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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Blue LLama
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260903T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260903T220000
DTSTAMP:20260828T155509Z
CREATED:20260716T180427Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260828T155509Z
UID:10000363-1788462000-1788472800@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Max Bowen Quartet ft. Kam Ogden
DESCRIPTION:Thurs | Sept 3	\n\n	Set at 7pm & 8:30pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Max Bowen is a jazz guitarist based in southeast Michigan. Born and raised in Ann Arbor\, Max is an alumnus of Community High School’s award-winning jazz program. After receiving a BA in Philosophy from Lawrence University\, Max lived in Milwaukee where he performed with the WAMI nominated Match Stick\, the hip-hop collective Ruby Yacht and his trio. As part of Ruby Yacht\, Max opened for Future Islands during their 2017 North American tour. Returning to Ann Arbor in fall 2017\, Max completed a Masters of Music at the University of Michigan studying under Miles Okazaki. \nSince re-settling in Michigan\, Max has performed and/or recorded with Detroit luminaries such as Vincent Chandler\, Marion Hayden\, Leonard King\, and Musique Noire. Additionally\, Max teaches guitar privately\, focusing on music theory and improvisation. \nLineup:\nMax Bowen- Guitar\nHarry McComb- Sax\nKam Ogden- Vocals\nJoe Fee- Bass\nJon Blanchette- Drums\n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/max-bowen-1/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260904T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260904T220000
DTSTAMP:20260715T151742Z
CREATED:20260715T151742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260715T151742Z
UID:10000357-1788548400-1788559200@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Erinn Alexis' Huron Collective
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Sep 4	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Erinn Alexis is a saxophonist\, composer\, educator\, and bandleader hailing from Detroit\, MI. A graduate of Wayne State University with a degree in Jazz Performance\, Erinn’s musical background is heavily steeped in the traditions of Detroit music. She grew up honing her skills by playing saxophone in church and continued to grow throughout her journey under such mentors as Wendell Harisson\, Marcus Belgrave\, and Ralphe Armstrong. \nErinn Alexis brings a soulful musicality to every performance\, drawing from the traditions of gospel and jazz while infusing her own modern voice. Erinn performs regularly with her quartet\, delivering engaging sets that resonate with the audiences at local venues such as The Congregation Detroit\, Moondog Cafe\, and Miss Eva’s. She is a member of several ensembles including the Dr. Prof. Leonard King Orchestra\, Dee Dee Bridgewater Big Band\, Jessica Care Moore’s Black Women Rock and the Ferndale Community Concert Band. \nErinn Alexis’ latest project\, The Huron Collective\, is a collection of original compositions inspired by the natural beauty of Northern Michigan. Through this work\, Erinn channels her creative journey and experiences in a way that most authentically reflects her artistic voice as both a saxophonist and composer. “The Huron Collective” features Ingrid Racine on trumpet\, Barry Chambliss II on piano\, Sam Copperman on bass\, and\, special guest\, Brandon Williams on drums.” \nErinn Alexis – Saxophones\nIngrid Racine – Trumpet\nBarry Chambliss II – Piano/Keys\nSam Copperman – Bass\nCaleb Robinson – Drums\n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/erinn-alexis-huron-collective/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260905T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260905T213000
DTSTAMP:20260709T200903Z
CREATED:20260709T200903Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T200903Z
UID:10000352-1788634800-1788643800@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Isis Damil
DESCRIPTION:Sat | Sep 5	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Isis Damil is a Detroit-bred singer-songwriter whose artistry lives at the intersection of soul\, spirituality\, and self-definition. Anchored by fiery mezzo-soprano vocals and wrapped in jazzy R&B textures\, her music explores love\, intuition\, and feminine power with both tenderness and authority. Each song reflects her evolution-not just as an artist\, but as a woman deeply attuned to her inner world. \nCommanding and magnetic on stage\, Isis transforms performance into ritual. Inspired by the legacy and modernity of artists such as Tina Turner\, Chaka Khan\, Prince\, she creates music that invites women to untame their inner spirit animals\, trust their instincts\, and redefine femininity on their own terms. Her presence is immersive\, her delivery fearless\, and her artistry unmistakably her own. \nRaised by musicians\, Isis has been singing since childhood\, with her professional journey beginning in 2012 at Detroit’s legendary Baker’s Keyboard Lounge. Since then\, she has shared stages with acclaimed artists including Macy Gray\, Darren Criss\, Raheem DeVaughn\, Brian McKnight\, J. Moss\, Don Was\, and Dave McMurray. Her performances span iconic venues and festivals such as the Detroit Jazz Festival\, Concert of Colors\, Arts\, Beats & Eats\, African World Festival\, the Detroit Institute of Arts\, Motor City Sound Board\, Masonic Temple\, Cliff Bell’s\, and the 50th International African Arts Festival in Brooklyn\, NY. \nBeyond the stage\, Isis’s artistry extends into screen and storytelling. She was featured in a national 2020 Ford Escape commercial\, as well as WDIV Local 4’s Go 4 It campaign\, where she was named a 2023 competition winner. In 2021\, she starred as the lead actress in The True Meaning of Christmas\, a musical stage play written by Christopher Laird\, and earned 3rd place in AMPLIFY: The Sound of Detroit. \nA graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications\, Isis Damil is also an instrumentalist\, host\, and actress-an artist whose work is rooted in intention\, legacy\, and the courage to be fully seen. \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/isis-damil-2/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260906T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260906T203000
DTSTAMP:20260803T184700Z
CREATED:20260803T184700Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260803T184700Z
