Cliff Bell's

Detroit Jazz Workshop
2019-07-14 16:00 - 22:00 (America/Detroit)
Detroit Jazz Workshops end-of-week performances will be at Cliff Bells Jazz Club on Sunday late afternoon and evening, July, 14th (High School/Adult). Not open to the public.
Sun combo show 1
4 to 6
Clear house
Sun combo show 2
8 to 10
Tickets accepted for all shows and
$15 cover for walk-ins
https://www.wscottjazz.com/

The Jeff Cuny Trio
2019-07-12 17:30 - 20:15
Jeff Cuny is a fine string bassist. He is also the chief arranger & bassist for the Planet D Nonet and appears around the city with Tbone Paxton and also the Rhythm Society Orchestra. His fellow musicians include David Dunham on guitar & Stuart Lyons on drums, together they also lead the collective band Beartrap.

The James O'Donnell Trio
2019-07-07 19:00 - 22:00
Trumpeter/vocalist James O’Donnell has been entertaining Detroit audiences for years. He has toured around the globe and lived in Mexico City. He brings plenty of swing and humor to whatever he does!
James grew up listening to Detroit trumpet great Johnny Trudell. His first teacher was Carlos B. Rivera, who also taught Curtis Fuller. Other mentors include Russell Green, Marcus Belgrave, Herbie Williams, Charlie Hooks and Felton Jones, playing with these men of the horn was very inspiring and helped in developing his own sound.
James is known for his adaptation of trumpet mutes like the plunger, the bucket, the cup, and the old swing era tradition of growling.
James will bring the guitarist Matt LoRusso and veteran bassist John Barron with him.

The Rob Crozier Quartet
2019-07-06 21:30
Modern Jazz Quartet with World Music Elements.
Rob Crozier is an excellent jazz bassist who leads his Jazz Ensemble in Michigan, performing at clubs and festivals. Following on the success of their previous Tall Trees CD, Ocean Blue is his band’s latest release.
Ocean Blue features the core quintet of bassist Crozier (who also plays the didgeridoo), Rafael Statin on tenor, soprano, bass clarinet and oboe, pianist-keyboardist Keaton Royer, drummer Rob Avsharian, and percussionist Aron Kaufman along with a few guests. They perform nine originals that cover a wide range of styles and moods.

Closed for 4th of July
2019-07-04 00:00 - 23:59

SETI
2019-07-03 20:00
SETI is a quartet consisting of bassist Eric Nachtrab, drummer Sean Perlmutter and guitarists Ian Blunden and Tom Bartelmay, all devoted to exploring the multifaceted music of Thelonious Monk. On one hand, the groove and earthiness of his music is brought out by the swinging rhythm section while the two guitar frontline highlights the openness and ambiguity of these timeless compositions.

Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five
2019-06-30 19:00 - 22:00
“She’s a true extrovert…even when you watch her sing, she engages you and makes you feel like you’re part of the story.”
— Terell Stafford, Jazz trumpet player
In October 2012, vocalist Chelsea Reed brought five of her friends together to play some tunes in a South Philly dining room. Her plan was to form a band that played for swing dancers, so she could finally have the chance to sing her favorite songs for an audience that loved early jazz as much as she did. Since that fateful day, she’s been living that dream and couldn’t be happier about it.
Now, Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five are at home at swing dances, jazz clubs and concert halls alike. They have played renowned Philadelphia venues and travel the country year round to perform at both Lindy and Blues exchanges and workshops. They’ve had the honor of sharing the stage with trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, and he’s featured on their July 2017 release, Spreadin’ Rhythm Around.
They love exploring the roots of jazz and finding creative ways to interpret forgotten songs. Drawing upon the intensity of powerhouse vocalists, the ingenuity of 20th century composers, and the soul of the dance floor, Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five honor the heritage of jazz with fresh arrangements and original songs. They are silly, passionate people who love playing this music.
And that’s all there is to it.
https://www.facebook.com/ChelseaReedAndTheFairWeatherFive/

Sunday Brunch w/ Jarrod Champion
2019-06-30 11:30 - 14:30, 2019-06-23 11:30 - 14:30
Jarrod Champion is a self-taught pianist, vocalist, organist, songwritier and multi-instrumentalist. Born in a suburb east of Detroit, Michigan, he’s the son of two working class parents, both trained pianists.
Originally based in rock and roll, Jarrod eventually spread out into the prominent jazz, blues and traditional country/folk circuits found in and around Detroit. He has come to identify in large part with early New Orleans jazz, blues and soul music while retaining the smokey, bar-room romanticism he’s become known for.
He is and has been a member of numerous musical groups in the Detroit area and has toured both nationally and internationally in his career.
Jarrod is an active live and studio session musician and has written music for stage plays, films and video productions. He also writes and performs original music under his own name, fronts his own ensembles across many various genres, and can be found in top jazz, blues and rock establishments in and around the city of Detroit and beyond.

