There will be two separate seatings at 7:30pm & 9:30pm for this performance. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
We invite you to join us this weekend and throughout the year as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Cliff Bell’s re-opening. Over the past two decades, Cliff Bell’s has evolved from a smokey haunt on a dark block on the edge of downtown, known only to a handful of local musicians and their fans, to an internationally recognized destination for the world’s best jazz. We are deeply grateful to the Detroit community for its ongoing support of live jazz, and to our dedicated ownership, management, and staff. Special thanks go to the musicians—both local and international—who have made Cliff Bell’s their home for live jazz in Detroit.
We’re kicking off our anniversary with three nights of Jam Sessions hosted by some of the original guardians of our stage. Drummer, educator and composer Sean Dobbins performs and hosts the exact date of the anniversary February 5th. One of the greatest pianists to every play on our stage, Mike Jellick will be returning from New York on Friday February 6th. And closing out the weekend on Saturday Feb. 7th is De’Sean Jones who has, over-the-years, grown into one of the most fascinating innovators and collaborators that Detroit offers.
Michael L. Jellick, born in New Delhi, India, and raised in Livonia, MI. Now based in NYC as well as Detroit, he has become a mainstay on the Detroit Jazz scene and beyond. A well sought-after pianist, Michael has had the pleasure of playing with, and/or recording with an incredible array of greats such as Bobby McFerrin, The Harlem National Big Band, Christian McBride, Common, Ingrid Jensen, Joel Frahm, Rodney Whitaker, James Carter, Sheila Jordan, Michelle Dorrance and Dorrance Dance, Max Pollack and Rhumba Tap, Claudia Rahardjanoto, Marcus Belgrave, Ron Blake, Karriem Riggins, Marion Hayden, Dwight Adams, Jesse Palter, as well as a versatile array of others. His ten-year long weekly Wednesday night jam with his trio at Detroit’s Northern Lights Lounge since 2011-2020 became a vibrant hub for seasoned professionals and the cultivation of aspiring musicians alike. When not performing in NYC, Detroit, and beyond, he is often found immersed in his equal love of teaching masterclasses across the U.S., working with his private students in NYC, as well as composing and arranging. Among other albums, you can also find him on the Blue Note Records release, Detroit Jazz City — an album that opens a window onto, and celebrates Detroit’s jazz legacy past and present.