Ben Sharkey
2022-03-12 00:00 - 23:59 (America/Detroit)
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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One of Detroit’s premiere live entertainers over the past ten years plus, Ben Sharkey infuses his live performances with a hip and sultry fire, bringing his artful swagger to the stage with a
colorful fusion of old school cool, contemporary jazz, soul and pop. Since the charismatic
vocalist posted his first raw home videos of himself singing Michael Buble and Frank Sinatra
classics to YouTube in 2007, he has amassed over 5 million views worldwide for over 70 clips.
By increasingly popular demand, the Michigan native has amassed hundreds of performances at jazz hotspots like Cliff Bell’s and a five year and counting residency at the Axis Lounge at the MGM Grand Detroit. He’s been compared to everyone from Frank and Buble to Dean Martin, Mel Torme and Harry Connick, Jr. – yet he’s evolved from being a stellar vocal interpreter to master storyteller and songwriter.
Collaborating with his pianist Chris Codish, Ben has written clever, crafty tunes expressing every aspect of love, deep heartfelt connections and the sheer joy of living life to the fullest in the sexiest, naughtiest, most sensual and playful way possible. Stylistically, he lets his muse lead the way to booming percussion driven landscapes infused with jazz, pop, swing, R&B, Latin and crisp, edgy house-dance beats that make him the ultimate contemporary hipster as well as a masterful throwback artist.

DeSean Jones
2022-03-12 19:30 - 2022-03-13 09:30, 2022-03-13 19:30 - 2022-03-14 09:30, 2022-03-14 19:30 - 2022-03-15 09:30, 2022-03-15 19:30 - 2022-03-16 09:30, 2022-03-16 19:30 - 2022-03-17 09:30, 2022-03-17 19:30 - 2022-03-18 09:30, 2022-03-18 19:30 - 2022-03-19 09:30, 2022-03-19 19:30 - 2022-03-20 09:30 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.

Brendon Davis Trio
2022-03-13 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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Described as a “rising star” by Fox 2 News, Brendon Davis is an emerging pianist, music director, recording artist, composer, teacher, and arranger. He is a graduate from the University of Michigan with a degree in Jazz Studies with a concentration in piano, and a minor in Performing Arts Management. He is a 2 time national NAACP ACT-SO competition winner in the categories of Music Instrumental Contemporary and Music Composition. His performance credits include: the 2019 Disney All American College Band, the 2021 Summer Solstice Jazz Festival and the 2020-2021 Detroit Jazz Festival.
He has worked with the likes of Keyon Harrold, Gayelynn McKinney, Dwight Adams, Randy Scott, Noah Jackson, Penny Wells-McKenzie, Marion Hayden, Sean Dobbins, and De’Sean Jones. Moreover, he has studied with world-renowned pianists such as Benny Green, Andy Mine, Chick Corea Ellen Rowe, Tamir Hendelman, Bill Moss, Jr., and Alonza McKenzie

Gerard Gibbs & ORGANized Crime
2022-03-17 19:30 - 23:00
There will be two shows at 7:30pm & 9:30pm for this performance.
(Seatings begin at 5pm & 8:45pm respectively)
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Gerard Gibbs, leader and producer of Gerard Gibbs & ORGANized Crime, conceived the idea to form this group in order to both commemorate the teachings of his mentor, the late Richard “Groove” Holmes, and to fully embrace his love for the Hammond B-3 organ and the electric keyboards. He has been playing keyboards and organ for 35 years, and attributes his accomplishments and overall musical development to the late organist as well as his father and mother, and the many local and national musicians who worked with him along the way. Gibbs currently leads this band, and tours nationally and internationally playing piano, keyboards and organ for saxophonist James Carter.

Alexis Lombre Trio
2022-03-18 19:30 - 23:00, 2022-03-19 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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Alexis Lombre is a pianist, vocalist and composer from Chicago who discovered early that the true essence of music is not just about what you hear but how music makes you feel. Her musical mission is to keep the ‘Soul’ in music alive. The 2017 release of her debut album, “Southside Sounds”, does just that, as it is a soulful straight-ahead reflection of her upbringing on Chicago’s Southside. This collection of her original compositions is an attempt to pay homage to the Southside’s lively artistic, cultural heritage influenced by Eddie Harris & Gene Ammons. In 2021, Lombre released her most recent single “Come Find Me” which she describes as “lyrically, a gospel song; harmonically, a jazz song and rhythmically, a hip-hop/R&B song. I didn’t create the song with any borders”. As JazzTimes puts it “Lombre says realized early on that by refusing to be constrained by convention— whether so-called “jazz” or otherwise—she’d be honoring, rather than defiling, the rich heritage she’d come to embrace.”

In the May 2019, Lombre toured the Midwest with her group, the Alexis Lombre Trio, and in January 2019 she toured South Africa with Englewood-Soweto Exchange that was powered by a MacArthur grant led by Ernest Dawkins. In 2017 she toured France with Bacongo Square Boulevard, a trio comprised of French, Congolese & American musicians. She has also played with internationally known musicians such as: Nicole Mitchell, Jamila Woods, the AACM Great Black Music Ensemble, Laurin Talese, Junius Paul, Makaya McCraven, Donald Harrison, Bobby Watson, Buster Williams, Wadada Leo Smith, Dee Alexander, J Moss, Cece Peniston, Rudresh Mahanthappa, and Nona Hendrix. Lombre’s band has been opening acts for Chris Dave & the Drumhedz and Marquis Hill and she was also featured in JazzTimes, the Chicago Tribune, the Detroit Metro Times and Vocalo.
Learn more HERE!

