JJ Roth Design

Marquis Hill
2022-04-23 19:30 - 23:00, 2022-04-22 19:30 - 23:00 (America/Detroit)
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show) **************************************************************************************************
From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters, to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all essential elements of the profound African-American creative heritage he’s a part of. “It all comes from the same tree,” he says. “They simply blossomed from different branches.”
That mission to bring styles together, complemented by Hill’s absolute mastery of his instrument, is a through line connecting his many achievements. It can be heard on his latest album, Modern Flows Vol. II, with its seamless blend of jazz interplay, hip-hop-infused rhythms and socially conscious spoken-word. It’s integral to The Way We Play, his Concord Jazz debut from 2016, where Hill and his musicians reinvent jazz standards using their generation’s wide- ranging influences. It marks the four records Hill self-released before November of 2014, when he won the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz competition and became a presence on the global scene virtually overnight. And it defines the revelatory live dates by Hill’s longtime working group, the Blacktet, which the Chicago Tribune called “a remarkably polished, immensely attractive ensemble.”
For Hill, playing and listening without limits has long been an instinct. “It comes naturally; that’s the way I hear the music,” he says. “I came up in a household where my mom played Motown, R&B, Isley Brothers, Barry White, Marvin Gaye. Then I received my first jazz record, by Lee Morgan, and that was added to the collection. … I truly believe that the music is all the same.”
Born in Chicago in 1987 and raised on the city’s culturally rich South Side, Hill began playing drums at age 4, before switching to trumpet in the 6th grade. He attended high school at Kenwood Academy, excelling in its revered jazz-performance program, and was mentored by Bobby Broom, Willie Pickens, Tito Carrillo and other Chicago greats through the Ravinia Jazz Scholars program. Hill earned his bachelor’s in music education from Northern Illinois University and his master’s in jazz pedagogy from DePaul University. During college he made gigs and sessions around Chicago, jamming with and absorbing wisdom from the likes of Fred Anderson, Ernest Dawkins and Von Freeman. Even then, Hill was known in town as a stunningly gifted trumpeter with a soulful, highly textured tone. His sound is now somehow both deeply distinctive and a tour through jazz-trumpet history, evoking the high-drama stillness and space of Miles; the undeniable virtuosity of Clifford Brown and Freddie Hubbard; the groove- savvy phrasing of Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd; and much more.
Well before Hill won the Monk prize—arguably the most important jazz competition in the world—his reputation for brilliance was firmly established in the Midwest, as a member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, an in-demand sideman and a bandleader. He also developed into a precocious, determined young label owner, and has released five acclaimed discs—New Gospel,Sounds of the City, The Poet and Modern Flows Vols. I and II—through his Black Unlimited Music Group imprint. “Just having my personality, there’s nothing like being in control of what you produce and put out into the world,” he says. “It’s a great feeling.”
A move to New York in 2014 helped him gain wider exposure and new opportunities—though he frequently returns to his hometown for gigs and projects—and in recent years Hill has garnered an enviable spate of press. Previewing a Blacktet show, the New Yorker said, “His performances and recordings reveal a smart post-bop player who circumvents genre clichés by incorporating elements of hip-hop and contemporary R. & B.” Of The Way We Play, DownBeatwrote, “The groove-laden arrangements provide the perfect soundscape for Hill’s fluid improvisational style, which, with its glass-like lucidity, recalls the crisp elegance of hard-bop stalwart Donald Byrd.” In 2016, Hill earned first place in the “Rising Star–Trumpet” category in that magazine’s storied Critics Poll. Throughout his journey, he has supported and guested with a who’s who of jazz that includes Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Boney James, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano and Hill’s trailblazing Chicago peer Makaya McCraven.
Today, Hill maintains a nonstop touring schedule with the Blacktet, and the intensely interactive, utterly unique band has become a kind of graduate school for next-level talent—Hill included.“One of the most beautiful things about leading a group is the flow of knowledge and energy that we bounce off of one another,” he says. “Each member contributing their distinctive voice is what truly makes the music and magic happen.”

