Live Jazz in West Michigan

[Lazaro Vega]

January 11, 2017

 

The Jazz Datebook:

 

Timely Hits:

 

Friday, January 13 from 7-8:30 p.m., St. Cecilia Music Center presents their Concert Band and Jazz Ensembles winter concert.  For tickets visit: http://www.scmc-online.org/concert-music-downloads/

 

Saturday, January 14^th at 8 p.m. The Heritage Jazz Fest features soprano saxophonist Reggie Page and trumpeter Deb Wagner at the Doubletree by Hilton Grand Rapids Airport, 4747 28^th Street SE, Grand Rapids. Tickets through www.eventbrite.com.

 

Saturday, January 14^th from 7-11, pianist/vocalist Robin Connell leads her trio at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel’s Garden Court, 187 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids.

 

Monday, January 16^th at 6:30 vocalist Tony Reynolds brings his four octave range to The Guest House, 634 Stocking Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, for the West Michigan Jazz Society’s Monday Night Jazz Gumbo. With Greg Miller, guitar, and Mark Weymouth on drums. Information from www.wmichjazz.org.

 

Thursday, January 26^th at 7:30 p.m. pianist/composer/educator Steve Talaga presents a major concert of his music at Hope College’s Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts in Holland. Five of Talaga’s compositions for big band will feature the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra; the work “For One Removed” features Hope’s Chapel Choir and Hope College percussion students; and “July Nocturne,” a new piece for full orchestra (world premier), features Hope’s Orchestra. Admission is free. See www.hope.edu/music.

 

Wednesday, February 1^st at 8 p.m. a new venue debuts in The B.O.B. downtown Grand Rapids as 20 Monroe Live features Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, with supporting act Joe Hertler and The Rainbow Seekers. Information from www.20monroelive.com.

 

Wednesday, February 1^st from 7-10 p.m. the Beer City Saxes play H.O.M.E. (at The B.O.B.), 20 Monroe Avenue NW, Grand Rapids. A saxophone section/rhythm section ensemble featuring music by jazz greats Benny Carter, Charlie Parker and others.

Thursday, February 2^nd at 7:30 the University Jazz Orchestra and University Jazz Lab Band from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo play a free concert at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, Van De Giessen Rd #3001, Kalamazoo, WMU. See www.wmich.edu/jazz .

 

Wednesday, February 8^th at 7 p.m. clarinetist Anat Cohen returns to Grand Rapids to play the Max Colley Jr. Performing Arts Center at Northview High School, 4451 Hunsberger NE, Grand Rapids. Along with the Michigan State University Jazz Octets I and II under the direction of Diego Rivera, plus the Northview High School and Rockford High School jazz bands. Cohen has released seven albums, been atop the Downbeat Magazine critics and reader’s poll since 2011 and been voted clarinetist of the year eight years in a row by the Jazz Journalist Association. Tickets (cash only) sold at the door. Information from www.anatcohen.com/about.

 

Saturday, February 11^th at 2 and 8 p.m. the vocal jazz ensemble Gold Company presents their big Miller Auditorium concerts at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. See http://wmugoldcompany.com .

 

Friday, February 17^th at 8 p.m., trombonist Nick Finzer, a New York City based Jazz trombonist and composer, a leader in the Millenial Jazz Movement, presents a guest artist recital at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, Van De Giessen Rd #3001, Kalamazoo. Information from www.wmich.edu/jazz. Or, www.nickfinzermusic.com/#home  .

 

Sunday, February 19^th at 3 p.m. saxophonist/composer Andrew Rathbun leads a trio with 7 time Grammy Award and 4 time Emmy Award winning bassist/educator Robert Hurst and the dynamic drums of Keith Hall in the Underground Music Series at LaFontsee Galleries, 833 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids. See www.andrewrathbun.com.

