Cliff Bell's

Andrew Brown and Session
2026-09-16 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-10-21 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Detroit)
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Andrew Brown is a young up-and-coming musician, producer, educator, and artist from Dearborn, Michigan. A recent graduate of the jazz program at Michigan State University, where he studied trumpet, he currently teaches K–8 general music at a Lansing charter school during the day while performing and creating music at night. At just 22 years old, Andrew has already played with and studied under many of the leading musicians in the Detroit, national, and international jazz scenes. His music reflects influences from a wide range of genres, with the goal of ultimately bringing people together.

In 2022, Andrew released his self-produced debut album Lovely, a pop-driven exploration of heartbreak. The record featured many of his colleagues and peers from Michigan State University and received positive reviews from publications such as the Dearborn Free Press. Since then, Andrew has released a number of singles and collaborations while completing his degree, and now that he has graduated, his next major project is currently in development and scheduled to be released later this year.

In addition to his work in music production, Andrew is an active jazz trumpet performer. He has performed at notable venues in Detroit, Tokyo, and even at Lincoln Center in New York City. While at Michigan State, he studied under Anthony Stanco and Rodney Whitaker and has also learned from Detroit jazz mainstays including Kris Johnson, Vincent Chandler, Scott Gwinell, Marcus Elliot, and Rayse Biggs. Through MSU’s jazz program, Andrew has had the opportunity to perform and tour with renowned artists such as Renee Rosnes, Jazzmeia Horn, Stefon Harris, Marquis Hill, Geoffrey Keezer, Carmen Bradford, Camille Thurman, Ryan Keberle, Randy Napoleon, Michael Dease, Walter Blanding, and other members of the university’s acclaimed faculty. A finalist for both the 2025 National Trumpet Competition and the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Competition, Andrew is beginning to see his dedication pay off as his professional career continues to take shape.

Paul Cornish (Blue Note)
2026-09-17 19:30 - 21:30
Make a Reservation
Showtimes are at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Make your Reservation today!
Every artist who records for Blue Note is part of a grand legacy, now in its 86th year. But pianist Paul Cornish is a torchbearer for several remarkable Blue Note legacies, all at once. Which makes You’re Exaggerating!, his powerfully lyrical trio debut for the label, a mission statement for Blue Note’s next generation.
To begin, Cornish is part of a great heritage of jazz piano that has unfolded at the label, from Blue Note’s first 78-rpm releases by Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons through Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Andrew Hill, Don Pullen, Geri Allen, Jacky Terrasson, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Renee Rosnes, Aaron Parks, Gerald Clayton and beyond.
Then, he’s part of a lineage of Blue Note artists, past and present, who hail from Houston, Texas, and developed at the city’s Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, a.k.a. HSPVA. That more recent hall of fame includes Jason Moran, Robert Glasper, Walter Smith III, Kendrick Scott, Chris Dave and James Francies. Of course, within that list there’s yet another bloodline, of musicians who’ve come to define jazz pianism in the 21st century: Moran, Glasper, Francies and, now, Cornish, who was born and raised in Houston and has been based in Los Angeles for over a decade.

Sean Dobbins
2026-09-18 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-09-19 19:30 - 21:30
There will be two separate seatings at 7:30pm & 9:30pm for this performance. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Jazz drummer Sean Dobbins got his start as sought-after Detroit area jazz sideman at a young age, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. As Sean’s Career progressed, he found himself the recipient of many awards and accolades including the “Woody Herman Jazz Award”, an award for outstanding musicianship, as well as the Louis Armstrong Scholarship. Due to Sean’s great talent both as a player and an educator, he has been the focus of countless news articles and jazz radio programs.
Though still young by jazz standards, Dobbins has amassed an impressive list of playing companions. He has performed/toured/recorded with Johnny Basset, Benny Golson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Frank Morgan, Joey DeFrancesco, George Cables, James “Blood” Ulmer, Marcus Belgrave, Larry Willis, Rodney Whittaker, Claude Black, Johnny O’Neal, Paul Keller, Tad Weed, Kurt Krahnke, Jon Hendricks, David “Fathead” Newman, Donald Walden, Cyrus Chesnut, Barry Harris, David Baker, Randy Johnston, Marion Hayden, Mose Allison, and a host of other great musicians.
Sean’s sound can best be described as hard-driving, solid rhythm with refreshing melodic sensibility. Some of Sean’s influences include Art Blakey, Jeff Hamilton, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ed Thigpen, Sonny Payne, and also Detroit area greats Gerald Cleaver and the one and only Elvin Jones. A product of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, Sean has stayed devoted to education throughout his life. Early mentor Louis Smith, an Ann Arbor Public Schools band teacher, impressed the importance of a good education upon Sean at an early age. Sean is known in his community as a band director, drum teacher and positive influence for many.

