Saturday, August 19
8:00pm
8:00pm
Scotland-born, Los Angeles-raised veteran saxophonist Richard Elliot is the 2017 GRandJazzFest headliner, taking the Rosa Parks Circle stage Saturday, Aug. 19, at 8 p.m. Long known as the “James Brown of Contemporary Jazz” for the intense soul inspirations of his recordings, Elliot has added GRandJazzFest to his relentless tour schedule. Audiences love Elliot’s joyfully exhausting onstage performances, digging deep into his R&B and jazz roots. Infectious melodies and funky grooves flow and follow a two-word mantra – Rock Steady – the name of his highly anticipated debut on Artistry Music. With a bestselling discography of more than 15 recordings since 1986’s Initial Approach, thousands of live dates spanning over two decades and one of the largest and most loyal fan bases in contemporary urban jazz, it’s incredible to hear Elliot declare: “What I’m doing now, enjoying this upward trend in my career, is seriously the most fun I have ever had.” The multi-talented tenor-man, composer and producer has been on one of the most incredible rolls of his career since the 2005 release of Metro Blue, which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart. More at http://www.richardelliot.com/
5:00pm
5:00pm
Bryan Lubeck’s fiery Spanish guitar and smooth urban grooves made him a Billboard Magazine critic’s choice in 2006 and since then he has become a regular on contemporary instrumental stations around the world. The Sirius/XM plays of his Christmas songs make him one of the top 20 artist played each holiday season. Averaging well over 30,000 listeners a month on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Play and Google, he is also proving very popular in the streaming services. Tuscan Sky – his most recent work – spent more than 14 weeks on the various adult contemporary instrumental charts with 4 songs getting regular radio play from the album which features five Grammy winners. His live shows are equally popular, performing 2 act shows with Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Brian Culbertson, Euge Groove, Craig Chaquico and more. Bryan will once again be providing the family guitar tent at GRandJazzFest 2019.
2:30pm
2:30pm
Formed in August 2003 by reedman Paul VornHagen and conguero Alberto Nacif, this exciting Cuban jazz combo has released four critically acclaimed Cds of mostly original compositions that have been featured on all the major jazz public radio stations throughout the U.S.
Winner of the 2005, 2007 & 2013 Detroit Music Awards for Best Jazz Recording and Best World Music Band, this combo has performed at all the major Michigan jazz/music festivals including Detroit, Michigan, Lansing, Birmingham, Raisin River, Great Lakes Folkfest , Blissfest, Wheatland Dance and Ann Arbor to name a few. The title cut of their 2009 Cd was used as a soundtrack for the USA Network TV show, Burn Notice. In June 2012, the band released their 4th Cd, Casa Versailles, which was featured on the #1 syndicated jazz radio program, Jazz After Hours w/Jim Wilke as well as many NPR programs nationwide. Casa Versailles won the 2013 Detroit Music Award for World Music CD.
All band members have won or been nominated for individual Detroit Music Awards as well teach at U of Michigan, Washtenaw CC, Jazz Camps and music studios. Their library program, The Rhythms of Cuba, has been presented at over 15 public libraries throughout southeastern Michigan. Other music performance venues include Chicago, Toledo, OH, Windsor, CAN and Oklahoma.
Current band members include Paul Vornhagen (Sax/flute/piccolo/percussion), Alberto Nacif (congas), Olman Piedra (timbales/congas), Jonathan Ovalle (timbales), Pat Prouty (bass), Paul Finkbeiner (trumpet) and Brian DiBlassio (piano).
3:30pm
3:30pm
Ed Stone and the Flowmasters performs Saturday at GRandJazzFest. Stone, a jazz guitarist and vocalist, has played in numerous Top 40 groups and brings his songwriting and music to national audiences. Joining Stone are the Flowmasters, with bass, drums and a keyboard for a smooth jazz show. They’ve performed at the New Center Park Summer Music Series, Idlewild Music Festival, Belle Isle Jazz Concert Series and at many other venues nationwide. More at www.edsterlingstone.com.
2:00pm
2:00pm
Terry Lower / Jazz Expedition Sextet performs Saturday at the festival. Lower, a virtuoso jazz pianist, has been a fixture on the Michigan jazz scene for over 30 years. He’s also performed outside the USA including stints on Carnival and Costa Cruise Lines and two concert tours in Italy. In 2016, Terry was named West Michigan Jazz Society’s Musician of the Year. Joining Lower on the Jazz Expedition Sextet will be Rob Smith on trumpet, Michael Dease on trombone, Jim Hayward on saxophone, Ray Tini on bass and Larry Ochiltree on drums. More at http://www.terrylowermusic.com/.
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with a tradition established with the first GRandJazzFest in 2012, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Edye Evans Hyde opens the 2015 event. For more than 35 years, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites. (More at http://www.grjo.com.) 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe. Over the years, Evans Hyde has shared the stage with world-renowned blues singer Linda Hopkins, pop singer Michael Bolton, vocalist Maria Muldaur, actress Connie Stevens, the late Ray Charles and Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. (More at http://edyeevanshyde.com.)
Sunday, August 20
7:00pm
7:00pm
The trio Nate Harasim & NILS featuring Brandon Willis takes to the GRandJazzFest stage on Sunday night. Harasim, a Grammy nominee and Soul Train Award recipient, is a producer, composer, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist whose many live performances have included President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball, the Dubai International Jazz Festival and the 2015 GRandJazzFest. The Michigan-based artist’s album Rush debuted on the Billboard charts at No. 17 and was the No. 6 album of 2011 on SmoothJazz.com. Joining Harasim at GRandJazzFest is NILS, an L.A.-based guitarist whose talents are featured on the contemporary jazz hit “Impact” produced by Harasim. Rounding out the trio is Brandon Willis, a saxophonist featured on “Impact.” Willis is a rising star from Newcastle, Washington, who brings a soulful sound and charismatic persona to the northwest jazz scene. His eagerly anticipated debut album First Time was developed with the likes of pianist/arranger Eugene Bien, Kenny G’s touring guitarist John Raymond and keyboardist Donyea Goodman. More at http://www.nateharasim.com/ and http://brandonwillismusic.com/.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Four80East joins the Sunday lineup for GRandJazzFest 2017. The band is an electro-jazz collective that’s all about the groove. Mixing jazz with soul music and electronic production, the Canadian producer duo of Rob DeBoer and Tony Grace have created a signature bass-propelled sound that entrances listeners of their recordings and enthralls audiences at their live shows. Since breaking out with their critically acclaimed first release The Album in 1997, Four80East has been a mainstay on contemporary jazz radio and touring circuits with hits like “Eastside” and “Noodle Soup” and six subsequent albums. As a production team and as artists, DeBoer and Grace have had global success. They’ve won every major music award in their native Canada, from a Juno to a MuchMusic Award to a Canadian Radio Music Award. More at http://four80east.com/.
1:00pm
1:00pm
You might notice of something different at an organissimo performance. The audience isn’t the typical homogenous “jazz” audience. You’ll see a healthy mix of people from all walks of life; young and old, black and white, from hippies to corporate professionals and everything in between. organissimo’s music skirts over fences and satisfies a diverse range of tastes. You’re as likely to see people dancing as a group of folks intently listening.
As American cultural critic Elvis Mitchell wrote after witnessing a show at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, “The group’s toned, muscular playing keeps the crowd rapt, a condition noticeable by the fact that almost no one is talking.”
organissimo formed in November of 2000 with the goal of bringing jazz back to the people. organissimo’s sound is instantly identifiable yet constantly evolving, infusing elements of funk, gospel, blues, progressive rock, and Latin rhythms into a solid foundation of jazz. Shifting meters, deep grooves, melodic finesse and tight ensemble interplay are hallmarks of the organissimo sound.
organissimo’s music has received numerous awards. The latest CD, Dedicated, released in January of 2013, hit #5 on the JazzWeek charts and stayed in the Top 10 for 8 weeks. It hit #1 on the CMJ jazz charts and was named one of the Top 10 CDs of 2013. It received airplay on over 200 stations including Comcast’s MusicChoice and XM/Sirius Radio.
organissimo’s album, Groovadelphia, topped the CMJ Jazz Charts for three weeks at #1 and stayed in the JazzWeek Top 50 for 14 weeks, peaking at #22. It won two WYCE Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Best Song and was also named one of the Best Releases of 2008 by WVPE, KJAZZ, CKCU-FM, and Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hours program, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide. It is also nominated for a Detroit Music Award.
organissimo’s sophomore album, “This Is The Place“, hit #19 on the JazzWeek charts and a solid #4 on the CMJ charts. It also won two WYCE 2006 Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Album of the Year , and was nominated for 2005 Detroit Music Award. Like its predecessor, it was named one of the Best Releases of 2005 by Jim Wilke ‘s Jazz After Hoursprogram in Seattle, WHRV in Virginia Beach, WBEZ in Chicago, WVIA-FM in Pittston PA, WBLVBlue Lake Public Radio, WLNZ in Lansing, WEMU in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, KXJS in Sacramento, and WYCE in Grand Rapids, Jazz 90.1 in Rochester NY, Real Detroit Weekly Magazine , the Detroit MetroTimes and the Lansing City Pulse. NPR also featured the CD as a part of its Open Mic series.
The group also won a WYCE Jammy award for Best Jazz Album for their debut CD “Waiting For The Boogaloo Sisters…” (which features prominent New York saxophonist Ron Blake ). The CD was also named one of the Best Releases of 2003 by Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hoursprogram, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide.
2:30pm
2:30pm
The Isaac Norris Project is an assembly of Grand Rapids-area musicians who represent themselves individually as jazz, gospel, blues and R&B artists. Collectively under the direction of Isaac Norris, these musicians seek to develop and perform original smooth jazz and soul-inspired compositions. All have been great supporters of Norris by lending their talents for recording and performance of his original compositions in his latest CD release, Something to Say. The group includes Debra Perry on keyboard, Tom Cutts on guitar, Dee Washington on drums, John Parker on bass and Isaac Norris on saxophone. Washington and Norris are also new GR and Jazz board members. More at www.isaacnorrismusic.com.
1:00pm
1:00pm
Blushing Monk – the band selected to perform during GRandJazzFest 2017’s Student Showcase – is led by Dutcher Snedeker, a Grand Rapids-based pianist with a long history of live-jazz performance. Snedeker hails from a musical family where he grew up surrounded by a variety of music styles. A current master’s student at Western Michigan University and a GVSU graduate, he is an active part of the West Michigan music community, with multiple nominations at the local WYCE Jammies and a jazz award from ArtPrize 2013. Joining Snedeker as part of the Blushing Monk band are Brad Fritcher on trumpet, Caleb Elzinga on saxophone, Joe Vasquez on bass, Jordan Otto on drums and Olin Clark on guitar. More at https://www.dutchersnedeker.com/.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Nelson Rangell and Steve Oliver round out the GRandJazzFest 2018 lineup with performances starting late Sunday afternoon at the festival. Jazziz magazine writes that Nelson Rangell is “an artist of depth, a master of song, and an improviser non pareil.” The Times of London notes “his extraordinary facility on a range of instruments and his undoubted virtuosity,” adding that Nelson is “one of fusion’s most accomplished exponents.” Such praise confirms what contemporary jazz fans have known since the Denver-based saxophonist emerged in the late ’80s: that Rangell is one of the most exciting and diverse performers in the genre, equally adept at soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, as well as being a genuine virtuoso on flute and piccolo. He’s released 14 CDs nationally and internationally. Joining him on stage is Steve Oliver, an American musician, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and producer best known for contemporary jazz, although he performs in a wide variety of styles including pop, rock, Latin and electronic. He’s scored multiple hit singles on the Billboard contemporary jazz chart. The multitalented performer demonstrates his breadth with adult contemporary in Pictures and Frames, his first-ever all-vocal album. Oliver is renowned throughout the contemporary jazz world for his charismatic one-on-one relationship with the audience and a wild array of sonic delights that include soulful lead vocals, snappy guitar lines, wild vocal percussion excursion, playful “vocalese” and wonderworking with the synth guitar.
4:00pm
4:00pm
Next up on Sunday is saxophonist Marcus Anderson. With eight studio albums on his list of accomplishments, the fusion jazz artist brings together such genres as R&B, pop, rock, Latin and funk. Charting No. 1 on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz and Sirius XM’s Watercolors with his exceptional hit “A Cup Of Joe,” the South Carolina native delivers a major music sound. His work with the late Prince and the New Power Generation led him to join stages with the likes of CeeLo Green, where he has become a key contributor to Green’s touring band. He has also appeared with headliners on The Tonight Show, Arsenio Hall, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Jimmy Fallon.
2:30pm
2:30pm
The popular West Michigan band Grupo Ayé returns to GRandJazzFest 2018, having played at the festival in 2012 and 2014. Grupo Ayé specializes in Afro-Cuban music, which blends salsa, Latin jazz, bachata and merengue. The group’s experience spans performances with such noted artists as Pat Metheny, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, Aretha Franklin, Harry Chapin Jr., Englebert Humperdink and Paquito Rivera.
