Cliff Bell's

DeSean Jones
2022-07-10 19:30 - 2022-07-11 09:30, 2022-07-11 19:30 - 2022-07-12 09:30, 2022-07-12 19:30 - 2022-07-13 09:30, 2022-07-13 19:30 - 2022-07-14 09:30, 2022-07-14 19:30 - 2022-07-15 09:30, 2022-07-15 19:30 - 2022-07-16 09:30, 2022-07-16 19:30 - 2022-07-17 09:30, 2022-07-17 19:30 - 2022-07-18 09:30 (America/Detroit) and 12 more dates
De’Sean Jones is a Detroit based saxophonist, billboard charting recording artist and grammy nominated arranger. Over the past 20 years De’Sean has toured the world recording or performing with music Icons like Stevie Wonder, Faith Evans, along with a host of Detroit Legends; Marcus Belgrave, The Clark Sisters, Kierra Sheard and techno pioneer Mad Mike Banks of Underground Resistance.
As a bandleader & producer Jones has curated an eclectic approach that is widely viewed as progressive and undeniably rooted in the rich history of black culture. De’Sean actively pushes the boundaries of social consciousness through music in ways that are authentic, emotionally dynamic and intellectually stimulating.

All musical projects from De’Sean Jones can be accessed through his record label KNMDK Records.

Koji Cassetta Connection Collective
2022-07-17 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Koji Cassetta is an up-and-coming Detroit-based bassist, composer, and teacher making his debut as a bandleader at Cliff Bell’s. He’s bringing his talented group of young and accomplished musicians, the Connection Collective, for an exciting night of standards, as well as original compositions. Koji Cassetta’s Connection Collective has roots in Detroit’s straight-ahead scene, as well as funk, r&b, and Afro-Cuban traditions. He is a protégé of renowned bassists Rodney Whitaker, and Jeff Pedraz, and aspires to continue on and pay tribute to the tradition of the Detroit music scene and his mentors. He received his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies degree at Michigan State University, and is currently receiving his master’s degree as well at Michigan State University as a teaching assistant.

Elton John Farewell Tour Pre-Concert Dinner
2022-07-18 17:00
Cliff Bell’s is making special seating available for an already special evening in Detroit.
Elton John is making his final concert appearance and Cliff Bell’s will be the place to be to gather for a one-of-a-kind experience.
Come enjoy a fantastic meal, excellent libations, and a beautiful venue to soak in all the vibes Rocket Man will bring to the city.
Seating will begin a 5pm- and reservations are now open.
Call or click cliffbells.com to make yours.
“There’s only one…” Cliff Bells

Bill Heid Trio
2022-07-21 19:30 - 23:00, 2022-07-23 19:30 - 23:00, 2022-07-24 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Born in Pittsburgh, keyboard/vocalist Bill Heid has performed throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe, and Asia, including a three year stay in Japan and nearly two years in China. From 1965 through the mid-70’s, he worked the Hammond B-3 organ “chitlin clubs” with his own groups and with jazz greats such as Sonny Stitt, David “Fathead” Newman, Grachan Monchur, Mickey Roker, Joe Dukes, Roger Humphries, Rodney Whitaker, Robert Hurst, Grant Green, Jimmy Ponder, Bruce Foreman, and Henry Johnson, appearing on two Johnson albums for MCA/Impulse.
From 1975 to 1984, based in Chicago, Bill toured with blues greats Jimmy Witherspoon, John Lee Hooker, Son Seals, and Fenton Robinson, playing on two albums with Robinson, two with Ko Ko Taylor, and another with Roy Buchanan for Alligator Records. From 1984 through 1999, Heid lived and worked in Detroit, appearing on numerous records with Detroit blues artists Johnnie Bassett, Joe Weaver, and Alberta Adams, which included sessions for Fedora, Cannonball, and Black Magic Records, and two European tours. In 2000, he relocated to Washington D.C. and in 2002, his group toured Viet Nam,
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia as Jazz Ambassadors for the U.S. State Department, returning to those countries for an extended tour a year later, then backed vocalist Jay Klum on another Ambassadors tour to five African countries in 2004.
Between 1996 and 2003, Bill recorded five organ group CDs for the Savant label, a piano trio record for Doodlin’ Records, and in 2008 and 2009, two organ group CDs for Doodlin’, both featuring guitarist Peter Bernstein.