UID:10000386-1788717600-1788726600@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Paul Vornhagen Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Sun | Sep 6	\n\n	Sets 6pm & 7:30pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	“On the recent Paul Vornhagen Quartet release recorded live at the Blue LLama Jazz Club\, Vornhagen has a cool tone on tenor\, swinging away…and also an impressive flute player.” -LOS ANGELES JAZZ SCENE \nPaul VornHagen is an accomplished jazz saxophonist\, flutist\, and vocalist who has won Detroit Music Awards on six separate occasions and categories: Jazz Reeds\, Talent Deserving Wider Recognition\, Instrumentalist\, World Music Recording (2) and Jazz Recording.  Presently living in Ann Arbor\, Michigan where  Paul got his start on the flute in 1972 performing with the University of Michigan dance department as an accompanist.  Mostly self-taught initially\, he studied music at  City College Of San Francisco in 1978-79 followed by classes at the Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor.  He has since traveled far and wide from the shores of Hawaii and Mexico to the jazz clubs of San Francisco\, Chicago\, New York City\, Havana (Cuba)\, Paris (France)\, England and the US Virgin Islands. \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/paul-vornhagen-quartet-4/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260909T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260909T213000
DTSTAMP:20260820T185814Z
CREATED:20260805T184546Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T185814Z
UID:10000388-1788980400-1788989400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Date Night: Jacob Hart Piano Duo
DESCRIPTION:Wed | Sep 9	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 8pm | Free Cover! \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	This September\, join us for dinner\, or date night\, with Date Night Wednesdays at Blue LLama. Enjoy no cover\, our full dinner menu\, plus a special $95 Dinner for Two with your choice of 1 appetizer\, 2 entrees\, and 1 dessert to share. \nJacob Hart is a 17-year-old multi downbeat award-winning pianist\, composer\, and arranger\, hailing from Detroit\, Michigan. He has performed at the Michigan Jazz Festival\,  the Detroit Jazz Festival\, and the Toledo-Peacock jazz festival\, with artists like Herlin Riley\, Ryan Devlin\, and others. Jacob has opened for several famous jazz artists such as Herbie Hancock\, Branford Marsalis\, and Terence Blanchard. He has also performed at several known jazz clubs in the area\, including Baker’s Keyboard Lounge\, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe\, the Blue Llama\, and Cliff Bell’s. Hart is a student at the esteemed Detroit School of Arts and also takes part in many Detroit jazz programs\, such as the DSO Civic Jazz Orchestra and the MSU Spartan Youth Jazz Program. On top of all of this\, Jacob is releasing his second album\, “Short Circuit” in the near future\, so stay on the look out! \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/jacob-hart-piano-duo-3/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260910T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260910T213000
DTSTAMP:20260825T184108Z
CREATED:20260726T164042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T184108Z
UID:10000366-1789066800-1789075800@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Two James Spirits Dinner & Show with Evening Star
DESCRIPTION:Thurs | Sep 10	\n\n	Doors 5:30pm | Dinner 6pm | Show 8:30pm | $125 Ticket \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Enjoy a special five-course collaboration dinner from Blue LLama and Two James Spirits\, capped off by a live set from Evening Star! \n5:30pm – Doors\n6:00pm – Five-course dinner\, each course paired with a Two James cocktail\n8:30pm – Evening Star takes the stage\nEvening Star is led by Detroit drummer Tariq Gardner\, playing music of the African Diaspora – jazz\, neo-soul\, Afro-Cuban\, spirituals\, and hip-hop – with an Afro-futuristic sound built on original compositions and reworked classics from the Black American songbook. The group were 2025 finalists in WDET’s Sounds Like Detroit showcase and continue to tour nationally behind their releases Gateway Drug and Vice Tape. \n$125 includes five courses\, five drink pairings\, and your music cover. \nAbout the Menu\nFive courses\, each paired with a Two James Spirits cocktail:\n\nHamachi Crudo – umeboshi\, cucumber\npaired with: Old Cockney Gin “Tonic”\nSeared Scallop – fennel\, bouillabaisse sauce\npaired with: Nain Rouge Absinthe “Chrysanthemum”\nDuck Breast – roasted pineapple\, vanilla\npaired with: Dr. Bird Rum “Daiquiri”\nGail Force Citrus Gin sorbet intermezzo\nGrilled New York Strip – Stoney Creek Farms mushrooms\npaired with: J. Riddle Peated Bourbon “Boulevardier”\nOpera Cake\npaired with: Coffee Liqueur “Martini”\n\nAbout the Artist\nEvening Star is a Space Odyssey led by Detroit Drummer 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\, spirituals\, hip-hop\, etc.). Evening Star brings listeners light years into the cosmos while staying true to the roots of the Motherland. The band has an afro-futuristic aesthetic with the mission that simply makes music the forefront of positive outlets with original compositions as well as arrangements on popular songs from the Black American Canon. In 2025\, they became finalists in NPR Detroit’s ( WDET) Sounds Like Detroit contest and music Showcase.\nEvening Star currently has two releases: Their 2023 freshman project\, “Gateway Drug\,” and their 2024 Sophomore project\, “Vice Tape\,” featuring poet Joel “Fluent” Greene. They are currently performing festivals nationwide and looking forward to the recording of their third release. \nTariq Gardner – Drums\nCaelin Amin – Bass\nLeRoy Mickens – Piano\nMax Bowen – Guitar\nColeman Ward – Vocals\n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/evening-star/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260911T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260911T220000
DTSTAMP:20260810T170629Z
CREATED:20260630T134424Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T170629Z
UID:10000343-1789153200-1789164000@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Tyreek McDole