1:00pm
1:00pm
On Sunday, Aug. 19, the GRandJazzFest performances start with student jazz band Lushh, an electronic hip-hop jazz ensemble comprised of students in Western Michigan University’s Jazz Studies Program. Lushh’s influences draw upon the likes of Kneebody, Thundercat, Hiatus Kaiyote, Snarky Puppy, Donny McCaslin, Flying Lotus and more. The band frequently performs in and around the greater Kalamazoo area and has begun to play in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Lushh was named Blues/Pop/Rock Best Group in DownBeat magazine’s 2017 Student Music Awards.
8:00PM
8:00PM
GRandJazzFest 2018 headliner Euge Groove – a pseudonym for saxophone journeyman Steve Grove – takes the GRandJazzFest stage Saturday night, Aug. 18, at 8 p.m. Grove began playing piano in the second grade and turned to the saxophone at the age of nine. His teacher gave him a classical education on the instrument, which he followed at the University of Miami’s School of Music where he became interested in jazz. After graduating, he initially remained in Miami doing sessions and playing in bands such as Expose, where he can be heard on the group’s 1987 No. 1 single “Seasons Change.” He then moved to Los Angeles and joined Tower of Power, remaining with the group about four years. Following this experience, he performed with such notable musicians and bands as Joe Cocker, the Eurythmics, the Gap Band, Huey Lewis and the News, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Aaron Neville, Eros Ramazotti and Richard Marx. Grove’s saxophone can be heard on Marx’s 1991 Top 20 pop and No. 1 adult contemporary hit “Keep Coming Back.” At the end of the ’90s, Grove developed the persona of Euge Groove and recorded a demo that attracted the attention of various labels. This demo soon landed him with Warner Bros. Records. Euge Groove, his debut album, was released in May 2000. At the time, the saxophonist toured in Tina Turner’s backup band. He followed up with 2002’s Play Date, featuring the singles “Slam Dunk” and “Rewind.” In 2004, Grove moved to Narada for the ’70s pop-soul-inflected Livin’ Large. Grove stuck with the ’70s vibe for 2005’s Just Feels Right and then incorporated a more gospel approach for 2007’s Born 2 Groove. He moved to Shanachie for 2009’s Sunday Morning. In 2011, Grove returned with his seventh studio effort, the fittingly titled Seven Large on Shanachie, with two more releases following for the label, 2012’s House of Groove and 2014’s Got 2 B Groovin.
6:30pm
6:30pm
Lin Rountree, a.k.a., “The Soul-Trumpeter,” also performs on the Rosa Parks stage at GrandJazzFest 2018. Rountree is an accomplished recording artist, producer and live performer. With six solo projects, 12 chart-topping Billboard singles and numerous collaborations with some of the industry’s top R&B/contemporary jazz artists to his credit, he’s poised to be one of the most renowned artists of his generation. After receiving his degree from Florida A&M University, he found his home in Detroit and has since performed extensively throughout the region. In 2012, Rountree appeared in the hit film Sparkle starring Whitney Houston, boosting his international profile.
5:00pm
5:00pm
Also performing on Saturday is keyboardist Oli Silk, called the UK’s “smooth jazz ambassador” who has built a large U.S. fan base. Silk began writing and recording music as part of jazz funk duo Sugar and Silk in the late 1990s. Silk now has five CDs to his name, all under the Trippin’N’Rhythm label. He remains one of the most dynamic and energetic keyboardists in the genre. His unique mix of jazzy instrumentals and funky vocals bring excitement to his live shows.
2:00pm
2:00pm
Tenth World is a group formed by Kevin Jones and pianist/composer, Kelvin Sholar through a partnership created back in 1999 in New York City. Together Jones and Sholar formed a collective of young talented master musicians on the cusp of realizing a new and creative sound that combined the harmonic sensibilities of Jazz and Soul with the rhythms of the African Diaspora. The nucleus of Tenth World formed around Kelvin Sholar’s group Esoterica which was a quartet. Other members were added; Saxophonist Brian Horton, Drummer Jaimeo Brown, Trumpeter Kevin Louis and both Bassists Damon Warmack out of Detroit and Joshua David Barrett out of New Jersey worked interchangeably.
Jones and Sholar’s first attempt at recording a project was a project called Land Of Eternal Tranquil Light which proved to be a bit too eclectic spanning to wide a variety of genres. Their next recording project was entitled “Tenth World” which was picked up by Motema Music (For more info: www.motema.com/artists/kevin-jones ) and produced by percussionist Babatunde Lea and Kelvin Sholar. This recording went on to be widely acclaimed and proved to be a seminal sound of the label and stands as a monument to the compositional and musicianship of the members. Included on that album were George Makinto; formerly Miriam Makeba’s musical director on flute, piano and percussion and acclaimed percussionist Luisito Quintero who both would join the band at different intervals during their tenure.
A second album was recorded called, “Tenth World Live” which drew even more acclaim for the group. During 2007 and 2008 many of the members left New York to pursue individual goals. Kelvin moved to Berlin, Germany where he now lives, Kevin Louis went back to his home town of New Orleans where he teaches, Brian Horton is now ready to receive his Doctorate in Music out of the University of North Texas and Jaimeo Brown has his own successful trio which is called “Transcendence”, Josh David Barrett has his own band called Judah Tribe and also plays with the Wailers.
More recently Kevin has relocated to Michigan and reformed this group with a variety of musicians both local and from afar. They have done a variety gigs from private functions to a few local specialty events such as The Loving Day Festival, The Lansing Jazz Festival, The Detroit Jazz Festival, Disability Advocates of Kent County Gala, GrandJazz Festival, Jazz In The Park and a host of clubs throughout the Midwest as well both East Coast and West Coast. The band is able to cross genres of music from traditional Jazz and R&B to Traditonal Latin, Rock and other forms of World Music.
The band is now set to record a forth album as the members have agreed to come together to break new ground. Some of the material for this album is already recorded they plan to finish this album in the coming months.
Other talented musicians that have played with Tenth World:
Babatunde Lea, Rudy Walker, Talib Kibwe, Vince Ector, Luisito Quintero, Anderson Quintero, Carlos “Nene” Quintero, Ozzie Simmonds, Chuck McPherson, Justin Robinson, Leo Blanco, Benito Gonzalez, Elio Villafranca, John Benitez, Patrick Rickman, Willie Martinez, Zen Zadravec,Teodross Avery, Marvin “Bugalu” Smith, Yayoi Ikawa, Rafael Alcala, Talib Kibwe, Alex Hernandez, Tony Cintron, James Zollar and Jerard Snell
2:00pm
2:00pm
Next on the performance lineup is saxophonist John Gist. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, this alto, tenor and soprano saxophonist has mastered a wide variety of musical styles that include jazz, funk, blues, R&B and gospel. Gist is known for his ability to play funky rhythms one minute and, in the blink of eye, make audiences melt with soft, sultry notes in the next.
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with tradition, GRandJazzFest will open its eighth annual festival on Saturday, Aug. 17, with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra featuring vocalist Edye Evans Hyde.
For over 40 years, The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites.
The musicians that create the live sounds are some of the area’s best soloists, sidemen, and educators available. Many have jazz projects of their own, yet dedicate time to fostering the performance of live big band jazz.
The band was founded in 1976 by the late Bruce Early, and has performed with many famous artists such as Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, Phil Woods, Pearl Bailey, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Maria Schneider, Allen Vizutti, Phil Wilson, Bobby Shew, and has been enjoyed by thousands of people at concerts, dances, and festivals throughout the region.
Recognized as the 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year, Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe.
The GRJO performs for shows, concerts and private events and can be heard at Founder’s Brewery the 1st Sunday of every month.
Visit the website GRJO.com for more information on live streaming, performances, and CD’s.
8:00PM
8:00PM
GRandJazzFest 2018 headliner Euge Groove – a pseudonym for saxophone journeyman Steve Grove – takes the GRandJazzFest stage Saturday night, Aug. 18, at 8 p.m. Grove began playing piano in the second grade and turned to the saxophone at the age of nine. His teacher gave him a classical education on the instrument, which he followed at the University of Miami’s School of Music where he became interested in jazz. After graduating, he initially remained in Miami doing sessions and playing in bands such as Expose, where he can be heard on the group’s 1987 No. 1 single “Seasons Change.” He then moved to Los Angeles and joined Tower of Power, remaining with the group about four years. Following this experience, he performed with such notable musicians and bands as Joe Cocker, the Eurythmics, the Gap Band, Huey Lewis and the News, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Aaron Neville, Eros Ramazotti and Richard Marx. Grove’s saxophone can be heard on Marx’s 1991 Top 20 pop and No. 1 adult contemporary hit “Keep Coming Back.” At the end of the ’90s, Grove developed the persona of Euge Groove and recorded a demo that attracted the attention of various labels. This demo soon landed him with Warner Bros. Records. Euge Groove, his debut album, was released in May 2000. At the time, the saxophonist toured in Tina Turner’s backup band. He followed up with 2002’s Play Date, featuring the singles “Slam Dunk” and “Rewind.” In 2004, Grove moved to Narada for the ’70s pop-soul-inflected Livin’ Large. Grove stuck with the ’70s vibe for 2005’s Just Feels Right and then incorporated a more gospel approach for 2007’s Born 2 Groove. He moved to Shanachie for 2009’s Sunday Morning. In 2011, Grove returned with his seventh studio effort, the fittingly titled Seven Large on Shanachie, with two more releases following for the label, 2012’s House of Groove and 2014’s Got 2 B Groovin.
6:30pm
6:30pm
Lin Rountree, a.k.a., “The Soul-Trumpeter,” also performs on the Rosa Parks stage at GrandJazzFest 2018. Rountree is an accomplished recording artist, producer and live performer. With six solo projects, 12 chart-topping Billboard singles and numerous collaborations with some of the industry’s top R&B/contemporary jazz artists to his credit, he’s poised to be one of the most renowned artists of his generation. After receiving his degree from Florida A&M University, he found his home in Detroit and has since performed extensively throughout the region. In 2012, Rountree appeared in the hit film Sparkle starring Whitney Houston, boosting his international profile.
5:00pm
5:00pm
Also performing on Saturday is keyboardist Oli Silk, called the UK’s “smooth jazz ambassador” who has built a large U.S. fan base. Silk began writing and recording music as part of jazz funk duo Sugar and Silk in the late 1990s. Silk now has five CDs to his name, all under the Trippin’N’Rhythm label. He remains one of the most dynamic and energetic keyboardists in the genre. His unique mix of jazzy instrumentals and funky vocals bring excitement to his live shows.
2:00pm
2:00pm
Tenth World is a group formed by Kevin Jones and pianist/composer, Kelvin Sholar through a partnership created back in 1999 in New York City. Together Jones and Sholar formed a collective of young talented master musicians on the cusp of realizing a new and creative sound that combined the harmonic sensibilities of Jazz and Soul with the rhythms of the African Diaspora. The nucleus of Tenth World formed around Kelvin Sholar’s group Esoterica which was a quartet. Other members were added; Saxophonist Brian Horton, Drummer Jaimeo Brown, Trumpeter Kevin Louis and both Bassists Damon Warmack out of Detroit and Joshua David Barrett out of New Jersey worked interchangeably.
Jones and Sholar’s first attempt at recording a project was a project called Land Of Eternal Tranquil Light which proved to be a bit too eclectic spanning to wide a variety of genres. Their next recording project was entitled “Tenth World” which was picked up by Motema Music (For more info: www.motema.com/artists/kevin-jones ) and produced by percussionist Babatunde Lea and Kelvin Sholar. This recording went on to be widely acclaimed and proved to be a seminal sound of the label and stands as a monument to the compositional and musicianship of the members. Included on that album were George Makinto; formerly Miriam Makeba’s musical director on flute, piano and percussion and acclaimed percussionist Luisito Quintero who both would join the band at different intervals during their tenure.
A second album was recorded called, “Tenth World Live” which drew even more acclaim for the group. During 2007 and 2008 many of the members left New York to pursue individual goals. Kelvin moved to Berlin, Germany where he now lives, Kevin Louis went back to his home town of New Orleans where he teaches, Brian Horton is now ready to receive his Doctorate in Music out of the University of North Texas and Jaimeo Brown has his own successful trio which is called “Transcendence”, Josh David Barrett has his own band called Judah Tribe and also plays with the Wailers.
More recently Kevin has relocated to Michigan and reformed this group with a variety of musicians both local and from afar. They have done a variety gigs from private functions to a few local specialty events such as The Loving Day Festival, The Lansing Jazz Festival, The Detroit Jazz Festival, Disability Advocates of Kent County Gala, GrandJazz Festival, Jazz In The Park and a host of clubs throughout the Midwest as well both East Coast and West Coast. The band is able to cross genres of music from traditional Jazz and R&B to Traditonal Latin, Rock and other forms of World Music.
The band is now set to record a forth album as the members have agreed to come together to break new ground. Some of the material for this album is already recorded they plan to finish this album in the coming months.
