DJF Virtual Once Again

By Lars Bjorn

The 2021 Detroit Jazz Festival has finally settled on a virtual format for this year’s festival.

The lineup of artists is roughly the same as the previously announced live Festival (please see schedule below).

You can enjoy the performances in a number of ways: live-streamed via the festival’s Facebook Live page, or on YouTube, via the Detroit Jazz Fest LIVE! app and their webpage.  There will also be broadcasts on Detroit A&E Channel 22, WDET 101.9 FM, WEMU 89.1 FM and WRCJ 90.9 FM.

Opening night will feature Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Woodshed Network, Matthew Whitaker Quartet and Herbie Hancock. Highlights on the following three days are Philly born pianist Kenny Barron’s Trio on Saturday followed by a tribute to the birth of Hip Hop, Kurt Elling and Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6.

On Sunday you can enjoy the Anat Cohen Tentet, a celebration of Dave Brubeck’s 100th Anniversary, Detroit born alto player Kenny Garrett, and a duet with Dee Dee Bridgewater and the fabulous pianist Bill Charlap, the equally great singer Gregory Porter, and Dave Holland’s AZIZA group with saxophonist Chris Potter.

Labor Day’s main acts are a celebration of Charlie Parker 100 with altoist Rudresh Mahanthappa and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, Dee Dee with a big band, and three pianists: Bob James (with clarinetist extraordinaire Eddie Daniels, Monty Alexander, and our own Zen Zadravec.

We fervently hope that the 2022 Detroit Jazz Festival will be live in a virus-free context.

Friday 3 September

6:30
2021 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Woodshed Network

8:00
Matthew Whitaker Quartet

9:10
Herbie Hancock

Saturday 4 September

11:35 a.m.
Collegiate Combo Competition Winner – L Stop

12:40
Etienne Charles & Creole Soul

1:45
Alicia Olatuja – “Intuition: Songs From The Minds Of Women”

2:50
Kenny Barron Trio

4:00
Keyon Harrold presents Jazz and the Birth of Hip Hop with special guests Black Milk, Georgia Anne Muldrow & Chris “Daddy” Dave

5:10
Omar Sosa & the Havana-Detroit Jazz Project

6:55
Kurt Elling’s The Big Blind featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater and Allan Harris: A Jazz Radio Play written by Kurt Elling & Phil Galdston

9:00
Jerry Bergonzi Quintet

10:10
The Summit: The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6

11:25
David Binney Angeleno Group

Sunday 5 September

11:30 a.m.
Scott Gwinell Jazz Orchestra

12:35
Randy Napoleon Quartet

1:40
Sean Jones’ Dizzy Spellz featuring Brinae Ali

2:55
Michael Mayo

4:00
Anat Cohen Tentet with Musical Director Oded Lev-Ari

5:10
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet: 100th Anniversary of Dave Brubeck featuring Jerry Bergonzi – Performance and Tribute

6:35
Kenny Garrett and Sounds From The Ancestors

7:45
2021 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater with Bill Charlap

8:50
Gregory Porter

10:00
AZIZA featuring Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, and Eric Harland

11:15
Play!

Monday 6 September

11:30 a.m.
Brandon Rose & Soul Therapy

12:35
Dave Sharpe Worlds Quartet

1:40
Keyon Harrold with the Collegiate Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra

2:55
Tyson Haynes

4:00
Celebrating Bird @100 Co-Music directors: Rudresh Mahanthappa & Terri Lyne Carrington

5:10
Pamela Wise Ensemble

6:20
2021 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater with Big Band

7:35
Eddie Daniels and Bob James; Exploring New Worlds

8:45
Monty Alexander – HKX

9:55
Jimmy Greene Quintet

11:00
Zen Zadravec