Rod Williams Quartet
2019-06-29 21:30
Pianist/Composer Rod Williams was born in Detroit April 15, 1954 and studied with the great pianist Kenny Cox. In the summer 1981 he was playing with the Sam Sanders’ group “Visions” at the Detroit Jazz Center as an opening act for Air (Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins and Steve McCall), Henry Threadgill strongly encouraged him to move to New York and in the fall of 1981, he did so, residing there to this day.
“Pianist-composer Rod Williams’ typically stimulating original “Home Sweet Home” opens his fine 1989 LP “Hanging in the Balance” (Muse). It would certainly be an appropriate piece for the Detroit-born Williams to include when he returns to the Motor City. Williams made his reputation working with a range of left-of-center voices, among them David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Dewey Redman and Lester Bowie. He has also proven to be an alert accompanist for vocalist Cassandra Wilson early in her career. But like most Detroiters, Williams retains an essential versatility, and there’s not much across the post-bop landscape you could throw at him that he can’t handle. His improvisations alternate between a scampering kind of percussive rumble with a smoother, more pianistic touch, and his compositions reveal a personal approach to melody and structure”
Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press June 17, 2015
Rod says it will be a kind of reunion:
Bowens on saxophone
Jonathon Muir-Cotton on acoustic bass
Djallo Djakate on drums

Rod Williams Quartet
2019-06-28 21:00
Pianist/Composer Rod Williams was born in Detroit April 15, 1954 and studied with the great pianist Kenny Cox. In the summer 1981 he was playing with the Sam Sanders’ group “Visions” at the Detroit Jazz Center as an opening act for Air (Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins and Steve McCall), Henry Threadgill strongly encouraged him to move to New York and in the fall of 1981, he did so, which is where he currently resides.
“Pianist-composer Rod Williams’ typically stimulating original “Home Sweet Home” opens his fine 1989 LP “Hanging in the Balance” (Muse). It would certainly be an appropriate piece for the Detroit-born Williams to include when he returns to the Motor City. Williams made his reputation working with a range of left-of-center voices, among them David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Dewey Redman and Lester Bowie. He has also proven to be an alert accompanist for vocalist Cassandra Wilson early in her career. But like most Detroiters, Williams retains an essential versatility, and there’s not much across the post-bop landscape you could throw at him that he can’t handle. His improvisations alternate between a scampering kind of percussive rumble with a smoother, more pianistic touch, and his compositions reveal a personal approach to melody and structure”
Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press June 17, 2015
Rod says this will be a kind of reunion!
Vincent Bowens on saxophone
Jonathon Muir-Cotton on acoustic bass
Djallo Djakate on drums

The Kris Kurzawa Trio
2019-06-27 20:00
Kris Kurzawa’s versatility has led him to become one of the Detroit areas most in demand guitarists since the early 2000’s; crossing into multiple genres including jazz, fusion, world music and R+B. He released his first album ‘Sly’ in 2016 for which he received his fifth Detroit Music Award. He earned his masters degree in jazz studies from Wayne State University in 2012 and has recently began teaching jazz guitar at his alma mater. Kris will be joined by Detroit veterans John Barron on bass and Adam James on drums.

