Sasha Kashperko Trio
2016-10-05 20:00 (America/Detroit)
Sasha Kashperko and his trio will explore the depths of detroit swing and soul with some original tunes as well as some standard repertoire for 3 sets at the historic Cliff Bells.

Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra
2016-10-06 19:00 (America/Detroit)
With a different local high school jazz band opening each performance!
Scott Gwinnell is an award-winning pianist, composer/arranger, and educator born in Detroit, and residing in the Metro-Detroit area. He currently freelances as a sideman and leads various groups; the most well-known being the 16-piece Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra. He is an adjunct professor of music at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and an ensemble director at Michigan State University’s Detroit Campus.
http://www.wscottjazz.com/

Closed for a Private Event
2016-10-08, 2016-10-14, 2016-10-21, 2016-11-09

Sean Dobbins & The Modern Jazz Messengers
2016-10-15 21:30 (America/Detroit)
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, as well as Detroit area greats Gerald Cleaver and the one and only Elvin Jones. 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 jazz radio programs and documentaries.
http://www.seandobbinsmusic.com/

Don & Travis
2016-10-16 11:00 - 14:00 UTC
Travis Albright a young multi-talented musician and graduate from the University of Michigan currently playing bass guitar for a local jazz group, the Gene-n-Tonics. He has performed in and around Detroit for the last five years.

Don Santilli (Don, the Sax Guy) is local journeyman saxophonist, with degrees from Michigan State and Oakland University. Back in his college years he was with rhythm and blues/rock band out of Michigan State called the Paramounts. Most recently he has been performing locally in the Detroit area, especially with the Gene-n-Tonics.

The young Travis and the seasoned Don both have a “feel” for music and click together, because their Music has no generation gap!

The Dustbowl Revival
2016-10-16 20:00 (America/Detroit)
Advance Tickets Here
In a city like Los Angeles, home to musical stars in nearly every known genre, handing out the Best Live Band title is not easy. But the free-thinking local collective Dustbowl Revival’s upbeat, old-school, All-American sonic safaris exemplify everything shows should be: hot, spontaneous, engaging and, best of all, a pleasure to hear. ” –LA WEEKLY
Bluegrass. Swing. Hot jazz. Pre-war blues. Southern soul. New Orleans funk. The Dustbowl Revival is what you could call an American roots orchestra with eight full-time members — and they play it all, mashing the sounds of traditional American music into a genre-hopping, time-bending dance party that coaxes new fire out of familiar coal. This isn’t a throwback band. It’s a celebration of the sounds that have kept America moving for more than a century, performed with all the flair of a medicine show and rooted in the sweat and swagger of a juke joint song swap.
http://www.dustbowlrevival.com/

Jacob Schwandt Trio
2016-10-19 20:00 (America/Detroit)
Local guitar trio led by Wayne State student Jacob Schwandt playing jazz standards and original compositions.

Shana Tucker
2016-10-20 20:00 - 23:00 (America/Detroit)
“Her voice alone would support a career. What makes Tucker special is her adherence to the cello, boldly taking the instrument into new territory.” -INDYWEEK.COM
Shana Tucker is a singer-songwriter and cellist who credits her genre-bending ChamberSoul™ journey to the influences of her jazz and classical roots, interwoven with 80’s & 90’s pop music, movie soundtracks, and world music.
Shana’s journey as a solo artist began in 2009, when she arrived in Durham, NC and quickly became a staple in the vibrant Triangle music scene. INDYWEEK.COMwrites, “Indeed, crossovers and connections are a central theme of Tucker’s career, from the cello’s liminal range to her interests in various genres. Her debut album SHiNE corrodes the music industry boundaries between classical, jazz, folk, R&B and soul.”Triangle Arts & Entertainment notes Shana as “a complex musician who offers not only a world-class voice that rivals that of Cleo Laine or Diana Krall, but also is an accomplished cellist…able to compete with musicians who make their living simply by playing one instrument…she carves out a space that is intrinsically hers…”.
http://www.shanatucker.com/

The Moutin Factory Quintet
2016-10-27 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Detroit)
“If the Moutin Factory Quintet had played with any more enthusiasm, Friday night at the Green Mill Jazz Club, the pillar holding up the ceiling might not still be standing. But we’re not talking about mere volume.” Howard Reich , Chicago Tribune
Featuring:
Francois Moutin – bass/coleader
Louis Moutin – bass/coleader
Jean Michel Pilc – piano
Manu Codjia – guitar
Christophe Monniot – alto sax
Master drummer Louis Moutin and bassist Francois Moutin and bring the Moutin Factory Quintet to Detroit’s Cliff Bell’s. Following extensive international touring, including a long list of major jazz festivals, they will embark on a two-week tour of the United States and Canada. With their deep chemistry and distinctive, sprawling compositions, The Moutins have been attracting an increasingly large and enthusiastic following for years, and we’re honored to host their only New York appearance of the tour! Their second album, Deep, comes out in August 2016, so audiences can expect to hear some inspired new sounds from Moutin brothers and their excellent band.