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Sep 11	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm\n$95 Dinner & Show\n$50 Cover Only\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Tyreek McDole is a multi-award-winning Haitian-American vocalist from Central Florida whose soulful baritone and deeply reflective artistry are making waves across the New York and international music scenes. Rooted in the belief that music is one of the highest forms of communication\, McDole approaches performance as a space for healing\, reflection\, and collective dreaming – treating each concert as both offering and ritual.\nHe first gained national recognition at the 2018 Essentially Ellington Competition at Jazz at Lincoln Center\, where he received the Outstanding Vocalist Award presented by Wynton Marsalis. In 2023\, he won first place at the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition\, becoming only the second male winner in the competition’s history and joining the ranks of standout vocalists such as Samara Joy.\nSince then\, McDole has shared the stage with Jeff Goldblum\, Rodney Whitaker\, Theo Croker\, Maurice Brown\, Joey Alexander\, Terri Lyne Carrington\, Nicholas Payton\, and Nick Jonas\, among many others\, and has appeared at leading venues and festivals worldwide.\nA graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music\, he developed his craft under the mentorship of master artists such as Gary Bartz\, Sullivan Fortner and Weedie Braimah\, grounding his sound in the lineage of Black American Music while pushing its language forward.\nHis critically acclaimed debut album\, Open Up Your Senses\, blends original compositions with freedom songs\, spirituals\, and works that speak to justice\, unity\, and ancestral memory. The record reached #1 on JazzWeek charts\, earned four stars from DownBeat\, and has been praised for its emotional depth and spiritual resonance.\nWith a voice steeped in warmth\, gravity\, and soul\, McDole creates performances that are both intimate and expansive – honoring tradition while inviting listeners toward reflection\, healing\, and shared imagination.\nThis is not simply a concert\, but a healing space – a ritual and an invitation to open your senses.\nHe wishes you peace\, love\, and light.\n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/tyreek-mcdole/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260912T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260912T213000
DTSTAMP:20260709T200942Z
CREATED:20260709T200942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T200942Z
UID:10000353-1789237800-1789248600@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Sean Dobbins & The Collegiate Collage
DESCRIPTION:Sat | Sep 12	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	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. Sean is a professor of music in jazz studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Dobbins got his start as a sought-after Detroit-area jazz sideman at a young age\, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. Dobbin’s sound can best be described as hard-driving\, solid rhythm with refreshing melodic sensibility. Some of his influences include Art Blakey\, Jeff Hamilton\, Sonny Payne\, Ed Thigpen\, and Detroit-area greats Gerald Cleaver and Elvin Jones.  \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/sean-dobbins-the-collegiate-collage-2/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260913T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260913T203000
DTSTAMP:20260819T152835Z
CREATED:20260720T175458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T152835Z
UID:10000370-1789322400-1789331400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Joaquin Moore: There and Back Again
DESCRIPTION:Sun | Sep 13	\n\n	Sets 6pm & 7:30pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	There and Back Again features the sounds of Joaquin Moore Galvan on saxophone\, Milo Stout on piano\, Daphne Titterington on bass\, and Max Welterlen on drums. The quartet\, made up of University of Michigan students\, is a collaborative effort that seeks to showcase their compositions and arrangements of jazz\, R&B\, and pop standards. Perfect for a fun and engaging night of music for everyone! \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/joaquin-moore-there-and-back-again/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260916T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260916T213000
DTSTAMP:20260820T185518Z
CREATED:20260805T184338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T185518Z
UID:10000360-1789585200-1789594200@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Date Night: Jacob Hart Piano Duo
DESCRIPTION:Wed | Sep 16	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 8pm | Free Cover! \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	This September\, join us for dinner\, or date night\, with Date Night Wednesdays at Blue LLama. Enjoy no cover\, our full dinner menu\, plus a special $95 Dinner for Two with your choice of 1 appetizer\, 2 entrees\, and 1 dessert to share. \nJacob Hart is a 17-year-old multi downbeat award-winning pianist\, composer\, and arranger\, hailing from Detroit\, Michigan. He has performed at the Michigan Jazz Festival\,  the Detroit Jazz Festival\, and the Toledo-Peacock jazz festival\, with artists like Herlin Riley\, Ryan Devlin\, and others. Jacob has opened for several famous jazz artists such as Herbie Hancock\, Branford Marsalis\, and Terence Blanchard. He has also performed at several known jazz clubs in the area\, including Baker’s Keyboard Lounge\, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe\, the Blue Llama\, and Cliff Bell’s. Hart is a student at the esteemed Detroit School of Arts and also takes part in many Detroit jazz programs\, such as the DSO Civic Jazz Orchestra and the MSU Spartan Youth Jazz Program. On top of all of this\, Jacob is releasing his second album\, “Short Circuit” in the near future\, so stay on the look out! \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/jacob-hart-piano-duo/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://bluellamaclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/jacob-hart.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260917T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260917T213000
DTSTAMP:20260828T153804Z
CREATED:20260828T153804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260828T153804Z
UID:10000405-1789671600-1789680600@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Thur | Sep 17	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 8:30pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Recognized in the Jazz Times Critic’s Poll\, the DAVE SHARP WORLDS QUARTET masterfully blends rhythms\, sounds\, and textures from across the globe with world music inspired original compositions. Featuring oud\, violin\, electric bass\, synthesizer and world percussion\, the WORLDS QUARTET is fueled by the spirit of jazz\, world music and dynamic exploratory improvisation. Bassist\, composer\, and bandleader Dave Sharp leads the WORLDS QUARTET to explore music traditions from Armenia\, India\, Turkey\, Egypt\, Ukraine\, Bulgaria and Greece. \nThe quartet has performed live at the JazzAscona Festival (Switzerland)\, the Detroit International Jazz Festival\, the Lansing Jazz Fest\, the Concert of Colors (Detroit)\, the Ann Arbor Summer Festival\, the Bach Music Festival (Kalamazoo)\, the Lansing Harmony Celebration and the Rasa Indian Arts Festival (Ann Arbor)\, as well as intimate venues such as the Alluvion (Traverse CIty) Kerrytown Concert House (Ann Arbor)\, Blue LLama Jazz Club\, Music Hall Jazz Cafe (Detroit)\, the Blue LLama Jazz Club (Ann Arbor) UrbanBeat Events Center (Lansing)\, the North Star Lounge (Ann Arbor) and the Riverfolk Music and Arts Blacksmith Shop Concert Series in Manchester. \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/dave-sharp-worlds-quartet/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260918T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260918T183000
