ALTHEA RENE
Detroit soul jazz flutist & Billboard chart-topping sensation brings her red hot band back to the Rubber City in a sizzlin’ return to BLU!
Althea was born December 25th in Detroit, Michigan and began her musical journey at the tender age four. She studied classical music while attending Howard University in Washington D.C. and later gained further musical inspiration from the accomplishments of Yusef Lateef, Ian Anderson, and her father, one of Motown’s original Funk Brothers, Dezie McCullers.She has since developed her own creative style.
For more than 10 years she was employed as a Wayne County Deputy Sheriff (Detroit, Michigan). Today, she is a full-time performing/recording artist and some regard her as a “master of her craft” and one of the world’s most exciting solo improvisational flutists.
In May 2013, she released her fifth project “In The Flow”. Collaborating with Grammy award winning producer Michael Broening, (producer for legendary icons George Benson and Paul McCartney) she cowrote the title track. That single became her biggest hit and reached number one ranking on both the Billboard Chart and the Smooth Jazz Chart. Althea Rene made history by becoming the first flute player in the history of Billboard Chart to reach the number one spot.
In April 2015, Althea Rene recorded her first live project. She and her rhythm section annihilated the stage of the beautiful Detroit Public Library with a free concert. Music fans from all over Michigan enjoyed a scorching hot performance. A compilation of some of her greatest hits, “Live in Detroit” is arguably her strongest work to date.
Cover: $48.25
More Posts: adventure,bandleader,club,flute,genius,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,travel
JUDITH OWEN
Judith Owen is a performer whose stylistic range spans rock, pop, classical, jazz, blues, and musical theatre. Owen is also a comedic actress and master storyteller. Judith grew up in London surrounded by classical music, ballet, theatre, and the fine arts. Further, she was also exposed to many jazz icons and Broadway musicals that her parents loved. Thus, this mixture would become her signature sound.
Owen quickly began performing at a variety of different venues around London. Her unique hybrid of classical/jazz-influenced styled sound soon affirmed a regular slot at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s.
Her new live album, 2024’s Comes Alive, follows her hugely successful 2022 album Come On & Get It. That album received over 2.6 million album streams and more than a million YouTube views. Judith Owen Comes Alive features sixteen tracks recorded live over a weeklong residency in Bern, Switzerland at Marians Jazzroom.
Owen conceived of the project because of her childhood fascination with the music of the pioneering but oft forgotten women of jazz and blues. For example, Julia Lee, Blossom Dearie and Nellie Lutcher. She discovered these women hidden in her father’s record collection alongside Oscar Peterson and Jelly Roll Morton. There, Owen became captivated and enchanted by these “unapologetic” chanteuses of the 40’s/50’s. They were singing about sex and enjoying it, at a time when women were meant to sing about romance. Then, Owen made it her mission to dig deep and find out more from both a musical and historical perspective. The result is a joyful, uplifting, and empowering project. Moreover, she honors these entertaining women who broke the glass ceiling with their stiletto heels and were proud of it!
Cover: $30.00~$40.00
More Posts: adventure,club,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,travel,vocal
PAT MALLINGER QUARTET
Pat Mallinger was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota and began playing the saxophone at 11 years of age. He received his Jazz Studies degree from North Texas State University on a “One O’clock Lab Band” Scholarship.
He lived and performed in Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, and Japan, before establishing Chicago as his home in 1990. He is a co-leader of Sabertooth, which has been the mainstay band at the Green Mill Lounge each Saturday night from 1992 to 2018.
Since 2018 until the pandemic shutdown, Pat continued to lead the Saturday night band at the Green Mill as Pat Mallinger’s Late Night Jazz Party featuring 2 different musicians from Chicago and around the country. Pat is often heard around Chicago performing with the Bobby Lewis Quintet, Model Citizens Big Band, and his own quartet to name a few.
Cover: $20.00
More Posts: adventure,bandleader,club,genius,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,saxophone,travel
THE ABNEY EFFECT
Chicago born and raised jazz trumpeter Mario Abney now of New Orleans fuses traditional and extended trumpet techniques in a most inventive way; his strikingly personal instrumental vision endows the music with an infinite array of tonal color. Recognized for his ability to create pure musical dialog, and hear music in a universally spiritual way, he is definitely one of New Orleans most pioneering young jazz musicians.
Marioʼs first experience hearing jazz was the music of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. After jazz trumpet peaked his interest in music Mario began to absorb the music of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and all the great trumpeters who pioneered the music. In 2001, after several years of playing as a side man Abney was inspired to lead his own Quintet. During a performance at the Dayton RiverWalk festival in 2007 Mario became interested in going to New Orleans after hearing the Hot 8 Brass Band perform. By spring of 2008 Abney and two members from his quintet moved to New Orleans to absorb its rich musical culture and become part of the music scene.
Cover: $15.00
More Posts: adventure,bandleader,club,genius,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,travel,trumpet
JACK FREEMAN
Jack Freeman, a Houston native, is a talented singer-songwriter known for his soulful and authentic approach to music. Guided by his mantra to “make good music and tell the truth,” Freeman has built a loyal fanbase throughout his career. His latest album, NINA, produced by Bryan-Michael Cox, explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Through his heartfelt lyrics and captivating sound, Freeman continues to resonate with audiences, offering a deeply personal and relatable musical experience. Follow him on social media @iamjackfreeman.
Tickets: VIP: $200.00 | Includes VIP booth seating 2 people, meet & greet, bottle of wine and charcuterie)
General Admission ~ Day Of: $30.00 | Standing Room, No Seating
GA: $25.00 Standing Room, No Seating
Meet & Greet: $50.00
More Posts: adventure,bandleader,club,genius,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,travel,vocal