Other talented musicians that have played with Tenth World:
Babatunde Lea, Rudy Walker, Talib Kibwe, Vince Ector, Luisito Quintero, Anderson Quintero, Carlos “Nene” Quintero, Ozzie Simmonds, Chuck McPherson, Justin Robinson, Leo Blanco, Benito Gonzalez, Elio Villafranca, John Benitez, Patrick Rickman, Willie Martinez, Zen Zadravec,Teodross Avery, Marvin “Bugalu” Smith, Yayoi Ikawa, Rafael Alcala, Talib Kibwe, Alex Hernandez, Tony Cintron, James Zollar and Jerard Snell
2:00pm
2:00pm
Next on the performance lineup is saxophonist John Gist. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, this alto, tenor and soprano saxophonist has mastered a wide variety of musical styles that include jazz, funk, blues, R&B and gospel. Gist is known for his ability to play funky rhythms one minute and, in the blink of eye, make audiences melt with soft, sultry notes in the next.
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with tradition, GRandJazzFest will open its eighth annual festival on Saturday, Aug. 17, with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra featuring vocalist Edye Evans Hyde.
For over 40 years, The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites.
The musicians that create the live sounds are some of the area’s best soloists, sidemen, and educators available. Many have jazz projects of their own, yet dedicate time to fostering the performance of live big band jazz.
The band was founded in 1976 by the late Bruce Early, and has performed with many famous artists such as Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, Phil Woods, Pearl Bailey, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Maria Schneider, Allen Vizutti, Phil Wilson, Bobby Shew, and has been enjoyed by thousands of people at concerts, dances, and festivals throughout the region.
Recognized as the 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year, Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe.
The GRJO performs for shows, concerts and private events and can be heard at Founder’s Brewery the 1st Sunday of every month.
Visit the website GRJO.com for more information on live streaming, performances, and CD’s.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Nelson Rangell and Steve Oliver round out the GRandJazzFest 2018 lineup with performances starting late Sunday afternoon at the festival. Jazziz magazine writes that Nelson Rangell is “an artist of depth, a master of song, and an improviser non pareil.” The Times of London notes “his extraordinary facility on a range of instruments and his undoubted virtuosity,” adding that Nelson is “one of fusion’s most accomplished exponents.” Such praise confirms what contemporary jazz fans have known since the Denver-based saxophonist emerged in the late ’80s: that Rangell is one of the most exciting and diverse performers in the genre, equally adept at soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, as well as being a genuine virtuoso on flute and piccolo. He’s released 14 CDs nationally and internationally. Joining him on stage is Steve Oliver, an American musician, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and producer best known for contemporary jazz, although he performs in a wide variety of styles including pop, rock, Latin and electronic. He’s scored multiple hit singles on the Billboard contemporary jazz chart. The multitalented performer demonstrates his breadth with adult contemporary in Pictures and Frames, his first-ever all-vocal album. Oliver is renowned throughout the contemporary jazz world for his charismatic one-on-one relationship with the audience and a wild array of sonic delights that include soulful lead vocals, snappy guitar lines, wild vocal percussion excursion, playful “vocalese” and wonderworking with the synth guitar.
4:00pm
4:00pm
Next up on Sunday is saxophonist Marcus Anderson. With eight studio albums on his list of accomplishments, the fusion jazz artist brings together such genres as R&B, pop, rock, Latin and funk. Charting No. 1 on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz and Sirius XM’s Watercolors with his exceptional hit “A Cup Of Joe,” the South Carolina native delivers a major music sound. His work with the late Prince and the New Power Generation led him to join stages with the likes of CeeLo Green, where he has become a key contributor to Green’s touring band. He has also appeared with headliners on The Tonight Show, Arsenio Hall, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Jimmy Fallon.
2:30pm
2:30pm
The popular West Michigan band Grupo Ayé returns to GRandJazzFest 2018, having played at the festival in 2012 and 2014. Grupo Ayé specializes in Afro-Cuban music, which blends salsa, Latin jazz, bachata and merengue. The group’s experience spans performances with such noted artists as Pat Metheny, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, Aretha Franklin, Harry Chapin Jr., Englebert Humperdink and Paquito Rivera.
1:00pm
1:00pm
On Sunday, Aug. 19, the GRandJazzFest performances start with student jazz band Lushh, an electronic hip-hop jazz ensemble comprised of students in Western Michigan University’s Jazz Studies Program. Lushh’s influences draw upon the likes of Kneebody, Thundercat, Hiatus Kaiyote, Snarky Puppy, Donny McCaslin, Flying Lotus and more. The band frequently performs in and around the greater Kalamazoo area and has begun to play in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Lushh was named Blues/Pop/Rock Best Group in DownBeat magazine’s 2017 Student Music Awards.
4:00pm
4:00pm
The GR All Stars is a high energy jazz group consisting of some of Grand Rapids most accomplished jazz musicians. Led by Chicago transplant, saxophonist Mike Frost the band also features Isaac Norris, Steve Talaga, Mike Hyde, Fred Knapp, Da Veonce Washington and Edye Evans Hyde. Each one of these musicians have stellar careers on their own including recordings that received national and international
recognition. They all have traveled the country and in some cases the world playing at jazz clubs and festivals. The one thing they all have in common is living in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a love of jazz music. The unique talents of each of these individuals will surely make for a memorable performance!
8:00pm
8:00pm
Guitar G-Force
TOURING PACKAGE FEATURING TIM BOWMAN, NILS & STEVE OLIVER
You know their music! It’s Guitar G-Force, the hottest new touring package on the smooth jazz scene featuring a trio of guitar masters with over 30 combined Top 20 radio hits!
Together, these 3 artists have multiple #1 chart hits at contemporary jazz radio, over 14 MILLION plays on Spotify with 128,000 monthly listeners, and countless national club, festival and international dates on their resume.
Tim Bowman
Renowned, chart-topping guitarist Tim Bowman has a way of making melding smooth jazz, gospel, soul and blues seem effortless as evidenced throughout his more than 30 years in music, including his 2017, seventh studio album, Into the Blue, on I.M. Records / Purpose Jazz. The Detroit native, who grew up playing guitar in church, attended the College of Creative Studies, and served as the musical director for gospel luminaries the Winans before embarking on his solo career in 1987, continues to carve a niche for himself.
NILS
One of contemporary jazz’s most well known and revered musicians, who for nearly 20 years as a solo artist has been a force to be reckoned with, achieving major accolades along the way, most notably from Billboard, scoring the esteemed chart’s “song of the decade” 2000-2010 with Pacific Coast Highway”, song of the year in 2011 with “Jump Start” and over 15 top 20 radio hits.
Steve Oliver
Steve’s career is one that has produced multiple #1 hits on the Billboard charts and countless radio staples over nearly two decades. He’s been a touring member of Acoustic Alchemy, has played countless club dates and festivals worldwide, and has written hits for other smooth jazz stars including Brian Simpson and Paul Taylor.
EPK available at: www.jazzygirlentertainment.com/guitar-gforce
6:30pm
6:30pm
Sax player/vocalist and songwriter Paula Atherton has shared the stage with such contemporary jazz notables as The Rippingtons, Nick Colionne, Chuck Loeb, Cindy Bradley, Gail Jhonson, Karen Briggs, Althea Renee, Matt Marshak, Four80East, David Sanborn, Bob James, Marc Antoine, Hiroshima, Gerald Albright and Chieli Minucci. Paula has also worked in the traditional jazz field; one of the notable performances being a week long engagement at the Blue Note NYC with pianist and jazz legend, Hank Jones. . Paula also performed with Grammy award winning singer Dee Dee Bridgewater at the Annenberg Theater, for the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival.
Paula’s 3rd CD, “Enjoy the Ride,” had 2 Billboard charting singles. The first penned and co-produced by Nick Colionne, entitled, “Sassy Strut,” reached #15 on Billboard, and was on the chart for 15 weeks. The second was the Herbie Mann influenced flute feature entitled, “Herbie,” which reached #22 and was on Billboard for 7 weeks.
Paula released her 4th CD titled, “Ear Candy” on February 17th, 2015 on the Kalimba Music label, owned by Earth, Wind and Fire. Special guests include Nick Colionne, Cindy Bradley, and Gail Jhonson, The single “Between You & Me” , featuring Cindy Bradley on trumpet, reached #21 on Billboard. Some tour dates include Jazz at Jack’s in Denver, Discover jazz Series Detroit, Spaghettini’s in Seal Beach, CA, Jazz in the Park in Birmingham, AL, Idlewild Music Fest MI, Smooth Jazz Festival in Atlanta, Suite Jazz series in Atlanta, Gallery Suite Jazz series in Lansing, Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Fest in CA, Las Vegas Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz fest and Low Country Jazz fest with Jazz in Pink, Smooth Jazz at Sunset in MI (opening for Marc Antoine), Southern Tier Jazz festival in Elmira (opening for Rick Braun), the 3rd annual Women’s Jazz festival in Huntsville, AL, and the New Brunswick Jazz Fest in NJ.
Her television work includes appearances on the Today show, Good Morning America, and Rachel Ray, with Michael Bolton, Paula also wrote the score for the independent film ‘The Definition of Insanity’. Paula released her 5th CD, “Shake It” on Feb 16th, 2018. It has many special guests, including Cindy Bradley (trumpet),, Nick Colionne (guitar), Bill Heller (keys) from the Rippingtons, Dave Delhomme (Keys) from the Tonight show band with Ricky Minor and American Idol, Schuyler Deale (bass, co-producer) who performed with Jeff Lorber, among many other great guest artists! The first single, “My Song For You,” written and produced by Nick Colionne, reached #6 on Mediabase, #12 on the Smooth Jazz Network, and #16 on Billboard, and was on Billboard for 12 weeks. Paula was featured on Cindy Bradley’s new single on Trippin’ ‘N’ Rhythm entitled, “Girl Talk.” It reached #2 on Billboard Oct 2017.
3:30pm
3:30pm
Deon Yates began his solo career in 2009 when he competed against up and coming contemporary jazz artists from all over the United States at the Capital Jazz Challenge in Columbia, MD. Although he did not win the competition, he was named runner-up. This gave him the drive and determination to pursue his solo career further.
With the exposure garnered from the competition and being called on-stage to perform with Rick Braun and Richard Elliot at the Capital Jazz Festival, Deon sparked the interest of U.S. Music Enterprises, LLC. They asked Deon if they could feature his song, “Freeway,” on their “Jazz Infusion – Session 1” compilation album. The project was released on May 23, 2010, and marked the first time Deon’s music went international.
Deon spent the next couple of years performing and honing his craft. Thanks to his performances at the Capital Jazz Festival, Deon became a regular fixture with the house band on the Capital Jazz Super Cruise. With that experience and exposure, you could often find Deon on stage with artists like Nick Colionne, Paul Brown, Lin Roundtree, Marion Meadows and Marc Antoine to name a few.
2:00pm
2:00pm
Tenth World is a group formed by Kevin Jones and pianist/composer, Kelvin Sholar through a partnership created back in 1999 in New York City. Together Jones and Sholar formed a collective of young talented master musicians on the cusp of realizing a new and creative sound that combined the harmonic sensibilities of Jazz and Soul with the rhythms of the African Diaspora. The nucleus of Tenth World formed around Kelvin Sholar’s group Esoterica which was a quartet. Other members were added; Saxophonist Brian Horton, Drummer Jaimeo Brown, Trumpeter Kevin Louis and both Bassists Damon Warmack out of Detroit and Joshua David Barrett out of New Jersey worked interchangeably.
Jones and Sholar’s first attempt at recording a project was a project called Land Of Eternal Tranquil Light which proved to be a bit too eclectic spanning to wide a variety of genres. Their next recording project was entitled “Tenth World” which was picked up by Motema Music (For more info: www.motema.com/artists/kevin-jones ) and produced by percussionist Babatunde Lea and Kelvin Sholar. This recording went on to be widely acclaimed and proved to be a seminal sound of the label and stands as a monument to the compositional and musicianship of the members. Included on that album were George Makinto; formerly Miriam Makeba’s musical director on flute, piano and percussion and acclaimed percussionist Luisito Quintero who both would join the band at different intervals during their tenure.
A second album was recorded called, “Tenth World Live” which drew even more acclaim for the group. During 2007 and 2008 many of the members left New York to pursue individual goals. Kelvin moved to Berlin, Germany where he now lives, Kevin Louis went back to his home town of New Orleans where he teaches, Brian Horton is now ready to receive his Doctorate in Music out of the University of North Texas and Jaimeo Brown has his own successful trio which is called “Transcendence”, Josh David Barrett has his own band called Judah Tribe and also plays with the Wailers.
More recently Kevin has relocated to Michigan and reformed this group with a variety of musicians both local and from afar. They have done a variety gigs from private functions to a few local specialty events such as The Loving Day Festival, The Lansing Jazz Festival, The Detroit Jazz Festival, Disability Advocates of Kent County Gala, GrandJazz Festival, Jazz In The Park and a host of clubs throughout the Midwest as well both East Coast and West Coast. The band is able to cross genres of music from traditional Jazz and R&B to Traditonal Latin, Rock and other forms of World Music.
The band is now set to record a forth album as the members have agreed to come together to break new ground. Some of the material for this album is already recorded they plan to finish this album in the coming months.