http://www.moutin.com/

Caroline Davis Group
2016-10-28 21:00, 2016-10-29 21:30 (America/Detroit)
Mobile since her birth in Singapore, composer, saxophonist, and educator Caroline Davis now lives in Brooklyn, New York. After making her mark on the Chicago jazz community during her 8-year stint there, she moved to New York in 2013, and has proven to be an active leader and sidewoman in the national jazz scene.
She has shared musical moments with a diverse group of musicians, including Matt Wilson, Ellis Marsalis, Matt Mitchell, Randy Brecker, Bobby Broom, Greg Saunier, Ron Miles, Dennis Carroll, Erin McKeown, Allison Miller, Jenny Owen Youngs, and Billy Kaye. Aside from her own quintet, she collaborates regularly with R&B indie band, Maitri, and has been a regular member of many outfits including Whirlpool, Fatbook, Deep Fayed, Matt Mitchell’s Sprees, Billy Kaye Quintet, Paul Bedal Quintet, Orso, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Caili O’Doherty Group, Dion Kerr Group, Elliot Ross, Charles Rumback Group, and Materials and Their Destiny.
Her debut album, Live Work & Play, was featured on All About Jazz’s best releases, and she was named one of JazzTimes’ Best New Artists in the 2012 Expanded Critics’ Poll. Her second album, Doors: Chicago Storylines, was just released as an audio documentary that uniquely sets stories from Chicago’s jazz scene from the 80s and 90s alongside her original music. Doors has brought her much acclaim in recent issues of DownBeat andJazzTimes.
As an educator, Caroline brings her unique knowledge of music and psychology to her teaching, as she acquired a Ph.D. in Music Cognition at Northwestern University in 2010. She has been on the faculty at Litchfield Jazz Camp for the past 10 years, and has been a guest educator at Northwestern University, University of Colorado at Boulder, St. Xavier University, Columbia College, DePaul University, University of Texas at Arlington, Loyola University, Texas Tech, New Trier High School, Evanston Township High School, Denver School of the Arts, Newman Smith High School, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. She has also participated in several jazz mentorship programs, including IAJE’s Sisters in Jazz and the Kennedy Center’s Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program.
http://www.carolinedavis.org/home-1/

Detroit Dizzy Dames
2016-10-30 21:00 (America/Detroit)
Billed as being from “The Paris of The West”, Lushes LaMoan is Detroit’s premier burlesque performer. Her style is considered classic bump and grind and often referred to as nostalgic by performers from “the golden age” of burlesque. She is trained in classic theater and comedic arts. She incorporates her knowledge and background as a comedian into her stage persona. Lushes started her performance career doing theater performances and being an original cast member for the Detroit based urban sketch comedy television show, Switch Play TV. https://www.facebook.com/lusheslamoanburlesque

Peter and Will Anderson
2016-11-12 21:30 (America/Detroit)
”Virtuosos on clarinet and saxophone,” (New York Times) identical twins Peter & Will Anderson have headlined the Blue Note, Kennedy Center, and New Orleans Jazz Festival, playing “with a passion, unpredictability, and sense of discovery.” (All About Jazz) The Andersons’ are Juilliard grads, have played on GRAMMY winning recordings, and toured the U.K., South America, and Japan. They perform exciting arrangements of American songbook gems, Brazilian Bossa Nova, New Orleans Classics, and fresh original music.
http://www.PeterAndWillAnderson.com

Closed
2016-11-15, 2016-11-16, 2016-11-17

Spare Parts
2016-11-19 21:30 (America/Detroit)
“I’m always looking for the new and unique and quite often I look to the Chicago scene where there’s always something interesting to be found. From that fertile ground comes BRIGHT MINOR (CD) from one of my favorite Chicago groups these days, SPARE PARTS. These guys squeeze more out of keyboards, bass and drums than any trio you’ll find anywhere!” Russ Davis- Modern Jazz Radio (MOJA)
Featuring the deep funk/jazz styling’s of:
Colin Scott, bass
Kevin Kozal, keys
Mike Bruno, drums
http://www.sparepartsmusic.com/

The Claudettes
2016-11-20 19:00 (America/Detroit)
Pianist Johnny Iguana formed the Claudettes, who feature Berit Ulseth on vocals, Zach Verdoorn on bass guitar and vocals and Matt Torre on drums. Johnny, who has toured internationally with his own cult-favorite rock band oh my god, is currently a member of two Grammy-nominated blues groups: Chicago Blues–A Living History and the Muddy Waters 100 Band. Johnny has toured or recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, James Cotton, Carey Bell, Lil’ Ed and more. The Claudettes combine the Chicago blues-piano tradition with the energy of rockabilly and punk and the sultry sound of ’60s soul-jazz to create a thrilling new spin on American roots music.
http://theclaudettes.com/

Detroit All-Star Organ Quartet
2016-11-23 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Detroit)
Duncan McMillan started exploring the world of sound at home on the family piano, inspired by his father’s stride piano version of the popular song, “Yes sir, that’s my baby.” The roots of his musical career began under the influence of Frederic Dehaven as a chorister in the Boys choir of Christ Church Grosse Pointe from 1980-1987.
After a brief hiatus from musical pursuits,Duncan studied Jazz Piano and Music Theory with James Hohmeyer, Bess Bonnier and Matt Michaels between 1989-1992.
Upon graduation from Western Michigan University in 1997(B.M. piano performance/jazz studies), Mr. McMillan has established a reputation as a versatile musician, working with such diverse artists as Jon Hendricks, Aretha Franklin, Rodney Whitaker, Ira Sullivan, Marcus Belgrave, Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangell, Chris Standring and The Four Freshman. In demand as both a pianist and organist, he is a regular member of The Paul Keller Orchestra and Randy Napoleon Sextet. A respected composer/arranger, his work has been performed by The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, University of Michigan (Flint) Jazz Ensemble, Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Flint Symphony Orchestra and The Planet D Nonet.

Olin Clark Trio
2016-11-23 20:00 (America/Detroit)
MSU Grad Student Olin Clark’s guitar trio.

Closed for Thanksgiving
2016-11-24

Noah Jackson & Full Circle: Residency & Session
2021-04-14 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-04-21 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-04-28 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-05-05 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-05-12 19:30 - 23:00, 2021-05-19 19:30 - 23:00 (America/Detroit)
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!