Sean Dobbins
2026-09-20 17:30 - 19:30
Showtimes are at 5:30p & 7:30p for this performance. Doors open at 4pm for dinner. Seating begins at 5pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 7pm.
Jazz drummer Sean Dobbins got his start as sought-after Detroit area jazz sideman at a young age, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. As Sean’s Career progressed, he found himself the recipient of many awards and accolades including the “Woody Herman Jazz Award”, an award for outstanding musicianship, as well as the Louis Armstrong Scholarship. Due to Sean’s great talent both as a player and an educator, he has been the focus of countless news articles and jazz radio programs.
Though still young by jazz standards, Dobbins has amassed an impressive list of playing companions. He has performed/toured/recorded with Johnny Basset, Benny Golson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Frank Morgan, Joey DeFrancesco, George Cables, James “Blood” Ulmer, Marcus Belgrave, Larry Willis, Rodney Whittaker, Claude Black, Johnny O’Neal, Paul Keller, Tad Weed, Kurt Krahnke, Jon Hendricks, David “Fathead” Newman, Donald Walden, Cyrus Chesnut, Barry Harris, David Baker, Randy Johnston, Marion Hayden, Mose Allison, and a host of other great musicians.
Sean’s sound can best be described as hard-driving, solid rhythm with refreshing melodic sensibility. Some of Sean’s influences include Art Blakey, Jeff Hamilton, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ed Thigpen, Sonny Payne, and also Detroit area greats Gerald Cleaver and the one and only Elvin Jones. A product of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, Sean has stayed devoted to education throughout his life. Early mentor Louis Smith, an Ann Arbor Public Schools band teacher, impressed the importance of a good education upon Sean at an early age. Sean is known in his community as a band director, drum teacher and positive influence for many.

Kasan Belgrave and Session
2026-09-23 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-10-28 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm
Saxophonist Kasan Belgrave is a ascending talent newly emerging in the role of a compositional leader. His energetic playing style and improvisational finesse derives from influences of early bebop and jazz, as well flares of fusion and gospel. His musical prowess has more recently been shown through new innovative compositions.
The record “Dual Citizen” is an introductory reflection of Kasan’s own consciousness through experience of musical nurturing & professional practice from the Detroit jazz mentorship empire, led by his father, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. It provides a glimpse of Kasan’s endless curiousness of sonic ingenuity.
In the formative years of his career, that same mentorship was present in the musical institutions, as he studied with Andrew Bishop, Benny Green, and Robert Hurst at the University of Michigan then held an assistantship under the direction of Diego Rivera and Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University.
Kasan has toured as a multi-woodwind instrumentalist with Jazz @ Lincoln Center w/ Wynton Marsalis, performed in multiple residencies curated by Terri Lynn Carrington, performed with Karriem Riggins, and Etienne Charles. The 27-year-old multi-woodwind instrumentalist has also made rounds performing in every corner of the Detroit music scene, immersing himself in Latin, R&B, and techno.
Belgrave is just one of many who was nurtured in the realm. The lineup for “Dual Citizen” might be the most outright product of that very circle of mentorship. Bassist Jonathan Muir-Cotton, finishing his degree at MSU, is currently rotating in Christian Sands Trio; Louis Jones aka “WavyLou”, a gun-slinging drummer who has the likes of the Haynes’ and Roach’s, recently hit with ELEW and Johnny O’Neal in Detroit; Brendon Davis, a virtuosic voice on piano shortly studying with the great Chick Corea, is established in composition and arranging of the gospel scene ; the enigmatic Allen Dennard has a trailblazing trumpet sound, recently sharing stages with Dwele and Mike Phillips; and Michael Abbo, the genial menace on both trombone and bass, recently played with Johnny Oneal and Dafnis Prieto. The close fellowship of this group is a sentiment to the power of their sound as the Kasan Belgrave Sextet.