Adam Ben Ezra
2019-06-23 17:00 - 19:00
• Currently has over 74,485 followers on Facebook and over 21,200 followers on Instagram.
Double-Bass phenomenon, multi-instrumentalist and online sensation Adam Ben Ezra; a man seemingly on a mission to bring his instrument from its status as a background note to the dominant front-presence it deserves. For the past few years Adam has been pushing his craft in new, exciting directions and carving out a unique spot for himself in today’s international musical landscape, with both his virtuosity and musicianship earning him great success along the way.
With tens of millions of hits on his video clips and a strong following on all social media platforms, it is clear Adam is a bonafide internet star. However, his success is certainly not limited to the web, having performed around the globe in major international music festivals and shared stages with some of the world’s fusion giants – including Pat Metheny, Victor Wooten and Richard Bona – over the last few years. His work has been shown at industry leading publications, such as the BBC, CBS News, Time Magazine and The British Telegraph to name but a few. Jazz FM has defined his appearance as ”a dazzling virtuosity and breath-taking athletic performance”.
The term “multi-instrumentalist” is often overused but in this case it couldn’t be more fitting; Adam began playing the violin at age five and picked up the guitar at age nine. Over the years he has added the piano, clarinet, oud, slide flute and even beatbox to his arsenal, largely teaching himself each time. However, it was an introduction to the double-bass at age 16 that truly changed his life, when he instantly fell in love with the instrument’s rich sound.
Drawing inspiration from heroes as diverse as Bach, Sting, Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea, Adam made a clear decision to make his compositions current – no matter the tool used. He has consciously added new colors to his palette, incorporating elements of Jazz, Latin and Mediterranean music into his playing.
Whether he is playing original material or his wonderfully crafted cover arrangements, ABE is a creative force of nature who can transform a room full of strangers into lifelong fans in a moment. Regardless if he’s performing solo, duo or as part of his Trio with guitar and percussion, no two shows are alike as he expertly moves from one instrument to the next, sometimes within the same song, without ever missing a beat. Using a smart combination of effects and pedals, Adam regularly loops his notes in order to deliver an authentic wall of sound, worthy of a small orchestra. With a rise in requests for international appearances and a need to push his instrument further, Adam commissioned a special one-of-a-kind 5 strings bass with an unusual removable neck setup.
Both his Trio album (Can’t Stop Running, 2015) and latest Solo album (Pin Drop, 2017) showcase not just a virtuoso performer but also a sensitive composer with no musical boundaries, combining elements of jazz, rock and world music to create a sweeping, fascinating and versatile sound.
www.adambenezra.com

Evan Mercer Trio
2019-06-22 18:00 - 20:30
A weekly Saturday piano trio series, led by Evan, a fine young pianist along with several strong young musicians that have all graduated from WSU. Evan now tours throughout the world with soul diva Bettye LaVette. Evan Mercer on piano, Samuel Chase Harris on string bass & Jake Matthews on drums.

John "Tbone" Paxton w/ the RJ Spangler Band
2019-06-21 21:00
John “Tbone” Paxton is a veteran trombonist and vocalist professionally active in Southeastern Michigan for many years. He is the featured singer and trombone soloist with the award-winning jazz ensemble, the Planet D Nonet. John is a 2nd generation musician and a son of the “Jazz Age.” His soulful sense of swing, phrasing, and his ability to interpret and bring personal meaning to a lyric allows him to connect to his audience at an emotional level, both as a vocalist and as an instrumentalist.
John was integral member of the Sun Messengers band for decades, leaving to develop his own career as a jazz singer and trombonist. He has had long associations with many of the great Detroit area bandleaders like Paul Keller, Eddie Nuccilli, Scott Gwinnell and piano master Mr B. Tbone has also played with a lot of great blues and R&B men as well, including Earl King, Johnny Adams, Sir Mac Rice, Pinetop Perkins and even Latin Jazz Great Eddie Palmieri! His repertoire reflects all of these influences, most notably, growing up in a musical home influenced by his father Fred, who was an accomplished pianist working all the major rooms in the area. In fact, a regular pianist at the London Chop House for fifty years! His repertoire features both hits and obscure rarities by such artists as Fats Waller, Frank Sinatra, Danny Barker, Nat Cole and Louis Jordan, creating his own personal take on the Great American Songbook.
John draws the audience in and brings passion, soul, a unique repertoire, joy and authenticity to his performances everywhere and every night!! Look for his upcoming recording “Back in Your Own Backyard” with the RJ Spangler Quartet on the Detroit Music Factory imprint.

The Jeff Cuny Trio
2019-06-21 17:30 - 20:15
Jeff Cuny is a fine string bassist. He is also the chief arranger & bassist for the Planet D Nonet and appears around the city with Tbone Paxton and also the Rhythm Society Orchestra. His fellow musicians include David Dunham on guitar & David Alavarz III on drums, together they also lead the collective band Beartrap.

