5-20-14 West MI Jazz Datebook

[Lazaro Vega]

May 20 2014

The Jazz Datebook:

Regular Hits:

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 from 8 to 11 p.m. pianist/vocalist John Shea swings downtown Grand Rapids with bassist Warren Jones III and drummer Fred Knapp from The Republic, 45 South Division. Urban hang. www.republicgrandrapids.com.

Tuesdays at 7 p.m. it is diva time at Bar Divani, 15 Ionia Ave. N.W., Grand Rapids, as the finest female singers in the area step up and swing. Coming up May 20, Sylvia Brooks Taylor and Mark Kahny; 5-27, Mary Rademacher Reed and Mark Kahny. For a full schedule: http://www.bar-divani.com/tastings-a-events/live-music Phone (616) 774 – 9463.

Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. The Tom Hagen Trio with vocalist Rick Reuther at Notos Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28^th Street SE, Grand Rapids. (616) 493 – 6686, or www.notosoldworld.com.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday live piano jazz is heard from 7 to 10 p.m. at Mangiamo, 1033 Lake Drive S.E., Grand Rapids. Wednesday, May 21, Freddy DeGennaro; 5-22, Mark Kahny; 5-23, Paul Lesinski and Mary Radamacher-Reed; 5-24, Paul Lesinski; Wednesday, May 28, Michael Drost; 5-29, Bill Davidson; 5-30, Robin Connell; 5-31, Steve Talaga and Mark Jackson; Wednesday, June 4, Greg Miller; 6-5, Bob VanStee; 6-6, Robin Connell; 6-7, Monica A Silva; Wed. 6-11, Freddy DeGennaro; 6-12, Steve Talaga; 6-13, Steve Talaga and Mary Radamacher-Reed; 6-14, Paul Lesinski; Wed, 6-18, Michael Drost; 6-19, Paul Lesinski; 6-20, Robin Connell; 6-21, Roger MacNaughton and Tami Hjelm; Wed. 6-25, Greg Miller; 6-26, Bill Davidson; 6-27, Steve Talaga; 6-28, Steve Talaga and Diana VandeWater. Information from (616) 742 – 0600. www.thegilmorecollection.com.

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. Among the bands on the rotation: Checker’s Morton, a jazz band loved by Unitarians and good listeners alike, features pianist/composer Bob VanStee; The Lakewinds Jazz Quartet with Dave Collee on trombone and bass, Vince Liefers at the piano, Tim Froncek, drums, and special guest Tom Stansell, saxophones play straight ahead; the Dave Collee Quartet with pianist Eric Thorne and vocalist Ginny Dusseau, drummer Tim Froncek, and saxophonist/flutist Bob Nixon bring a night club vibe; Multi-instrumentalist (bass and trombone) Dave Collee’s Quartet plays great jazz standards. The last Thursday of the month belongs to trumpeter Brad Fritcher and Trios. See www.thebooknookjavashop.com and click on the calendar for Thursday night.

Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., pianist-vocalist Robin Connell plays in the Lumber Baron Bar at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, 187 Monroe Avenue N.W., Grand Rapids. See www.robinconnell.com.

Thursdays, May 22^nd and June 12th 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. “The Mood Swings” swing a taste at Eurobistro, 6450 28^th Street S.E., Grand Rapids. With drummer Milt Szernick, bassist Jeff Beavin, keyboards by Ed Dublis, saxophone by Charlie Royce and the voices of Angie or Hanna Royce, this band comes to play for you listening pleasure. Information from (616) 719 – 2017.

Thursdays at 7 p.m. jazz at the Red Rooster Tavern, 2998 Scenic Drive, Muskegon, resumes in May. Drummer Tim Johnson is music director for this series of live local jazz talent. See www.redroostertavern.com or phone (231) 744 – 4006.

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.

Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Swingtooth plays the Jazz Brunch at the Hit The Road Joe Café, 7291 Elm Ave., Croton (2 miles north of M-82). Swingtooth plays standards on acoustic, hand built guitars by Lee and David Middleman, with Chris Cudworth on bass. Also, Saturdays May17th and Sunday June 8^th they’ll play Jazz Brunch at the Book Nook and Java Shop in Montague, 10am to noon. See www.hittheroadjoe.moonfruit.com or www.facebook.com/Swingtooth.

Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30, live jazz at Restaurant Toulouse, 248 Culver Street, Saugatuck. Friday nights are for vocalist Libby York, www.libbyyork.com, while Saturdays belong to Diana Vandewater. Information from (269) 857 – 1561.

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.

Saturdays at 7 p.m. guitarist Steve Hilger’s Trio Jazz appears at the Louis Benton Steak House, 35 Ionia Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. (616) 454-7455.

Sundays, Randy Marsh’s Sunday Night Jazz Hang at The Speak EZ Lounge, 600 Monroe Avenue N.W., Grand Rapids, is a fun jam session. Information from (616) 458 – 2689. Student musicians under 21 with a parent or legal guardian will have a chance to play with Marsh from 7 to 9; the host trio plays from 9 p.m. – 10 p.m. 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.

Timely Hits:

Friday, May 23^rd at 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 24^th at 11:30 p.m. Richard Pinhas and The Moon in concerts presented by Hugo Claudin at Mexicains Sans Frontieres, 120 S. Division #226, Grand Rapids MI 49503 for www.globaladvancedstudies.org. TheFriday’s concert features music of Pinhas -- a composer, guitarist and electronics innovator recognized as one of France’s major experimental musicians – along with “The Moon,” a duo of New Yorkers Adam Caine, guitar, and Federico Ughi, drums. Saturday’s concert is solo. The acclaimed experimental musician Richard Pinhas will also teach an online course for The Global Center for Advanced Studies entitled "The Refrain: Electronic Music After Pinhas & Deleuze.”

Sunday, May 25^th at 4 p.m. saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Douglas Ewart’s Quasar performs in the Ballroom of The Lakeside Inn, 15251 Lakeshore Road, Lakeside, MI 49116. Quasar includes Ewart’s woodwinds; vocalist Mankwe Ndosi; dancer Nicole Noland; bassist Darius Savage; vibraphonist Preyas Roy; in music “as an antidote to the divisions and compartmentalization afflicting modern life.” Information from (269) 469 – 0600 or www.lakesideinns.com. The concert is presented by www.hothouse.net.

Thursday, May 29^th from 8 to 11 p.m. former Las Vegas vocalist Kathy Lamar hosts a CD “kickstarter” for “Songs for Elsa,” her forthcoming CD, now in the home stretch of production, at One Trick Pony and Taproom, 136 East Fulton Street, Grand Rapids MI 49503. Joined by pianist Steve Talaga, bassist Tom Lockwood and drummer Scott Veenstra, Lamar is dedicating the CD to her friend and patron, Elsa Fierens (a former translator for the Blue Lake International Exchange Program, btw). The phone at One Trick Pony is (616) 235 – 7669. Information from Heidi.stukkie@gmail.com.

Saturday, May 31^st at 7 p.m. the West Michigan Jazz Society presents an evening with Grammy Award winning pianist Ruslan Sirota at the Peter M. Wege Theatre, 341 Ellsworth Avenue S.W., Grand Rapids. (616) 490 – 9506 or www.wmichjazz.org. Sirota recently accompanied vocalist Josh Groban, and has appeared with jazz bassist Stanley Clarke, pianist Chick Corea and vocalist Seal.

June 2^nd through June 4^th auditions take place at St. Cecilia Music Center for their “new” After School Jazz Programs. See http://scmc-online.org/school-of-music/auditions/ for more information.

Sunday, June 8^th at 3 p.m. Joan Reynolds leads the Chicago-based Red Rose Jazz Band in ragtime arrangements by composers Scott Joplin and King Oliver for The West Shore Jazz Society at the Oak Ridge Country Club, 513 West Pontaluna Road, Muskegon. Then, on July 6^th, Bob Adams Buffalo Ridge Jazz Band appears. Information from Bill Blakeman, (231)759-0071, or wjblakeman@aol.com . Reservations from (231)733-0071.

Monday, June 9^th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. the West Michigan Jazz Society presents “Jazz at the Zoo,” with the Byron Center High School Jazz Orchestra, a 24 member student ensemble led by Marc Townley. The Monday night summer concert series takes place at John Ball Park Band Shell, 1300 Fulton Street West, Grand Rapids MI 49504. Now in its 14^th season, “Jazz at the Zoo,” remains a free concert series. Lawn chairs and picnics welcome. www.wmichjazz.org.

