Detroit Jazz Festival adds performers

[alocispepraluger102]

May 9, 2007

Detroit Jazz Festival adds performers

Susan Whitall / The Detroit News

Detroit International Jazz Festival organizers announced additional names and details for this summer's festival today at a jazz-fueled press conference at the fabled Top of the Pontch, high atop the Hotel Pontchartrain in downtown Detroit.

In addition to jazz violinist Regina Carter, the Detroit native who is artist in residence for this year's festival, other acts will include jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, gospel/blues great Mavis Staples, R&B singer Patti Austin, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, R&B singer Bettye Lavette, Wendell Harrison's Chicago Connection, former pop singer Maria Muldaur doing a jazz thing with Jim Dapogny's Chicago Ensemble, the Gerald Wilson Big Band, Kurt Elling, saxophonist James Carter, venerable jazz pianist Dave Brubeck and his Quartet, Ron Carter, popular local gypsy jazzers Hot Club of Detroit and jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan and his Trio.

Singer Austin won't be doing R&B, but will perform music from her "Avant Gershwin" CD with the Gerald Wilson Big Band, and Staples, the familiar lead vocalist for the Staple Singers, will no doubt perform selections from her stellar new CD, "We'll Never Turn Back," a collection of songs related to the civil rights movement. Staples, Kim Burrell and Sean Jones will all perform on Gospel Monday, Sept. 3.

There is less focus on roots music, whether New Orleans music or Detroit R&B this year, and less of a Motown presence, so it remains to be seen if the large crowds that flocked to last year's festival, which echoed the musical diversity of the New Orleans Jazz Heritage Festival, will come downtown for a roster that reverts back to a purer jazz lineup.

There are a few tips of the hat to local R&B. Motown's Miracles will perform, celebrating their 50th anniversary; Don Byron's Junior Walker Project is an homage to the Motown saxophonist; and the Michigan State University Big Band will perform a "What's Going On" suite, a tribute to Marvin Gaye.

New this year will be a series of Budweiser-sponsored club dates featuring a mix of blues and jazz artists on Friday nights throughout August at Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak, as well as Cliff Bell's, Bert's in the Marketplace and Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit, with national and local acts to be announced.

Smooth jazz WVMV-FM (98.7) morning host and flutist Alexander Zonjic will perform with the Motor City Horns, the young horn section that gave Bob Seger a Stax Records flavor on his recent comeback tour.

Zonjic first played with the Motor City Horns at the Detroit Music Awards. This performance will be different from his usual flute gig.

"I've worked with horns before, but not with a real ensemble like that," Zonjic said today . "We'll be performing with Thornetta Davis. We play the blues, and it'll be nice for me to be back playing guitar."

After the announcements, Carter played a set with bassist Rodney Whitaker, who will also perform at the jazz fest. Afterward Carter, a Cass Tech and Oakland University graduate, looked out at the Top of the Pontch's view of the river and reminisced.

"I told my girlfriend Carla Cook that I was going to be here -- she turned me on to jazz in high school, and when she got her license, we came here to a P'Jazz concert," said Carter. "She said 'you are really taking me back!'"

The Hotel Pontchartrain, currently under renovation to become part of the Sheraton chain, will be the official hotel of the Detroit Jazz Fest, and will host after-hours jam sessions and a salsa party on Sunday night, Sept. 2.

In addition to opening the festival on Aug. 31, followed by Hancock's set, Carter will teach at a jazz camp for middle school students. At the festival she will be performing with her quintet, in a duo with Kenny Barron, and as a special guest with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestrea.

Carter spoke about the MacArthur fellowship she was awarded last fall; given the chance to study anything, she will be immersed in music therapy. "I'm interested in how music affects the brain," said Carter. "It's so powerful, whether people are dying, or sick. It helped my mom, when she was in the hospital." Carter didn't play her violin for her mother, but she would play recorded music, and could see how it affected her mother positively.

"We are the only culture to separate music and art. And music is the first thing to get cut in the schools," she lamented.

Detroit jazz historians Lars Bjorn and Jim Gallert will return with their series of interviews with festival artists and symposiums on musical topics in the Jazz Talk Tent.

Detroit International Jazz Festival Lineup

Here are the acts announced; more to come. For more information go to detroitjazzfest.com.

Friday, Aug. 31:

Regina Carter Quintet

Herbie Hancock Quartet

Michigan State University Big Band: "What's Goin' On: A Jazz Tribute to Motown's Marvin Gaye."

