Doors & bar at 7 - Music at 7:30 - $30 in advance - $35 at the door - Seated listening room show
Led by artist, vocalist, and the late trumpeter's wife Joan Belgrave, this ensemble celebrates the music of the Maestro himself, a Kresge Eminent Artist and Michigan Jazz Master: Marcus Belgrave. His compositions will be presented as arranged by his longtime friend and accomplished composer, Cassius Richmond.
For over 50 years, Marcus Belgrave nurtured and guided the incredible music community of Detroit, where his priority was to provide a platform for young musicians to shine. By doing this, he left an incredible legacy of performers and students, who have themselves now become mentors.
THE ALL-STAR ENSEMBLE:
Joan Belgrave on vocals, Marion Hayden on bass, Dwight Adams on trumpet, Houston Patton on alto sax, Jeffrey Trent on tenor sax, Zen Zadravec on piano, and Gayelynn McKinney on drums.
Joan Belgrave on vocals, with Marion Hayden on the drums. Also featuring Marcus Belgrave, Vincent Bowens, Bill Meyer, & Gayelynn McKinney.
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About the artists:
JOAN BELGRAVE- VOCALS
Joan Belgrave, is a two-time Grammy considered vocalist, songwriter, Music and Film producer. Joan is amultiple Detroit Music Award winner. In 2023 she joined the legendary WJZZ Detroit Jazz Radio station as an On Air Radio &TV Host. Her weekly WJZZ radio show (Monday’s from 5-8pm EST) “GROOVIN with JOAN BELGRAVE” is a “STAND OUT”. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as she shares music from her personal jazz legend colleagues as well as the music of today. An example of her music production prowess is that of a sold-out New York Winter Jazz Festival event featuring herself, alongside jazz legends, Ron Carter, Sheila Jordan, Louis Hayes, Karriem Riggins, Robert Hurst, Johnny O’Neal and more.
Learn more on her website
MARION HAYDEN - BASS
Born in Detroit, MI, a crucible of jazz, Marion Hayden is one of the nation’s finest proponents of the acoustic bass. Mentored by master trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, Hayden began performing jazz at the age of 15. She has performed with such diverse luminaries as Bobby McFerrin, Nancy Wilson, Geri Allen, Regina Carter, Steve Turre, Lester Bowie, David Allen Grier, James Carter, Dorothy Donegan, Joe Williams, Lionel Hampton, Frank Morgan, Jon Hendricks, Hank Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Larry Willis, Vanessa Rubin, Sheila Jordan, Mulgrew Miller, Annie Ross and many others. She is a co-founder of the touring jazz ensemble Straight Ahead- the first all woman jazz ensemble signed to Atlantic Records. She is a member of the Detroit International Jazz Festival All-Star Ambassadors touring ensemble.
Read more on her website
DWIGHT ADAMS - TRUMPET
Trumpeter Dwight Adams’ musical training came later in life, not beginning until he joined his Detroit High School Band during his junior year. With a great deal of natural talent and hard work, he landed a gig as a member of fellow Detroiter Teddy Harris’ New Breed Bebop Society at the age of 16.
Adams earned a full scholarship to Kentucky State University, where he majored in music education and performance. He has since played and recorded with musicians including Marcus Belgrave, Rodney Whitaker, James Carter, Shawn Wallace, and Donald Walden, and tours with Stevie Wonder. He has served as a jazz trumpet instructor at both The Ohio State University and Michigan State University and performs with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra.
HOUSTON PATTON - ALTO SAX
Houston Patton is an up-and-coming jazz musician, born and raised in the Metro Detroit area. Following in the footsteps of his father, Houston began playing the saxophone at a very young age. Under the mentorship and tutelage of saxophonists such as Harry Patton, Daryl Beebe, Jordan Vanhemert, Wendell Harrison, and Andrew Bishop, Houston has explored many genres ranging from gospel to hard bop.
Most notably, Houston often performs with Kevin Jones & Tenth World, and a host of Detroit and West Michigan Groups. Fresh out of his time spent in New York, Houston was able to perform with Winard Harper, and also with J.C Hopkins at Mintons Playhouse.
JEFFREY TRENT - TENOR SAX
Jeffrey Trent is a young lion that has learned his craft through the strong lineage of Detroit jazz musicians. This young man has vast areas of music he specializes in from bebop to hip hop and also rhythm & blues.
GAYELYNN MCKINNEY - DRUMS
Gayelynn is one of America’s great drummers. She has performed at the 1996 Olympic Games and at The Kennedy Center. She has received a Grammy Nomination, a Kresge Arts Fellowship, a Motor City Music Award, and a Detroit Black Music Award. And there’s much more.
Gayelynn has performed on the CBS, CNN, PBS, and BET television networks. She has also been featured in magazines like Billboard and Elle.
Gayelynn has played for Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Martha Reeves, Freda Payne, Roy Ayers, Marcus Belgrave, Sonny Fortune, Stanley Turrentine, Barbara Morrison, and Benny Golson. And her band has opened for music legends like Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, and Nancy Wilson.
Learn more on her website
ZEN ZADRAVEC - PIANO
Zen Zadravec, jazz pianist, saxophonist, and composer views all music as a form of creative communication. The goal is to create music based on human experience. It is also to absorb as much music as possible to develop through the lens of Humanism based on the philosophies of Nichiren Buddhism. Ultimately, Zadravec strives to create music that inspires, encourages, and touches people’s hearts.
Born in Winnipeg, Canada in 1974, Zadravec studied classical piano from the age of five. At eleven he began studying the saxophone and the flute. Hearing Miles Davis transformed his life and influenced his decision to become a jazz musician. In 1992, Zadravec attended York University’s Jazz Program and in 1997 he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
During his time at York, he was also the recipient of two Oscar Peterson Awards for excellence as a jazz pianist. In 2000, he earned a Graduate’s Degree in Jazz Performance at Rutgers University. Zadravec also has studied with some of the biggest names in jazz such as: Kenny Barron, Don Thompson, John Gittens, Vic Juris, Ted Dunbar and Ralph Bowen.
Versatile, creative, energetic, and dynamic, Zen is constantly experimenting and refining his sound and musical conception through concerts, recordings, and education. A natural innovator and leader, he runs two of his own bands: the Zen Zadravec Quartet and his fusion group Human Revolution. Conceptually, his music is always exploring beautiful melodies, interesting chord progressions, and rhythmic diversity.
Zadravec is also very much in demand as a side man and has performed or recorded with: Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Karriem Riggins, Ali Jackson, Mike Pope, Mark Whitfield Jr., Bijon Watson, Mark Gross, Derrick Gardner, Vincent Gardner, Todd Bashore, Kenny Davis, Steve Turre, Ralph Bowen, Sean Jones, Conrad Herwig, Freddie Hendrix, Don Thompson, Barry Elmes, Mike Murley, Lorne Lofsky, Charles Fambrough, Valery Ponomarev, Dave Watson, Darryl Dixon, Gloria Gaynor, Joan Rivers, Bob Newhart, Sally Kellerman, among others. Zen has also performed on the Whoopi Goldberg Radio Show on WKTU in New York, Wendy Williams Show, and The Today Show with Gloria Gaynor on NBC with Kathie-Lee Gifford.
Learn more on his website