Comerica Bank and the Detroit Public Library are kicking off their annual Comerica Java & Jazz: A Coffee House Series March 21 at the Detroit Public Library, Clara Stanton Jones Friends Auditorium. For the next five months, the community is invited to spend one Tuesday night each month listening to the smooth sounds of Detroit jazz and enjoying coffee free of charge.
The free monthly concerts take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., every third Tuesday of the month from March through July. The Detroit Public Library, Clara Stanton Jones Friends Auditorium is located at 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
The complete 2017 schedule is as followss:
Straight Ahead:
Tuesday, March 21 - 6 p.m.
The women of Straight Ahead are powerful and imaginative composers and arrangers in the music industry. Widely recognized for their eclectic and soulful approach to creating music, their sound ranges comfortably from mainstream jazz and R&B ballads to Brazilian funk.
Sean Dobbins:
Tuesday, April 18 ¬- 6 p.m.
The Sean Dobbins Organ Quartet is a high energy ensemble that derives its repertoire from composers such as Victor Feldman, Lonnie Smith and Ray Bryant among others. The ensemble's unique sound and creative approach provides a very exciting musical experience.
Ali Bey Quartet:
Tuesday, May 16 - 6 p.m.
The Motor City Fusion movement, the new Detroit jazz funk, is being championed by Ali Bey on bass guitar and his three companions -- Timothy Omar Stroud on drums, Larry Andrews on lead guitar and Kasan Belgrave on alto saxophone.
Audrey Northington:
Tuesday, June 20 - 6 p.m.
Audrey Branham Northington sings opera, gospel and the blues, but is best known for her Scat. She currently performs as the "Scat Diva" at the historic Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit and Bert's Place in Eastern Market.
The Affair Group:
Tuesday, July 18 - 6 p.m.
Smooth jazz saxophonist Nick Stone, vocalist Stacey "Antimony" Barrett and guitar soloist Lofruance Harper together are The Affair Group!
For more information, visit http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/
