The women of the all-female jazz band Straight Ahead have an impressive history of recording and touring the US and Europe while still maintaining strong ties in the greater Detroit community. Throughout its 25-year history, the core of the band has remained constant: pianist Alina Morr, bassist Marion Hayden and drummer Gayelynn McKinney.
The current touring edition also includes vocalist Kimberly Wright and for the first time outside of recordings, a male saxophonist, Yancyy. Hayden and McKinney are known throughout the Detroit music community and beyond as first-call players for any project involving modern jazz. Morr is sought after as a solo artist and brings to the table her expertise in and affection for Latin music as well as blues and gospel. Wright comes from an R&B and pop direction, having sung with Mary J. Blige and Kid Rock, and Yancyy represents a contemporary jazz and gospel perspective.