DTSTAMP:20260831T182903Z
CREATED:20260821T161854Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T182903Z
UID:10000403-1789747200-1789756200@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Swing Happy Hour: Kerrytown Stompers
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Sep 18	\n\n	5:00 – 6:30pm | No Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	The Kerrytown Stompers are thrilled to return to the Blue Llama Jazz Club to bring Swingin’ “Hot Jazz”\, performed by an All-Star Sextet. Specializing in Early Jazz from 1917 to 1940\, you will hear\, see and feel the reason this music has become so important in American culture. This music is instantly uplifting and fun. Not to be missed! \nDave Kosmyna- cornet\nRay Heitger- clarinet\nChris Smith- trombone\nChris Tabaczynski- bass saxophone\nAlex Belhaj- guitar\nPete Siers- drums\, washboard\n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/swing-happy-hour-kerrytown-stompers-10/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260918T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260918T213000
DTSTAMP:20260825T203953Z
CREATED:20260716T182902Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T203953Z
UID:10000365-1789758000-1789767000@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Vincent Chandler Experience
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Sep 18	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Vincent Chandler is an American jazz trombonist\, composer\, arranger\, educator\, conductor\, and scat singer from Detroit\, Michigan. He is recognized as one of the leading figures in Detroit’s contemporary jazz scene and has built a career that combines performance\, teaching\, composition\, and jazz preservation. \nChandler earned both a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Studies and a Master of Music in Improvisation from the University of Michigan\, where he studied with notable jazz artists including Donald Walden and Geri Allen. He has taught jazz at several universities\, including Michigan State University\, the University of Michigan\, Claflin University\, South Carolina State University\, and currently serves as an Assistant Professor and Area Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Wayne State University. \nAs a performer\, Chandler has appeared with many of the world’s leading jazz artists\, including Herbie Hancock\, Wynton Marsalis\, Roy Hargrove\, Joe Henderson\, Marcus Miller\, Ambrose Akinmusire\, James Carter\, Geri Allen\, Robert Hurst\, Rodney Whitaker and JD Allen. His touring has taken him throughout North America\, Europe\, Asia\, Australia\, New Zealand\, Central America\, Mexico\, and the Caribbean. \nChandler has recorded as both a leader and sideman. His recordings include the album Embraceable and featured performances on Roy Hargrove’s Emergence\, James Carter’s At the Crossroads\, and Carl Allen and Rodney Whitaker’s Work to Do. \nBeyond performing and teaching\, Chandler is a dedicated advocate for Detroit’s jazz heritage. He founded the Detroit Jazz Preservation Concert Series\, an initiative that celebrates the city’s influential jazz musicians and history. In recognition of his artistic contributions\, he received a 2020 Kresge Arts in Detroit Artist Fellowship and he received The Living Legacy Award for his outstanding leadership\, service and dedication from The Carr Center & Urban Art Orchestra in 2025. \nHe is a core member of Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble\, the Detroit-based group assembled by Don Was to celebrate the city’s rich musical traditions through a blend of jazz\, funk\, blues\, soul\, and R&B. Within the Pan-Detroit Ensemble\, Chandler is one of the band’s featured soloists and music arranger for the horn section\, helping shape the band’s rich brass sound. Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble’s debut album\, Groove in the Face of Adversity\, was released in 2025. He was also featured in the ensemble’s 2026 Tiny Desk Concert. \nLineup:\nVincent Chandler – trombone\, vocals\nZach Sommerfield – Guitar\nJacob Hart – Piano\nMichael Abbo – bass\nDavid Ward – drums\n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/vincent-chandler-experience/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260919T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260919T213000
DTSTAMP:20260731T165409Z
CREATED:20260731T160043Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T165409Z
UID:10000378-1789844400-1789853400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:David Janeway Trio ft. Ali Jackson & Rodney Whitaker
DESCRIPTION:Sat | Sep 19	\n\n	Sets at 7pm and 8:30pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	David Janeway’s musical journey began in the heart of Detroit in the early sixties\, where he was deeply influenced by the Motown sound and local jazz legends like Marcus Belgrave and Harold McKinney. In 1978\, he moved to New York City\, where he further honed his craft and collaborated with a myriad of remarkable artists\, from The Supremes to Art Farmer\, Sonny Fortune\, Billy Hart\, Angel Canales and Sabor\, Craig Handy\, Gary Smulyan\, Eliot Zigmund and many more. \nJaneway has left an indelible mark on the New York City jazz scene\, performing with his trio and quintet at renowned venues like Smalls\, Mezzrow\, Zinc Bar\, Sweet Basil\, Birdland\, Django and more. He’s also taken his music to a global stage\, gracing the Detroit Jazz Festival\, Madison Square Garden\, the Village Gate\, and numerous clubs and venues across the US and Europe. \nJaneway recently released his album David Janeway Trio Live at Blue LLama. Captured live at Ann Arbor\, Michigan’s renowned jazz club Blue Llama in June 2024\, David Janeway presents himself at the height of his powers\, joined by the world-class rhythm team of Robert Hurst III and Billy Hart. A Detroit-bred musician with a deep lineage in that city’s storied jazz tradition\, Janeway channels decades of mentorship\, swing\, and blues-rooted expression into a set that is both powerfully modern and historically grounded. The trio’s telepathic interplay fuels inventive takes on standards\, luminous ballads\, and Janeway’s distinctive originals\, all delivered with the group’s tightly converging sound and emotional depth that define his artistry. Following acclaimed SteepleChase releases with Hart and Cameron Brown\, this live recording stands as Janeway’s most vibrant statement yet-an inspired document of three master musicians creating in the moment. \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/david-janeway-trio-2/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260920T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260920T203000
