IAJE Michigan West Michigan Jazz

A round of applause please (clap, clap, clap).....

for our inestimable jazz communities and presenters throughout West Michigan.

Soaring improvs and swinging solos abound this fall season.

Support live jazz and jazz on public radio!

Mondays, 6-10 p.m.
The What Not Inn features a jam session open to musicians and vocalists and featuring local, regional and international jazz musicians sitting in with the house” band Moment’s Notice led by trumpeter Eddie Curtis. No cover charge.
The What Not Inn - www.whatnotinn.com
M-89 and the Blue Star Highway, 2405 68th Street , Fennville
Ph: (269) 543-3341

Thursdays from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Baton Rouge, LA native Sweet Willie Singleton swings jazz standards
Gill’s Blue Crab Lounge in The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. N.W., Grand Rapids

Thursdays at 8 p.m.
‘Til Midnight features live jazz in the dining room
‘Till Midnight is located at 171 East 24^th Street , Holland
Ph: (616) 392-6883 -or- www.tillmidnight.biz

Thursdays from 7 to 10 p.m.
Restaurant Toulouse, 246 Culver Street , Saugatuck, features live jazz
Chet Baker influenced trumpeter Eddie Curtis in duo with pianist Wally Michaels
Ph: (269) 857-1561

Also, Michael Doyle and Evidence play straight ahead and Latin jazz on Saturday, March 15.

Fridays & Saturdays, 6-10 p.m.
The Gull Landing, 438 South Hancock, Pentwater
Ph: (231) 869-4215

Fridays, 7-10:30 p.m.
Trumpeter Eddie Curtis plays on the patio
Everyday People’s Café, 11 Center Street, Douglas
Ph: (269) 857-4240

Fridays & Saturdays, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Grand Seafood and Oyster Bar, 24 Washington St., Grand Haven.
Live local jazz or blues guitarists on Wednesdays, 8-11 p.m.
Ph: (616) 844-5055

Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Guitarist Chip Kristi plays jazz for brunch.
Pumpernickels, 202 Butler St., Saugatuck
(269) 857-1196

Saturday, January 12, 2008; 8 p.m.
Brazilian guitarist Paulino Garcia performs in the 50-seat Performance Studio at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts.
Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver Street, Saugatuck.
Ph: (269) 857-2399 -or http://www.sc4a.org

Thursday, January 24, 2008; 7:30 p.m.
The Hot Club of San Francisco presents their multi-media, gypsy jazz inspired program “Silent Surrealism.''
Dimnent Memorial Chapel, Hope College, Holland
The Hot Club is modeled after the legendary Parisian band of the 1930s, The Hot Club of France, and will
accompany live 40 minutes of four silent films rediscovered and premiered at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival (these are film scores original to The Hot Club of San Francisco).
Tickets for this concert or season subscriptions to Hope College’s Great Performances Series are available at the ticket office, DeVos Fieldhouse, 222 Fairbanks Ave., between 9th and 11th Street, Holland.
Ph: 616) 395-7890 -or- Visit: www.hope.edu/gps

Monday, February 11 / Tuesday, February 12
Drummer Steve Houghton and trombonist Wycliffe Gordon in consecutive concerts as part of the February Artists Series. (616) 493-8966, Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Fine Arts Center Box Office is open one hour before performances for ticket pickup and same day ticket sales.
Forest Hills Public Schools Fine Arts Center, 600 Forest Hill Avenue SE, Grand Rapids
Ph: (616) 493-8966, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Visit: http://www.fhfineartscenter.com

March 1, 2008; 8 p.m.
The Blue Coast Quartet returns to ‘Til Midnight in Holland.
‘Till Midnight, 171 East 24 Street, Holland
Ph: (616) 392-6883 -or- http://www.tillmidnight.biz

Vocal Jazz Week continues at Western Michigan University, Dalton Center Recital Hall, Kalamazoo.
New York Voices featuring Darmon Meader, Kim Nazarian, Lauren Kinhan, Peter Eldridge, Tuesday, March 11, 8:15 p.m., Dalton Center Recital Hall

Friday, March 14 at 8:15 p.m. vocalist Curtis Stigers with Tri-Fi including WMU graduate Keith Hall on drums. See www.curtisstigers.com. Then this Saturday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Gold Company Invitational Jazz Festival presents performances all day by high school and college jazz groups from five states and Canada. Then Saturday, March 15 at 8 p.m. Gold Company in concert [see www.wmich.edu/goldcompany ]

Tickets for all concerts available at the door. Information from stephen.zegree@wmich.edu or (269) 387-4689.

Friday, March 14, 2008; 7 p.m.
Vocalist Sunny Wilkinson and pianist Ron Newman
Bethlehem Church Sanctuary, part of “Musical Arts for Justice in the Community” fundraiser for social justice organizations throughout west Michigan, notably, The Grand Rapids Coalition to End Homelessness.
Bethlehem Church, 250 Commerce Avenue S.W., Grand Rapids.
Ph: (616) 456-1741 -or- Visit: www.grmajic.org.