Ashton Moore presents THE STANDARD — Dinner & A Show
2026-09-24 19:30 - 21:30
Make a Reservation
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p for this performance. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Born and raised on Detroit’s west side, Ashton Nickolas Moore began his musical journey studying violin, piano, percussion and voice before continuing his education at Michigan State University, where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in jazz studies. That foundation in Detroit music and jazz would eventually become the starting point for a career reaching far beyond his hometown.
Moore has performed with celebrated musicians including Jon Hendricks, Rodney Whitaker, Wycliffe Gordon, Cyrus Chestnut, Christian McBride and Dianne Reeves, and has recorded and performed with Japanese recording artist Ken Hirai. In 2005, he appeared in two performances of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On Suite at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York. In 2008, Moore was selected to perform the national anthem during then-Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign stop in Lansing, Michigan.
Later that year, Moore relocated to Japan, beginning a chapter that would last more than a decade and profoundly expand his musical perspective. Working throughout the Tokyo area as a vocalist, recording artist, songwriter and vocal educator, he performed at prominent venues and international festivals throughout Asia. His group, The Ashton Moore Organization, co-headlined Taiwan’s Taichung Jazz Festival before an audience reported at approximately 40,000. His international work has also included appearances at Tokyo’s Blues Alley Japan, Body & Soul, and The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo, as well as extensive work alongside veteran keyboardist and bandleader Philip Woo.
Moore’s recorded work reflects the same range. His album The A.N.M. Music Factor was released in 2006, followed by Downtown with The Ashton Moore Organization in 2015, alongside additional recording and collaborative work.
Today, Moore brings those experiences back to where his story began: Detroit.
His current live production, The Standard, combines R&B, soul, jazz and contemporary music with storytelling, humor and personal experiences collected through years of performing and traveling. Rather than simply presenting a collection of songs, Moore uses the music to tell the story of where he has been, the musicians and communities that shaped him, and the standards—musical and otherwise—that he has carried home.
At its heart, The Standard is a Detroit artist returning home with a lifetime of music to share.

DICHI
2026-09-25 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-09-26 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
DICHI‘s influences span a wide variety of artists including George Benson, Nicholas Payton, Butcher Brown, Cannonball Adderley, and Kenny Garrett — even drawing inspiration from vocalists such as Bob Dylan. Whether delivering fiery solos or introspective ballads, they create an experience that resonates with jazz aficionados and newcomers alike.
Check our DICHI’s debut EP features five original tracks, Woodward Groove

Fonville x Fribush
2026-09-27 17:30 - 19:30
Make a Reservation
Performances are at 5:30p & 7:30p. Doors open at 4pm for dinner. Seating begins at 5pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 7pm.
Presale tickets available HERE
Fonville x Fribush is the brand new musical collaboration from acclaimed drummer Corey Fonville (Butcher Brown) and in-demand organist Sam Fribush. Like a hip-hop link up from the 90s, the pair’s collective ear, musical talents and friendship pushes the limits of the organ trio sound into a more youthful, tasty style of blue collar jazz. The trio features a rotating cast of guitarists, including Charlie Hunter, Alan Good Parker and Morgan Burrs. Songs like “I Couldn’t Love You More” and “Blue Chips” immerse audiences in Atlantic Coast soundscapes of their hometown roots in North Carolina and Virginia.
Corey Fonville climbed the ranks among the East Coast’s most sought-after drummers and producers for hip-hop, jazz and R&B in recent years. As a founding member of Butcher Brown, he’s performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk and toured the world, in addition to musical collaborations with ESPN and producing albums for artists like Ledesi, DJ Jazzy Jeff and more.
Sam Fribush is also one of the freshest young bandleaders and collaborators, known for his signature aesthetic and voice – a vintage 1957 C3 Hammond Organ. “Our intention is to take this music into the future,” Fribush says. “We’re trying to expand the rules about what organ trios can do.”
Listen to the debut Fonville x Fribush EP – ‘R&B Organ Trio’ featuring Charlie Hunter – out New Year’s Day, January 1, 2026. Fonville x Fribush will also drop their debut LP, ‘What Day Is It’ featuring Alan Good Parker, available exclusively on vinyl via WarHen Records.