Father's Day Dinner featuring Steven Taetz Ensemble
2019-06-16 19:00 - 22:00
Celebrate Father’s day with vintage pop, swing, and jazz singer and composer/lyricist Steven Taetz from Toronto. He will be singing hits made popular by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and his own new standards that have been praised by JazzTimes. Taetz is joined by talented bassist David Maclean, and local legends Scott Gwinnell on piano and Dave Zwolinski on drums.
Steven Taetz has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Bitter End and Rockwood Music Hall (NY), The Rogers Centre (Toronto), Hotel Café (LA), House of Jazz (Montreal), and will be featured at Rochester International Jazz Festival and Toronto International Jazz Festival shortly after this debut at Cliff Bells.
“As sophisticated as Cole Porter, as sly as Blossom Dearie.” – JazzTimes

Fathers Day Brunch with Shawn McDonald
2019-06-16 11:30 - 14:30
Shawn plays blues, boogie-woogie and jazz piano and is a strong vocalist as well. He has toured much of the world with Larry McCray, Alberta Adams, Joe Weaver & Johnnie Bassett

The Evan Mercer Trio
2019-06-15 18:00 - 20:30
Our early Saturday piano trio series, led by Evan, a fine young pianist along with several strong young musicians that have all graduated from WSU. Evan now tours throughout the world with soul diva Bettye LaVette. Evan Mercer on piano, Samuel Chase Harris on string bass & Jake Matthews on drums.

Private Event
2019-06-14 00:00 - 23:59

Seth Ebersole & in Absentia
2019-06-09 19:00 - 22:00
With – David Dunham – guitar, Liany Mateo – Bass, Madison George – drum set
– Seth M Ebersole is the Jazz Artist in Residence at Saginaw Valley State University as well as the Jazz Woodwind Faculty at the Kalamazoo Jazz & Creative Institute. The quartet is venturing into new territory with a suite of original music that celebrates the various colors of life.
– The program features music derived from the colors of life. In writing this music, I strove to use the good times and the bad to present my truths about human interaction and change. Some works are hopeful, some are bleak, but I desperately hope they all convey truth to you, the listener.
– Photo Credit: Jessica Cowles

The Frost Middle School Jazz Band
2019-06-09 16:00 - 18:00
From Livonia, MI, The Frost Middle School Jazz Band is under the direction of Michael Rais. The jazz band is made up of 22 members that auditioned for this group. The Jazz Band is one of the highest ensembles at Frost M.S. The Jazz band will be performing all styles including jazz, swing, funk, and more. Make sure you come out and support these fine young musicians.

Samuel Chase Harris Trio
2019-06-08 18:00 - 20:30
Sam is a strong young acoustic bass player and he will lead the dinner time band on this evening.

The Jeff Shoup Quartet
2019-06-07 21:00
A lifelong Michigan resident, drummer Jeff Shoup has performed all over the state of Michigan in a wide variety of styles and settings over the last twenty five years. The list of musicians with whom Jeff has performed continues to grow, and includes Fareed Haque, Rodney Whitaker, Randy Napoleon, Michael Dease, Betty Joplin, Tony Monaco, organissimo, Rick Roe, Dmitri Matheny, Ramona Collins, Rob Smith, Chris Codish, Keith Kaminski, Tad Weed, Ron Brooks, Brian Charette, Gary Schunk, Sunny Wilkinson, Cindy Scott, Brian Seeger, Smokin’ Joe Kubek, and many others. He is probably most well-known as the host for the popular Jazz Tuesdays at Moriarty’s Pub music series, based in Lansing. Jeff holds a graduate degree in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University and has been on faculty at Hope College Department of Music in Holland, Michigan, since 2017. He endorses Vic Firth drum sticks and brushes, and Zildjian cymbals.
Jeff launched his own band in 2019, which leans heavily on the sound of the classic “soul jazz” era, but incorporates unexpected repertoire such as choice pop tunes and even a fusionistic surprise or two. For this performance Jeff will be joined by Hammond organ phenom Corey Kendrick, along with saxophonist Trent Harris and Detroit guitarist Cory Allen.

Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra
2019-06-06 19:00 - 22:30
The Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra is the multi-award winning, internationally acclaimed 16 piece group based out of Detroit, MI. The ensemble plays the compositions and arrangements of its leader, and features the best professional musicians that the region offers.
A student band opens things up at 7 pm with Scott excellent groups taking the stage at 8 pm.

The James O'Donnell Trio
2019-06-02 19:00
Trumpeter/vocalist James O’Donnell has been entertaining Detroit audiences for years. He has toured around the globe and lived in Mexico City. He brings plenty of swing and humor to whatever he does!
James grew up listening to Detroit trumpet great Johnny Trudell. His teachers and mentors included Carlos B. Rivera, who taught Curtis Fuller, as well as Russell Green, Marcus, Herbie, Charlie Hooks and Felton Jones, playing with these men of the horn was very inspiring and helped in developing my own sound!! James & Rayse Biggs recorded a tribute to Russell to Green. James is known for his adaptation of trumpet mutes, ..ie the plunger, the bucket, the cup, the old traditional growling.
James will bring the veteran pianist Charles Green and top flight bassist Jeff Pedraz.