Other talented musicians that have played with Tenth World:
Babatunde Lea, Rudy Walker, Talib Kibwe, Vince Ector, Luisito Quintero, Anderson Quintero, Carlos “Nene” Quintero, Ozzie Simmonds, Chuck McPherson, Justin Robinson, Leo Blanco, Benito Gonzalez, Elio Villafranca, John Benitez, Patrick Rickman, Willie Martinez, Zen Zadravec,Teodross Avery, Marvin “Bugalu” Smith, Yayoi Ikawa, Rafael Alcala, Talib Kibwe, Alex Hernandez, Tony Cintron, James Zollar and Jerard Snell
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with tradition, GRandJazzFest will open its eighth annual festival on Saturday, Aug. 17, with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra featuring vocalist Edye Evans Hyde.
For over 40 years, The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites.
The musicians that create the live sounds are some of the area’s best soloists, sidemen, and educators available. Many have jazz projects of their own, yet dedicate time to fostering the performance of live big band jazz.
The band was founded in 1976 by the late Bruce Early, and has performed with many famous artists such as Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, Phil Woods, Pearl Bailey, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Maria Schneider, Allen Vizutti, Phil Wilson, Bobby Shew, and has been enjoyed by thousands of people at concerts, dances, and festivals throughout the region.
Recognized as the 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year, Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe.
The GRJO performs for shows, concerts and private events and can be heard at Founder’s Brewery the 1st Sunday of every month.
Visit the website GRJO.com for more information on live streaming, performances, and CD’s.
1:00pm
1:00pm
You might notice of something different at an organissimo performance. The audience isn’t the typical homogenous “jazz” audience. You’ll see a healthy mix of people from all walks of life; young and old, black and white, from hippies to corporate professionals and everything in between. organissimo’s music skirts over fences and satisfies a diverse range of tastes. You’re as likely to see people dancing as a group of folks intently listening.
As American cultural critic Elvis Mitchell wrote after witnessing a show at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, “The group’s toned, muscular playing keeps the crowd rapt, a condition noticeable by the fact that almost no one is talking.”
organissimo formed in November of 2000 with the goal of bringing jazz back to the people. organissimo’s sound is instantly identifiable yet constantly evolving, infusing elements of funk, gospel, blues, progressive rock, and Latin rhythms into a solid foundation of jazz. Shifting meters, deep grooves, melodic finesse and tight ensemble interplay are hallmarks of the organissimo sound.
organissimo’s music has received numerous awards. The latest CD, Dedicated, released in January of 2013, hit #5 on the JazzWeek charts and stayed in the Top 10 for 8 weeks. It hit #1 on the CMJ jazz charts and was named one of the Top 10 CDs of 2013. It received airplay on over 200 stations including Comcast’s MusicChoice and XM/Sirius Radio.
organissimo’s album, Groovadelphia, topped the CMJ Jazz Charts for three weeks at #1 and stayed in the JazzWeek Top 50 for 14 weeks, peaking at #22. It won two WYCE Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Best Song and was also named one of the Best Releases of 2008 by WVPE, KJAZZ, CKCU-FM, and Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hours program, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide. It is also nominated for a Detroit Music Award.
organissimo’s sophomore album, “This Is The Place“, hit #19 on the JazzWeek charts and a solid #4 on the CMJ charts. It also won two WYCE 2006 Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Album of the Year , and was nominated for 2005 Detroit Music Award. Like its predecessor, it was named one of the Best Releases of 2005 by Jim Wilke ‘s Jazz After Hoursprogram in Seattle, WHRV in Virginia Beach, WBEZ in Chicago, WVIA-FM in Pittston PA, WBLVBlue Lake Public Radio, WLNZ in Lansing, WEMU in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, KXJS in Sacramento, and WYCE in Grand Rapids, Jazz 90.1 in Rochester NY, Real Detroit Weekly Magazine , the Detroit MetroTimes and the Lansing City Pulse. NPR also featured the CD as a part of its Open Mic series.
The group also won a WYCE Jammy award for Best Jazz Album for their debut CD “Waiting For The Boogaloo Sisters…” (which features prominent New York saxophonist Ron Blake ). The CD was also named one of the Best Releases of 2003 by Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hoursprogram, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide.
5:00pm
5:00pm
Bryan Lubeck’s fiery Spanish guitar and smooth urban grooves made him a Billboard Magazine critic’s choice in 2006 and since then he has become a regular on contemporary instrumental stations around the world. The Sirius/XM plays of his Christmas songs make him one of the top 20 artist played each holiday season. Averaging well over 30,000 listeners a month on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Play and Google, he is also proving very popular in the streaming services. Tuscan Sky – his most recent work – spent more than 14 weeks on the various adult contemporary instrumental charts with 4 songs getting regular radio play from the album which features five Grammy winners. His live shows are equally popular, performing 2 act shows with Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Brian Culbertson, Euge Groove, Craig Chaquico and more. Bryan will once again be providing the family guitar tent at GRandJazzFest 2019.
2:30pm
2:30pm
Formed in August 2003 by reedman Paul VornHagen and conguero Alberto Nacif, this exciting Cuban jazz combo has released four critically acclaimed Cds of mostly original compositions that have been featured on all the major jazz public radio stations throughout the U.S.
Winner of the 2005, 2007 & 2013 Detroit Music Awards for Best Jazz Recording and Best World Music Band, this combo has performed at all the major Michigan jazz/music festivals including Detroit, Michigan, Lansing, Birmingham, Raisin River, Great Lakes Folkfest , Blissfest, Wheatland Dance and Ann Arbor to name a few. The title cut of their 2009 Cd was used as a soundtrack for the USA Network TV show, Burn Notice. In June 2012, the band released their 4th Cd, Casa Versailles, which was featured on the #1 syndicated jazz radio program, Jazz After Hours w/Jim Wilke as well as many NPR programs nationwide. Casa Versailles won the 2013 Detroit Music Award for World Music CD.
All band members have won or been nominated for individual Detroit Music Awards as well teach at U of Michigan, Washtenaw CC, Jazz Camps and music studios. Their library program, The Rhythms of Cuba, has been presented at over 15 public libraries throughout southeastern Michigan. Other music performance venues include Chicago, Toledo, OH, Windsor, CAN and Oklahoma.
Current band members include Paul Vornhagen (Sax/flute/piccolo/percussion), Alberto Nacif (congas), Olman Piedra (timbales/congas), Jonathan Ovalle (timbales), Pat Prouty (bass), Paul Finkbeiner (trumpet) and Brian DiBlassio (piano).
5:30pm
5:30pm
Urban Jazz Coalition has been one of the hottest live performance ensembles on the contemporary jazz scene for many years now and 2019 marks the celebration of this ground breaking band’s 24th Anniversary as a performing group!!
UJC has electrified audiences over the years performing their unique and energetic blend of R&B/Jazz at many prominent festivals and concert venues around the world, including multiple appearances at The Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Fest and Capital Jazz Supercruise, Jazz Fest West, Russian River Jazz Festival, Boscov/Berks Jazz Festival, Jazz On The Vine, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, and The Catalina Island Jazz Festival.
Jazz columnist Brian Soergel described the UJC sound as “flush with rhythmic grooves, funky bass lines, and beautiful melodies”. The band has made a strong impression at Smooth/Groove jazz radio by achieving “Top 30” status on multiple jazz charts during their career. The “One Step Closer” project generated two “Top 30” singles and was honored by the Groove Jazz Music Chart as one of the “Top 100 Records of 2014”. UJC’s 2017 release “XXII” garnered the band’s first ever “Top 10” single, with more music from the project currently moving up the charts.
UJC’s music has also been featured on network television, international film soundtracks, as well as national advertising campaigns, and as part of an eclectic Gospel/Jazz compilation project released by Universal Records.
UJC has certainly earned notoriety as a self contained group, but they have also become highly in-demand as side men in the smooth jazz genre, having performed as the backing band for many top contemporary jazz artists including Grammy Award Winners Norman Brown & Jeff Lorber, as well as Nick Colionne, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Chuck Loeb, Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene’, and many more top contemporary jazz artists.
When asked why this group has generated so much excitement in smooth jazz circles, former Radio & Records chart columnist Carol Archer was quoted as follows…
“A lot of artists aspire to sound as tight and as funky as The Urban Jazz Coalition,
But these gentlemen really do pull it off…”
With the success of their previous CD projects, and a reputation for presenting one of the hottest stage shows in smooth jazz, UJC continues to gain momentum as they kick off the 2019 touring season and ride the momentum created by their 11th CD…
Urban Jazz Coalition XXII
You won’t want to miss an opportunity to hear the group that everyone is talking about…Urban Jazz Coalition! Please visit our website at www.urbanjazzcoalition.net.
8:00pm
8:00pm
Guitar G-Force
TOURING PACKAGE FEATURING TIM BOWMAN, NILS & STEVE OLIVER
You know their music! It’s Guitar G-Force, the hottest new touring package on the smooth jazz scene featuring a trio of guitar masters with over 30 combined Top 20 radio hits!
Together, these 3 artists have multiple #1 chart hits at contemporary jazz radio, over 14 MILLION plays on Spotify with 128,000 monthly listeners, and countless national club, festival and international dates on their resume.
Tim Bowman
Renowned, chart-topping guitarist Tim Bowman has a way of making melding smooth jazz, gospel, soul and blues seem effortless as evidenced throughout his more than 30 years in music, including his 2017, seventh studio album, Into the Blue, on I.M. Records / Purpose Jazz. The Detroit native, who grew up playing guitar in church, attended the College of Creative Studies, and served as the musical director for gospel luminaries the Winans before embarking on his solo career in 1987, continues to carve a niche for himself.
NILS
One of contemporary jazz’s most well known and revered musicians, who for nearly 20 years as a solo artist has been a force to be reckoned with, achieving major accolades along the way, most notably from Billboard, scoring the esteemed chart’s “song of the decade” 2000-2010 with Pacific Coast Highway”, song of the year in 2011 with “Jump Start” and over 15 top 20 radio hits.
Steve Oliver
Steve’s career is one that has produced multiple #1 hits on the Billboard charts and countless radio staples over nearly two decades. He’s been a touring member of Acoustic Alchemy, has played countless club dates and festivals worldwide, and has written hits for other smooth jazz stars including Brian Simpson and Paul Taylor.
EPK available at: www.jazzygirlentertainment.com/guitar-gforce
6:30pm
6:30pm
Sax player/vocalist and songwriter Paula Atherton has shared the stage with such contemporary jazz notables as The Rippingtons, Nick Colionne, Chuck Loeb, Cindy Bradley, Gail Jhonson, Karen Briggs, Althea Renee, Matt Marshak, Four80East, David Sanborn, Bob James, Marc Antoine, Hiroshima, Gerald Albright and Chieli Minucci. Paula has also worked in the traditional jazz field; one of the notable performances being a week long engagement at the Blue Note NYC with pianist and jazz legend, Hank Jones. . Paula also performed with Grammy award winning singer Dee Dee Bridgewater at the Annenberg Theater, for the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival.
Paula’s 3rd CD, “Enjoy the Ride,” had 2 Billboard charting singles. The first penned and co-produced by Nick Colionne, entitled, “Sassy Strut,” reached #15 on Billboard, and was on the chart for 15 weeks. The second was the Herbie Mann influenced flute feature entitled, “Herbie,” which reached #22 and was on Billboard for 7 weeks.
Paula released her 4th CD titled, “Ear Candy” on February 17th, 2015 on the Kalimba Music label, owned by Earth, Wind and Fire. Special guests include Nick Colionne, Cindy Bradley, and Gail Jhonson, The single “Between You & Me” , featuring Cindy Bradley on trumpet, reached #21 on Billboard. Some tour dates include Jazz at Jack’s in Denver, Discover jazz Series Detroit, Spaghettini’s in Seal Beach, CA, Jazz in the Park in Birmingham, AL, Idlewild Music Fest MI, Smooth Jazz Festival in Atlanta, Suite Jazz series in Atlanta, Gallery Suite Jazz series in Lansing, Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Fest in CA, Las Vegas Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz fest and Low Country Jazz fest with Jazz in Pink, Smooth Jazz at Sunset in MI (opening for Marc Antoine), Southern Tier Jazz festival in Elmira (opening for Rick Braun), the 3rd annual Women’s Jazz festival in Huntsville, AL, and the New Brunswick Jazz Fest in NJ.
Her television work includes appearances on the Today show, Good Morning America, and Rachel Ray, with Michael Bolton, Paula also wrote the score for the independent film ‘The Definition of Insanity’. Paula released her 5th CD, “Shake It” on Feb 16th, 2018. It has many special guests, including Cindy Bradley (trumpet),, Nick Colionne (guitar), Bill Heller (keys) from the Rippingtons, Dave Delhomme (Keys) from the Tonight show band with Ricky Minor and American Idol, Schuyler Deale (bass, co-producer) who performed with Jeff Lorber, among many other great guest artists! The first single, “My Song For You,” written and produced by Nick Colionne, reached #6 on Mediabase, #12 on the Smooth Jazz Network, and #16 on Billboard, and was on Billboard for 12 weeks. Paula was featured on Cindy Bradley’s new single on Trippin’ ‘N’ Rhythm entitled, “Girl Talk.” It reached #2 on Billboard Oct 2017.
3:30pm
3:30pm
Deon Yates began his solo career in 2009 when he competed against up and coming contemporary jazz artists from all over the United States at the Capital Jazz Challenge in Columbia, MD. Although he did not win the competition, he was named runner-up. This gave him the drive and determination to pursue his solo career further.