Closed for a Private Event
2026-09-30

Spare Parts
2026-10-01 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-10-02 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-10-03 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.

“These guys squeeze more out of keyboards, bass and drums than any trio you’ll find
anywhere!” Russ Davis- Modern Jazz Radio (MOJA)
Spare Parts is an instrumental trio that pushes well beyond the jazz funk spectrum in which it thrives. Driven by vintage keyboards (Kevin Kozol), electric bass (Colin Scott) and drums (Mike Bruno), Spare Parts recalls the aesthetics of the analog era through a fresh and modern approach. Known for their hard hitting grooves, dynamic improvisation and collaborations with Chicago’s finest musicians, Spare Parts has won a loyal following over the years. The band has several releases on Ropeadope Records and has received accolades from across the industry including Ukvibe.org, Notreble.com, and Modern Jazz (MOJA) Radio. Spare Parts has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and beyond, while becoming a mainstay on the Chicago scene. From dive bars to prominent jazz clubs, theaters and festivals, Spare Parts has played countless shows and held several successful residencies. Members of the band have performed with Grammy winning artists Victor Wooten, Paul Wertico, and Michael Bolton, as well as Fareed Haque, Stephen Perkins, Lenny Pickett, Bill Dickens, Javon Jackson, George Brooks, Vikku Vinayakram, V. Selvaganesh and Garaj Mahal. Spare Parts has shared the stage with George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Snoop Dogg, Vulfpeck, George Porter Jr., The Wailers, Forq, Kneebody, The New Mastersounds,
Wayne Krantz, Chester Thompson, Alan Evans, Stanton Moore, and many more.
spareapartsmusic.com

Keigo Hirakawa Quartet
2026-10-04 17:30 - 19:30
Showtimes are at 5:30p & 7:30p. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 5pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 7pm.
Featuring:

Keigo Hirakawa – piano (@keigo_hirakawa)
Rafael Leafar – saxophone (@rafaelleafar313)
Josef Deas – bass (@josefdeas)
Nate Winn – drums (@ndw3)

Keigo Hirakawa Quartet celebrates the release of “Pixel” from Origin Records! Featuring Hirakawa (piano), Rafael Statin (saxophone), Robert Hurst (bass), and Alex White (drums), the Quartet explores original compositions written by the band members.

Over the period of 20 years as a professional jazz pianist and 7 full-length album appearances (3 as leader), Keigo Hirakawa has transformed himself from a student of the jazz masters to an artist with vision and unique sense of expressions. Though his engagements may include jazz clubs to music halls and jazz festivals, he takes the time to contribute to his home music scene through mentorship and appearances with up-and-coming talents. The jazz piano trio he leads is well-known throughout the Midwest for their willingness to be musically spontaneous on stage, exploring original compositions and redefining jazz standards to make it their own. Sought after for his articulate use of harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary and his leadership style on the bandstand, Hirakawa can be heard throughout the US and internationally.

The Ari and Cecil Alexander Quartet
2026-10-07 17:30 - 19:30
Showtimes are at 5:30p & 7:30p for this performance. Doors open at 4:00pm for dinner. Seating begins at 5pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 7pm.
“Husband-and-wife Cecil and Ari Alexander are a hugely gifted, multi-talented double act.” – Jazz Journal
Ari and Cecil Alexander’s decade long musical collaboration has been brought to stages across the world such as the Lincoln Center and the Copenhagen jazz festival. A finalist in the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition, Cecil has been hailed by Jazz Guitar Today as “carrying the torch into the future,” and by Jazzwise as “a superb guitarist in the bop tradition, with bags of taste, swing and chops.” Holding a Scandinavian sensitivity to an American tradition, Danish-American Ari Alexander is as equally a jazz musician as she is a singer-songwriter. She was inspired to pursue jazz by her vibrant musical family, including her grandmother and great-aunt, jazz vocalist Teddi King. Aarhus Jazz Festival described her 2025 performance as following: “Ari treats every note with great imagination, and especially her mastery and playful use of scat singing sets her apart from other jazz vocalists. Together, Ari and Cecil anchor a quartet and duo sound that is intimate, dynamic, and rhythmically alive. Their forthcoming album Kaleidoscope is set for release in April 2026, and it features acrobatic, energetic originals penned by Ari and Cecil as well as reconstructions of the Great American Songbook.