DTSTAMP:20260820T184721Z
CREATED:20260820T184721Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T184721Z
UID:10000396-1789930800-1789936200@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Pandit Partha Bose + Pandit Samar Saha
DESCRIPTION:Sun | Sep 20	\n\n	Set 7pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	About Pandit Partha Bose\nA leading light of the Maihar Gharana\, Pandit Partha Bose is a master Sitarist whose artistry bridges ancient tradition and modern expression. To understand Bose is to appreciate the “jazz” of India-his performances are masterclasses in raga (melodic framework) and improvisation\, built on a foundation of rigorous technical discipline. Trained under the legacy of Ustad Allauddin Khan\, Bose is renowned for his ability to weave complex\, meditative tapestries of sound that resonate with deep emotional intelligence. A veteran of the world’s most prestigious stages\, he offers an experience that is as intellectually demanding as it is profoundly soulful.\nAbout Samar Saha\nPandit Samar Saha is a titan of the Tabla-the intricate\, virtuosic hand drums that form the rhythmic heartbeat of Hindustani classical music. A master of time and nuance\, Saha commands a rhythmic vocabulary that rivals the most sophisticated modern percussionists. Hailing from the historic musical center of Kolkata\, his playing is defined by a lightning-fast precision and an uncanny ability to engage in complex rhythmic dialogues with his fellow musicians. Whether serving as a sensitive accompanist or a commanding soloist\, Saha’s performance is a display of pure technical brilliance and rhythmic invention that captivates listeners of any genre.\nAbout Hindustani Classical Music & Jazz\nHindustani classical music is a meditative\, improvisational tradition that has long shared a deep\, soulful resonance with Western jazz. For decades\, this exchange has captivated audiences\, built on a common language of spontaneous creation\, intricate rhythmic structures\, and a quest for spiritual depth.\nThis cross-cultural fascination became a defining movement in the 1960s\, famously sparked by the legendary collaboration between Ravi Shankar and John Coltrane. Coltrane saw in Shankar’s raga system a framework for his own explorations into modal jazz and transcendence\, directly influencing works like Africa/Brass and his pursuit of “universal” sounds. Simultaneously\, the global spotlight on Indian classical music was amplified by The Beatles-most notably George Harrison-who integrated the haunting timbre of the sitar into the pop lexicon\, introducing millions of Western listeners to the hypnotic\, microtonal beauty of Indian ragas. \nToday\, this dialogue remains vibrant\, as modern jazz masters continue to draw from the Hindustani well of rhythmic complexity and melodic fluidity. When Pandit Partha Bose and Pandit Samar Saha take the stage\, they are not merely performing an ancient tradition; they are continuing a storied\, high-level musical conversation-one that invites the jazz-savvy listener to lose themselves in the same sense of wonder that has bridge Eastern tradition and Western innovation for generations. \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/pandit-partha-bose-pandit-samar-saha/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260923T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260923T203000
DTSTAMP:20260824T160118Z
CREATED:20260728T180201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T160118Z
UID:10000355-1790190000-1790195400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Nicole Zuraitis Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Wed | Sep 23	\n\n	Set 7pm\n$85 Dinner & Show\n$40 Cover Only\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Nicole Zuraitis is a 2X GRAMMY® winning and 6X GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer-songwriter\, producer\, pianist\, arranger\, New York-based bandleader and winner of the prestigious American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal. With a “heart as big as her remarkable voice\,” (Jazz Police)\, Nicole has positioned herself as one of the top artists and “prolific songwriters” (Broadway World) to watch in jazz and beyond\, or as she likes to call it\, The Modern Songbook. \nAs a recording artist\, Nicole has released seven albums as leader\, and her sixth album\, How Love Begins\, co-produced with eight-time GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride\, won BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM at the 2024 GRAMMY® awards and features all original music. She is the only person ever to have won this award who wrote and arranged the entire album herself. Her live album Live at Vic’s Las Vegas\, which she produced\, wrote and arranged  featuring Tom Scott\, Keyon Harrold\, Rachel Eckroth\, Idan Morim\, Sam Weber and Dan Pugach\, was nominated for 2 GRAMMYS in 2026.  She will release her next studio album The Devil I Knew\, produced by Larry Klein\, in July of 2026. \nIn addition to leading her quartet\, Nicole performed and recorded with the Birdland Big Band as the premier vocalist before taking off as a large ensemble leader of her own\, co-producing the Dan Pugach Big Band and guesting for major big bands around the globe.  She has headlined at Newport Jazz Festival\, Melbourne International Jazz Festival\, Caramoor\, Saratoga Jazz Festival and Tanglewood\, along with iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center\, Birdland\, the Blue Note\, the Carlyle\, 54 Below and the late\, great 55 Bar. She also has appeared as a featured soloist with the Savannah Philharmonic\, Asheville Symphony\, and Macon Pops as well as the Danish Radio Big Band. Her original song “Always” closed the 2025 Teyana Taylor GRAMMY Nominated album Escape Room (Def Jam Records). \nNicole is a featured artist and producer on her husband’s\, renowned drummer\, bandleader\, and composer Dan Pugach\, 2025 GRAMMY-winning album\, Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence (Best Large Ensemble) for which they composed the GRAMMY-nominated song\, “Little Fears” (Best Jazz Performance). Nicole is a vocalist on the GRAMMY-winning “Last Sunday in Plains: A Centennial Celebration” alongside Jon Batiste\, Keb’ Mo’\, and LeeAnn Rimes. In 2024\, Broadway World honored Nicole with the “Best Big Band Show” Award. Nicole’s arrangement of Dolly Parton’s Jolene\, co-written with Dan Pugach\, was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY®\, springboarding her career and making her a household name in the modern-day jazz landscape. In 2020\, she was named in the top 40 under 40 for 2020 in Connecticut Magazine\, and her weekly live stream during the Covid-19 crisis\, “Virtual Piano Lounge\,” was featured in Forbes Magazine. Her Live at Vic’s Las Vegas album was featured on NPR Toast of the Nation 2026 in an hour long special.  \nNicole has collaborated with an extensive list of luminaries\, including Christian McBride\, Tom Scott\, Keyon Harrold\, David Cook\, Larry Klein\, Gilad Hekselman\, Veronica Swift\, Benny Benack\, Stephen Feifke\, Cyrille Aimee\, Antonio Sanchez\, Javon Jackson\, Nikki Giovanni\, Dave Stryker\, Omar Hakim\,  Rachel Z\, Helen Sung\, Melanie\, Morgan James\, Darren Criss\, Livingston Taylor\, Thana Alexa\, Rachel Eckroth\, Don Braden and Bernard Purdie. She is a proud educator and a current vocal faculty member at NYU and the Litchfield Jazz Camp. In 2024\, Post University awarded Nicole an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters. \nAn ardent activist with a decade-long track record of giving back\, her release of How Love Begins coincided with a self-produced music festival and day of activism for SavetheSound.Org. All proceeds of the GRAMMY winning album Bianca Reimagined go to pitbull rescues Nicole and Dan have fostered through the last 15 years. \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/nicole-zuraitis/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260924T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260924T213000
DTSTAMP:20260715T151921Z
CREATED:20260715T151921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260715T151921Z
UID:10000356-1790276400-1790285400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Nate Topo Group
DESCRIPTION:Thu | Sep 24	\n\n	Sets at 7pm and 8:30pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Nate Topo is a Detroit-based composer\, saxophonist\, pianist\, and vocalist known for his distinctive tone and memorable live performances. A professional musician since the age of fifteen\, he has become a dynamic presence in Detroit’s music scene. \nAt an early age\, he became a regular at the legendary Bert’s Marketplace sessions in Eastern Market\, sharing the stage with artists such as Martha Reeves and James Carter. Nate has also been a staple at the Detroit Jazz Festival\, performing there three consecutive years\, most recently alongside Artist-in-Residence Jason Moran in 2025. His music has taken him beyond Detroit to Los Angeles and New Orleans\, where he has performed alongside jazz greats such as Charlie Gabriel and Shannon Powell\, including several appearances at historic Preservation Hall. \nNate’s tone is shaped by a rare collection of vintage saxophones\, blending the warmth of early jazz with a modern creative edge. Whether interpreting jazz standards\, funk classics\, or performing his original music\, often described as soul pop with a Motown influence\, he adapts each set to the room while staying true to the musical foundation that influences his work. \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/nate-topo-group/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260925T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260925T213000
DTSTAMP:20260709T201039Z
CREATED:20260709T201039Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T201039Z
UID:10000354-1790362800-1790371800@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Sep 25	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Russ Macklem is a Windsor/Detroit based trumpet player\, composer\, educator\, and recording artist. His 2023 debut release\, The South Detroit Connection\, was nominated for a JUNO-award\, and was the first live album recorded in Windsor in over 22 years (at Phog Lounge)\, the last having been recorded by Detroit trumpet legend\, Marcus Belgrave at the Capitol Theatre. Belgrave’s son\, saxophonist/flautist Kasan Belgrave is featured both on the album\, and in Russ’ new Quintet. The new Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet makes their debut at the 2024 Detroit Jazz Festival. \nAs a leader\, Russ can be heard with his quintet every first Friday of the month at MotorCity Wine in Corktown (Detroit)\, and other venues around the Midwest throughout the year. As a sideman\, Russ has played with a diverse array of artists including Amp Fiddler\, Dave Holland\, The Marley Bros (Bob Marley’s sons)\, Cecil McBee\, Frankie Valli\, Dave Liebman\, Bobby Rydell\, Frankie Avalon\, and many others. \nRuss earned his Doctor of Musical Arts while studying at the University of Miami Frost School of Music where he was on full-tuition scholarship and Teaching Assistant to Grammy-Award-winning trumpet player Brian Lynch. At New England Conservatory in Boston\, Russ earned his Master’s of Music with Honors while studying with Jerry Bergonzi\, George Garzone\, Cecil McBee\, Bob Moses\, and John McNeil. Russ earned his Bachelor of Music from McGill University where he studied with Kevin Dean\, Jocelyn Couture\, Joe Sullivan\, and Remi Bolduc. \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/russ-macklem-detroit-quintet-4/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260927T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260927T220000
DTSTAMP:20260729T204451Z
CREATED:20260729T204451Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260729T204451Z
UID:10000369-1790535600-1790546400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Women in Jazz Showcase
DESCRIPTION:Sun | Sep 27\nSets at 6pm and 7:30pm | $25 Cover \n RESERVE TABLE  \nAbout the Artist\nWomen in Jazz ShowcaseFeaturing Pamela Wise\, Lady Vonne & Naima Shambourger \nJoin us for an elegant evening celebrating the powerhouse women of jazz. The performance features an extraordinary rhythm section with Pamela Wise on piano\, Laura Simone on bass\, and Gayelynn McKinney on drums. \nThe showcase highlights two exceptional vocal sets. Opening the evening at 6:00 PM is Naima Shambourger. Praised as a modern heir to Sarah Vaughan’s legacy\, Ms. Shambourger delivers a masterful presence shaped by classical training\, a deep jazz lineage\, and heartfelt phrasing. At 7:30 PM\, the stage welcomes Lady Vonne\, a renowned Detroit jazz\, R&B\, and soul vocalist celebrated for her glamorous stage presence and timeless voice. \nAbout NaimaNaima Shamborguer was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. Born to a musical family\, professional musicians surrounded her. From her early days of musical training\, Naima developed highly artistic and finely polished vocal abilities through extensive training in classical and jazz music\, but jazz music is where Naima has made a successful career. On two occasions Naima received The Spirit of Detroit award from the City Council of Detroit. Recognizing the exceptional achievement\, outstanding leadership\, and dedication to improving the quality of life and “The