Jazz drummer Spiro Sinigos' Senior Recital is presented at the Dalton Center Lecture Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. For information call 616.361.2122.

Sunday, March 16; 7:30 p.m.
The Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Tour
Forest Hills Fine Arts Center, 600 Forest Hills Avenue S.E., Grand Rapids
Featuring all-stars Terence Blanchard, trumpet; James Moody, saxophones; Benny Green, piano; Nnenna Freelon, voice; Derrick Hodge, bass; and Kendrick Scott, drums.
Visit www.fhfineartscenter.com -or- Ph: (616) 493-8965.

Fred Knapp Trio performs the music of Cole Porter for the West Michigan Jazz Society’s Jazz Gumbo Showcase from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Kopper Top Guest House, 634 Stocking N.W., Grand Rapids. On April 21 the Jazz Gumbo Showcase presents Wonderland Jazz Ensemble -- Tom Elferdink, saxophones & flute; Eric Thorne, piano; Jeff Beavan, bass and Mike Van Lente - drums – playing songs from film and television of the 1950’s and 1960’s. (616) 458 – 0125 or www.wmichjazz.org.

Jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon performs for the re-scheduled February Artists Series at Forest Hills Fine Arts Center, Grand Rapids. A jazz/percussion concert will take place on Thursday, May 1. Information available from (616) 493-8966, Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Fine Arts Center Box Office is open one hour before performances for ticket pickup and same day ticket sales. Forest Hills Public Schools Fine Arts Center, 600 Forest Hill Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. www.fhfineartscenter.com.

Guitarist John Abercrombie Quartet with pianist Mark Soskin appears in a guest jazz artist recital at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. See www.johnabercrombie.com or call for more information (269) 387 – 4678 or visit www.wmich.edu/jazzstudies.

Organissimo (www.organissimo.org) puts their spin on the jazz organ trio format in the air at The Alley Door Club, The Hilt Building, Muskegon. With Jim Alfredson, organ; Joe Gloss, guitar; and Randy Marsh, drums. Information from (231) 727 – 8001 or see www.frauenthal.info.

Drummer Billy Hart is honored for his 15 year association as artist-in-residence at the Western Michigan University School of Music as he performs with the Western Jazz Quartet, the WMU Drum Choir, and other surprise guests. Hart has appeared on more than 600 albums. For a great deal of information please see http://billyhartmusic.com/ . The concert takes place in the Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, Kalamazoo. Tickets are $10 and available from the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office, (800) 228-9858.

The Western Invitational Jazz Festival takes place in the Dalton Center Recital Hall, Kalamazoo, and includes performances by the WMU Drum Choir, Nonet and guest artist Billy Hart from 2 to 5 p.m. The day’s activities are free and open to the public. The evening concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and features drummer Billy Hart, the University Jazz Orchestra and the outstanding high school bands from the festival. Tickets, $10 available at the door or in advance from the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office, (800) 228-9859.

Saturday, March 29; 8 p.m.
The Chicago Jazz Orchestra with trumpeter Jon Faddis (www.chijazz.com )
Fine Arts Center Auditorium, Calvin College, Grand Rapids.
A special pre-concert dinner at the Prince Conference Center is available: www.calvin.edu for more information.

The River Rouges Jazz Band appears in the Music At Mid-Day concert series at Park Congregational Church, 10 East Park Place N.E., Grand Rapids. Admission is free.

The Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra (18 piece big band) appears at Bayview Gardens, East D. Avenue on the south end of Gull Lake. Drawing on a repertoire from the big bands of Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Count Basie. The Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra is led by Harry Boesch and features trumpeter Danny Barber, and drummer Tim Froncek. Tickets: $8 / ph: 269-731-4911

Guitarist/vocalist Ray Kamalay’s Red Hot Peppers in concert, featuring trumpeter Walter White, at the Dogwood Center for the Arts, Fremont. Tickets from (231) 924 – 8883. Information on the music from www.raykamalaycom.

Friday and Saturday, April 18 and 19 the Thornapple Area Arts Council Jazz Festival in Hastings, MI. See www.thornapplearts.org/jazz.html .

A special Mother’s Day event at the St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. N.E.. Grand Rapids, features jazz pianists Cyrus Chestnut and Eric Reed in a special 2 p.m. matinee concert preceded by lunch at 12:30. See http://stcecilia.portfoliocms.com/Brix?pageID=154 for information. For tickets, (616) 459 – 2224, or E-mail the box office, Tonya@scmc-online.org.

June 15 - 20, the annual Aquinas College Jazz Camp, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, is open to students interested in studying with top-professional jazz player-teachers, including improvisation at all levels, arranging and composing for combos, big bands, et al.
For information or to sign-up see www.aquinas.edu/music/jazz_camp.html#schedule .
Note: Dave Hay will be the piano instructor as Steve Talaga will be performing out of the country. More information contact Dr. Paul Brewer/Director of Bands, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, www.aquinas.edu/music/faculty.html .