Acclaimed international jazz vocalist Lori Williams has a most impressive resume as a performing artist, veteran music educator and choral director, songwriter, producer, musical theater actress, jazz radio host on JazzRadioWETF.org, a business owner at PositiveMusicPM.org, and artist-in-residence with over 30 years of experience. It is her work as a vocalist and clinician that most satisfies her […]
Love and inspiration can come from many places, but Merlon Devine’s love and inspiration to play music came from right inside his childhood home. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas with a singing mother and a guitar playing father, Merlon and his nine siblings lived in a home filled with gospel music. Although Merlon did […]
Both in sound and improvisational approaches, the two offer fascinating contrasting and complementary sensibilities. Lovano’s cobalt-blue tone on tenor saxophone paired with Douglas’ crimson-tinged trumpet flares create startling timbres when they play in unison or intertwine improvisational lines. — DownBeat The Band: Joe Lovano – Saxophone | Dave Douglas – Trumpet | Lawrence Fields – Piano | Yasushi […]
Paquito D’Rivera has won a combined 16 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards (5 Grammy and 11 Latin Grammys). He is celebrated both for his artistry in Latin jazz and his achievements as a classical composer. Born in Havana, Cuba, he performed at age 10 with the National Theater Orchestra, studied at the Havana Conservatory of […]
Through inspiration and an inexhaustible work ethic Eugenie Jones has transformed herself into a jazz vocalist of impeccable quality, with a respect for the jazz tradition and the courage to try something she had never imagined - a singing career. Eugenie Jones was not supposed to be a jazz singer. She graduated with an MBA in marketing, and her post-graduate career took her deep […]
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Brian Blade established himself as a versatile, accomplished drummer early in his career, appearing on albums by Joshua Redman, Kenny Garrett, and Bob Dylan. Blade released his first album, Brian Blade Fellowship, at the age of 27 in 1998 and followed two years later with Perceptual, both on Blue Note Records. The Fellowship […]
Multi-woodwind-instrumentalist and Detroit native Kasan Belgrave is well-rounded within the Detroit music community. His musical heritage of passing down the knowledge and exposure of Detroit music to the youth; like his father, late trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. Kasan has worked with many greats in his young career such as the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Wynton […]
The saxophone is presenting his new West Coast Album Release of Alone. Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is an electrifying force in the jazz world. A two-time Downbeat Critics Poll Winner (2014 & 2021) for both tenor and soprano saxophones, he is a powerhouse talent and one of the most sought-after sidemen in the game. […]
Kimmie Horne is an international jazz vocalist, model, and actress and a native Detroiter, descendant of the legendary songstress and actor Lena Horne, and niece of the late great singer/songwriter Cleveland Horne of the Fantastic Four. She has left her mark in areas around the world, including, Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, LA, San […]
Daline began singing as a child and her singing and songwriting chops are the legacy of her famous Beat-poet father and jazz surrealist, Ted Joans. He made sure Daline spent her early years listening to, and seeing, the Jazz greats in the clubs of their native New York City. That exposure lead her to pursue […]
A masterful jazz pianist and Baltimore native, Cyrus Chestnut balances his lithe technical skill with a robust, soulful style that speaks to his deep gospel roots and love of swinging hard bop. Raised in the church, he learned how to infuse his swinging, classically trained style with a warm gospel sound, a style that first marked his […]
Christopher Brown is an acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, and educator who seeks to be a voice within the advocacy of Jazz music and American culture. And through the expansive range of groups that he has assembled and/or performed with—which span from duos to Jazz big bands to military marching bands and orchestras—his musical and personal […]
Conga player and composer Alberto Nacif and the superlative musicians who make up the sizzling Latin Jazz group Aguankó have a new, all original Latin Jazz recording titled “Unidad”, which was released at the July 2023 performance at Blue LLama. This recording features the core group of Aguanko musicians from the incredibly rich Detroit area […]
In fact, this true all-star band (all four members are Oregon Music Hall Of Fame inductees) has been a sensation going back to 1997, when they began a 20-year run on Thursday evenings at Portland’s legendary “Jimmy Mak’s” (The Oregonian dubbed them “Jimmy Mak’s signature group”). They’ve continued their Thursday night tradition at the Jack London […]
Cliff Richmond & the CliffNotes serve up a unique blend of soulful, swinging & funky jazz, They incorporate a wide range of styles from mainstream jazz, to rhythm & blues, Latin to reggae. Founded by the guitarist & vocalist, the CliffNotes always features some of Nashville's most accomplished and versatile musicians and vocalists.
Dizzy’s Club celebrates the 60th birthday of cherished jazz drummer, Matt Wilson, a long-standing favorite on our stage. He brings a special two-night engagement to honor this milestone. He'll debut his dynamic new band, Good Trouble, followed by a performance with his acclaimed ensemble, Honey & Salt. Named Musician of the Year by the Jazz […]
George Colligan Quartet Featuring Devasate' Phelps Jazz pianist and Portland State University Professor, George Colligan has made a name for himself not only as an impressive, world-class performer, but also as a mentor and collaborator with younger musicians on the Portland jazz scene. George will be hosting an intimate evening at The 1905 with some […]
While many of the compositions on Love Letters were written by giants such as Leonard Bernstein (“Lonely Town”), Benny Golson (“Fair Weather”), and Ben-Hur’s long-time mentor, the late, great Barry Harris (“To Dizzy with Love”), Ben-Hur once again showcases his formidable composing chops with four original compositions. With the Quartet on Love Letters, Ben-Hur creates an […]
Eric Alexander is one of the most sought-after saxophonists on the modern jazz scene. "The people I listened to in college are still the cats that are influencing me today," says Alexander. "Monk, Dizzy, Sonny Stitt, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Joe Henderson - the legacy left by Bird and all the bebop pioneers, […]
Few bands can boast a history as fortuitous and storied asThe Headhunters. What each member brings to the table forged a history that most bands can only dream of. Their blend of jazz with funk and rock would go on to sell over a million albums worldwide, while the band's legacy would inspire musicians of […]
Born in Harlem and raised on the Upper West Side of NYC, Bobby Broom took up guitar at 12 and five years later, in 1977, made his first appearance with Sonny Rollins at Carnegie Hall. Even prior to that auspicious start, he had dedicated himself to the art, culture, and life of jazz, with the […]
The sonically innovative harpist, Brandee Younger, is revolutionizing harp for the digital era. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she […]
An active performer of both jazz and classical music, Idit Shner has played in various distinguished venues in the United States and abroad, such as The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Lincoln Center in New York. Her latest project, Mhondoro, blends Zimbabwean folk music and American jazz. Mhondoro released their first album, Heatwave, in 2022 and are […]
The Best of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone Over the course of a multi-faceted career spanning just a little under 3 decades, Thimes is no stranger to the music world, growing up in a home surrounded by all types of music from her father & radio icon, the late Lou “Fatha” Thimes. She has performed […]