the Planet D Nonet
2026-10-08 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-10-09 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol 2. CD Release Events at Cliff Bell’s Jazz Club July 18, 19, 20, sets at 7:30pm & 9:30pm 2030 Park Ave Detroit, MI 48226 Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol 2. is a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Duke Ellington and follows the tremendous success of Planet D Nonet’s previous album, Blues to Be There: A Salute to Duke Ellington. Blues to Be There: A Salute to Duke Ellington (2023) performed exceptionally well, reaching #16 on the JazzWeek chart and surpassing PD9’s previous record with their Strayhorn CD, which peaked at #17 in 2016.

The album also topped the Roots Music Report Jazz and Big Band Jazz Chart for twenty-three consecutive weeks peaking at #1 on both charts. The album also enjoyed 15 weeks on the NACC Top 30 Jazz Chart, peaking at #1 overall. Garnering significant airplay, the recording appeared on national “Best of” lists, including LA-based writer Scott Yanow’s “THE TOP JAZZ RECORDINGS OF 2023,” the Michigan Roots Music Report’s Top 200 of 2023 (#4), and Eric Hines’s WNMC Radio list (#1). JazzWeek ranked it #55 in their top 100 of the year, while the NACC chart placed it at #11 for the year end chart. Most recently, it was listed in the top 30 of 2023 on CJAM-FM’s “The Freedom Principle.” Mike Stratton of WKAR in Lansing, MI included it in his top ten for 2023, and Paul Donovan at KUVO in Denver ranked it #7 in his top ten for 2023. An organic evolution of Volume 2. While touring for the previous CD, Planet D Nonet continued adding new charts to their repertoire, realizing by last summer they had enough material for Volume 2. The project evolved organically, with some songs drawn from the movie “Anatomy of a Murder,” performed during a special tour of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where Duke himself once played. James O’Donnell’s performances with the East Side Rhythm Rascals inspired the inclusion of “Echoes of Harlem” and “Azalea,” arranged by Jeff Cuny. Collaborations with Andrew Homzy and Jeff Cuny brought “Rocks in my Bed” from the Ellington collection at the Smithsonian, featuring the vocals of Camille Price. Tbone Paxton delivers a spirited rendition of “Caravan” using a head arrangement from their live gigs. Rick Steiger suggested “La Plus Belle Africaine,” showcasing Duke’s modern compositions toward the end of his career. Trevor Lamb arranged this track, highlighted by a special photo of him with Ellington bassist John Lamb. This project has been a profound experience, blending historical reverence with personal connections and contemporary interpretations. Artist: Planet D Nonet Album Name: Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol 2 Label: Eastlawn Records, ELD-42 https://rjspangler.com/pd9.php https://www.eastlawnrecords.com/index.php
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Straight Ahead
2026-10-10 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Out of Detroit’s lively jazz scene, which has produced some of the world’s greatest musicians, comes the Grammy-nominated jazz group Straight Ahead. Straight Ahead broke new ground for women in the recording industry as the first all-woman jazz band signed to a major record label- Atlantic Records. A group of strong, inventive instrumentalists and vocalists, they have shown themselves to be powerful and imaginative composers and arrangers. Featuring Alina Morr-piano, Marion Hayden- bass, Gayelynn McKinney- drums, Ingrid Racine- trumpet and Kymberli Wright- vocals Widely recognized for their eclectic and soulful approach to creating music, the Straight Ahead sound ranges comfortably from jazz, to Latin music and jazzy hip-hop. Their live performances are a dynamic celebration of power and joy with a wide range of musical textures, moods and tempos. The ensemble has shared the concert stage with a who’s who of the music world including: Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, George Duke, Ray Charles, the Yellowjackets, Dianne Reeves and Stanley Clark With 5 recordings to its credit, Straight Ahead has established itself as one of jazz’s most enduring and prolific groups. The group’s first two recordings for Atlantic Jazz “Look Straight Ahead” and “Body and Soul”, produced by legendary drummer/producer Lenny White, made the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart “Top 20”. “Dance of the Forest Rain” their evocative 3rd release for Atlantic, produced by Bob Belden, featured guest appearances by Kenny Garrett, Brazilian percussionist Guillerme Franco and guitarist Fareed Haque. “City Cuts” includes fresh takes on Stevie Wonder’s classic “You Got It Bad” and the Stylistics “People Make the World Go ‘Round”. The latest release, “Still Swinging” includes original works from the band as well as compositions from saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the late master percussionist/composer Roy Brooks. These Grammy-nominated recording artists have travelled extensively in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe garnering rave reviews. Joy, Power, Love, Wisdom…..Magic! This is the sound of what is to come. This is Straight Ahead!
Find out more here!