With the exposure garnered from the competition and being called on-stage to perform with Rick Braun and Richard Elliot at the Capital Jazz Festival, Deon sparked the interest of U.S. Music Enterprises, LLC. They asked Deon if they could feature his song, “Freeway,” on their “Jazz Infusion – Session 1” compilation album. The project was released on May 23, 2010, and marked the first time Deon’s music went international.
Deon spent the next couple of years performing and honing his craft. Thanks to his performances at the Capital Jazz Festival, Deon became a regular fixture with the house band on the Capital Jazz Super Cruise. With that experience and exposure, you could often find Deon on stage with artists like Nick Colionne, Paul Brown, Lin Roundtree, Marion Meadows and Marc Antoine to name a few.
2:00pm
2:00pm
Tenth World is a group formed by Kevin Jones and pianist/composer, Kelvin Sholar through a partnership created back in 1999 in New York City. Together Jones and Sholar formed a collective of young talented master musicians on the cusp of realizing a new and creative sound that combined the harmonic sensibilities of Jazz and Soul with the rhythms of the African Diaspora. The nucleus of Tenth World formed around Kelvin Sholar’s group Esoterica which was a quartet. Other members were added; Saxophonist Brian Horton, Drummer Jaimeo Brown, Trumpeter Kevin Louis and both Bassists Damon Warmack out of Detroit and Joshua David Barrett out of New Jersey worked interchangeably.
Jones and Sholar’s first attempt at recording a project was a project called Land Of Eternal Tranquil Light which proved to be a bit too eclectic spanning to wide a variety of genres. Their next recording project was entitled “Tenth World” which was picked up by Motema Music (For more info: www.motema.com/artists/kevin-jones ) and produced by percussionist Babatunde Lea and Kelvin Sholar. This recording went on to be widely acclaimed and proved to be a seminal sound of the label and stands as a monument to the compositional and musicianship of the members. Included on that album were George Makinto; formerly Miriam Makeba’s musical director on flute, piano and percussion and acclaimed percussionist Luisito Quintero who both would join the band at different intervals during their tenure.
A second album was recorded called, “Tenth World Live” which drew even more acclaim for the group. During 2007 and 2008 many of the members left New York to pursue individual goals. Kelvin moved to Berlin, Germany where he now lives, Kevin Louis went back to his home town of New Orleans where he teaches, Brian Horton is now ready to receive his Doctorate in Music out of the University of North Texas and Jaimeo Brown has his own successful trio which is called “Transcendence”, Josh David Barrett has his own band called Judah Tribe and also plays with the Wailers.
More recently Kevin has relocated to Michigan and reformed this group with a variety of musicians both local and from afar. They have done a variety gigs from private functions to a few local specialty events such as The Loving Day Festival, The Lansing Jazz Festival, The Detroit Jazz Festival, Disability Advocates of Kent County Gala, GrandJazz Festival, Jazz In The Park and a host of clubs throughout the Midwest as well both East Coast and West Coast. The band is able to cross genres of music from traditional Jazz and R&B to Traditonal Latin, Rock and other forms of World Music.
The band is now set to record a forth album as the members have agreed to come together to break new ground. Some of the material for this album is already recorded they plan to finish this album in the coming months.
Other talented musicians that have played with Tenth World:
Babatunde Lea, Rudy Walker, Talib Kibwe, Vince Ector, Luisito Quintero, Anderson Quintero, Carlos “Nene” Quintero, Ozzie Simmonds, Chuck McPherson, Justin Robinson, Leo Blanco, Benito Gonzalez, Elio Villafranca, John Benitez, Patrick Rickman, Willie Martinez, Zen Zadravec,Teodross Avery, Marvin “Bugalu” Smith, Yayoi Ikawa, Rafael Alcala, Talib Kibwe, Alex Hernandez, Tony Cintron, James Zollar and Jerard Snell
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with tradition, GRandJazzFest will open its eighth annual festival on Saturday, Aug. 17, with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra featuring vocalist Edye Evans Hyde.
For over 40 years, The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites.
The musicians that create the live sounds are some of the area’s best soloists, sidemen, and educators available. Many have jazz projects of their own, yet dedicate time to fostering the performance of live big band jazz.
The band was founded in 1976 by the late Bruce Early, and has performed with many famous artists such as Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, Phil Woods, Pearl Bailey, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Maria Schneider, Allen Vizutti, Phil Wilson, Bobby Shew, and has been enjoyed by thousands of people at concerts, dances, and festivals throughout the region.
Recognized as the 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year, Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe.
The GRJO performs for shows, concerts and private events and can be heard at Founder’s Brewery the 1st Sunday of every month.
Visit the website GRJO.com for more information on live streaming, performances, and CD’s.
5:00pm
5:00pm
Bryan Lubeck’s fiery Spanish guitar and smooth urban grooves made him a Billboard Magazine critic’s choice in 2006 and since then he has become a regular on contemporary instrumental stations around the world. The Sirius/XM plays of his Christmas songs make him one of the top 20 artist played each holiday season. Averaging well over 30,000 listeners a month on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Play and Google, he is also proving very popular in the streaming services. Tuscan Sky – his most recent work – spent more than 14 weeks on the various adult contemporary instrumental charts with 4 songs getting regular radio play from the album which features five Grammy winners. His live shows are equally popular, performing 2 act shows with Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Brian Culbertson, Euge Groove, Craig Chaquico and more. Bryan will once again be providing the family guitar tent at GRandJazzFest 2019.
4:00pm
4:00pm
The GR All Stars is a high energy jazz group consisting of some of Grand Rapids most accomplished jazz musicians. Led by Chicago transplant, saxophonist Mike Frost the band also features Isaac Norris, Steve Talaga, Mike Hyde, Fred Knapp, Da Veonce Washington and Edye Evans Hyde. Each one of these musicians have stellar careers on their own including recordings that received national and international
recognition. They all have traveled the country and in some cases the world playing at jazz clubs and festivals. The one thing they all have in common is living in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a love of jazz music. The unique talents of each of these individuals will surely make for a memorable performance!
1:00pm
1:00pm
You might notice of something different at an organissimo performance. The audience isn’t the typical homogenous “jazz” audience. You’ll see a healthy mix of people from all walks of life; young and old, black and white, from hippies to corporate professionals and everything in between. organissimo’s music skirts over fences and satisfies a diverse range of tastes. You’re as likely to see people dancing as a group of folks intently listening.
As American cultural critic Elvis Mitchell wrote after witnessing a show at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, “The group’s toned, muscular playing keeps the crowd rapt, a condition noticeable by the fact that almost no one is talking.”
organissimo formed in November of 2000 with the goal of bringing jazz back to the people. organissimo’s sound is instantly identifiable yet constantly evolving, infusing elements of funk, gospel, blues, progressive rock, and Latin rhythms into a solid foundation of jazz. Shifting meters, deep grooves, melodic finesse and tight ensemble interplay are hallmarks of the organissimo sound.
organissimo’s music has received numerous awards. The latest CD, Dedicated, released in January of 2013, hit #5 on the JazzWeek charts and stayed in the Top 10 for 8 weeks. It hit #1 on the CMJ jazz charts and was named one of the Top 10 CDs of 2013. It received airplay on over 200 stations including Comcast’s MusicChoice and XM/Sirius Radio.
organissimo’s album, Groovadelphia, topped the CMJ Jazz Charts for three weeks at #1 and stayed in the JazzWeek Top 50 for 14 weeks, peaking at #22. It won two WYCE Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Best Song and was also named one of the Best Releases of 2008 by WVPE, KJAZZ, CKCU-FM, and Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hours program, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide. It is also nominated for a Detroit Music Award.
organissimo’s sophomore album, “This Is The Place“, hit #19 on the JazzWeek charts and a solid #4 on the CMJ charts. It also won two WYCE 2006 Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Album of the Year , and was nominated for 2005 Detroit Music Award. Like its predecessor, it was named one of the Best Releases of 2005 by Jim Wilke ‘s Jazz After Hoursprogram in Seattle, WHRV in Virginia Beach, WBEZ in Chicago, WVIA-FM in Pittston PA, WBLVBlue Lake Public Radio, WLNZ in Lansing, WEMU in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, KXJS in Sacramento, and WYCE in Grand Rapids, Jazz 90.1 in Rochester NY, Real Detroit Weekly Magazine , the Detroit MetroTimes and the Lansing City Pulse. NPR also featured the CD as a part of its Open Mic series.
The group also won a WYCE Jammy award for Best Jazz Album for their debut CD “Waiting For The Boogaloo Sisters…” (which features prominent New York saxophonist Ron Blake ). The CD was also named one of the Best Releases of 2003 by Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hoursprogram, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide.
2:30pm
2:30pm
Formed in August 2003 by reedman Paul VornHagen and conguero Alberto Nacif, this exciting Cuban jazz combo has released four critically acclaimed Cds of mostly original compositions that have been featured on all the major jazz public radio stations throughout the U.S.
Winner of the 2005, 2007 & 2013 Detroit Music Awards for Best Jazz Recording and Best World Music Band, this combo has performed at all the major Michigan jazz/music festivals including Detroit, Michigan, Lansing, Birmingham, Raisin River, Great Lakes Folkfest , Blissfest, Wheatland Dance and Ann Arbor to name a few. The title cut of their 2009 Cd was used as a soundtrack for the USA Network TV show, Burn Notice. In June 2012, the band released their 4th Cd, Casa Versailles, which was featured on the #1 syndicated jazz radio program, Jazz After Hours w/Jim Wilke as well as many NPR programs nationwide. Casa Versailles won the 2013 Detroit Music Award for World Music CD.
All band members have won or been nominated for individual Detroit Music Awards as well teach at U of Michigan, Washtenaw CC, Jazz Camps and music studios. Their library program, The Rhythms of Cuba, has been presented at over 15 public libraries throughout southeastern Michigan. Other music performance venues include Chicago, Toledo, OH, Windsor, CAN and Oklahoma.
Current band members include Paul Vornhagen (Sax/flute/piccolo/percussion), Alberto Nacif (congas), Olman Piedra (timbales/congas), Jonathan Ovalle (timbales), Pat Prouty (bass), Paul Finkbeiner (trumpet) and Brian DiBlassio (piano).
5:30pm
5:30pm
Urban Jazz Coalition has been one of the hottest live performance ensembles on the contemporary jazz scene for many years now and 2019 marks the celebration of this ground breaking band’s 24th Anniversary as a performing group!!
UJC has electrified audiences over the years performing their unique and energetic blend of R&B/Jazz at many prominent festivals and concert venues around the world, including multiple appearances at The Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Fest and Capital Jazz Supercruise, Jazz Fest West, Russian River Jazz Festival, Boscov/Berks Jazz Festival, Jazz On The Vine, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, and The Catalina Island Jazz Festival.
Jazz columnist Brian Soergel described the UJC sound as “flush with rhythmic grooves, funky bass lines, and beautiful melodies”. The band has made a strong impression at Smooth/Groove jazz radio by achieving “Top 30” status on multiple jazz charts during their career. The “One Step Closer” project generated two “Top 30” singles and was honored by the Groove Jazz Music Chart as one of the “Top 100 Records of 2014”. UJC’s 2017 release “XXII” garnered the band’s first ever “Top 10” single, with more music from the project currently moving up the charts.
UJC’s music has also been featured on network television, international film soundtracks, as well as national advertising campaigns, and as part of an eclectic Gospel/Jazz compilation project released by Universal Records.
UJC has certainly earned notoriety as a self contained group, but they have also become highly in-demand as side men in the smooth jazz genre, having performed as the backing band for many top contemporary jazz artists including Grammy Award Winners Norman Brown & Jeff Lorber, as well as Nick Colionne, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Chuck Loeb, Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene’, and many more top contemporary jazz artists.
When asked why this group has generated so much excitement in smooth jazz circles, former Radio & Records chart columnist Carol Archer was quoted as follows…
“A lot of artists aspire to sound as tight and as funky as The Urban Jazz Coalition,
But these gentlemen really do pull it off…”
With the success of their previous CD projects, and a reputation for presenting one of the hottest stage shows in smooth jazz, UJC continues to gain momentum as they kick off the 2019 touring season and ride the momentum created by their 11th CD…
Urban Jazz Coalition XXII
You won’t want to miss an opportunity to hear the group that everyone is talking about…Urban Jazz Coalition! Please visit our website at www.urbanjazzcoalition.net.
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with a tradition established with the first GRandJazzFest in 2012, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Edye Evans Hyde opens the 2015 event. For more than 35 years, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites. (More at http://www.grjo.com.) 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe. Over the years, Evans Hyde has shared the stage with world-renowned blues singer Linda Hopkins, pop singer Michael Bolton, vocalist Maria Muldaur, actress Connie Stevens, the late Ray Charles and Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. (More at http://edyeevanshyde.com.)
5:30pm
5:30pm
Saxophonist Steve Cole is GRandJazzFest 2015’s Sunday-night headliner. In the 15 years since the release of his debut record, Cole has traveled full circle and arrived back home on Pulse, the 10-song set mixing R&B, contemporary jazz, gospel, blues and pop. The new collection surveying Cole’s musical passions showcases the artist’s affinity for infectious melodies, a wall of horns and soulful grooves. (More at http://mightymusiccorp.com/steve-cole-press-kit/.)
