Jazz Datebook, 1-14-15

[Lazaro Vega]

January 14, 2015

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. They have two good jazz shows coming up in. 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. www.republicgrandrapids.com.

Monday night at 8 p.m. Swingtooth hosts the open mic jam at the Rockford Brewing Company, 12 E Bridge St, Rockford, Michigan, (616) 951-4677. Swingtooth includes two acoustic hand-built guitars played by Lee and David Middleman, with Chris Cudworth on bass.

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. 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. 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.

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.

On the Third Saturday of each month, Hope Church, 2010 Kalamazoo, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507, presents “Jazz and Justice” with jazz from 6 to 7:15 p.m. and a Justice conversation from 7:20 to 8 p.m. January 17^th music by vocalist Edye Evans-Hyde, Justice topic, Racial Reconciliation.

Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. guitarist Greg Miller brings his 6-1-6 guitar concept to the J.W. Marriot Hotel, 235 Louis Street N.W., Grand Rapids. (616) 242 – 1448.

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, January 16^th at 7:30 p.m. Danish violinist/violist Mads Tolling and Austrian pianist Markus Gottschlich play duets at the Hart Public Schools Auditorium, 308 W. Johnson Street, Hart, MI 49420: www.hartauditorium.org. The San Francisco-based Tolling is a founding member of the Turtle Island String Quartet and two-time Grammy award winner; the Miami –based Gottschlich grew up in what was once Beethoven’s apartment in Vienna. More information about the Hart Community Performing Arts Series available from Tom Kirk, (231) 873 – 6270.

Friday, January 16^th at 9:30 p.m. trumpeter Chris Lawrence brings his chord less quartet to the Speak EZ Lounge, 600 Monore Ave. N.W., Grand Rapids, for improvised music influenced by “drum and bass,” “indie rock,” “electronica” and free jazz. Joining him are Traverse City area saxophonist Patrick Booth; East Lansing area bassist Sam Copperman; and Chicago area drummer Luke Angle. See www.speakezloung.com .

Saturday, January 17^th at 9:30, trumpeter/composer Chris Lawrence continues to explore original music with a specially assembled quartet at Our Brewing Company, 76 East 8^th Street, Holland, MI 49423, (616) 994 – 8417. With saxophonist Patrick Booth (Traverse City); bassist Sam Copperman (East Lansing); and drummer Luke Angle (Chicago). www.ourbrewingcompany.com.

Monday, January 19^th at 12:30 p.m. Billy Strayhorn’s niece, Alyce Claerbaut, presents “Billy Strayhorn: Beyond the Peaceful Side” as part of Calvin College’s January Series. See www.calvin.edu/january/2015/claerbaut or phone (616) 526 – 7018.

Monday, January 19^th at 6:30 the West Michigan Jazz Society presents Randy Marsh’s Marshland, a jazz trio featuring pianist Terry Lower, Traverse City area bassist Jack Dryden and Randy on drums and harmonica, at The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Avenue N.W., Grand Rapids. Information from www.wmichjazz.org.

Tuesdays, January 20^th and February 17th at 7:30 p.m. the Truth in Jazz Orchestra returns to Watermark 920, 920 Washington Avenue, Muskegon, 49441. Fronted by drummer Tim Froncek, TIJO brings big band jazz excitement to the lakeshore. See www.tijo.org for more.

Friday, January 23^rd at 8 p.m. singer/songwriter Downie celebrates the release of her new album “I Will Lose Myself In You” with a concert at Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy S.E., Grand Rapids, 49503. Featuring Craig Avery on keyboards; Louis Rudner, bass and Kevin DeFree, drums, the concert touches on a variety of musical styles, including jazz. See www.wealthytheatre.org/downie or phone (616) 459 – 4788 x 130.

Friday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. The Hart Community Performing Arts Series celebrates its 100^th concert at Hart Public Schools Auditorium, 308 W. Johnson Street, Hart, MI 49420: www.hartauditorium.org. This special event features guitarists Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniola, accordionist Julien Labro, saxophonist Carl Cafagna, bassist Tom Knific and drummer Tim Froncek. More information about the Hart Community Performing Arts Series available from Tom Kirk, (231) 873 – 6270.

Sunday, February 8th at 3 p.m. the new series of piano concerts in Grand Rapids features Xavier Davis with bassist Matt Brewer. “Jazz in the Sanctuary” is held at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE, Grand Rapids 49503Information from www.jazzinthesanctuary.eventbrite.com or (616) 459 – 8386.

Sunday, February 15^th at 3 p.m. The LaFontsee Galleries in conjunction with www.adventuremusic.org presents a new series of improvised music concerts, “The Underground Concert Series,” with Grand Rapids’ first poet Laureate Linda Nemec Foster accompanied by music from composer/pianist Steve Talaga’s Nonet. Together they’ll perform Linda Nemec Foster’s poem cycle “Contemplating the Heavens.” A string quartet plus jazz quintet join Linda Nemec Foster as she reads from her 2001 chapbook “Contemplating the Heavens” published by Ridgeway Press, in the unique surroundings of LaFontsee Galleries, 833 Lake Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506; (616) 451-9820. Ticket are $20 in advance, $10 for students with a student I.D. and $25 at the door. Advance tickets available only from www.adventuremusic.org .

Monday, February 16^th at 6:30 p.m. the West Michigan Jazz Series, “Monday Night at The B.O.B.” presents the Tom Hagen Trio with vocalist Rick Reuther. Tom Hagen’s musical vitae is rich with performing, arranging and recording experience. With wife Cherie Hagen on drums and voice, the group includes the versatile saxophonist Mike Lutley and special guest vocalist Rick Reuther. See www.wmichjazz.org for more information.

Thursday, February 19^th at 7:30 p.m., world renowned bassist Christian McBride leads his trio with Christian Sands, piano, and Ulysses Owens Jr., drums, in the Jazz Series at St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, 49503. Information from www.scmc-online.org or by calling (616) 459 – 2224.

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, March 12^th at 7:30 p.m. 2014 Grammy nominated vocalist Rene Marie visits the St. Cecilia Music Center to perform in the historic Royce Auditorium, 24 Ransom Ave. N.E., Grand Rapids, 49503. See www.scmc-online.org/rene-marie .

Wednesday, March 25^th The Bad Plus perform at The Knickerbocker Theatre, 86 East 8^th Street, Holland, 49423. See www.hope.edu/arts/knick or phone (616) 395 – 7890.

Sunday, March 22^ndat 3 p.m. The LaFontsee Galleries in conjunction with www.adventuremusic.org presents “The Underground Concert Series” with Charlie Kohlhase's Chicago Explorers Club featuring the Boston/Cambridge area leader Charlie Kohlhase on alto, tenor & baritone saxophones; James Falzone, clarinet; Aaron Darrell, bass; Tim Daisy, drums; and Russ Johnson, trumpet. Ticket are $20 in advance, $10 for students with a student I.D. and $25 at the door. Advance tickets available only from www.adventuremusic.org. The phone number at the LaFontsee Galleries is (616) 451 – 9820. The LaFontsee Galleries are wheel chair accessible.