Cliff Bell's

Kenneth Gill Duet & KonGruENT
2022-06-09 19:30 - 23:00 (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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Kenneth Gill is a trombonist, band director, educator, composer, arranger, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Kenneth attended Detroit Public Schools and is a graduate of Howard University (B.M.E.) and Kent State University (M.M.). Kenneth continues to chart his own musical course. In 2019, he released an LP entitled The Good News. As an in-demand trombonist, he has recorded and performed with various artists and ensembles. In addition to maintaining a full schedule as a working musician, he is currently attending the University of Michigan, pursuing his doctoral degree in Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation.
Notable artists with whom he has shared the stage include: Marcus Belgrave, Gerald Wilson, Grady Tate, Donald Byrd, Clark Terry, Yusef Lateef, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Gladys Knight, El DeBarge, Boyz II Men, Tori Kelly, Martha Reeves, Ray Chew, Les Nubians, Jennifer Holiday, Mutiny, Mike Phillips, Darius Rucker, Kurt Elling, Terence Blanchard and more.
Leslie Hoggatt Gill is a vocalist, arranger, and songwriter. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, she has loved to sing since before she could speak. Her parents recognized her passion for music at the beginning and helped to cultivate her gift. She sang her first solo in concert at the age of 3 and started to train classically on the piano at the age of 4. Leslie’s vocal gift has allowed to her to travel and sing at public and private events across the United States and in other countries. She has also been featured on several studio recordings. Leslie has graced the stage of Detroit’s legendary Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and the famous Cliff Bell’s jazz club.
Kenneth & Leslie were married in 2020, becoming the Gill Duet in more ways than one. They share a deep love for jazz, music history and each other. Creating and performing together comes naturally; the Gill Duet was always meant to be.
KonGruENT is the embodiment of the word’s definition. The band is comprised of outstanding musicians, accomplished in their own right, uniting in one accord with the same goal: freedom of expression through traditional and progressive jazz arrangements that emphasize the bold sound of horns. Collectively, these talented musicians represent KG Entertainment as KonGruENT.

DeSean Jones
2022-06-08 19:30 - 2022-06-09 09:30, 2022-06-07 19:30 - 2022-06-08 09:30, 2022-06-06 19:30 - 2022-06-07 09:30, 2022-06-05 19:30 - 2022-06-06 09:30, 2022-06-04 19:30 - 2022-06-05 09:30, 2022-06-03 19:30 - 2022-06-04 09:30, 2022-06-02 19:30 - 2022-06-03 09:30, 2022-06-01 19:30 - 2022-06-02 09:30 and 14 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.

Kasan Belgrave Organ Quartet
2022-06-05 19:30 - 23:00
(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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Multi-woodwind-instrumentalist and Detroit native Kasan Belgrave holds a unique stance in the city as one of the young torchbearers of the Detroit jazz collective. His father, the late maestro trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, laid a foundation for him as he continues to carry on the legacy of Detroit jazz royalty. Following close to his father’s strides, Kasan takes pride in contributing to Detroit’s rich pedigree of musical mentorship, as he strives to continue passing down the knowledge and exposure of jazz music to generations after him.
The 23-yr-old is a recent graduate of University of Michigan, and also currently holds a graduate assistantship under bassist Prof. Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University. Belgrave has shared the stage with many greats such as Nicholas Payton, Barry Harris, Benny Green, Rodney Whitaker, Theo Crocker, Robert Hurst, Karriem Riggins, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra w/ Wynton Marsalis.
Kasan has performed around the globe. He attended a jazz summer clinic that his father ran at the University of California-Berkeley in 2011, where he met flautist Elena Pinderhughes, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and Walter Smith III. He traveled to Barbados in 2013, along with saxophonist Marcus Elliott and pianist Ian Finkelstein, where they performed a masterclass and concert sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. He’s performed frequently at the Detroit Jazz Festival, as a sideman for Wendell Harrison, Rob Pipho, Rick Margitza, Nicholas Payton, and Detroit bassist Ali Bey.
In 2017, he performed a duet with the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin in her last ever live Detroit performance at the Music Hall.
Kasan will be releasing his debut album this summer, but is prominently present showing his support for his musical peers throughout the major venues of the Detroit music scene.

Gayelynn McKinney and McKinFolk
2022-06-04 19:30 - 23:00, 2022-06-03 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) **************************************************************************************************
Gayelynn McKinney began playing the drums at the age of two. Although she
received much of her musical training in the Detroit Jazz scene, she also
obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from Oakland University. Gayelynn has
recorded projects with the group Straight Ahead, (of which she is a cofounder)
Ralph Armstrong and Marcus Belgrave just to name a few. She has recently
recorded solo projects called “It’s About Time,” “McKinFolk The New
Beginning,”and “Zoot Suit Funk.” Gayelynn McKinney’s many awards
include: 2014 Kresge Artist Fellows recipient, with the Group Straight Ahead
and McKinFolk, a Grammy Nomination, Detroit Black Music Award recipient,
and Detroit Music Awards for best jazz composer.
Gayelynn McKinney has had the opportunity to travel extensively and play at many famous jazz festivals including Montreux-Jazz Fest, Lionel Hampton Jazz Fest, New Orleans Jazz Fest, Essence Festival, Olympics, and the Kennedy Center. She has also
performed as a side musician with such notables as Benny Golson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Diane Shure, Jason Marsalis, Freda Payne, Roy Ayers, Geri Allen, Marcus Belgrave, Chaka Khan, Roy Hargrove, Randy Brecker, Rick Margitza, Larry Coryell, Ralphe Armstrong, Steve Turre, Kevin Mahogany, James Carter, Tim Ries, (The Rolling Stones Music director) and “Speech” of “Arrested Development.” Gayelynn is also the last drummer to tour with Aretha Franklin. While performing with Aretha Franklin, Gayelynn had the distinct honor to play for presidential hopeful, Hilary Clinton. She also performed at Tribeca Film Fest featuring a tribute to Clive Davis.
Learn more about her HERE!