 

Monday, February 20^th at 6:30 the West Michigan Jazz Society welcomes the River Rogues Dixieland Band to the The Guest House, 634 Stocking Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, for their Monday Night Jazz Gumbo. With Jim Everhart, piano; Dave Kadwell, banjo and guitar; David L. Wells, trombone; Ken Huisman, clarinet and saxophones; Dave Schock, trumpet; Paul Keen, tuba; and Tom Davis, drums. See www.wmichjazz.org.

 

Wednesday, February 22^nd at 7:30 p.m. the New Sound Festival at Western Michigan University includes their new music ensemble Birds on a Wire and their Advanced Jazz Ensemble in a concert presented by the Bullock Performance Institute at The Dalton Center Recital Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. www.wmichjazz.org.

 

Friday, March 10^that 8 p.m. the 37^th Annual Western Michigan University Invitational Jazz Festival’s opening concert presents saxophonist George Garzone and the Western Jazz Faculty at Dalton Center Recital Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. Tenor saxophonist Garzone has played with Jack DeJohnette, Danilo Perez, Chick Corea, Elvin Jones, Medeski Martin and Wood, Joe Lovano’s Nonet, and even Aerosmith. His playing is so legendary that it led Michael Brecker to declare, “I’m not the master of the sax, George Garzone is.” Information from www.wmujazz.com. The Festival closes on Saturday, March 11^th at 7:30 with the concert by the University Jazz Orchestra at Dalton Center.

 

Thursday, March 2 jazz great Freddie Cole appears at the VanSingel Fine Arts Center, 84^th Street and Burlingame Avenue SW, Grand Rapids. Information from www.vsfac.com or (616) 878-6800.

 

Saturday, March 18^th at 7:30 p.m. the popular jazz guitar duo of Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo appear at The Block, an intimate 120 seat theater/bar above Unruly Brewing Company, 360 W. Western Ave, 2^nd Floor, Muskegon, MI. (231) 726-3231 or www.theblockwestmichigan.org. And for more on the artists, http://frankvignola.com/ .

 

Thursday, March 23^rd, 13 year old piano prodigy Joey Alexander appears in the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Jazz Series with his trio. More from, http://www.scmc-online.org/2016-17-jazz-series.

 

Sunday, March 26^th at 3 p.m. guitarist Randy Napoleon performs with young bassist Stanley Ruvinov and drummer Keith Hall in the Underground Concert Series at LaFontsee Galleries, 833 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids. See www.adventuremusic.org for tickets, and www.randynapoleon.com for information.

 

Thursday, March 30^th, 2017, The Hot Sardines return to the Wharton Center For the Performing Arts, East Lansing. See: http://www.whartoncenter.com/events/detail/the-hot-sardines .

 

April 21^st, 2017, the Wayne Shorter Quartet appears in the Cobb Great Hall of The Wharton Center For the Performing Arts, East Lansing. See: www.whartoncenter.com/events/detail/wayne-shorter-quartet.

 

Sunday, April 23^rd at 3 p.m. percussionists Adam Rudolph and Hamid Drake appear as Karuna in the Underground Concert Series at LaFontsee Galleries, 833 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids. See www.adventuremusic.org .

 

Saturday, April 29^th, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. vocalist Dee Daniels performs at at The Block, an intimate 120 seat theater/bar above Unruly Brewing Company, 360 W. Western Ave, 2^nd Floor, Muskegon, MI. (231) 726-3231 or www.theblockwestmichigan.org. Here her at http://www.deedaniels.com/

 

Thursday, May 4^th 2017 the San Francisco Jazz Collective plays the music of Miles Davis at St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, Grand Rapids. More from www.scmc-online.org/2016-17-jazz-series.

 

 

Regular Hits:

 

Mondays from 8 to 11 p.m. pianist/vocalist John Shea swings downtown Grand Rapids from the front window of The Republic, 45 South Division, Grand Rapids.  With bassist Warren Jones III and drummer Fred Knapp, John presents a wide variety of jazz and songbook standards. www.republicgrandrapids.com.