Closed for a Private Event
2022-07-22 00:00 - 23:59
See you tomorrow for the Bill Heid Trio!

Celebrating J.C. Heard JazzWeek@Wayne Faculty Concert & Session
2022-07-27 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Musicians pay no cover when they bring their instrument.
In its 13th year, J.C. Heard JazzWeek@Wayne will once again give high school students a unique, intensive and rewarding jazz education experience through its one-week workshop at Wayne State University. Through the support of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation, Wayne State University Department of Music and the J.C. Heard legacy, approximately 40 high school students selected from competitive auditions will participate in the tuition-free program. New Orleans luminary, Shannon Powell, will serve as a guest Educator-in-Residence, teaching students traditional New Orleans jazz and second-line styles, repertoire and history.
Wayne State University Jazz Faculty: Detroit Jazz Profs featuring Chris Collins (Woodwinds), Vincent Chandler (Trombone), Russ Miller (Woodwinds), Chuck Newsome (Guitar), Paul Keller (Bass) and David Taylor (Drums). The feature set kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Cover charge is $20. Reservations recommended.
Open Jam Session: Kicks off at 9:30 p.m. Students and musicians pay no cover when they bring their instruments.
Special LIVE Community JazzWeek Events at Cliff Bell’s Jazz Club

Paxton/Spangler Septet wsg Alex Harding
2022-07-28 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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This recording by the Paxton/Spangler septet lives up to its name, Ugqozi, which translates from isiZulu as “inspiration.” This inspiration is layered and can be felt and understood on various levels. On the outside there is the special attention to South African jazz, a very longstanding interest for both T-Bone Paxton and RJ Spangler. I remember myself playing with them as a young man in the 70s when they were revealing their inspiration gathered by progressive big band music by the likes of Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath or Sun Ra’s Intergalactic Arkestra in groups such as Kuumba (Kiswahili for “Creativity”— again the idea of ugqozi) and later, the Sun Messengers. There is also the sense of inspiration revealed in the synergy between the septet and the various guest artists (Including Kirk Krahnke whose collaboration with the leaders also harkens back in the day to the 70s). The simpatico musicians blended seamlessly to assist in a band sound, a unique flavor that all great bands must achieve, through instrumental blend, arrangements, aesthetic understanding and much more.

The Paxton/Spangler Septet express a deep cultural understanding of the socio-political realities that were at play in South Africa. They have taken seminal works by one of South Africa’s most revered jazz icons and entered a human story replete with pain, suffering, joy and hope. -Butchie Seroto, Music in Africa (South Africa)
This feeling of freedom is captured perfectly in The Paxton/Spangler Septet’s interpretations. Not to keep this feeling of joy would be a crime to South African jazz, but the Detroit group nail it.
-Robbie McGrail, Jazz Revelations (UK)

John Arnold Trio
2022-07-29 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Progressive, aggressive, and sophisticated, John Arnold joins fellow in demand studio musicians, James Simonson and Rick Beamon for an evening of world based rhythms and guitar trio interplay that shows how diverse, fresh and versatile Detroit Jazz can be.

Brandon Williams: World Traditions
2022-07-30 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Doors open at 5pm for dinner/Seating begins at 6:15p for the first show & 9:00p for the second show)
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Brandon Williams’ World Traditions is a collective put together to celebrate the beauty of music all across the spectrum.

The Grammy-Nominated musician and producer is a true student of music and he says that it’s an honor to be able to present not only traditional jazz, but the music of the Americas, with a huge nod to Brazil’s samba and bossa nova, to the rhythms of Africa and Afro-Cuban music of the and beyond.

He brings along with him Jeff Ponders on saxophone, Pathe Jassi of Senegal on bass and vocals, and Wesley Reynoso of the Domican Republic on piano.

This is a show you don’t want to miss!