Allen Dennard Organ Trio
2022-03-20 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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Allen Dennard is a trumpeter, composer and bandleader who was born and raised in the city of Detroit, Michigan. Allen has made three appearances as a sideman in the Detroit Jazz Festival, one being with the great saxophonist Wendell Harrison (2015), one being with Detroit bassist Ali Bey (2017), and lastly with the Detroit Jazz Festival All-Star Alumni Band (2019). In January 2019 Allen was chosen by the Detroit MetroTimes as one of ten artist they thought would become famous in that year. Soon after that Allen was approached with many interview requests, one being with Detroit Public Television/ PBS and the other being with Honeysuckle Magazine, a New York City based magazine company. Aside from that Allen has worked with several artist from the Detroit Music Factory label, such as Gayelynn McKinney, De’Sean Jones and Sean Dobbins. He has also worked with Detroit saxophonist David McMurray from the Blue Note record label. Adding to that, Allen also got the opportunity to share the stage with New York based saxophonist J.D Allen, who is with HighNote Records.
In October 2018 Allen had the opportunity to work with famous R&B artist Ray J, being a member of the pit orchestra in a play that Ray J was in. In the same year Allen was chosen to be in the horn section for the MC5 reunion in Detroit, sharing the stage with musical icons such as Wayne Kramer. Following after that Allen went on to record on one of Alice Copper’s latest albums in 2019. Allen is a bandleader and has three of his own groups, the Allen Dennard Trio, the Allen Dennard Quartet and the Allen Dennard Quintet.

Closed for a Private Event
2022-03-26 00:00 - 23:59
See you tomorrow for Nathaniel Borton!

Nathan Borton Group
2022-03-27 19:30 - 23:30
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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Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Nathan Borton is a Michigan based Jazz guitar player that draws heavily from the mid-western tradition of bebop and the blues. Nathan has played with and alongside names such as: Rodney Whitaker, Michael Dease, Paul Keller, Diego Rivera, and Tom Knific. He has also performed at various music festivals including: the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, the East Lansing Jazz Festival, the Michigan Jazz Festival, and the Wichita Jazz Festival.
Currently, Nathan is releasing his debut album, “Each Step” through Origin Records. The record, produced by Randy Napoleon, is set for release January 2022, and has already gain praise from from the likes of trombone giant Michael Dease and Benedetto CEO Howard Paul. Nathan was also a winner of the 2019 Wilson Center International Guitar Competition located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as placing as a finalist in 2018. He won two Downbeat awards in 2019 for Best Graduate Jazz Soloist and Best Live Engineering/Production, as well as winning the Paul Carr Discovery Act Award in 2020 with the Sencalar/Glassman Quintet.
Nathan is an avid educator of music as well. He currently teaches at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI, at Hope College, in Holland, MI, and at the Michigan State Community Music School in Detroit, MI. Nathan has also taught and mentored at various camps around the nation such as: The Brevard Jazz Institute in Brevard, North Carolina and The Spectrum Music Camp in East Lansing, Michigan. Durning the COVID-19 lockdown Nathan started an educational YouTube channel, which has sense grown into an international Jazz hub providing information for students around the world. He has collaborated with many famous educators includes Jens Larson and Christiaan Van Hemert.

Roger Jones & Higher Calling
2022-03-31 19:30 - 23:30
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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Roger L. Jones II is a native of Flint, MI. Since 1989 he has worked professionally with various artists in the USA, Japan, and Turkey. Roger discovered his musical abilities when he was a youngster at church. His gospel background provided a spring board to his passion for playing jazz music. The church Greater Holy Temple COGIC where his father is pastor, was like a musical battle ground for young musicians. Roger cites his non- gospel influences as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, and McCoy Tyner. After graduating from high school, Roger attended Oberlin Conservatory in Oberlin Ohio. While attending Oberlin, Roger’s understanding and musicianship grew exponentially. Many performance opportunities were afforded, and his reputation grew. Since this time, Roger has performed and “sat in” with various musical icons associated with jazz and other musical styles. Some of these individuals include Wynton Marsalis, Joe Henderson, Wallace Roney, and JJ Johnson to name a few.
Roger has developed into a cutting-edge band leader. His band, “Roger Jones & Higher Calling” is comprised of phenomenal musicians dedicated to inventing fresh and innovative ways to approach the execution of music. Mixed with a soulful and modern approach, the music of this band is innovative, relevant to the current generation, and swings ridiculously hard. There is no doubt that Roger L. Jones II will be heralded as one of the most explosive and innovative pianists of his generation.

Roger Jones & Higher Calling
2022-03-31 19:30 - 23:30
SHOWTIMES ARE AT 7:30PM & 9:30PM FOR THIS PERFORMANCE.
Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 7pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Roger L. Jones II is a native of Flint, MI. Since 1989 he has worked professionally with various artists in the USA, Japan, and Turkey. Roger discovered his musical abilities when he was a youngster at church. His gospel background provided a spring board to his passion for playing jazz music. The church Greater Holy Temple COGIC where his father is pastor, was like a musical battle ground for young musicians. Roger cites his non- gospel influences as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, and McCoy Tyner. After graduating from high school, Roger attended Oberlin Conservatory in Oberlin Ohio. While attending Oberlin, Roger’s understanding and musicianship grew exponentially. Many performance opportunities were afforded, and his reputation grew. Since this time, Roger has performed and “sat in” with various musical icons associated with jazz and other musical styles. Some of these individuals include Wynton Marsalis, Joe Henderson, Wallace Roney, and JJ Johnson to name a few.
Roger has developed into a cutting-edge band leader. His band, “Roger Jones & Higher Calling” is comprised of phenomenal musicians dedicated to inventing fresh and innovative ways to approach the execution of music. Mixed with a soulful and modern approach, the music of this band is innovative, relevant to the current generation, and swings ridiculously hard. There is no doubt that Roger L. Jones II will be heralded as one of the most explosive and innovative pianists of his generation.