 

Mondays from 6 to 10 p.m., Fridays 7 – 11 p.m. and Saturdays 6-10 p.m. The What Not Inn features a revolving cast of local musicians each weekend and Mondays hosts a jam session open to musicians and vocalists. See the full schedule here: www.whatnotinn.com. The What Not Inn is located at M89 and the Blue Star Highway, 2405 68^th Street, Fennville, MI. (269) 543-3341.

 

Mondays, Lee and David Middleman play guitars with Chris Cudworth, bass, Rick Stephens, keyboards and Pat Eickenroth, percussion, as Swingtooth, anchoring the Monday night jam session at Rockford Brewing Company, 2 East Bridge St, Rockford. See www.rockfordbrewing.com or phone (616) 951 – 4677.

               

Tuesdays, 7:30 – 10:30, there’s an open mic jazz jam session at The Grand, 22 Washington, Grand Haven, MI. (616) 847 – 8944.

 

Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. The Tom Hagen Trio with vocalist Rick Reuther have been appearing at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28^th Street SE, Grand Rapids for more than 13 years, the longest continuous jazz hang in west Michigan. (616) 493 – 6686, or www.notosoldworld.com.

 

Wednesdays, House of Music Entertainment at The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, 49503, occasionally features jazz and blues. More from www.thebob.com/houseofmusic .

 

Thursdays, 7:30-10:30 the John Shea Trio is heard at the Knickerbocker Brewpub and Distillery/New Holland Brewing Company, 417 Bridge St NW, Grand Rapids. The jazz is upstairs toward the back, in the Zeppelin Lounge.

 

Thursdays at 7 p.m. a variety of jazz bands rotate the schedule at The Book Nook and Java Shop, 8744 Ferry Street in Montague. See www.thebooknookjavashop.com and click on the calendar for Thursday night.

 

The first Thursday evening of each month the Bill Huyge/Jeff Beavan/Dave Schock trio appear at New Harmony Hall, 401 Stocking Ave NW, Grand Rapids. Phone: (616) 233-9186, or on the web, www.harmonybeer.com.

 

Fridays at 7 p.m., “It’s a Friday Thing” features vocalist Kathy Lamar with pianist Bob VanStee and drummer Kevin Jones at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28^th Street S.E., Grand Rapids. See www.notosoldworld.com or call (616) 493-6686.

 

Fridays, 7 p.m. the John Shea Trio plays at the J.W. Marriot Hotel, 235 Louis Street N.W., Grand Rapids. (616) 242 – 1448.

 

Saturdays at 7:30, pianist John Shea leads his trio at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28^th Street S.E., Grand Rapids. See www.notosoldworld.com or call (616) 493 – 6686.

Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. live jazz at The Old Goat, 2434 Eastern Avenue SE, Grand Rapids

 

The second and fourth Sundays of the month from 2-4 p.m. the River Rogues traditional jazz band (see www.theriverrogues.org ) alternate weekends with the Bill Huyge, Jeff Beavan, David Schock trio at the New Harmony Hall, 401 Stocking Ave NW, Grand Rapids. Phone: (616) 233-9186, or on the web, www.harmonybeer.com.

 

Sundays at 7 p.m. Randy Marsh’s Sunday Night Jazz Hang at The Speak EZ Lounge, 600 Monroe Avenue N.W., Grand Rapids (616) 458 – 2689.  A fun jam session celebrating a 3rd year anniversary Oct 18. Student jazz musicians under 21 with a parent or legal guardian have a chance to play from 8:15 until 9:00 p.m. Anyone under 21 has to leave at 9 pm.  The host trio plays from 7:00 - 8:00. www.speakezlounge.com.

 

First Sunday of every month from 5 to 7 p.m. the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra plays Founders Brewing Company, 235 Grandville Avenue S.W., downtown Grand Rapids. The GRJO is the region’s premier professional jazz orchestra. Information from www.grjo.com.