IN THIS ISSUE:

Southeastern Michigan
Jazz Association
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN

SEMJA UPDATE
is published monthly. It is edited by Lars Björn and Piotr Michalowski with additional assistance from Barton Polot (managing editor and Webmaster), Margot Campos (layout) and Jeff Gaynor.

Contact:
update@semja.org

A2 JazzFest at Ten

The A2 Jazzfest will celebrate its 10th anniversary over two days, Saturday and Sunday, September 26 & 27, at three venues in downtown Ann Arbor, starting with a 2:00 p.m. improv workshop at The Loft over the Rabbit Hole on South First St., moving down to the Rabbit Hole proper later that afternoon on indoor and outdoor stages. The programming will cover a broad spectrum of styles, beginning with guitarist Noah Hogan’s Brazilian tinged quartet, followed by the neo-soul stylings of drummer Tariq Gardner (above). Trombonist Zekkereya El-magharbel will then take things further out with free improv that often includes music that reaches back to his Egyptian family roots, followed by the funky hard bop of drummer Sean Dobbins and his Organ Trio.

The next night at Main St.’s Raven’s Club the festivities will continue with two groups made up of current students and alumni of the prodigious Michigan State University jazz program, playing hard bop and jazz standards, a quartet led by tenor saxophonist Elliot Sharp and a quintet directed by bassist Alex Hoberty. The evening will be rounded out by Junk Jazz, the abstract futuristic deep groove multi-genre duo of keyboardist and synthesizer player Aya Sakine and drummer and electronics wizard Djallo Djakate.

Saturday, September 26

Sunday, September 27