Maraj Virtuoso & Better Things
2022-06-02 19:30 - 23:00
Showtimes are 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance.
(Seatings begin at 5p & 8:45p respectively)
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Maraj Virtuoso is a multi-cultural Afro-LatinX vocalist and violinist who believes she was born to express her story and love through story-telling, songs and strings.
She creates music that fuses Neo-Soul, Jazz, Latin influences along with dashes of R&B and Indie. This creates a delicious sound with lyrics that weave a story of personal testimony, life’s beautiful twists and turns, vulnerabilities while touching on mental health.
Maraj Virtuoso begin playing the violin at the age of 3 and continued to study classical violin under the tutelage of the Detroit Civic Symphony Orchestra and the mentorship of DSO & New Mexico Philarmonic violinist Marian Tanau.
Her exploration in improvisational strings and her true vocalist style begin in 2014 after continuing music studies at Wayne State University. She then found herself falling in love with lyricism as well as the ins and outs of production and live instrumentation. She expanded her taste in music alongside the open ears and support of her parents who wanted to help her express herself through any form of music out there. She has performed at many venues and festivals across Detroit, Chicago, Brooklyn and Los Angeles having opened up for artists like Black Milk alongside Phil Swish, Kaina, DeadstockV1, Supercoolwicked and more.
Currently living and creating in Detroit, she finds herself constantly inspired by her continued pursuit of all knowledge musically but also the internal self reflection as well as the incredible musicians that surround her in her life. Through her soon to be released project A.D.H.D (Angels.Demons.Hearts.&Dreams) she wants to bring to light that we are all human and in this life, through music and song we are all beacons of light and love.
That we are all capable of kintsirugi. To extend grace beyond measure to not only others but ourselves.
Over the course of her performances at Cliff Bells she will be joined on-stage by openers, friends and performing artists Hugo Biggs, McCrea Deezer, and Kevin Christian adding hints of hip-hop and pop.

Ralph Tope Organ Trio
2022-05-26 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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What does a disgraced milkman, an out of work interior designer, and bald barber have in common? The answer: Morgan’s Organ.

Tri-founded, by three adult men with too much time on their hands Morgan’s Organ features Jesse Krammer on Drums Dale Grisa on Hammond B3 organ and Ralph Tope on guitar. These three men have been second and third call sidemen on the Detroit Jazz Scene for decades. Instead of waiting for the phone to ring, these men got together in an evening of incredible music to share with the people.

National Tap Day Showcase w/Jason Janas
2022-05-25 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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Jason Janas is an artist and musical technician dedicated to honoring the great American art form of tap dance. Regarded as one of the hardest working tap dancers of his generation, Jason credits his work ethic to his New Jersey roots and the mentors that guided him along the way.

He began his tap dance instruction under Ms. Deborah Mitchell and was the first charter member of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble. It was there that he found a love for the dance and his insatiable quest to study and master the art form. His journey led him south where he became a member of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble under the direction of Gene Medler. From there, he was cast in his first professional role as member of Tapestry Dance Company in Austin, Texas, under the direction of Acia Gray, and spent five years as a principal dancer.

The exposure Jason received led to an invitation from the incomparable Derick Grant to join the cast of his show, “Imagine Tap!”.The show ran for six weeks in Chicago and changed his life. Other show credits include “Souls of our Feet” with Tapestry Dance Company, “Wonderland” with Sara Savelli and Ayodele Casel, and as a co-choreographer and featured artist in “Tap Stars” European Tour with Rasta Thomas.

Jason finds great joy in passing along his experience and teachings to the next generation and has held faculty positions at tap festivals and workshops in New Jersey, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Charlotte, Austin, Detroit, San Antonio, Vancouver, Zurich, Curitiba (Brazil), Moscow, London, Paris, Odessa (Ukraine), Tokyo, Barcelona, and Germany. Jason currently resides in the Metro Detroit area with his wife and daughter. He is a faculty member for Radix Dance and co-owner with his wife, Bianca, of The Foundation House dance studio, and founder/producer of Hoofin’ Ground tap festival, and W.O.R.K., an advanced tap intensive.

He is dedicated to enhancing and building the tap dance community in Detroit and submersing himself into the city’s deep Jazz and tap dance roots. He is proud and thankful to partner with historic Cliff Bell’s for his introduction to the Detroit jazz scene.

Jonathan Barber and VISION AHEAD
2022-05-19 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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International Recorded artist, composer, educator and bandleader Jonathan Barber was voted the #1 Up-and-Coming Drummer of 2018 in Modern Drummer. Barber has already recorded and toured worldwide with such artists as Pat Metheny, Terence Blanchard, Erykah Badu, Nicholas Payton, Buster Williams, Jimmy Greene, Jeremy Pelt, Wallace Roney, Terrace Martin, Jennifer Holiday, Harold Mabern, Steve Davis, J.D. Allen, The Brooklyn Philharmonic and many more.
In addition to his first-call status as a sideman, Barber has recently stepped forth as a composer and leader with his Vision Ahead band. Even with Barber’s history of high-profile gigs and recordings taken into consideration, DownBeat magazine gave his latest album “Legacy Holder” 4.5 stars. Jonathan Barber & Vision Ahead is a powerful declaration of intent for a band that’s been making waves on the modern jazz scene.
Find more about Jonathan HERE!