Straight Ahead
2026-10-11 17:30 - 19:30
Doors open at 4pm for dinner. Showtimes are at 5:30p & 7:30p for this performance. Seating for the shows begins at 4pm for the first show & 7pm for the second show.
Out of Detroit’s lively jazz scene, which has produced some of the world’s greatest musicians, comes the Grammy-nominated jazz group Straight Ahead. Straight Ahead broke new ground for women in the recording industry as the first all-woman jazz band signed to a major record label- Atlantic Records. A group of strong, inventive instrumentalists and vocalists, they have shown themselves to be powerful and imaginative composers and arrangers. Featuring Alina Morr-piano, Marion Hayden- bass, Gayelynn McKinney- drums, Ingrid Racine- trumpet and Kymberli Wright- vocals Widely recognized for their eclectic and soulful approach to creating music, the Straight Ahead sound ranges comfortably from jazz, to Latin music and jazzy hip-hop. Their live performances are a dynamic celebration of power and joy with a wide range of musical textures, moods and tempos. The ensemble has shared the concert stage with a who’s who of the music world including: Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, George Duke, Ray Charles, the Yellowjackets, Dianne Reeves and Stanley Clark With 5 recordings to its credit, Straight Ahead has established itself as one of jazz’s most enduring and prolific groups. The group’s first two recordings for Atlantic Jazz “Look Straight Ahead” and “Body and Soul”, produced by legendary drummer/producer Lenny White, made the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart “Top 20”. “Dance of the Forest Rain” their evocative 3rd release for Atlantic, produced by Bob Belden, featured guest appearances by Kenny Garrett, Brazilian percussionist Guillerme Franco and guitarist Fareed Haque. “City Cuts” includes fresh takes on Stevie Wonder’s classic “You Got It Bad” and the Stylistics “People Make the World Go ‘Round”. The latest release, “Still Swinging” includes original works from the band as well as compositions from saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the late master percussionist/composer Roy Brooks. These Grammy-nominated recording artists have travelled extensively in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe garnering rave reviews. Joy, Power, Love, Wisdom…..Magic! This is the sound of what is to come. This is Straight Ahead!
Find out more here!

Langston Kitchen's Mahogany Collective and Session
2026-10-14 19:30 - 21:30
Performances are at 7:30p & 9:30p. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6p for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9p.
Free admittance for all Musicians participating in the jam session

Born in Detroit, possessing familial roots in Harlem, and known for his big sound on the bass, Langston Marcelles Kitchen is the winner of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, Essentially Ellington Regional Best Musicianship Award, and the Detroit Jazz Festival Collegiate Combo Competition. He is a Geri Allen Fellow and jazz major at Michigan State University, under the tutelage of University Distinguished Professor of Jazz Bass and Director of Jazz Studies, Rodney Whitaker.

Within a short period of time, he has begun to master his instrument and has studied under some of the most respected jazz musicians, including Robert Hurst, Xavier Davis, Sean Dobbins, and Marcus Printup and has performed with Michael Dease, Dan Wilson, Xavier Davis, Walter Blanding, and Randy Napoleon. In the words of Louis Armstrong, “To jazz, or not to jazz, there is no question!” Kitchen loves jazz and is driven by his pursuit to play with conviction, purpose, and feeling. He has performed at Smalls Jazz Club, the Detroit Jazz Festival, Jazz Festival at Caramoor, East Lansing Summer Solstice, the Roxy Bar, City Opera House, the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, Cliff Bell’s, and Blue Llama Jazz Club. With the goals of becoming a touring musician and a distinguished professor, Kitchen continues to pursue his dreams and hopes to one-day help young musicians with the same spirit of reciprocity that his mentors share with him.

