About Detroit Jazz

Past and present, there is no other city that’s fostered jazz talent like Detroit. A truly remarkable amount of significant players have come from this great American city – and it continues to generate world class talent today.

As a player, I sometimes forget the amount of talent this city offers, until I travel to another town and realize the best players in the world were right there in my hometown. For the listener, these great players are usually free of cover charge and – all too often – taken for granted by most of us that live here.

But a polished and fine-sounding band isn’t the only thing to look for in Detroit. This is a training ground, and future greats can be heard learning their craft in jam sessions with remarkable rhythm sections and local legends spurring them on. And the guy who couldn’t play on Cherokee last week might just be the next Kenny Garrett, Elvin Jones, Betty Carter, or Barry Harris in the making (those are just a few of the many Detroiters you may be familiar with – check the Detroit Roster page for many more). And it’s a great experience to be sitting in front of musicians who are challenging themselves and growing every week. Furthermore, by supporting live jazz with your patronage, you are stretching the very canvas these artists need in order to create, and you are continuing the Detroit jazz legacy by doing so.

It is the intention of this blog to bring awareness to the world – and Detroiters, too – that great music has been created here and continues to be heard in this town every night of the week. Even if you don’t live here, you might find that a transplanted or traveling Detroit jazz artist is playing in your town tonight!

But wherever you are, and whoever is playing, go out there and enjoy live jazz – because without an audience, it’s just a rehearsal.

Got a story to tell about a performance you saw last night (or 50 years ago)? Tell us about it. Can you recommend an upcoming event, or a Detroit jazz musician’s recordings? Let us know.

Anything having to do with Detroit jazz is encouraged and welcomed. So bring it on!