Sean Dobbins and the Jazz Messengers
2022-04-16 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-04-15 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Jazz drummer Sean Dobbins got his start as sought-after Detroit area jazz sideman at a young age, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. As Sean’s Career progressed, he found himself the recipient of many awards and accolades including the “Woody Herman Jazz Award”, an award for outstanding musicianship, as well as the Louis Armstrong Scholarship. Due to Sean’s great talent both as a player and an educator, he has been the focus of countless news articles and jazz radio programs.
Though still young by jazz standards, Dobbins has amassed an impressive list of playing companions. He has performed/toured/recorded with Johnny Basset, Benny Golson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Frank Morgan, Joey DeFrancesco, George Cables, James “Blood” Ulmer, Marcus Belgrave, Larry Willis, Rodney Whittaker, Claude Black, Johnny O’Neal, Paul Keller, Tad Weed, Kurt Krahnke, Jon Hendricks, David “Fathead” Newman, Donald Walden, Cyrus Chesnut, Barry Harris, David Baker, Randy Johnston, Marion Hayden, Mose Allison, and a host of other great musicians.
Sean’s sound can best be described as hard-driving, solid rhythm with refreshing melodic sensibility. Some of Sean’s influences include Art Blakey, Jeff Hamilton, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ed Thigpen, Sonny Payne, and also Detroit area greats Gerald Cleaver and the one and only Elvin Jones. A product of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, Sean has stayed devoted to education throughout his life. Early mentor Louis Smith, an Ann Arbor Public Schools band teacher, impressed the importance of a good education upon Sean at an early age. Sean is known in his community as a band director, drum teacher and positive influence for many.
In 1999 Sean was asked to become the director of the Ann Arbor Public Schools Summer Jazz Program. This program was designed to help educate and inspire young artist as they began their quest of learning jazz. In 1998, a year before Sean’s arrival, the program was in jeopardy of being cancelled due to low enrollment. In 2000, a year after Sean took over the reigns, the enrollment more than tripled and a year later, the group was featured on WEMU, a national jazz radio program.
As a father of three, Sean knows, understands, and accepts the challenge of continuing the art from through clinics, master classes, and concerts for up and coming musicians. Sean makes it a point of incorporating educational opportunities into all of his road trips.
Sean is no stranger to local or national headlines; he frequently plays at venues such as the Firefly Club (Ann Arbor), Baker’s Keyboard Lounge (Detroit), the Music Hall Jazz Cafe (Detroit), Murphy’s Place (Toledo) and Buddy Guy’s (Chicago). His recent recordings include “Odyssey” (PKO Records), “Revealing” (Reparation Records), and “Christmas Songs for Jazz Lovers” (PKO Records), and Blue Horizons featuring Sean and his quintet, the Modern Jazz Messengers.
Find out more

Roger Jones & Higher Calling
2022-04-02 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-04-01 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Roger L. Jones II is a native of Flint, MI. Since 1989 he has worked professionally with various artists in the USA, Japan, and Turkey. Roger discovered his musical abilities when he was a youngster at church. His gospel background provided a spring board to his passion for playing jazz music. The church Greater Holy Temple COGIC where his father is pastor, was like a musical battle ground for young musicians. Roger cites his non- gospel influences as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, and McCoy Tyner. After graduating from high school, Roger attended Oberlin Conservatory in Oberlin Ohio. While attending Oberlin, Roger’s understanding and musicianship grew exponentially. Many performance opportunities were afforded, and his reputation grew. Since this time, Roger has performed and “sat in” with various musical icons associated with jazz and other musical styles. Some of these individuals include Wynton Marsalis, Joe Henderson, Wallace Roney, and JJ Johnson to name a few.
Roger has developed into a cutting-edge band leader. His band, “Roger Jones & Higher Calling” is comprised of phenomenal musicians dedicated to inventing fresh and innovative ways to approach the execution of music. Mixed with a soulful and modern approach, the music of this band is innovative, relevant to the current generation, and swings ridiculously hard. There is no doubt that Roger L. Jones II will be heralded as one of the most explosive and innovative pianists of his generation.

