Detroit Jazz Fest Highlights
This year’s Detroit Jazz Festival includes many worthy local and national acts. Things kick off on August 30 and the last night is Labor Day (September 2). Artist in Residence drummer Brian Blade and his Fellowship Band will be on the main stage on August 30 and so is Ravi Coltrane with his Translinear Light ensemble, special guest is harpist Brandee Younger and together they will present the music of Alice Coltrane (who was born in Detroit).
To mention a few of the other highlights, Christian McBride and Insight Straight appear on Saturday August 31, as does Jamaican born Monty Alexander (and D-Day), and perennial favorites The Bad Plus. Blade and the Fellowship band are back on Sunday, which also features singer Carmen Lundy and guitarist James Blood Ulmer and his Revelation Ensemble. Tenorist Joshua Redman will return to the festival to feature Gabriella Cavassa. The Vibraphone Summit with Warren Wolf, Joe Locke, and Jason Marsalis will also appear. A special guest on Sunday, accordionist Vince Nocturno will be courtesy of the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago. On Labor Day Blade and the Fellowship Band will return to the stage. The band impressed a lot at the Festival’s Preview event in the spring of this year. Labor Day will see the return of the Fellowship Band, the Billy Childs Quartet and pianist Pablo Ziegler and his Quintet featuring Roberta Gambarini on vocals. Expect homages to Astor Piazzola, the father of the New Tango.
Friday, August 30
6:00
Dr. Valade’s Brass Band featuring Shannon Powell
7:00
Translinear Light: The Music of Alice Coltrane – featuring Ravi Coltrane with special guest Brandee Younger, and the Detroit Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra
9:00
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
Saturday, August 31
11:30 am
MSBOA Showcase
1:30
Wayne State University Jazz Big Band
2:00
Harmolodics
2:15
Wendell Harrison and Tribe
3:00
Walter White Big Band
3:15
Charlie Sepulveda & The Turnaround
3:45
The Ron English Crew
4:15
Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet
5:00
The Bad Plus
5:15
Monty Alexander D-Day
5:30
J Rowe/Jordan Schug Sextet
6:00
Mimi Fox Organ Trio
7:00
Nate Smith
7:15
Melanie Charles
7:30
Sean Dobbins Ensemble: The World We Know
9:00
Cameron Graves
9:15
Christian McBride & Inside Straight
Sunday, September 1
11:30 am
MSBOA Showcase
12:15
Michigan State University Big Band
12:15
JC Heard JazzWeek All-Stars
1:30
Downbeat Blindfold Test
2:00
Tottori Jazz Mission (Tottori, Japan)
2:00
Collegiate Combo Competition Winners
2:00
HAKi!
3:15
James “Blood” Ulmer
Music Revelation Ensemble
3:45
Vince Abbracciante Nocturno
4:00
The Vibraphone Summit: Warren Wolf, Joe Locke, Jason Marsalis, Chien Chien Lu
5:15
Chief Adjuah
5:45
Russ Macklem and BIG FELLAS
5:45
JK6; Takatsuki, Japan Jazz Street’s Exchange Band
6:00
Three Vistors – featuring Edward Simon, Scott Colley, Brian Blade and special guest Becca Stevens and The Detroit Jazz Festival String Octet
7:15
Joshua Redman Group – featuring Gabrielle Cavassa
7:45
Anthony Stanco Quintet
7:45
Carmen Lundy
8:15
Kyle Eastwood – Eastwood Symphonic; Detroit Jazz Festival Symphony Orchestra
9:15
Ghost-Note
Monday, Septeber 2
11:45 am
Detroit Public Schools
Community District Showcase
12:45
University of Michigan Big Band
2:00
Kasan Belgrave Sextet
2:15
Joe De Gregorio Trio
2:45
Zig Zag Power Trio:
Vernon Reid – Melvin Gibbs – Will Calhoun
4:00
OOPAPADA / Dr. Prof. Leonard King
4:00
Marquis Hill: Composers Collective
4:45
Pablo Ziegler Quintet –
featuring Roberta Gambarini
6:15
Monika Herzig’s Sheroes
6:15
Billy Childs Quartet,
Special Guest Sean Jones
7:15
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band – with the Detroit Jazz Festival Jazz Orchestra arranged and conducted by Jim McNeely