin’ Wednesdays at Rec’ Bowl
For the eighth summer in a row, the Rec’ Bowl in Mt Clemens features Jazzin' with Some Barbeque on Wednesdays from May 29 through September 11. It features an outdoor barbeque with covered seating, a dance floor, cash bar and great music. The location is 40 Crocker Boulevard in Mount Clemens and their phone is 586-468- 7746. The music is presented by the Greater Detroit Jazz Society. Most concerts begin at 6:30 p.m.
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.
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.
Taylor Music and Arts in the Gardens
Starting in early June, the Music & Art in the Gardens enters its seventh 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.
Aretha Franklin Amphitheater Summer 2019
The Aretha Franklin Amphitheater on the Detroit Riverfront features a number of well-known smooth jazz acts this summer, like Kamasi Washington on August 8 and Michael Franks on August 21.
Jazz In the Garden by Toledo Grows
Toledo Grows encourages community gardens and puts on a Thursday evening jazz series in July and August. Concerts take place 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; the garden opens at 5:30. There will be a barbeque vendor on the grounds and baked goods will also be for sale. Tickets are $10 for general admission. The Gardens are located at 900 Oneida Street inToledo (phone: 419-720-8714). Please park at Bancroft entrance.
Jazz Festivals
Summer Solstice Jazz Festival in East Lansing
The 23rd annual Summer Solstice Jazz Festival will make its way to downtown East Lansing June 21–22, featuring the very best of local, regional and national talent.
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.
Elkhart Jazz Festival 2018
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 the Henry Johnson Quartet and the Hot Sardines. The 32nd annual festival takes place June 21–23 in downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
Michigan Jazz Festival
The 25th annual Michigan Jazz Festival is Sunday, July 21, at Schoolcraft College in Livonia. See details on our June/July issue.
Flint Jazz Festival
The Flint Jazz Festival features live jazz, art, crafts, food, drinks under the giant oaks in Riverbank Park July 25 – 28.
Lansing JazzFest
The 25th annual Lansing JazzFest happens August 2 and 3 on the streets of Old Town.
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.
A2 Jazz Fest
The fourth A2 Jazz Fest will take place on September 18 – 22 at the Blue LLama Jazz Clubon Main Street in Ann Arbor. The lineup includes much of the best in Ann Arbor jazz as assembled by Jazz Fest founder bassist Dave Sharp.
Blues Festivals
Jackson Blues Festival
The Jackson Blues Festival will take place June 13-15 at the Jackson County Airport, Reynolds Field, 3606 Wildwood Ave., in Jackson.
Blues Fest Windsor 2019
Blues Fest Windsor is a two-weekend event, July 5-6 and July 12-13. It all takes place on the Windsor Riverfront across from Caesars Windsor. It is a ticketed event.
2019 Ann Arbor Blues Festival
The third (not counting the festivals earlier incarnations starting in 1969) Ann Arbor Blues Festival has just announced its lineup for the August 16–18 event. The festival will be held at the Washtenaw Farm Council Fairgrounds.
Smokin’ Jazz & Barbeque Blues Festival
The Smokin’ Jazz & Barbeque Blues Festival comes to Main Street in downtown Brighton September 7. The lineup features some of the best blues and funky jazz in the area.
Other Music Festivals
Top of the Park 2019
The Top of the Park features a few jazz and blues acts on the stage in front of Rackham on the central campus of the University of Michigan.
There are also Summer Festival concerts on June 9 with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox and on June 28 with Jazzmeia Horn at the Power Center.
Concert of Colors
The Concert of Colors, Detroit's Diversity Festival, is running for the 27th year around Midtown July 12 – 18.