Alexis Lombre Trio
2022-03-19 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Alexis Lombre is a pianist, vocalist and composer from Chicago who discovered early that the true essence of music is not just about what you hear but how music makes you feel. Her musical mission is to keep the ‘Soul’ in music alive. The 2017 release of her debut album, “Southside Sounds”, does just that, as it is a soulful straight-ahead reflection of her upbringing on Chicago’s Southside. This collection of her original compositions is an attempt to pay homage to the Southside’s lively artistic, cultural heritage influenced by Eddie Harris & Gene Ammons. In 2021, Lombre released her most recent single “Come Find Me” which she describes as “lyrically, a gospel song; harmonically, a jazz song and rhythmically, a hip-hop/R&B song. I didn’t create the song with any borders”. As JazzTimes puts it “Lombre says realized early on that by refusing to be constrained by convention— whether so-called “jazz” or otherwise—she’d be honoring, rather than defiling, the rich heritage she’d come to embrace.”

In the May 2019, Lombre toured the Midwest with her group, the Alexis Lombre Trio, and in January 2019 she toured South Africa with Englewood-Soweto Exchange that was powered by a MacArthur grant led by Ernest Dawkins. In 2017 she toured France with Bacongo Square Boulevard, a trio comprised of French, Congolese & American musicians. She has also played with internationally known musicians such as: Nicole Mitchell, Jamila Woods, the AACM Great Black Music Ensemble, Laurin Talese, Junius Paul, Makaya McCraven, Donald Harrison, Bobby Watson, Buster Williams, Wadada Leo Smith, Dee Alexander, J Moss, Cece Peniston, Rudresh Mahanthappa, and Nona Hendrix. Lombre’s band has been opening acts for Chris Dave & the Drumhedz and Marquis Hill and she was also featured in JazzTimes, the Chicago Tribune, the Detroit Metro Times and Vocalo.
Learn more HERE!

Rafael Leafar
2022-02-26 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-02-25 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Rafael Leafar is a rare multi-instrumentalist who can combine great passion, intellectual discipline, and a spiritual fire that is evocative of great artistic creativity.
He has established himself as a remarkable composer and musician not defined by any one particular genre or style.
Hailing from Detroit, Rafael’s connection to music was Jazz; fostered from a musical family at an early age.
His parents invested life changing moves to make certain to access of opportunity to quality schools back and forth from suburban education and playing opportunities in Detroit that would eventually prove fruitful graduating from Sterling Heights High School, DSA, Detroit Civic Jazz Orchestra, & The New School for Jazz.
Over the years since 2009 major recording & performances with; Reggie Workman, Robert Hurst, Marcus Belgrave, Luis Resto, Vincent Chandler, Jeff Tain Watts, Marion Hayden, Sterling Toles, Detroit Jazz Festival Band, Kamau Kenyatta, Video7.
Learn more HERE!

Nate Winn Group
2022-02-05 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-02-04 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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A consummate musician, Nathaniel Winn discovered his passion for the drums in church at the age of 4. Since then, the Detroit, Michigan native has never looked back. Nate has had the pleasure to work with many well-known musicians such as Danilo Perez, Robert Hurst, Pat Metheny and Joshua Redman. Nate’s versatile, but unique style has earned him the opportunity appear on numerous albums.
Nate’s style is influenced by Jazz, Blues and his Gospel upbringing, along with some of his favorite drummers: Brian Blade, Kendrick Scott, and Calvin Rodgers.

Nate graduated from Wayne State University and Berklee College of Music with a bachelor’s in music and a master’s in jazz performance, respectively. Currently, he spends time traveling the world to spread the message of love and hope through music.

