3-4-15 jazz in west Michigan

[Lazaro Vega]

March 4, 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. 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 heats up downtown Grand Rapids with bassist Warren Jones III and drummer Fred Knapp in the front, street level window of 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.

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 Notos Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28^th Street SE, Grand Rapids for more than 13 years. Easily the longest continuous jazz hang in west Michigan. (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. 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.

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:

Saturday, March 7^th at 7:30 p.m. the East Grand Rapids Music Boosters present “Arts For Life and All That Jazz” at the East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Center, 2211 lake Drive S.E., East Grand Rapids, 49506. Blue Lake Public Radio’s Lazaro Vega will Emcee (and receive The Pantlind Award for his contribution to the arts in west Michigan). Performers include the EGR High School Jazz Band, the Madrigals and the Swing Dance Club; plus Big Band Nouveau and the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra (www.grjo.com). This is the school’s biggest music fundraiser of the year. See www.egrmusicbooster.com .

Saturday, March 7^th at 7 p.m. Spring Lake Bands present Rodney Whitaker and the Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra 1, “The Bebop Spartans,” with special guest, New York City guitarist Peter Bernstein, in concert with the Spring Lake Middle School and High School Jazz Bands. Tickets from jazznight@springlakebands.org.

Saturday, March 7^that approximately 8 p.m., Hugo Claudin’s Mexicains Sans Frontiers, 120 Division Avenue South, Apartment #226, presents two groups of improvising artists: Naked Dance and Fred Longberg Holm with Michael Zerang. Naked Dance is a trio of pianist/composer Stephen Rush, clarinetist Andrew Bishop and drummer Jeremy Edwards. Cellist Fred Longberg Holm and percussionist Michael Zerang have played as a duo for more than 15 years. (616) 427-5432.

Sunday, March 8^th at 4 p.m. The MSU Be-Bop Spartans will be playing a free show at Black River High School, 491 Columbia Ave, Holland, MI 49423. The Be-Bop Spartans are MSU's top jazz orchestra and the recipient of several awards. The concert is free to the public and will be held in the Lyceum. (616) 355-0055.

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 .

Friday and Saturday, March 13^th and 14th, Saxophonist Miguel Zenon is guest artist in residence for the 35th Annual Western Invitational Jazz Festival. On Friday, March 13^th at 7:30 Miguel Zenon performs with the Western Jazz Quartet at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo. Then, on Saturday, March 14^th he’s heard at 7:30 p.m. with the Western Michigan University Big Band at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. On Saturday the 14 the Western Invitational Jazz Festival, featuring high school ensembles from across the region, begins at 8 a.m. Advance tickets available from Miller Auditorium (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858 & at the door.

Thursday, March 26^that 8 p.m. Hammond organist Bill Heid headlines with guitarist Ralph Tope and drummer Jeff Shoup at The Tip Top Delux Bar, 760 Butterworth, Grand Rapids: (616) 272-3910.

Monday, March 16^that 6:30 the West Michigan Jazz Society presents a jazz consort called “My Thin Place,” with drummer Ric Troll doubling on guitar; vibraphonist Dave Martin; guitarist Mike Dodge; and bassist Dave DeVos in music that embraces improvisation and structure, open space and new sounds. Their performance is part of the WMJS’s Monday Night Series at The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Avenue N.W., Grand Rapids. Information from www.wmichjazz.org.

Friday, March 20^that 8:00 p.m. Steve Wilson and Wilsonian's Grain plays the Dalton Center Recital Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. Featuring Steve Wilson, saxophones;

Orrin Evans, piano; Ugonna Okegwo, bass; and Bill Stewart, drums. Advance tickets available from Miller Auditorium (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858 & at the door.

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.

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.

Saturday, April 4^th at 7 p.m. trumpeter Lin Rountree appears in the series “Jazz on the Lake” at Fricano’s Place Event Center, 1050 West Western Ave., Muskegon, MI 49441. See Lakeshore Jazz Entertainment on Facebook for more information. Tickets in advance from (231) 759 – 2220.

Thursday, April 16^th at 7:30 p.m. an evening with pianists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea at Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor. http://ums.org/performance/an-evening-with-herbie-hancock-and-chick-corea/.

Friday, April 17^th at 8 p.m. the Austin-based Hot Club of Cowtown plays gypsy jazz at the Saugatuck Center Center for the Arts, 400 Culver Street, Saugatuck, MI 49453, (269) 857 – 2399, or www.sc4a.org. With fiddler Elana James, guitarist Whit Smith and bassist Jake Erwin, the Hot Club of Cowtown plays off the legacies of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys as well as jazz legend Django Reinhardt.

Monday, April 20^that 6:30 the West Michigan Jazz Society presents the smooth, four octave range of Tony Reynold’s voice, with Mark Kahny, keyboards, and Mark Weymouth on drums. Reynolds spent 7 years on the road, 20 feet from stardom, with Sir Tom Jones. He’s also a popular voice over artist in Las Vegas. His performance is part of the WMJS’s Monday Night Series at The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Avenue N.W., Grand Rapids. Information from www.wmichjazz.org.

Sunday, April 26th at 3 p.m. the new series of piano concerts in Grand Rapids Robin Connell with Steve Talaga. “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.

Friday, May 8^th at 7:30 p.m. a rising star in the jazz world, Haile Loren, sings with her trio at the Hart Public Schools Auditorium, 308 W. Johnson Street, Hart, MI 49420: www.hartauditorium.org. With a lovely, graceful, ethereal voice, Loren is gaining worldwide notice with her new album “Butterfly Blue.” More information about the Hart Community Performing Arts Series available from Tom Kirk, (231) 873 – 6270.

Saturday and Sunday, August 15^th and 16^ththe 4^th annual GRandJazzFest presented by DTE Energy Foundation at Rosa Parks Circle, downtown Grand Rapids. West Michigan’s only free weekend-long jazz festival. More than 10,000 people attended in 2014. See www.grandjazzfest.org.