4:00pm
4:00pm
With the release of his CD, The Bottom Line, Michael Manson joined the ranks of today’s premiere jazz artists. His first single, Outer Drive, reached the top 10 on the R&R Smooth Jazz. The bass master moved from sideman to center stage on his solo debut, which became a Billboard Top 20 CD in contemporary jazz. A native of Chicago, he joined Brian Culbertson and began performing regularly on Chicago’s jazz circuit. In 1999, he was invited to play the Monteux Casino Lights Festival. Sharing the stage with the likes of Boney James, George Duke and Kirk Whalum, he made connections that would eventually lead to many performances the world over. (More at http://mikemanson.com/.)
2:30pm
2:30pm
Fiery Spanish guitar and pop vocals fueled by his seven-piece Latin-urban band make Bryan Lubeck a rousing favorite with diverse audiences. His sensitive instrumental ballads coupled with the exciting flamenco styles from critically acclaimed albums have proved to a new generation of music lovers that the contemporary elegance of Spanish guitar is more powerful today than ever before, especially when combined with the grooves of his Latin-urban band. (More at http://www.bryanlubeck.com/.)
1:00pm
1:00pm
Big Band Nouveau delivers an authentic big band sound with some hard bop and modern mainstream jazz mixed in. The 16 members of the ensemble – from all over Michigan – believe in and live all things jazz. The eclectic nature of their music draws influence from the more modern era of the big band while still remaining true to the traditional big band sound. (More at http://www.bigbandnouveau.com/home.html.)
8:00pm
8:00pm
Anchored by veteran contemporary guitarist and Grammy-award-winning producer Paul Brown, The Producers is high-energy jazz. Brown produced the smash-hit Summer Horns album by Dave Koz. Brown’s own latest release, Truth B Told, has soared to the top of the jazz charts. A decade into his solo career, the guitarist sets the bar high for his genre by digging deeper into soul and blues, playing his 1963 Gibson Johnny Smith L-5 edgier and with more abandon. Nate Harasim, a Grammy nominee and Soul Train Award recipient, is a composer, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist whose performances have included President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball and playing twice at the Dubai International Jazz Festival. The Michigan-based artist’s latest album, Rush, debuted on the Billboard charts at No. 17 and was the No. 6 album of 2011 on SmoothJazz.com. Rounding out the trio is Saxophonist Deon Yates. No stranger to GRandJazzFest, the Detroit-based artist returns to the Rosa Parks Circle stage as a special guest of The Producers. After going solo in 2009, Yates is fast becoming one of the most sought-after emerging talents in jazz. His chart-topping release Spotlight featured collaborations with Lin Rountree and Nick Colionne. His new project, Saxafaction, produced by Nate Harasim with additional production by Paul Brown, is poised to become the next chart topper from these super producers. (More at http://www.paulbrownjazz.com/, http://www.nateharasim.com/ and http://www.deonyates.com/.)
6:30pm
6:30pm
Brian Simpson and Jackiem Joyner perform together at the 2015 GRandJazzFest. An inspired keyboardist, composer, prolific studio musician and producer, Simpson is a master of all he purveys. His eloquent approach to playing, sophisticated harmonics sense, bluesy overtones and R&B flavor have made him the go-to man for many, including Janet Jackson, Teena Marie, George Duke, Stanley Clarke and Dave Koz. Saxophonist Joyner is far from complacent in his sound and style. Not afraid to challenge the fan base that took him to No. 1 twice on the Billboard chart, he gets even more adventurous on his fifth album, Evolve. (More at http://bsimpsonmusic.com/ and http://jackiemjoyner.com/.)
5:00pm
5:00pm
Grupo Ayé returns to GRandJazzFest 2015, having played at the 2012 and 2014 festivals. The popular West Michigan band specializes in Afro-Cuban music, which blends salsa, Latin jazz, bachata and merengue. The group’s experience spans performances with such noted artists as Pat Metheny, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, Aretha Franklin, Harry Chapin Jr., Englebert Humperdink and Paquito Rivera. (More at grupoaye.com.)
3:30pm
3:30pm
Mike Frost Project 2.0 is new to the GRandJazzFest stage but no stranger to performing. For more than 30 years, Frost, a saxophonist, has been a prominent performer and bandleader in the Midwest. Hailing from Chicago and now living in Grand Rapids, he’s headlined many world-renowned Chicago jazz clubs as well as other performance spaces and festivals in the Midwest, including Taste of Chicago, The Chicago Jazz Festival, Jazzin’ at The Shedd, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Isthmus Jazz Festival and Days of Wine & Jazz. (More at www.mikefrostproject.com.)
2:00pm
2:00pm
Walt Gutowski & The Bridge Street Band returns to GRandJazzFest this year. The popular local band played at the first GRandJazzFest in 2012. Native Grand Rapidian Gutowski has played guitar for years and his band performs at some of West Michigan’s most popular venues.
Saturday, August 15
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with a tradition established with the first GRandJazzFest in 2012, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Edye Evans Hyde opens the 2015 event. For more than 35 years, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites. (More at http://www.grjo.com.) 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe. Over the years, Evans Hyde has shared the stage with world-renowned blues singer Linda Hopkins, pop singer Michael Bolton, vocalist Maria Muldaur, actress Connie Stevens, the late Ray Charles and Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. (More at http://edyeevanshyde.com.)
8:00pm
8:00pm
Anchored by veteran contemporary guitarist and Grammy-award-winning producer Paul Brown, The Producers is high-energy jazz. Brown produced the smash-hit Summer Horns album by Dave Koz. Brown’s own latest release, Truth B Told, has soared to the top of the jazz charts. A decade into his solo career, the guitarist sets the bar high for his genre by digging deeper into soul and blues, playing his 1963 Gibson Johnny Smith L-5 edgier and with more abandon. Nate Harasim, a Grammy nominee and Soul Train Award recipient, is a composer, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist whose performances have included President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball and playing twice at the Dubai International Jazz Festival. The Michigan-based artist’s latest album, Rush, debuted on the Billboard charts at No. 17 and was the No. 6 album of 2011 on SmoothJazz.com. Rounding out the trio is Saxophonist Deon Yates. No stranger to GRandJazzFest, the Detroit-based artist returns to the Rosa Parks Circle stage as a special guest of The Producers. After going solo in 2009, Yates is fast becoming one of the most sought-after emerging talents in jazz. His chart-topping release Spotlight featured collaborations with Lin Rountree and Nick Colionne. His new project, Saxafaction, produced by Nate Harasim with additional production by Paul Brown, is poised to become the next chart topper from these super producers. (More at http://www.paulbrownjazz.com/, http://www.nateharasim.com/ and http://www.deonyates.com/.)
6:30pm
6:30pm
Brian Simpson and Jackiem Joyner perform together at the 2015 GRandJazzFest. An inspired keyboardist, composer, prolific studio musician and producer, Simpson is a master of all he purveys. His eloquent approach to playing, sophisticated harmonics sense, bluesy overtones and R&B flavor have made him the go-to man for many, including Janet Jackson, Teena Marie, George Duke, Stanley Clarke and Dave Koz. Saxophonist Joyner is far from complacent in his sound and style. Not afraid to challenge the fan base that took him to No. 1 twice on the Billboard chart, he gets even more adventurous on his fifth album, Evolve. (More at http://bsimpsonmusic.com/ and http://jackiemjoyner.com/.)
5:00pm
5:00pm
Grupo Ayé returns to GRandJazzFest 2015, having played at the 2012 and 2014 festivals. The popular West Michigan band specializes in Afro-Cuban music, which blends salsa, Latin jazz, bachata and merengue. The group’s experience spans performances with such noted artists as Pat Metheny, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, Aretha Franklin, Harry Chapin Jr., Englebert Humperdink and Paquito Rivera. (More at grupoaye.com.)
3:30pm
3:30pm
Mike Frost Project 2.0 is new to the GRandJazzFest stage but no stranger to performing. For more than 30 years, Frost, a saxophonist, has been a prominent performer and bandleader in the Midwest. Hailing from Chicago and now living in Grand Rapids, he’s headlined many world-renowned Chicago jazz clubs as well as other performance spaces and festivals in the Midwest, including Taste of Chicago, The Chicago Jazz Festival, Jazzin’ at The Shedd, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Isthmus Jazz Festival and Days of Wine & Jazz. (More at www.mikefrostproject.com.)
2:00pm
2:00pm
Walt Gutowski & The Bridge Street Band returns to GRandJazzFest this year. The popular local band played at the first GRandJazzFest in 2012. Native Grand Rapidian Gutowski has played guitar for years and his band performs at some of West Michigan’s most popular venues.
Saturday, August 20
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with a tradition established with the first GRandJazzFest in 2012, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Edye Evans Hyde opens the 2015 event. For more than 35 years, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites. (More at http://www.grjo.com.) 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe. Over the years, Evans Hyde has shared the stage with world-renowned blues singer Linda Hopkins, pop singer Michael Bolton, vocalist Maria Muldaur, actress Connie Stevens, the late Ray Charles and Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. (More at http://edyeevanshyde.com.)
8:00pm
8:00pm
Calling her 2009 debut Bloom proved prophetic as Cindy Bradley has blossomed into a powerful and charismatic presence on the contemporary jazz festival circuit. Bradley has performed nearly everywhere, from the River Raisin Jazz Festival in Monroe, Michigan, to the Dubai Jazz Festival. She won Best New Artist at the American Smooth Jazz Awards and was named Debut Artist of the Year by the Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival and Smooth Jazz News. With the release of Unscripted, her latest Trippin’ N Rhythm recording, Bradley keeps the trumpet and flugelhorn hip and grooving. A native of Buffalo, New York, she loves telling the story of how she became a trumpet player by accident in fourth grade: “I started playing the piano when I was six, but we had to choose a different instrument to be part of the band program. I forgot to bring my permission slip to class, so the teacher just had me randomly circle an instrument that I wanted to play. I picked the trumpet, which turned out to be a life- and career-defining fluke.” By 12, she was performing professionally with Sugar and Jazz, a Buffalo-area jazz band that consisted of promising musicians. After earning a bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from Ithaca College, she went to the New England Conservatory to study for her master’s degree in jazz trumpet performance; at the conservatory, she studied with and was influenced by many jazz greats. After earning her degrees, Bradley immediately headed to New York City and immersed herself in the vibrant jazz scene, discovering equal passions for straight-ahead be-bop and contemporary jazz as well as funk, Top 40, R&B and jazz fusion. More at http://cindybradley.com/.
6:30pm
6:30pm
Since hitting the jazz scene in 1996, Tim Bowman has been winning rave reviews and garnering ubiquitous smooth jazz radio airplay. His debut album, Love, Joy, Peace, peaked at 19 on the Gavin Smooth Jazz Charts and 20 on Radio & Record Magazine’s album chart. In his fourth collection, Bowman surpassed the success of all of his prior albums with his smash No. 1 single Summer Groove. The release of Bowman’s fifth album (2008) increased his momentum; the self-titled release featured hit songs Sweet Sundays (No. 1, Billboard Smooth Jazz Singles Chart), High Def and Rapture. In 2010, Bowman released The Collection, showcasing some of his finest work and highlighting the unique depth of his ability as a talented songwriter. His latest single, Seaside Drive, was another crowning moment for Bowman, reaching No. 1 in the country. More at http://www.timbowman.com/.
5:00pm
5:00pm
Steve Hilger plays contemporary jazz as well as jazz fusion, both original works and works well known throughout. His band has performed jazz, jazz fusion and blues in venues, festivals and concert performances from Chicago to Alpena. Hilger, playing guitar and guitar synth, has been a singer-songwriter since the early 1970s. Joining Hilger will be David DeVos on bass, John Gist on saxophone and electronic wind instrument, Brian Drews on keys, Bill Roelofs on drums, Rob Mulligan on percussion and Deborah Richmond singing vocals. These musicians collectively also perform as the Steve Hilger Band, predominantly performing progressive blues. They have released three albums and have been nominated five times for “Jammie” awards by WYCE.
2:00pm
2:00pm
organissimo‘s music leaps over fences and satisfies a diverse range of tastes. The group formed in 2000 with the goal of bringing jazz back to the people. organissimo’s sound is instantly identifiable yet constantly evolving, infusing elements of funk, gospel, blues, progressive rock, and Latin rhythms into a solid foundation of jazz. Shifting meters, deep grooves, melodic finesse and tight ensemble interplay are hallmarks of the organissimo sound. The latest CD, Dedicated, hit No. 5 on the JazzWeek charts and stayed in the Top 10 for eight weeks. More at http://organissimo.org/.
3:30pm
3:30pm
Formed in August 2003 by reedman Paul VornHagen and conguero Alberto Nacif, Tumbao Bravo is an exciting Cuban jazz combo that has released four critically acclaimed CDs. Winner of the 2005, 2007 and 2013 Detroit Music Awards for Best Jazz Recording and Best World Music Band, this combo has performed at all of the major Michigan jazz/music festivals. More at http://www.tumbaobravo.com/.