Shedrick Mitchell
2022-01-30 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Twenty-five years. Multiple genres. Iconic superstars. It’s safe to say Shedrick Mitchell
has accomplished his dreams, and then some. Starting in a church in St. Louis where his
grandfather, and later his father, was the Pastor his first experience playing the piano
proved to be exactly what was needed. What seemed to be a chore at nine years old
became the ultimate training ground to grow into many different musical styles for the
future.
Moving to New York City presented new opportunities to study with famed pianists,
Mulgrew Miller and John Hicks who encouraged Shedrick to attend The New School
(Mannes School of Music). He thrived on the abundance of musicians who played at the
highest level: Kenny Kirkland, Oscar Peterson, Harrold Mabern and countless others.
New York City was a breeding ground of musical genius expressed through jazz music.
After the untimely passing of Kenny Kirkland, it was Mulgrew Miller who recommended
Shedrick for Kenny Garrett’s band. Touring internationally for the first time gave him a
broader perspective of jazz music and eventually led to him recording on Kenny Garrett’s
album, “Simply Said”.
Following his work with Kenny Garrett, Shedrick went on to work with many jazz greats
including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Terrance Blanchard, Antonio Hart,
Johnny Griffin, Dianne Reeves and others. But, it was in 2003 that Shedrick was asked
to accompany one of the greatest voices of our time, Whitney Houston. Shedrick toured
with Ms. Houston for nine years on many different platforms including major television
award shows, The Oprah Winfrey Show and even royal audiences in many countries.
What may be equally impressive is that he continued to perform and record jazz music
and play at his local church in between tours.
Opportunities continued to pour in. Several years later, Shedrick collaborated with the
legendary Stevie Wonder, music and business mogul Jay-Z and R&B/soul star, Maxwell.
During these years, many career highlights included the Super Bowl XL half-time show
with Stevie Wonder, the American Gangster soundtrack and VH-1 special, ‘Storytellers’
with Jay-Z and co-producing Maxwell’s recordings, “Black” and “Summers,” while
currently serving as his Music Director.
Considering all of these invaluable experiences, receiving the request to accompany “The
Queen” Ms. Aretha Franklin, was nothing short of extraordinary. For two years,
Shedrick graced the stage with Ms. Franklin. Their performances included an appearance
on Late Show with David Letterman performing songs from her last recording, “Aretha
Sings the Great Diva Classics,” and one of the highest honors, performing at the White
House for President Barack Obama.
Both Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin had a special affinity for Shedrick’s
musicianship. When he accompanied them on piano or organ, they enjoyed the freedom
his playing allowed, returning them to their gospel roots.
Twenty-five years later, having received four Grammy Awards and recorded over 200
records encompassing styles as diverse as classical, new age, rock, jazz, country, gospel,
R&B/soul and reggae, the journey continues. In June 2020, Shedrick will release his
second solo recording, “Time – Reflections – Distance”, which he hopes will speak to the
challenges we all face today.
After having achieved success as a musician, arranger and producer, Shedrick enjoys
imparting his knowledge and experience into the next generation of musicians as a
teacher, mentor and coach. In all of this, he has managed to stay grounded in his
foundation. On any given Sunday you will likely find Shedrick Mitchell at church,
playing the piano and organ, simply doing what he loves most.

Marianne Solivan Quartet
2022-01-28 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Solivan has made a name for herself as a hard swinging, passionate, vocalist who has a
commanding stage presence and is able to captivate audiences with her joyous exuberance and
whit. Having performed and recorded with the likes of Christian McBride, Peter Bernstein,
Jeremy Pelt, Bruce Barth, Gregory Hutchinson, Jonathan Blake, Xavier Davis, Michael Kanan,
Steve Wilson, Gene Bertoncini and Lewis Nash, Solivan has been consistently raising the bar for
singers of her generation.
Marianne is currently performing worldwide leading numerous ensembles and presenting her
unique talents with an international audience. In addition to her full performing calendar Solivan
teaches in many different situations including private lessons, group coachings and Jazz camps,
summer workshops and most recently she became the Assistant Professor of Jazz Voice at
Syracuse University in their Jazz & Commercial Music Department.