Women in Jazz.” The late Hugh Lawson deemed her “the closest that he has ever heard to Sarah Vaughan\, all she needs is to be heard.” Inducted into the Kresge Fellow program in 2020. And with performances ranging from the Blue Llama in Ann Arbor to the Peacock Jazz Café in Toledo\, Ohio and back up to the Dirty Dog Jazz Café in Detroit\, MI. About Lady VonneLady Vonne (born Yvonne Dowell) is an acclaimed jazz\, R&B\, and standards vocalist based in Detroit\, Michigan. Often described as a musical blend of Ella Fitzgerald\, Phyllis Hyman\, and Diana Ross\, she is highly regarded as one of Detroit’s premier jazz greats. About Pamela WiseBuilding upon the Detroit jazz connection established with Lady Vonne\, Pamela Wise (also known as Pamela Wise Harrison) is an acclaimed contemporary jazz pianist\, composer\, and educator based in Detroit\, Michigan. She is highly revered for her unique style that fuses post-bop jazz with fiery Afro-Cuban and West African rhythms. About Gayelynn McKinneyContinuing the deep exploration of Detroit’s iconic jazz legacy\, Gayelynn McKinney is one of the most decorated\, formidable\, and trailblazing drummers in the history of the Detroit jazz scene. With a career spanning multiple decades\, she has served as a master rhythmist\, composer\, educator\, and a crucial anchor for women in percussion. About Laura SimoneContinuing the thread of exceptional women in jazz\, Laura Simone is a rising 20-year-old jazz bassist\, vocalist\, and activist. Originally from Lawrenceville\, New Jersey\, she is currently a junior at Michigan State University studying under the mentorship of renowned bassist Rodney Whitaker. \n\n RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/women-in-jazz-showcase/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260930T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260930T213000
DTSTAMP:20260820T185056Z
CREATED:20260805T184051Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T185056Z
UID:10000362-1790794800-1790803800@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Date Night: Jacob Hart Piano Duo
DESCRIPTION:Wed | Sep 30	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 8pm | Free Cover! \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	This September\, join us for dinner\, or date night\, with Date Night Wednesdays at Blue LLama. Enjoy no cover\, our full dinner menu\, plus a special $95 Dinner for Two with your choice of 1 appetizer\, 2 entrees\, and 1 dessert to share. \nJacob Hart is a 17-year-old multi downbeat award-winning pianist\, composer\, and arranger\, hailing from Detroit\, Michigan. He has performed at the Michigan Jazz Festival\,  the Detroit Jazz Festival\, and the Toledo-Peacock jazz festival\, with artists like Herlin Riley\, Ryan Devlin\, and others. Jacob has opened for several famous jazz artists such as Herbie Hancock\, Branford Marsalis\, and Terence Blanchard. He has also performed at several known jazz clubs in the area\, including Baker’s Keyboard Lounge\, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe\, the Blue Llama\, and Cliff Bell’s. Hart is a student at the esteemed Detroit School of Arts and also takes part in many Detroit jazz programs\, such as the DSO Civic Jazz Orchestra and the MSU Spartan Youth Jazz Program. On top of all of this\, Jacob is releasing his second album\, “Short Circuit” in the near future\, so stay on the look out! \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/jacob-hart-piano-duo-1/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261001T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261001T213000
DTSTAMP:20260907T135344Z
CREATED:20260731T161709Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T135344Z
UID:10000380-1790881200-1790890200@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Ellen Rowe Trio ft. Rob Bickley & Pete Siers
DESCRIPTION:Thu | Oct 1\nSets 7pm & 8:30pm | $25 Cover \n Reserve Table  \nAbout the Artist\nEllen Rowe\, jazz pianist and composer\, is currently Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the University of Michigan. She is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music\, where she studied with Rayburn Wright and Bill Dobbins.  Prior to her appointment in Michigan\, she served as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Connecticut. \nWinner of the Hartford\, CT Advocate Readers’ Poll for Best Acoustic Jazz\, Ms. Rowe has performed at jazz clubs and on concert series throughout the U.S.\, as well as touring in Germany\, Holland\, Switzerland\, Ireland\, Poland\, South Africa and Australia. CDs out under her own name include “Sylvan Way”\, “Wishing Well”\, “Denali Pass” and “Courage Music.”  Her latest project\, “Momentum – Portraits of Women In Motion”\, featuring Ingrid Jensen\, Tia Fuller\, Marion Hayden and Allison Miller was released in January of 2019. Also active as a clinician\, she has given workshops and master classes at the Melbourne Conservatory\, Hochshule fur Musik in Cologne\, Grieg Academy in Bergen and the Royal Academy of Music in London\, in addition to many appearances as a guest artist at festivals and Universities around the country. \nWhen not leading her own trio\, quartet or quintet\, she is in demand as a sideman\, having performed with a wide variety of jazz artists including Kenny Wheeler\, Tim Ries\, Tom Harrell\, John Clayton\, Ingrid Jensen and Steve Turre.  She was also a guest on two installments of Marian McPartland’s  “Piano Jazz” on National Public Radio. \nMs. Rowe’s compositions and arrangements have been performed and recorded by jazz ensembles and orchestras around the world\, including the Village Vanguard Orchestra\, BBC Jazz Orchestra\, U.S. Navy Commodores\, Berlin and NDR Radio Jazz Orchestras\, London Symphony\, DIVA and the Perth Jazz Orchestra.  Many of these works can be heard on recordings including “Leave It To DIVA”\, “The Perth Jazz Orchestra”\, “Bingo” (The Bird of Paradise Orchestra) and “I Believe In You” (DIVA). She has recently been a composer-in-residence at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Wisconsin at Madison.  Recent jazz ensemble commissions include the Minnesota Band Directors Association\, Belleville (MI) High School\,  Illinois Music Educators and Lawrence University’s Fred Sturm Jazz Festival. Her big band compositions are currently published by Sierra Music Publications\, Doug Beach Music and Kendor Music. \nHaving been selected to conduct the NAfME All-Eastern and All-Northwest Jazz Ensembles as well as All-State jazz ensembles throughout the country\, she has also been an invited clinician at the National Association for Music Education Eastern Division Convention \, International Society for Jazz Composition and Arranging Symposium and Jazz Education Network conferences.  She is on the Board of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers and also serves as the Coordinator for the JEN Sisters In Jazz Collegiate Combo Competition. Her quintet has performed at the San Jose Jazz Festival\, Jazz Education Network Conference\, Michigan Jazz Festival\, Detroit International Jazz Festival and in jazz clubs around the country. \n\n Reserve Table