Sunday, August 16
5:30pm
5:30pm
Saxophonist Steve Cole is GRandJazzFest 2015’s Sunday-night headliner. In the 15 years since the release of his debut record, Cole has traveled full circle and arrived back home on Pulse, the 10-song set mixing R&B, contemporary jazz, gospel, blues and pop. The new collection surveying Cole’s musical passions showcases the artist’s affinity for infectious melodies, a wall of horns and soulful grooves. (More at http://mightymusiccorp.com/steve-cole-press-kit/.)
4:00pm
4:00pm
With the release of his CD, The Bottom Line, Michael Manson joined the ranks of today’s premiere jazz artists. His first single, Outer Drive, reached the top 10 on the R&R Smooth Jazz. The bass master moved from sideman to center stage on his solo debut, which became a Billboard Top 20 CD in contemporary jazz. A native of Chicago, he joined Brian Culbertson and began performing regularly on Chicago’s jazz circuit. In 1999, he was invited to play the Monteux Casino Lights Festival. Sharing the stage with the likes of Boney James, George Duke and Kirk Whalum, he made connections that would eventually lead to many performances the world over. (More at http://mikemanson.com/.)
2:30pm
2:30pm
Fiery Spanish guitar and pop vocals fueled by his seven-piece Latin-urban band make Bryan Lubeck a rousing favorite with diverse audiences. His sensitive instrumental ballads coupled with the exciting flamenco styles from critically acclaimed albums have proved to a new generation of music lovers that the contemporary elegance of Spanish guitar is more powerful today than ever before, especially when combined with the grooves of his Latin-urban band. (More at http://www.bryanlubeck.com/.)
1:00pm
1:00pm
Big Band Nouveau delivers an authentic big band sound with some hard bop and modern mainstream jazz mixed in. The 16 members of the ensemble – from all over Michigan – believe in and live all things jazz. The eclectic nature of their music draws influence from the more modern era of the big band while still remaining true to the traditional big band sound. (More at http://www.bigbandnouveau.com/home.html.)
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with a tradition established with the first GRandJazzFest in 2012, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Edye Evans Hyde opens the 2015 event. For more than 35 years, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites. (More at http://www.grjo.com.) 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe. Over the years, Evans Hyde has shared the stage with world-renowned blues singer Linda Hopkins, pop singer Michael Bolton, vocalist Maria Muldaur, actress Connie Stevens, the late Ray Charles and Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. (More at http://edyeevanshyde.com.)
7:00pm
7:00pm
SUNDAY NIGHT HEADLINER: CHRIS STANDRING
Over 15 years since first dazzling the contemporary jazz world with his breakthrough set Velvet, Chris Standring still revels in his restless creativity – discovering fresh, freewheeling and innovative ways to share his passion for groove, melody and dynamic “guitarisma.” Celebrating the remarkable milestone of album number Ten – an ever-evolving catalog that includes the 2011 re-issue of his 1989 first indie recording Main Course (The Early Tapes) – he’s still got the cool, trippy sonics happening via a colorful fusing of live instrument and DJ sounds. While keeping his melodies, rhythms and arrangements as infectious as ever, the British born, now-L.A.-based hit maker fashions them as the vehicle to unleash his deeper chops as a powerhouse jazz player and improviser. More at http://www.chrisstandring.com/.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Walter White – leader of the Walter White Jazz Quartet – has emerged with a personal voice on both trumpet and flugelhorn. His playing is darkly incantatory, furiously intense, risk-laden, harmonically astute, rhythmically free, with roiling passion tempering a sharp intellect. His band plays solid originals and his own exciting arrangements from both standard jazz and classical collections. His newest jazz quartet recording Most Triumphant released in July 2014 on Summit Records and stayed on Jazz Week’s Top 50 charts for more than 10 weeks. More at http://walterwhite.com/.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Urban Jazz Coalition has been one of the hottest live performance ensembles on the contemporary jazz scene for many years now and 2019 marks the celebration of this ground breaking band’s 24th Anniversary as a performing group!!
UJC has electrified audiences over the years performing their unique and energetic blend of R&B/Jazz at many prominent festivals and concert venues around the world, including multiple appearances at The Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Fest and Capital Jazz Supercruise, Jazz Fest West, Russian River Jazz Festival, Boscov/Berks Jazz Festival, Jazz On The Vine, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, and The Catalina Island Jazz Festival.
Jazz columnist Brian Soergel described the UJC sound as “flush with rhythmic grooves, funky bass lines, and beautiful melodies”. The band has made a strong impression at Smooth/Groove jazz radio by achieving “Top 30” status on multiple jazz charts during their career. The “One Step Closer” project generated two “Top 30” singles and was honored by the Groove Jazz Music Chart as one of the “Top 100 Records of 2014”. UJC’s 2017 release “XXII” garnered the band’s first ever “Top 10” single, with more music from the project currently moving up the charts.
UJC’s music has also been featured on network television, international film soundtracks, as well as national advertising campaigns, and as part of an eclectic Gospel/Jazz compilation project released by Universal Records.
UJC has certainly earned notoriety as a self contained group, but they have also become highly in-demand as side men in the smooth jazz genre, having performed as the backing band for many top contemporary jazz artists including Grammy Award Winners Norman Brown & Jeff Lorber, as well as Nick Colionne, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Chuck Loeb, Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene’, and many more top contemporary jazz artists.
When asked why this group has generated so much excitement in smooth jazz circles, former Radio & Records chart columnist Carol Archer was quoted as follows…
“A lot of artists aspire to sound as tight and as funky as The Urban Jazz Coalition,
But these gentlemen really do pull it off…”
With the success of their previous CD projects, and a reputation for presenting one of the hottest stage shows in smooth jazz, UJC continues to gain momentum as they kick off the 2019 touring season and ride the momentum created by their 11th CD…
Urban Jazz Coalition XXII
You won’t want to miss an opportunity to hear the group that everyone is talking about…Urban Jazz Coalition! Please visit our website at www.urbanjazzcoalition.net.
2:30pm
2:30pm
The Lakeshore Big Band has been entertaining audiences throughout West Michigan for over 25 years, developing into one of the area’s finest concert and dance ensembles. Based in Spring Lake, Michigan, the LBB is a full-size (17 piece) traditional big band. The music the band performs comes from a large library of tunes from the early days of jazz to present day, including great hits from the big-band era by Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and more, as well as contemporary jazz, ballroom dance and popular music. More at www.lakeshorebigband.com.
1:00pm
1:00pm
The band selected to perform during GRandJazzFest 2016’s Student Showcase is Bierenga-Sullivan Quintet. Led by saxophonist, composer and bandleader Dominic Bierenga, the band offers spirited music to kick off Sunday at GRandJazzFest. A recent graduate of Central Michigan University, Berenga also is a member of Paddlebots (progressive soul-pop), the Four Brothers Quartet and the Kosta G Kapellas Trio. He also leads a big band The Common Denominator. More at http://dominicbierenga.com/.
8:00pm
8:00pm
Calling her 2009 debut Bloom proved prophetic as Cindy Bradley has blossomed into a powerful and charismatic presence on the contemporary jazz festival circuit. Bradley has performed nearly everywhere, from the River Raisin Jazz Festival in Monroe, Michigan, to the Dubai Jazz Festival. She won Best New Artist at the American Smooth Jazz Awards and was named Debut Artist of the Year by the Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival and Smooth Jazz News. With the release of Unscripted, her latest Trippin’ N Rhythm recording, Bradley keeps the trumpet and flugelhorn hip and grooving. A native of Buffalo, New York, she loves telling the story of how she became a trumpet player by accident in fourth grade: “I started playing the piano when I was six, but we had to choose a different instrument to be part of the band program. I forgot to bring my permission slip to class, so the teacher just had me randomly circle an instrument that I wanted to play. I picked the trumpet, which turned out to be a life- and career-defining fluke.” By 12, she was performing professionally with Sugar and Jazz, a Buffalo-area jazz band that consisted of promising musicians. After earning a bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from Ithaca College, she went to the New England Conservatory to study for her master’s degree in jazz trumpet performance; at the conservatory, she studied with and was influenced by many jazz greats. After earning her degrees, Bradley immediately headed to New York City and immersed herself in the vibrant jazz scene, discovering equal passions for straight-ahead be-bop and contemporary jazz as well as funk, Top 40, R&B and jazz fusion. More at http://cindybradley.com/.
6:30pm
6:30pm
Since hitting the jazz scene in 1996, Tim Bowman has been winning rave reviews and garnering ubiquitous smooth jazz radio airplay. His debut album, Love, Joy, Peace, peaked at 19 on the Gavin Smooth Jazz Charts and 20 on Radio & Record Magazine’s album chart. In his fourth collection, Bowman surpassed the success of all of his prior albums with his smash No. 1 single Summer Groove. The release of Bowman’s fifth album (2008) increased his momentum; the self-titled release featured hit songs Sweet Sundays (No. 1, Billboard Smooth Jazz Singles Chart), High Def and Rapture. In 2010, Bowman released The Collection, showcasing some of his finest work and highlighting the unique depth of his ability as a talented songwriter. His latest single, Seaside Drive, was another crowning moment for Bowman, reaching No. 1 in the country. More at http://www.timbowman.com/.
5:00pm
5:00pm
Steve Hilger plays contemporary jazz as well as jazz fusion, both original works and works well known throughout. His band has performed jazz, jazz fusion and blues in venues, festivals and concert performances from Chicago to Alpena. Hilger, playing guitar and guitar synth, has been a singer-songwriter since the early 1970s. Joining Hilger will be David DeVos on bass, John Gist on saxophone and electronic wind instrument, Brian Drews on keys, Bill Roelofs on drums, Rob Mulligan on percussion and Deborah Richmond singing vocals. These musicians collectively also perform as the Steve Hilger Band, predominantly performing progressive blues. They have released three albums and have been nominated five times for “Jammie” awards by WYCE.
2:00pm
2:00pm
organissimo‘s music leaps over fences and satisfies a diverse range of tastes. The group formed in 2000 with the goal of bringing jazz back to the people. organissimo’s sound is instantly identifiable yet constantly evolving, infusing elements of funk, gospel, blues, progressive rock, and Latin rhythms into a solid foundation of jazz. Shifting meters, deep grooves, melodic finesse and tight ensemble interplay are hallmarks of the organissimo sound. The latest CD, Dedicated, hit No. 5 on the JazzWeek charts and stayed in the Top 10 for eight weeks. More at http://organissimo.org/.
3:30pm
3:30pm
Formed in August 2003 by reedman Paul VornHagen and conguero Alberto Nacif, Tumbao Bravo is an exciting Cuban jazz combo that has released four critically acclaimed CDs. Winner of the 2005, 2007 and 2013 Detroit Music Awards for Best Jazz Recording and Best World Music Band, this combo has performed at all of the major Michigan jazz/music festivals. More at http://www.tumbaobravo.com/.
Sunday, August 21
7:00pm
7:00pm
SUNDAY NIGHT HEADLINER: CHRIS STANDRING
Over 15 years since first dazzling the contemporary jazz world with his breakthrough set Velvet, Chris Standring still revels in his restless creativity – discovering fresh, freewheeling and innovative ways to share his passion for groove, melody and dynamic “guitarisma.” Celebrating the remarkable milestone of album number Ten – an ever-evolving catalog that includes the 2011 re-issue of his 1989 first indie recording Main Course (The Early Tapes) – he’s still got the cool, trippy sonics happening via a colorful fusing of live instrument and DJ sounds. While keeping his melodies, rhythms and arrangements as infectious as ever, the British born, now-L.A.-based hit maker fashions them as the vehicle to unleash his deeper chops as a powerhouse jazz player and improviser. More at http://www.chrisstandring.com/.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Walter White – leader of the Walter White Jazz Quartet – has emerged with a personal voice on both trumpet and flugelhorn. His playing is darkly incantatory, furiously intense, risk-laden, harmonically astute, rhythmically free, with roiling passion tempering a sharp intellect. His band plays solid originals and his own exciting arrangements from both standard jazz and classical collections. His newest jazz quartet recording Most Triumphant released in July 2014 on Summit Records and stayed on Jazz Week’s Top 50 charts for more than 10 weeks. More at http://walterwhite.com/.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Urban Jazz Coalition has been one of the hottest live performance ensembles on the contemporary jazz scene for many years now and 2019 marks the celebration of this ground breaking band’s 24th Anniversary as a performing group!!
UJC has electrified audiences over the years performing their unique and energetic blend of R&B/Jazz at many prominent festivals and concert venues around the world, including multiple appearances at The Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Fest and Capital Jazz Supercruise, Jazz Fest West, Russian River Jazz Festival, Boscov/Berks Jazz Festival, Jazz On The Vine, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, and The Catalina Island Jazz Festival.
Jazz columnist Brian Soergel described the UJC sound as “flush with rhythmic grooves, funky bass lines, and beautiful melodies”. The band has made a strong impression at Smooth/Groove jazz radio by achieving “Top 30” status on multiple jazz charts during their career. The “One Step Closer” project generated two “Top 30” singles and was honored by the Groove Jazz Music Chart as one of the “Top 100 Records of 2014”. UJC’s 2017 release “XXII” garnered the band’s first ever “Top 10” single, with more music from the project currently moving up the charts.