Anthony Stanco Quartet
2022-01-22 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-01-21 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Born in Southeast Michigan, raised in the Blues and Soul mecca of Detroit, and tutored by the community’s finest (Rodney Whitaker, Marcus Belgrave), Stanco joins a generation of jazz musicians that both reveres the roots of the music and energetically seeks its future. With a big, brilliant sound and a fearless command of the horn, Stanco brings to mind trumpet greats such as Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie. Stanco’s band, The Crucial Elements, has built a livelihood touring the world repeatedly as intercultural ambassadors through the US State Department’s “American Music Abroad” program. They consistently receive rave reviews about their engaging live performances and equally captivating record titled “The Crucial Elements.” Stanco continues to have an active recording career and has released his second record titled “You Know The Feeling” on the Detroit Music Factory label. When not touring or recording he is the Assistant Professor of Jazz Trumpet at Michigan State University.
Hear his music and find upcoming shows here: anthonystanco.com

Sullivan Fortner Trio
2022-01-08 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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For the past decade, Sullivan Fortner has been stretching deep-rooted talents as a pianist, composer, band leader and uncompromising individualist. The GRAMMY Award-winning artist received international praise as both key player and producer for his collaborative work on The Window (Mack Avenue, 2018), alongside multi-GRAMMY winner, vocalist-composer Cecile McLorin Salvant. As a solo leader, he has released Moments Preserved (Decca, 2018) and Aria (Impulse!, 2015) to critical acclaim, and he’s only getting started. This past year, Fortner earned recognition in multiple DownBeat Critics Poll categories, winning first place in Rising Star Piano and Rising Star Jazz Artist.
In addition to associations with such diverse voices as Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Diane Reeves, Etienne Charles and John Scofield, Fortner’s frequent and longtime collaborators have included Ambrose Akinmusire, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Stefon Harris, Kassa Overall, Tivon Pennicott, Peter Bernstein, Nicholas Payton, Billy Hart, Gary Bartz, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Fred Hersch and the recently departed Roy Hargrove. The highly-sought improviser has performed across the country and throughout the world at such cultural institutions as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jazz Standard, Smalls Jazz Club, Snug Harbor and Sweet Lorraine’s, as well as celebrated festivals, including at Newport, Monterey, Discover, Tri-C and Gillmore Keyboard, among others. In 2019, he brought his band to the historic Village Vanguard for a week-long engagement as a leader. Fortner’s notable studio contributions include work on Etienne Charles’s Kaiso (Culture Shock, 2011), Donald Harrison’s Quantum Leap (FOMP, 2010), and Theo Croker’s The Fundementals (Left Sided Music, 2007).

Learn more about him HERE!

Jason Janas: Touch Bass feat. The Marion Hayden Trio
2021-12-29 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Seatings begin at 5p & 8:45p respectively)
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Jason Janas is originally from New Jersey. He began his tap dance instruction under Ms. Deborah Mitchell and was the first charter member of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble. He then found a love for the dance and continued to learn and study the art form. He also trained and was a member of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble under the direction of Gene Medler.
Jason’s first professional company after high school was Tapestry Dance Company in Austin TX, under the direction of Acia Gray. He was a principal dancer there for 5 years. His hard work ethic began to take notice and Derick Grant invited Jason to be in his show Imagine Tap! which ran for 6 weeks in Chicago, and changed his life. His other show credits include Souls of our Feet with Tapestry Dance Company, Wonderland with Sara Savelli and Ayodele Casel, and most recently co-choreographed and was featured in Tap Stars with Rasta Thomas. He currently teaches for Wild Dance Convention and West Coast Dance Explosion, and has taught at tap festivals in New Jersey, Chicago, New York, L.A., Charlotte, Austin, San Antonio, Vancouver, Zürich, Curitiba (Brazil), Moscow, and Barcelona!