The Theron Brown Trio
2019-06-01 21:30
Born and raised in Zanesville, Ohio, Theron currently resides in Akron, Ohio, where he is an adjunct professor of Jazz Piano at Kent State University, and he is immensely involved in promoting jazz and classical music.
Theron is also the co-founder and director of the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival which takes place annually in Akron, Ohio’s downtown historic district. You can see him regularly performing at many jazz clubs and theaters in northeast Ohio.
Theron’s musical studies include the University of Akron, where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz studies, and finishing his Master’s Degree in Classical Performance.
Theron received an amazing opportunity as he auditioned for and was cast as young Herbie Hancock in the 2016 released film about Miles Davis, Miles Ahead, directed by and starring Don Cheadle.
Theron is currently working on his debut album titled “Spirit Fruit” which reflects on essential and fundamental characteristics that bring positive vibes to peoples lives. This was inspired by Galatians 5:22-23. Approximate Release Date: Summer 2019

Evan Mercer Trio
2019-06-01 18:00 - 20:30

The Corey Kendrick Trio
2019-05-30 20:00
Corey Kendrick is a pianist, composer, recording artist, and educator currently living in Detroit, MI. Praised by Downbeat Magazine’s John Ephland as a “very accomplished, highly gifted jazz pianist” with “a patient, maturing voice,” Kendrick has a skillful touch that is both immediately recognizable and deeply expressive. Kendrick released his debut album, Rootless, in June of 2016, which JazzTimes.com’s Travis Roger, Jr. called “a debut album that stands among the finest albums of the year.” Rated 5 stars by Bebop Spoken Here’s Lance Liddle, Rootless quickly climbed the jazz radio charts, reaching #4, #5, and #35 on the CMJ, RMR, and JazzWeek charts respectively and was featured on PRI’s syndicated program “Jazz After Hours.” The Corey Kendrick Trio recently completed their Midwestern tour in support of the release, playing well attended shows in IA, IL, IN, MI, OH, and Ontario, CA.
Kendrick has toured internationally with Etienne Charles’ Creole Soul, regionally with the Rodney Whitaker Quintet, and throughout the Midwest as a leader. Kendrick has performed alongside Jimmy Cobb, Antonio Hart, Peter Bernstein, Marquis Hill, Christian McBride, Robin Eubanks, Jon Faddis, Jeff Hamilton, Tim Warfield, Wycliffe Gordon, Regina Carter, Conrad Herwig, Randy Gelispie, Diego Rivera, Michael Dease, Ben Williams, Mark Whitfield Jr, Obed Calvaire, Alex Wintz, Brian Hogans, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Tom Kennedy and Sachal Vasandani among others.
As a Quad City Arts 2018 visiting artist, Kendrick performed educational outreach concerts for over 1,500 K-12 students over a 5 day guest artist residency.
Kendrick received his Master’s in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University in 2015 and holds a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Kendrick has studied with Xavier Davis, Reggie Thomas, and Willie Pickens.
As an educator, Kendrick taught Improvisation, Jazz Piano Lab, and Applied Jazz Piano lessons as a Graduate Assistant at Michigan State University from 2013-2015. He has served on faculty at the 2014 MSU Big Band Symposium and the 2013 Black Hawk College Summer Jazz Camp. Kendrick was an adjunct instructor at Black Hawk College from 2012-2013, where he taught Applied Jazz Piano, Jazz Combo, and coordinated the 21st annual BHC Jazz Festival in 2013. He also has extensive experience teaching private lessons in jazz piano, theory, and improvisation.
His trio will include Michael Palazzolo and David Alvarez and they will explore the “Detroit songbook” featuring the compositions of legendary Detroit composers such as Barry Harris, Curtis Fuller, Marcus Belgrave, Yusef Lateef, Kenny Cox, Paul Chambers, Donald Byrd, Thad & Hank Jones, etc.

The Corey Kendrick Trio
2019-05-30 20:00
Corey Kendrick is a pianist, composer, recording artist, and educator living in Detroit. Praised by Downbeat Magazine as a “very accomplished, highly gifted jazz pianist” with “a patient, maturing voice,” Kendrick has a skillful touch that is both immediately recognizable and deeply expressive.
Kendrick has toured internationally with Etienne Charles’ Creole Soul, regionally with the Rodney Whitaker Quintet, and throughout the Midwest as a leader.