Saturday, Sept. 1

Dave Brubeck Quartet

Marcus Belgrave

Kenny Garrett Quartet

Dominick Farinacci

Medeski, Martin and Wood with John Scofield

Ron Blake

Stanley Jordan Trio

Scott Gwinnell Big Band

Faruq Z. Bey and the North Woods Improvisers

Sachal Vasandani

Bill Charlap Trio

Chiara Civello

Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones

Johnny O'Neal

Sunday Sept. 2

Regina Carter and Kenny Barron Duo

Wendell Harrison and the Chicago Connection

Don Byron's Junior Walker Project

Erald Wilson Big Band with Patti Austin

Wayne State University Big Band with Kurt Elling

Maria Muldaur and the Jim Dapogny Chicago Group

The Miracles

Russell Malone Quartet

Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Marion Hayden

Conrad Herwig's Latin Side of Miles, Trane & Wayne

Charles Tolliver Big Band

Curtis Fuller Super Band with Randy Brecker and Louis Hayes

Jennifer Sannon

Kenn Cox

Jesse Palter

Steve Richko tribute to Oscar Peterson

Monday Sept. 3

The Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra featuring Regina Carter

Mavis Staples

Bettye LaVette

The Classical Jazz Quartet: Ron Carter, Stefon Harris, Kenny Barron, Lewis Nash

Alexander Zonjic with the Motor City Horns and Thornetta Davis

The Sean Jones Quartet featuring Kim Burrell

Carl Allen and Rodney Whitaker, a tribute to Johnny Griffin's 1957 album "A Blowin' Session."

You can reach Susan Whitall at (313) 222-2156 or swhitall@detnews.com.

[marcello]

Dominick Farinacci is a trumpeter to watch out for.

[md655321]

The last few years I spent in Detroit had some pretty lame lineups, but this one looks pretty great, although of course missing at least one band.

[Jim Alfredson]

UP 'cos we just got the call today. We'll be playing Saturday, September 1st. More details soon.

[sheldonm]

UP 'cos we just got the call today. We'll be playing Saturday, September 1st. More details soon.

.......nice, congrats!

[GregN]

And Root Doctor will be warming up the stage for Otis Clay on Sunday. Last year we shared the bill and stage with James Cotton and Taj Mahal...but had to run out of town to hit another gig. This year, I get to stay and check out all the stages!! And I am going to go see Joe play on Monday.

[Joe G]

And I am going to go see Joe play on Monday.

Actually, if I play, it will probably be Sunday w/ Gerald Wilson. Or so I've been told.

[.:.impossible]

Congrats! I just got an email from PLUG (?)... can't remember why I signed up for their list, but anyway... new, undiscovered bands have been added to the Bonnarroo line-up just this week.

If y'all are serious, don't give up on it just yet.

[GregN]

And I am going to go see Joe play on Monday.

Actually, if I play, it will probably be Sunday w/ Gerald Wilson. Or so I've been told.

Well, if it is after RD plays that is all the better!

[7/4]

Good news!

[AllenLowe]

it's good, but it's no Litchfield Jazz Fest -

[Jim Alfredson]

That is true. Maybe someday... dare to dream.

[ghost of miles]

Organissimo member JoeM will be winging his way towards you--just got this from the jazz programmer listserv:

The winners of the Best Of The 2006 Detroit Jazz Festival Broadcast Contest have been selected!

GRAND PRIZE: Brad Stone, KSJS, San Jose, CA

First, Second & Third Prizes:

-Joe Moore, KFSR, Fesno, CA

-Mo Noretsky, WDIY, Bethlehem, PA

-Melvin Massey, WUMR, Memphis, TN

GRAND PRIZE: Two (2) roundtrip coach domestic airfares to and from Detroit from anywhere in the continental Unites States, plus first class (non suite) hotel accommodations for four nights at the official Festival hotel. Grand prize also includes jazz fest VIP seating and backstage hospitality for all four days of this year's Detroit International Jazz Festival at Hart Plaza on the beautiful Detroit Riverfront and other Downtown locations. Past winners include WSHA's John Bouille, WWOZ's Dwayne Breashears and KJZZ's Blaise Lantana.

First, Second and Third prizes: Jazz Fest VIP seats, backstage hospitality, copy of official Jazz Festival sampler CD, and a Festival goodie bag filled with Jazz Fest '07 merchandise including official jazz fest t-shirt and cap.