Samara Joy feat. Pasquale Grasso Trio
2021-12-19 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance
(Seatings begin at 5p & 8:45p respectively)
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With a voice as smooth as velvet, SAMARA JOY’s star seems to rise with each performance. Following her winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, she is currently recording her debut recording, which will feature Samara backed by the Pasquale Grasso Trio.
Growing up in New York, music was a pervasive presence, due to the inspiration of her paternal grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, who led the well-known Philadelphia-based gospel group, The Savettes. Her father toured with the renowned Gospel artist Andrae Crouch, and her home was filled with the sounds of not only her father’s songs and songwriting process, but the inspiration of many Gospel and R&B artists, including Stevie Wonder, Lalah Hathaway, George Duke, Musiq Soulchild, Kim Burrell, Commissioned, and many others.
“Although I didn’t grow up singing in church,” explains Samara, “I constantly heard my family singing inspirational music together, which instilled in me an appreciation for my musical lineage. Through musicals in middle school, I loved exploring the range of my voice and applying the different colors to fit the characters I played. Finally, during high school, I joined the choir at my church, eventually becoming a worship leader, singing three services a week for nearly two years. That was my training.”
Samara’s first exposure to jazz was while attending Fordham High School for the Arts, where she performed regularly with the jazz band, eventually winning Best Vocalist at JALC’s Essentially Ellington competition. However, jazz wasn’t really her focus until the time came to choose a college. Wanting to attend a state school close to home, she picked SUNY Purchase, gaining acceptance into their acclaimed jazz program, with a faculty that includes many jazz masters (including Pasquale Grasso and drummer Kenny Washington, who both appear on her debut recording.)
“My friends were all into jazz and started sharing their favorite recordings with me to check out. The turning point was when I heard both Sarah Vaughan’s version of ‘Lover Man’ and Tadd Dameron’s recordings featuring trumpeter Fats Navarro. I was hooked.”
From this point, she began to pursue her jazz studies with an intense passion, eventually being named the Ella Fitzgerald Scholar and entering and winning the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.
Although having only recently celebrated her 21st birthday, Samara has already performed in many of the great jazz venues in NYC, including Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Blue Note, and Mezzrow, in addition to working with jazz greats such as Christian McBride, Pasquale Grasso, Kirk Lightsey, Cyrus Chestnut, and NEA Jazz Master Dr. Barry Harris.
Samara’s self-titled debut recording is slated for release on July 9 through Whirlwind Recordings. It presents her backed by the trio of guitarist Pasquale Grasso, bassist Ari Roland, and drummer Kenny Washington. Within the album’s liner notes, veteran writer Will Friedwald comments that Samara Joy is “a fantastic collection of highly original new arrangements, beautifully sung by a rising talent, and a very impressive first album. People are forever using the word ‘timeless’ as if it were the greatest praise ever, but in a way, Samara’s voice and her music seem to belong to all time, like she’s connected to the entire history of jazz all at once – as if she were existing in every era simultaneously, she sounds both classic and contemporary.”
Winning the Vaughan award was transformational for Joy. “I was suddenly on the jazz radar. It’s still bizarre to think of how fast things have progressed.” Since then, Joy has dug deep to discover her jazz roots, without losing sight of the innate simplicity that makes her sound shine. Her first album announces the arrival of a young artist destined for greatness.

Find out more about her HERE!

Micheal Feinberg
2021-12-17 19:30 - 23:30
There will be two shows at 7:30pm & 9:30pm for this performance.
(Seatings to begin at 5pm & 8:45pm respectively)
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“A music prodigy turned evil genius” (spinner)
“Michael Feinberg has the love, energy, and talent to make a difference NOW!” (John Pattitucci)
Bassist Michael Feinberg presents his 8th studio recording Hard Times on Fresh Sound Records. A native of Atlanta, Feinberg grew up musically in the band of trumpeter Russell Gunn. After graduating from the University of Miami in 2009 Michael moved to New York where he has become a rising star of its vibrant music scene. He has appeared with a wide array of artists like Jon Batiste, Billy Hart, Ambrose Akinmusire, Knower, Dave Liebman, Melanie Charles, and Nir Felder to name a few.

On a side note it’s my first time ever performing in Detroit home to my heroes Elvin (Pontiac) and Stevie so I’m hype!
Find out more HERE!