Wednesday, June 11^th from 6 to 8 p.m. vocalist Libby York celebrates the release of her new CD “Memoir” with an intimate concert at the The Alumni House and Visitor Center at Grand Valley State University. The gracious manor on the north end of the Allendale campus will host Ms. York accompanied by Mark Kahny on piano. Heavy Hors D’oeuvres and drinks. Reservations required by June 2^nd: (616) 331-2176 or saindonk@gvsu.edu. Reviews from New York and London of “Memoir” available from www.libbyyork.com.

Sunday, June 15^th through Friday, June 20^th, the Aquinas College Jazz Camp is held at the Aquinas College Art And Music Center, 1607 Robinson Road S.E., Grand Rapids MI 49506. Full information available here: http://www.aquinas.edu/music/jazz_camp.html.

Monday, June 16^th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. the West Michigan Jazz Society presents “Jazz at the Zoo” with the Planet D Nonet led by R.J. Spangler and James O’Donnell in a book featuring the music of Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie and Sun Ra. The Monday night summer concert series takes place at John Ball Park Band Shell, 1300 Fulton Street West, Grand Rapids MI 49504. Now in its 14^th season, “Jazz at the Zoo,” remains a free concert series. Lawn chairs and picnics welcome. www.wmichjazz.org.

Friday and Saturday, June 20^th and 21^st the East Lansing Summer Solstice Jazz Festival in downtown East Lansing features free performances from 4:30 to 10 p.m. by Cecile McLorin Salvant, The Airmen of Note, Diego Rivera’s Quartet and the Michael Dease Big Band, among others. 14 hours of live jazz in East Lansing: information from www.eljazzfest.com or by calling (517) 319 - 6980

Monday, June 23^rd from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. the West Michigan Jazz Society presents “Jazz at the Zoo,” with saxophonist/composer Tom Elferdink’s Wonderland Ensemble, including Tom and Ken Morgan, reeds; Eric Thorne, piano; Jeff Beaven, bass and Larry Ochiltree, drums. The Monday night summer concert series takes place at John Ball Park Band Shell, 1300 Fulton Street West, Grand Rapids MI 49504. Now in its 14^th season, “Jazz at the Zoo,” remains a free concert series. Lawn chairs and picnics welcome. www.wmichjazz.org.

Monday, June 30^th through Wednesday, July 2^nd, the Kalamazoo Jazz and Creative Institute presents JAZZSTART, a three day workshop for advanced high school musicians in the fundamentals of jazz. Registration and information on-line from www.kjci.org or by calling (616) 706 – 3946.

Monday, June 30^th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. the West Michigan Jazz Society presents “Jazz at the Zoo,” with WMJS Jazz Musician of the Year, Max Colley III, and the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Faculty Jazz Sextet. The Monday night summer concert series takes place at John Ball Park Band Shell, 1300 Fulton Street West, Grand Rapids MI 49504. Now in its 14^th season, “Jazz at the Zoo,” remains a free concert series. Lawn chairs and picnics welcome. www.wmichjazz.org.

July 20^th through the 27^th Grand Valley State University’s 10^th Annual International Trumpet Seminar features a variety of concerts open to the public, among them on July 25^th at 7:30 p.m. Rex Richardson; and July 26^th at 7:30 p.m. Andrea Tofanelli with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra. Tickets at the door of the Louis Armstrong Theater. Information from www.gvsu.edu/trumpetseminar or (616) 331 - 3578.

Friday, February 20, 2015, the Kris Bowers Trio appears in “Dinner and a Show” presented by the Fontana Chamber Arts in Kalamazoo. 6:30 p.m. dinner and 8 p.m. performance at Cityscape at the City Centre, Kalamazoo. Information from www.fontanachamberarts.org or (269) 382-7774.

Thursday, September 18, 2015 the 20-time Grammy Award winning jazz legend Chick Corea and The Vigil perform for the Great Artist Gala Benefit to kick off St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2014/2015 season. Tickets are on sale from www.scmc-online.org or (616) 459 – 2224.