As
summer turns to autumn, several of Southeastern Michigan's jazz festivals
announce their upcoming schedules. This season shapes up to be an impressive
line-up of nationally recognized names and the best in local talent, providing
live jazz entertainment for every taste. Here is the latest information
as we go to press.
The
Ford Detroit International
Jazz Festival, formerly Montreux-Detroit, takes place Labor
Day weekend in Hart Plaza. SEMJA sponsors and helps organize the clinics
at the Festival's Pepsi Jam Stage again this year. You will find a complete
listing of our clinicians in this issue.
The
clinics are always a joy to attend for young players and anyone interested
in jazz improvisation. Please come by the SEMJA table at the Pepsi Jam
Stage (closest to the Detroit River on your right as you enter the festival
grounds) to meet and greet.
The
Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz
Festival will be held at various locations September 15-17.
The Bird of Paradise on Main Street will host
the legendary singer Little Jimmy Scott on the 15th and 16th, with shows
at 9 and 11:30. Scott 
is
a recently rediscovered ballad singer with some classic recordings on
the Savoy label.
The Michigan Theater will host a "Women
and R & B" show on the 15th at 8 PM. Featured
will be Ruth Brown and Friends and Mavis Staples. Most of the action
will as usual be on the lawns at Gallup Park. There is plenty of good
blues and some jazz.
On Saturday the 16th the following artists
will appear starting at 1†PM: Funktelligence,
Butler Twins, Deborah Coleman, Jimmy Bosch (salsa), Little Milton and,
at 7:45, the great tenorist Stanley Turrentine.
On Sunday things kick off with the University
of Michigan Faculty Septet at 1 PM. This group
includes pianist Ellen Rowe, tenorist Donald Walden and trumpeter Ed
Sarath. At 2:15 Chicago blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin gets on the stage,
followed by Kermit Ruffins (formerly with the ReBirth Brass Band) and
his Barbeque Swingers from New Orleans, Rosie Ledet (zydeco) and, at
6 PM, the Robert Cray blues band.
Please call 248-645-6666 or 734-763-TKTS for
tickets.
The
lineup has been announced for the fourth annual Edgefest,
October 5-7 in Ann Arbor. As usual, Edgefest will contain a mix of national
and local talent.
Things will kick off on Thursday the 5th with
Steve Rush's Bitches Brew project and the 
Canadian
band Miriodor.
On Friday, the veteran bassist Reggie Workman
will appear in two constellations: in a trio co-led by the marvelous
pianist Marilyn Crispel, and in a duo with Detroit's leading edge guitarist
Spencer Barefield. Drummer Gerald Cleaver (who will round out the Workman/Crispell
trio) will also temporarily return from New York with his group called
Veil of Names, which will include the extraordinary violinist Mat Maneri
and Ann Arbor's tenor sax master, Andrew Bishop.
On Saturday, widely acclaimed tenorist Ken
Vandermark from Chicago will perform with two of his groups: the DKV
Trio (with bassist Kent Kessler and 
percussionist
Hamid Drake) and his Vandermark 5. Other performers on that day will
be Phillip Johnston's Transparent Quartet (improvising music to silent
films), local favorites bassist/guitarist Toby Summerfield and trumpeter
Brian Lipson (who will unveil a new group), and Trevor Watts' Moire
Music Group. Saxophonist Watts was one of the pioneers of British improvised
music in the sixties, but he comes to Edgefest with his Moire Music,
which combines African drumming with Western musics.
Edgefest performances are centered at the
Kerrytown Concert House, but can also be heard at the Workbench furniture
store and the Firefly Club. Please call 734-769-2999 for more information.