The Orrin Evans Trio
2021-12-11 19:30 - 23:30, 2021-12-10 19:30 - 23:30
There will be two shows at 7:30pm & 9:30pm for this performance.
(Seatings to begin at 5pm & 8:45pm respectively)
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For more than two decades, Yamaha pianist Orrin Evans has made an art form of the unexpected. With more than 25 albums to his credit without ever relying on the support of a major label, Evans has become the model of a fiercely independent artist who’s made a habit of rattling the jazz world’s confining cages. That determination has paid off in accolades like topping the “Rising Star Pianist” category in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll and two Grammy nominations. As a daring pianist, Evans combines raw-edged vigor and left-field nuance into a sound wholly his own. As an adventurous composer he traverses stylistic boundaries with abandon, drawing on full-throttle swing, deep rooted blues, expressive soul or bracing excursions into the avant-garde. As an audacious bandleader, he delights in daring fellow musicians to take bold risks, whether in mutable small group settings or his raucous Captain Black Big Band. As an inventive collaborator, his projects range from the nerve-rattling collective trio Tarbaby, to the guitar/piano duo project Eubanks-Evans-Experience, and Brazilian project Terreno Comum.

Noah Jackson & Full Circle: Residency & Session
2021-11-17 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-11-03 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-10-27 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-10-20 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-10-13 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance
(Seatings begin at 5p & 8:45p respectively)
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Musicians pay no cover when they bring their instrument.
A Detroit original, Noah Jackson is a bassist, cellist, and composer specializing in black american music and classical music. Aimed with a curiosity to where sound could touch audiences from within, he has both written and performed music for large international audiences since 2010. A graduate of Michigan State University (B.M.), and Manhattan School of Music (M.M.), Noah has performed with world renowned artists such as NEA Jazz Master Abdullah Ibrahim, Branford Marsails, Jason Marsalis, The Marsalis Family, Hugh Masekela, Nnenna Freelon, Kenny Garrett, Wizard Harper, George Burton, Jazzmeia Horn, and Christian Sands. Additionally, he’s performed in many prominent venues and jazz festivals including Radio City Music Hall, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Blue Note Jazz Club (New York City and Milan), Royal Albert Hall, Victoria Hall (Geneva), Jazz in Marciac (Marciac, France), The Library of Congress, The Kennedy Center, SFJAZZ, The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, London Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and North Sea Jazz Festival. Noah Jackson also performed as part of the ceremony for the NEA Jazz Masters Award in 2019. He also recorded bass and cello on The Balance with Abdullah Ibrahim which reached #3 on the Billboard Jazz Charts (June 2019).
As a band leader, Noah had put on performances of original creative work with his band Full Circle. In 2011, he made his self-produced debut album, Contemplations- A Suite to critical acclaim and led Full Circle in the Detroit Jazz Festival in 2012. Since then, Noah has collaborated with a wide variety of artists across the jazz spectrum. In 2017, he has worked in collaboration with the American Ballet Theater with his string quartet Asè at Grace Farms in New Canaan, CT. Noah, along with vocalist and co-producer Candice Hoyes, were named recipients of grants for a double jazz and string quartet project: Ellington to the World: Generational Power in Black Culture and Spaces from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the New York Council of the Arts. The work premiered at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in September 2019 and was performed to a sold out audience in The CUBE @ DSO in February 2020. As of March 2021, Noah has joined Cliff Bell’s in Detroit as Curator and Artist-in-Residence where he will perform with his group Full Circle and host sessions as well as bring in world-class talent to perform on it’s stage.
Noah is endorsed by Aguilar Amps, David Gage REAList LifeLine pickups, and NOAH Guitars of Italy. Noah currently resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Find out more about Noah here!

The Johnny O'Neal Trio
2021-11-13 19:30 - 23:30, 2021-11-12 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Seatings begin at 5p & 8:45p respectively)
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After forty-plus years as a professional pianist, vocalist and entertainer, Johnny O’Neal has earned the title of “master” with fellow musicians and audiences around the world. Highlights of his awe-inspiring career include stints with Ray Brown, Milt Jackson and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, as well as a Carnegie Hall debut in 1985 on solo piano opening for Oscar Peterson and induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1998. There is little wonder he was tapped to play virtuoso pianist Art Tatum in the Academy Award-winning Ray Charles biopic Ray.
While playing with Blakey, he accompanied some of the great jazz divas, including Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae. Johnny has also been tapped for appearances by Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, Nancy Wilson, Anita O’Day, Lionel Hampton, Kenny Burrell, Sonny Stitt, Benny Golson, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and Clark Terry, among others. Performances on the festival circuits in Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, Israel and South Africa have gained him an international following.
The Detroit native considers himself a piano player first, but was encouraged to sing in his sets more by Joe Williams. Johnny recalls Williams advising him, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” Astonishingly, he is largely self-taught. His playing evokes the influences imbued in him by his idols Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum, and he has reshaped these elements into his own very swinging and melodic approach. In live performances, he is apt to catch his audience off-guard with his blues shouting or soulfully rendered yet unpretentious vocalizations.