Aya Sekine Trio
2026-10-15 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30p & 9:30p. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Aya Sekine was born in Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture. Jazz pianist, improvisational musician, composer/arranger, educator, visual artist, and community practitioner. The Aya Sekine Trio features Detroit’s own Jaribu Shahid on bass and Jonathan Barahal Taylor on drums. The repertoire includes Aya’s original compositions written across different parts of the world(Singapore, Japan, NY) alongside deeply personal reinterpretations of jazz standards—approached with a strong narrative voice and rhythmic depth rooted in the Black music tradition, and her background as percussion player.
A pianist who captivates international audiences with his flexible and diverse playing style, described as “genre-bending,” while rooted in bebop and straight-ahead jazz. Rooted in the context of Black American music, she has built his own unique musical world through an expression that emphasizes rhythm, emotion, and the spur of the moment.
Growing up surrounded by music, art, and fashion, he spent a long time in Singapore due to his father’s job transfer. The sensibilities nurtured in the multicultural environment of Southeast Asia form the foundation of his current multifaceted expression. Influenced by his music-loving older brother, he became familiar with various types of music, playing percussion in a brass band and in a rock band before becoming devoted to highly improvisational music, while simultaneously beginning to listen to soul, funk, Motown, and blues.
After studying jazz at Berklee College of Music, she moved to New York in 1994 and became active in the diverse local music scene. Since 2002, she has been based in Singapore, where she is active in a wide range of fields including performance, education, and community building. She has made significant contributions to the development of the local jazz environment through the establishment of live music at the live music venue “Blu Jazz Cafe” and the founding of the non-profit organization We Love Jazz SG . She has also hosted the community-based improvisation workshop “Jungle Jam” for many years, creating a space for musical exchange that transcends genres and experience levels.
In 2019, her work related to International Jazz Day was recognized, and she was invited by the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and UNESCO to perform at the Global Host Celebration in Melbourne.
Since 2018, she has expanded her expressive domain to include visual arts, developing her inner emotions and thoughts into works of art.
In 2022, she left Singapore, obtained permanent residency in the United States as an EB-1 (Education for the Arts), and after a period of activity in Japan, moved to Detroit, Michigan, USA in 2024. Currently, she collaborates with prominent local musicians such as Wendell Harrison, performs at the Detroit Jazz Festival and various other festivals, and works as a workshop instructor. She also teaches at the Michigan State University Community Music School Detroit (CMSD).
She also established Double Strut LLC in Detroit, which handles management and label functions , and released the album “High!” as the improvisational duo Junk Jazz. He also runs “Ayaschool,” a series that focuses on the process before musicians present their work, and “Brazilian Music Study Club Detroit,” a platform for Brazilian music lovers that anyone can join, continuously developing practical spaces that focus on the process and improvisation of music.

Tariq Gardner's Evening Star
2026-10-16 19:30 - 21:30
Performances are at 7:30 pm& 9:30 pm. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Evening Star is a Space Odyssey led by Detroit Drummer and 2018 U of M SMTD graduate Tariq Gardner. The group has its roots in Detroit’s expansive musical tradition blending the city’s rich Jazz legacy. With its history of musicians being largely malleable to fit into a wide array of musical styles traveling to the different galaxies of music of the African Diaspora (jazz, neo-soul, Afro-Cuban, Traditional American Gospel, hip-hop etc.). Evening Star brings listeners light years into the cosmos while staying true to the roots of the Motherland.

Caleb Robinson and Reaching
2026-10-17 19:30 - 21:30
There will be two separate seatings at 7:30pm & 9:30pm for this performance. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Caleb Robinson and Reaching have fused the art of Jazz and R&B with their love for storytelling, creating music that embodies the unpredictable rhythms of life. Their passion and subtlety are seamlessly woven into their sound samples and visual samples. With a mission to break down barriers, Caleb Robinson and Reaching deliver a musical experience that reflects the ebbs and flows of life.