UJC’s music has also been featured on network television, international film soundtracks, as well as national advertising campaigns, and as part of an eclectic Gospel/Jazz compilation project released by Universal Records.
UJC has certainly earned notoriety as a self contained group, but they have also become highly in-demand as side men in the smooth jazz genre, having performed as the backing band for many top contemporary jazz artists including Grammy Award Winners Norman Brown & Jeff Lorber, as well as Nick Colionne, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Chuck Loeb, Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene’, and many more top contemporary jazz artists.
When asked why this group has generated so much excitement in smooth jazz circles, former Radio & Records chart columnist Carol Archer was quoted as follows…
“A lot of artists aspire to sound as tight and as funky as The Urban Jazz Coalition,
But these gentlemen really do pull it off…”
With the success of their previous CD projects, and a reputation for presenting one of the hottest stage shows in smooth jazz, UJC continues to gain momentum as they kick off the 2019 touring season and ride the momentum created by their 11th CD…
Urban Jazz Coalition XXII
You won’t want to miss an opportunity to hear the group that everyone is talking about…Urban Jazz Coalition! Please visit our website at www.urbanjazzcoalition.net.
2:30pm
2:30pm
The Lakeshore Big Band has been entertaining audiences throughout West Michigan for over 25 years, developing into one of the area’s finest concert and dance ensembles. Based in Spring Lake, Michigan, the LBB is a full-size (17 piece) traditional big band. The music the band performs comes from a large library of tunes from the early days of jazz to present day, including great hits from the big-band era by Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and more, as well as contemporary jazz, ballroom dance and popular music. More at www.lakeshorebigband.com.
1:00pm
1:00pm
The band selected to perform during GRandJazzFest 2016’s Student Showcase is Bierenga-Sullivan Quintet. Led by saxophonist, composer and bandleader Dominic Bierenga, the band offers spirited music to kick off Sunday at GRandJazzFest. A recent graduate of Central Michigan University, Berenga also is a member of Paddlebots (progressive soul-pop), the Four Brothers Quartet and the Kosta G Kapellas Trio. He also leads a big band The Common Denominator. More at http://dominicbierenga.com/.
8:00pm
8:00pm
Scotland-born, Los Angeles-raised veteran saxophonist Richard Elliot is the 2017 GRandJazzFest headliner, taking the Rosa Parks Circle stage Saturday, Aug. 19, at 8 p.m. Long known as the “James Brown of Contemporary Jazz” for the intense soul inspirations of his recordings, Elliot has added GRandJazzFest to his relentless tour schedule. Audiences love Elliot’s joyfully exhausting onstage performances, digging deep into his R&B and jazz roots. Infectious melodies and funky grooves flow and follow a two-word mantra – Rock Steady – the name of his highly anticipated debut on Artistry Music. With a bestselling discography of more than 15 recordings since 1986’s Initial Approach, thousands of live dates spanning over two decades and one of the largest and most loyal fan bases in contemporary urban jazz, it’s incredible to hear Elliot declare: “What I’m doing now, enjoying this upward trend in my career, is seriously the most fun I have ever had.” The multi-talented tenor-man, composer and producer has been on one of the most incredible rolls of his career since the 2005 release of Metro Blue, which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart. More at http://www.richardelliot.com/
7:00pm
7:00pm
The trio Nate Harasim & NILS featuring Brandon Willis takes to the GRandJazzFest stage on Sunday night. Harasim, a Grammy nominee and Soul Train Award recipient, is a producer, composer, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist whose many live performances have included President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball, the Dubai International Jazz Festival and the 2015 GRandJazzFest. The Michigan-based artist’s album Rush debuted on the Billboard charts at No. 17 and was the No. 6 album of 2011 on SmoothJazz.com. Joining Harasim at GRandJazzFest is NILS, an L.A.-based guitarist whose talents are featured on the contemporary jazz hit “Impact” produced by Harasim. Rounding out the trio is Brandon Willis, a saxophonist featured on “Impact.” Willis is a rising star from Newcastle, Washington, who brings a soulful sound and charismatic persona to the northwest jazz scene. His eagerly anticipated debut album First Time was developed with the likes of pianist/arranger Eugene Bien, Kenny G’s touring guitarist John Raymond and keyboardist Donyea Goodman. More at http://www.nateharasim.com/ and http://brandonwillismusic.com/.
5:30pm
5:30pm
Four80East joins the Sunday lineup for GRandJazzFest 2017. The band is an electro-jazz collective that’s all about the groove. Mixing jazz with soul music and electronic production, the Canadian producer duo of Rob DeBoer and Tony Grace have created a signature bass-propelled sound that entrances listeners of their recordings and enthralls audiences at their live shows. Since breaking out with their critically acclaimed first release The Album in 1997, Four80East has been a mainstay on contemporary jazz radio and touring circuits with hits like “Eastside” and “Noodle Soup” and six subsequent albums. As a production team and as artists, DeBoer and Grace have had global success. They’ve won every major music award in their native Canada, from a Juno to a MuchMusic Award to a Canadian Radio Music Award. More at http://four80east.com/.
1:00pm
1:00pm
You might notice of something different at an organissimo performance. The audience isn’t the typical homogenous “jazz” audience. You’ll see a healthy mix of people from all walks of life; young and old, black and white, from hippies to corporate professionals and everything in between. organissimo’s music skirts over fences and satisfies a diverse range of tastes. You’re as likely to see people dancing as a group of folks intently listening.
As American cultural critic Elvis Mitchell wrote after witnessing a show at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, “The group’s toned, muscular playing keeps the crowd rapt, a condition noticeable by the fact that almost no one is talking.”
organissimo formed in November of 2000 with the goal of bringing jazz back to the people. organissimo’s sound is instantly identifiable yet constantly evolving, infusing elements of funk, gospel, blues, progressive rock, and Latin rhythms into a solid foundation of jazz. Shifting meters, deep grooves, melodic finesse and tight ensemble interplay are hallmarks of the organissimo sound.
organissimo’s music has received numerous awards. The latest CD, Dedicated, released in January of 2013, hit #5 on the JazzWeek charts and stayed in the Top 10 for 8 weeks. It hit #1 on the CMJ jazz charts and was named one of the Top 10 CDs of 2013. It received airplay on over 200 stations including Comcast’s MusicChoice and XM/Sirius Radio.
organissimo’s album, Groovadelphia, topped the CMJ Jazz Charts for three weeks at #1 and stayed in the JazzWeek Top 50 for 14 weeks, peaking at #22. It won two WYCE Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Best Song and was also named one of the Best Releases of 2008 by WVPE, KJAZZ, CKCU-FM, and Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hours program, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide. It is also nominated for a Detroit Music Award.
organissimo’s sophomore album, “This Is The Place“, hit #19 on the JazzWeek charts and a solid #4 on the CMJ charts. It also won two WYCE 2006 Jammie Awards for Best Jazz Album and Album of the Year , and was nominated for 2005 Detroit Music Award. Like its predecessor, it was named one of the Best Releases of 2005 by Jim Wilke ‘s Jazz After Hoursprogram in Seattle, WHRV in Virginia Beach, WBEZ in Chicago, WVIA-FM in Pittston PA, WBLVBlue Lake Public Radio, WLNZ in Lansing, WEMU in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, KXJS in Sacramento, and WYCE in Grand Rapids, Jazz 90.1 in Rochester NY, Real Detroit Weekly Magazine , the Detroit MetroTimes and the Lansing City Pulse. NPR also featured the CD as a part of its Open Mic series.
The group also won a WYCE Jammy award for Best Jazz Album for their debut CD “Waiting For The Boogaloo Sisters…” (which features prominent New York saxophonist Ron Blake ). The CD was also named one of the Best Releases of 2003 by Jim Wilke’s Jazz After Hoursprogram, syndicated on over 60 NPR stations nationwide.
2:30pm
2:30pm
The Isaac Norris Project is an assembly of Grand Rapids-area musicians who represent themselves individually as jazz, gospel, blues and R&B artists. Collectively under the direction of Isaac Norris, these musicians seek to develop and perform original smooth jazz and soul-inspired compositions. All have been great supporters of Norris by lending their talents for recording and performance of his original compositions in his latest CD release, Something to Say. The group includes Debra Perry on keyboard, Tom Cutts on guitar, Dee Washington on drums, John Parker on bass and Isaac Norris on saxophone. Washington and Norris are also new GR and Jazz board members. More at www.isaacnorrismusic.com.
1:00pm
1:00pm
Blushing Monk – the band selected to perform during GRandJazzFest 2017’s Student Showcase – is led by Dutcher Snedeker, a Grand Rapids-based pianist with a long history of live-jazz performance. Snedeker hails from a musical family where he grew up surrounded by a variety of music styles. A current master’s student at Western Michigan University and a GVSU graduate, he is an active part of the West Michigan music community, with multiple nominations at the local WYCE Jammies and a jazz award from ArtPrize 2013. Joining Snedeker as part of the Blushing Monk band are Brad Fritcher on trumpet, Caleb Elzinga on saxophone, Joe Vasquez on bass, Jordan Otto on drums and Olin Clark on guitar. More at https://www.dutchersnedeker.com/.
5:00pm
5:00pm
Bryan Lubeck’s fiery Spanish guitar and smooth urban grooves made him a Billboard Magazine critic’s choice in 2006 and since then he has become a regular on contemporary instrumental stations around the world. The Sirius/XM plays of his Christmas songs make him one of the top 20 artist played each holiday season. Averaging well over 30,000 listeners a month on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Play and Google, he is also proving very popular in the streaming services. Tuscan Sky – his most recent work – spent more than 14 weeks on the various adult contemporary instrumental charts with 4 songs getting regular radio play from the album which features five Grammy winners. His live shows are equally popular, performing 2 act shows with Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Brian Culbertson, Euge Groove, Craig Chaquico and more. Bryan will once again be providing the family guitar tent at GRandJazzFest 2019.
2:30pm
2:30pm
Formed in August 2003 by reedman Paul VornHagen and conguero Alberto Nacif, this exciting Cuban jazz combo has released four critically acclaimed Cds of mostly original compositions that have been featured on all the major jazz public radio stations throughout the U.S.
Winner of the 2005, 2007 & 2013 Detroit Music Awards for Best Jazz Recording and Best World Music Band, this combo has performed at all the major Michigan jazz/music festivals including Detroit, Michigan, Lansing, Birmingham, Raisin River, Great Lakes Folkfest , Blissfest, Wheatland Dance and Ann Arbor to name a few. The title cut of their 2009 Cd was used as a soundtrack for the USA Network TV show, Burn Notice. In June 2012, the band released their 4th Cd, Casa Versailles, which was featured on the #1 syndicated jazz radio program, Jazz After Hours w/Jim Wilke as well as many NPR programs nationwide. Casa Versailles won the 2013 Detroit Music Award for World Music CD.
All band members have won or been nominated for individual Detroit Music Awards as well teach at U of Michigan, Washtenaw CC, Jazz Camps and music studios. Their library program, The Rhythms of Cuba, has been presented at over 15 public libraries throughout southeastern Michigan. Other music performance venues include Chicago, Toledo, OH, Windsor, CAN and Oklahoma.
Current band members include Paul Vornhagen (Sax/flute/piccolo/percussion), Alberto Nacif (congas), Olman Piedra (timbales/congas), Jonathan Ovalle (timbales), Pat Prouty (bass), Paul Finkbeiner (trumpet) and Brian DiBlassio (piano).
3:30pm
3:30pm
Ed Stone and the Flowmasters performs Saturday at GRandJazzFest. Stone, a jazz guitarist and vocalist, has played in numerous Top 40 groups and brings his songwriting and music to national audiences. Joining Stone are the Flowmasters, with bass, drums and a keyboard for a smooth jazz show. They’ve performed at the New Center Park Summer Music Series, Idlewild Music Festival, Belle Isle Jazz Concert Series and at many other venues nationwide. More at www.edsterlingstone.com.
2:00pm
2:00pm
Terry Lower / Jazz Expedition Sextet performs Saturday at the festival. Lower, a virtuoso jazz pianist, has been a fixture on the Michigan jazz scene for over 30 years. He’s also performed outside the USA including stints on Carnival and Costa Cruise Lines and two concert tours in Italy. In 2016, Terry was named West Michigan Jazz Society’s Musician of the Year. Joining Lower on the Jazz Expedition Sextet will be Rob Smith on trumpet, Michael Dease on trombone, Jim Hayward on saxophone, Ray Tini on bass and Larry Ochiltree on drums. More at http://www.terrylowermusic.com/.
12:30pm
12:30pm
In keeping with a tradition established with the first GRandJazzFest in 2012, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Edye Evans Hyde opens the 2015 event. For more than 35 years, the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra has been one of Michigan’s premier jazz ensembles, featuring some of the finest musicians in the area playing swinging original compositions and arrangements as well as traditional favorites. (More at http://www.grjo.com.) 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year Edye Evans Hyde has been singing jazz, blues and pop music for more than 30 years in West Michigan, Los Angeles, Asia and Europe. Over the years, Evans Hyde has shared the stage with world-renowned blues singer Linda Hopkins, pop singer Michael Bolton, vocalist Maria Muldaur, actress Connie Stevens, the late Ray Charles and Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. (More at http://edyeevanshyde.com.)