ELEW
2021-10-23 19:30 - 23:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance
(Seatings begin at 5p & 8:45p respectively)
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Every once in a while, an artist comes along who changes everything. Producing something completely new and meaningful, this person fills a void within the fabric of our culture—a hole we didn’t even know was there. Past generations have laid claim to this type of iconoclast—Liszt, Warhol, and Coltrane are among the artistic beacons of years gone by. Today, another joins their number—an innovator, musical revolutionary and unmatched performer: ELEW, aka Eric Robert Lewis. Fusing traditional jazz with elements of modern rock and pop, ELEW’s masterful originals and blistering re-interpretations have ignited the interest of the country’s tastemakers and those in the cultural know. But more than this, he possesses that ineffable spark that we only associate with true genius. Everything that he creates bears his singular mark—the stamp of something that we have never seen or heard, but have always wanted to feel.
A native of Camden, New Jersey, ELEW began his musical studies at a young age. After being granted a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, he set his sights toward making noise on a grand scale. Upon graduation, he toured the world, recorded, and performed continuously with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Elvin Jones, Cassandra Wilson, Roy Hargrove, and Joe Henderson among others.
1999 offered a formal confirmation of what was rapidly becoming clear when ELEW won the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. It’s a contest that goes beyond simply rewarding musical proficiency, instead recognizing the elusive combination of knowledge, command, passion and expression that define a true piano master.
Today, bolstered by his virtuosic quartet, ELEW has created a riveting new sound that is at once fresh and classic. In the jazz tradition of interpreting popular tunes of the day, much like Art Tatum and John Coltrane, ELEW manipulates and performs renditions of rock and pop songs by today’s top artists. A musical contortionist, his compositions twist, turn, and careen between styles, sounds, and emotions, resulting in a stunning aural experience. His new style is becoming so popular that his gigs are beginning to extend into the realm of film industry, opening new doors for his talent to be recognized.

Richie Goods Project
2021-10-09 19:30 - 23:30
There will be two seatings at 7:30pm & 9:30pm for this performance.
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NY bassist Richie Goods, one of the most versatile and accomplished bass players on the scene today and the youngest person ever inducted into the Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame, came to prominence while touring and recording with the late Mulgrew Miller and credits him for much of his success. Richie went on to make a name for himself through recording and touring with a variety of jazz and popular artists including Sting, The Headhunters, Louis Hayes and the Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band, Lenny White, Milt Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Christina Aguilera. His lengthy discography also includes Grammy award-winning and platinum albums of Alicia Keys and Common. Richie most recently toured with popular jazz trumpeter, Chris Botti for over 5 years.
Known for his ability to “lay down the groove”, Richie infuses funk and gospel influences in his music. He tours the US and internationally extensively, including notable performances at the Monterrey, Montreal, Mendocino, Atlanta, Detroit, San Jose and Jakarta Java Jazz Festivals as well as the Punta del Este International Jazz Festival. Richie, a native Pittsburgher, graduated from the Pittsburgh High School for Creative and Performing Arts and the prestigious jazz program at Berklee College in Boston and studied with such luminaries as Ron Carter and
Ray Brown. Richie received critical acclaim for his first recording with Nuclear Fusion –“Richie Goods & Nuclear Fusion Live at the Zinc Bar” (2009), which was followed by “THREE RIVERS” in 2015.
Richie’s latest release, recorded with his current band, THE GOODS PROJECT, is a tribute to his mentor. “My Left Hand Man – A Tribute to Mulgrew Miller” spent 16 weeks on the JazzWeek charts, 8 in the top 20. As one critic observed, Richie Goods truly has music in his
DNA –“a master musician whose tenure with many of music’s greatest names clearly has worn off on him…”