Paul King
2026-10-22 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-10-23 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Influenced heavily by the great jazz, swing and soul crooners, Paul King has created a classic sound of his own. Known for his smooth tone and sophisticated style, Paul and his band have a gift for making your evening special. His interesting song choices and wonderful vocal phrasing have been making dancers, jazz heads and casual listeners happy for decades.

Kasan Belgrave
2026-10-24 19:30 - 21:30
Showtimes are at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.
Saxophonist Kasan Belgrave is a ascending talent newly emerging in the role of a compositional leader. His energetic playing style and improvisational finesse derives from influences of early bebop and jazz, as well flares of fusion and gospel. His musical prowess has more recently been shown through new innovative compositions.
The record “Dual Citizen” is an introductory reflection of Kasan’s own consciousness through experience of musical nurturing & professional practice from the Detroit jazz mentorship empire, led by his father, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. It provides a glimpse of Kasan’s endless curiousness of sonic ingenuity.
In the formative years of his career, that same mentorship was present in the musical institutions, as he studied with Andrew Bishop, Benny Green, and Robert Hurst at the University of Michigan then held an assistantship under the direction of Diego Rivera and Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University.
Kasan has toured as a multi-woodwind instrumentalist with Jazz @ Lincoln Center w/ Wynton Marsalis, performed in multiple residencies curated by Terri Lynn Carrington, performed with Karriem Riggins, and Etienne Charles. The 27-year-old multi-woodwind instrumentalist has also made rounds performing in every corner of the Detroit music scene, immersing himself in Latin, R&B, and techno.
Belgrave is just one of many who was nurtured in the realm. The lineup for “Dual Citizen” might be the most outright product of that very circle of mentorship. Bassist Jonathan Muir-Cotton, finishing his degree at MSU, is currently rotating in Christian Sands Trio; Louis Jones aka “WavyLou”, a gun-slinging drummer who has the likes of the Haynes’ and Roach’s, recently hit with ELEW and Johnny O’Neal in Detroit; Brendon Davis, a virtuosic voice on piano shortly studying with the great Chick Corea, is established in composition and arranging of the gospel scene ; the enigmatic Allen Dennard has a trailblazing trumpet sound, recently sharing stages with Dwele and Mike Phillips; and Michael Abbo, the genial menace on both trombone and bass, recently played with Johnny Oneal and Dafnis Prieto. The close fellowship of this group is a sentiment to the power of their sound as the Kasan Belgrave Sextet.

Cyrus Chestnut
2026-10-25 17:30 - 19:30
Make a Reservation
Showtimes are at 5:30p & 7:30p. Doors open at 4:30pm for dinner. Seating begins at 5pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 7pm.
Pre-Sale Tickets Available HERE
Featuring:
Sean Dobbins, drums
Laura Simone, bass

Cyrus Chestnut is one of the most gifted and innovative jazz pianists of his generation. With a musical style that effortlessly combines the influences of gospel, classical music, and straight-ahead jazz, Chestnut has garnered acclaim from critics and peers alike for his soulful, virtuosic playing. His career spans decades of performances and recordings, establishing him as a pivotal figure in contemporary jazz.

Raised in the heart of Baltimore in a musical family, Chestnut’s gospel roots have been a key influence on his musical development. His father, a pianist, and his mother, a singer, were both deeply involved in the church, where Chestnut first encountered the powerful, emotional connection between music and spirituality. This early exposure to gospel music provided him with a rich, emotive foundation that continues to permeate his jazz performances, infusing them with a soulful, dynamic energy that resonates deeply with audiences. Chestnut has often described how the gospel tradition taught him not only how to play the piano but also how to connect with listeners on a deeper, more emotional level. He has said, “I want to spread some feel good… I want to be able to spread the feel good”—a sentiment that echoes the uplifting, transformative nature of gospel music.

Chestnut’s talent is further showcased in his most recent album, Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony, released on April 25, 2025, via HighNote Records. This piano quartet recording demonstrates his signature blend of rhythmic precision, emotive expression, and improvisational mastery. Joined by saxophonist Stacy Dillard, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Chris Beck, Chestnut continues to push boundaries with his original compositions, which form the core of this album. The album adds to his already impressive discography, which includes critically acclaimed works like Kaleidoscope and My Father’s Hands.
