The Jazz Voyager
Just a short hop by plane from Ann Arbor, Michigan west to Chicago, Illinois for this year’s edition of their jazz festival, however, this Jazz Voyager, tired of planes, is going to take a leisurely four hour drive and catch some scenery along the way and round the tip of Lake Michigan to the Windy City.
If you’ve never been to the Chicago Jazz Festival, this is a perfect way to close out the summer! The city is featuring several stages presenting the likes of Ron Carter, Chico Freeman, Ari Brown, Dianne Reeves, Makaya McCraven, Billy Valentine and Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars, with a host of other performers. Running from August 31 ~ September 3, the music starts at 11:00am, goes to 9:00pm and admission is free. I’ll be there all weekend.
More info at www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_jazz_festival5.
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The Jazz Voyager
From the West Coast to middle America the jazz Voyager is off to Ann Arbor, Michigan to seize the opportunity to witness the ambience of Blue Llama, a jazz club where it is said they present live jazz and world music paired with New Orleans-inspired cuisine. A destination music venue and restaurant located at 314 S. Main Street 48104, this week they are offering up for our musical pleasure the guitar talents of Randy Napoleon.
The jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger has toured both nationally and internationally leading his own groups as well as with the Freddy Cole Quartet, pianist Benny Green, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra led by John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, and Jeff Hamilton, Rene Marie, and Michael Bublé.
He is an associate professor in the College of Music at Michigan State University[5] and has done master classes at universities and music schools throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.
More information can be had by calling 734-372-3200 or go to bluellamaclub.com.
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The Jazz Voyager
Dashing off to the West Coast this Jazz Voyager is returning to one of his favorite night spots in Northern California called Yoshi’s. One of the world’s most respected jazz venues, earning a reputation as the Bay Area’s premier location for great Japanese cuisine and jazz.
What started as a humble idea amongst a trio of friends has become a true testament of the American dream. The dreamers were journalist and carpenter, Kaz Kajimura, painter and cook, Hugh “Hiro” Hori and artist Yoshie Akiba. In 1972 they set out to create a culinary experience introducing fresh seasonal Japanese cuisine to the Berkeley community. The friends decided to name the business after Yoshie. The menu of Chef Hiro cemented the Japanese cuisine into the DNA of the business making the 27-seat restaurant a popular dining destination for East Bay residents. In 1979, Yoshi’s moved to Oakland’s Claremont Avenue.
Two-time Grammy nominated jazz vocalist, composer and arranger Carmen Lundy is performing at my next stop. Hailing from Miami, she received her music degree from the University of Miami and after an early career in Miami, she moved to New York City. In 1978 she released her debut solo album Good Morning Kiss. She has recorded sixteen albums all while wearing hats as an actress and a mixed media artist and painter.
The venue is located 510 Embarcadero West Oakland, CA 94607. More information can be obtained by calling 212-581-3080 or go to birdlandjazz.com.
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The Jazz Voyager
Departing Atlanta for a quick hop up to the Big Apple to Charlie Parker’s namesake club, Birdland. A revered nightclub that opened in Manhattan on December 15, 1949, originally located at 1678 Broadway, just north of West 52nd Street. It closed in 1965 due to increased rents, but re-opened for one night in 1979. A revival began in 1986 with the opening of the second nightclub by the same name located in the Theater District, not far from the original location. The current location is in the same building as the previous headquarters of The New York Observer.
This week I’ll be enjoying the vocal talents of my friend Vanessa Rubin. Revered as a torchbearer and a storyteller, she possesses a voice with crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performance from both the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother and traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father.
The venue is located 315 W 44th Street, #5402, New York City, NY 10036. More information can be obtained by calling 212-581-3080 or go to birdlandjazz.com.
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The Jazz Voyager
Setting down in Atlanta, Georgia after a fourteen and a half hour flight from Kyoto this Jazz Voyager is heading to friends for a shower and a lay down before heading out to indulge myself in a two stop night of jazz. My first stop is St. James Live for a little night music. Operated by husband-and-wife Ron and Evelyn St. James along with their daughter, Tiffany have established a warm, relaxing ambience for an extraordinary evening. With a menu ranging from tapas to sweet treats, salads and small bites, their culinary diversity will enchant and satisfy any palate. I’m looking at fish tacos and peach cobbler to hold me through the evening.
This week I’ll be in the audience enjoying The Baylor Project. A husband. A wife. An astonishing duo built on love, family, faith, culture and community. These are the things that power Jean and Marcus Baylor. This enticing collaboration is steeped in the heart and soul of jazz.
St. James Live is located in Camp Creek Village Townhomes at 3220 Butner Rd #240, 30331. More information can be obtained by calling 404-254-3561 or by visiting stjamesliveatl.com.
I’ll wrap up my evening with a late night hit with The Hightower Harper Hang at the Handle Bar at 476 Edgewood Avenue. More info at 404-600-2639. It’s a full night of jazz in the A where this Jazz Voyager hasn’t had the opportunity to see friends and musicians not seen or heard in a few years.
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