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/ellen-rowe-trio/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261002T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261002T180000
DTSTAMP:20260825T163518Z
CREATED:20260731T171553Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T163518Z
UID:10000384-1790956800-1790964000@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:WEMU 5:01 Jazz Series: Sean Dobbins Trio's Tribute to Stevie Wonder
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Oct 2	\n\n	Set 5:01pm | No Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	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\, jazz radio programs\, and documentaries. \nThough 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. \nSean’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\, as well as Detroit area greats Gerald Cleaver and the one and only Elvin Jones. \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/wemu-501-sean-dobbins-trio/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261002T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261002T220000
DTSTAMP:20260803T185728Z
CREATED:20260803T185728Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260803T185728Z
UID:10000387-1790967600-1790978400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Erena Terakubo Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Oct 2	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Erena Terakubo is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist\, flutist\, composer\, and educator from Sapporo\, Japan. Known for her expressive artistry and technical mastery\, she has performed worldwide with leading jazz artists including Kenny Barron\, Ron Carter\, Louis Hayes\, Jon Faddis\, and Christian McBride.\nShe launched her career in high school with her debut album North Bird\, which topped the Japanese jazz charts and earned a Gold Disc award from Swing Journal. Since then\, she has released multiple albums and performed at premier venues including Blue Note New York and Kennedy Center. \nA graduate of Berklee College of Music and Manhattan School of Music\, she joined Michigan State University in 2025 as Assistant Professor of Jazz Saxophone. \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/erena-terakubo-quartet/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261003T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261003T213000
DTSTAMP:20260909T173239Z
CREATED:20260909T173239Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T173239Z
UID:10000414-1791054000-1791063000@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:John Arnold Trio ft. Pathe Jassi and Rick Beamon
DESCRIPTION:Wed | Jul 1	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 8:30pm | $25 Cover \n		https://bluellamaclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/pathe_jassi_jesse_kramer__john_arnold_live_at_blue_llama_jazz_club-1080p.mp4	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			About the Artist	\n	This power trio combines John Arnold’s virtuosic guitar\, Pathe Jassi’s intricate bass lines and multilingual vocals\, and Rick Beamon’s creative and versatile drumming! Together these master musicians join forces to create an eclectic and unique experience of world music spanning from traditional to contemporary that includes original compositions and explorations of American Jazz\, Afro-Cuban\, Brazilian\, and African music. The result – a performance that is energetic\, vibrant\, powerful and profound!\nJohn Arnold- guitar\nPathe Jassi- bass\nRick Beamon- drums\n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/john-arnold-trio/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261004T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261004T203000
DTSTAMP:20260831T164343Z
CREATED:20260831T164343Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T164343Z
UID:10000406-1791136800-1791145800@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:The NOW Trio ft. Travis Aukerman
DESCRIPTION:Sun | Oct 4	\n\n	Sets 6pm & 7:30pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	NoW Trio features pianist Ben Maloney\, bassist Jeff Pedraz\, and drummer Travis Aukerman. The group was formed in 2024 as a collaborative effort to present each member’s distinct sound and wealth of experience on the bandstand. Their live performance features a unique combination of Jazz standards\, original compositions\, and lesser-known arrangements by prolific composers of years past. \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/the-now-trio-5/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261007T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261007T220000
DTSTAMP:20260831T183742Z
CREATED:20260807T162618Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T183742Z
UID:10000381-1791399600-1791410400@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Date Night: Jacob Hart Piano Duo
DESCRIPTION:Wed | Oct 7	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 8pm | Free Cover! \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	This October\, join us for dinner\, or date night\, with Wednesday Date Nights at Blue LLama. Enjoy no cover\, our full dinner menu\, wine specials\, plus a special $95 Dinner for Two with your choice of 1 appetizer\, 2 entrees\, and 1 dessert to share. \nJacob Hart is a 17-year-old multi downbeat award-winning pianist\, composer\, and arranger\, hailing from Detroit\, Michigan. He has performed at the Michigan Jazz Festival\,  the Detroit Jazz Festival\, and the Toledo-Peacock jazz festival\, with artists like Herlin Riley\, Ryan Devlin\, and others. Jacob has opened for several famous jazz artists such as Herbie Hancock\, Branford Marsalis\, and Terence Blanchard. He has also performed at several known jazz clubs in the area\, including Baker’s Keyboard Lounge\, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe\, the Blue Llama\, and Cliff Bell’s. Hart is a student at the esteemed Detroit School of Arts and also takes part in many Detroit jazz programs\, such as the DSO Civic Jazz Orchestra and the MSU Spartan Youth Jazz Program. On top of all of this\, Jacob is releasing his second album\, “Short Circuit” in the near future\, so stay on the look out! \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/jacob-hart-piano/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261008T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261008T213000
DTSTAMP:20260831T164823Z
CREATED:20260831T164823Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T164823Z
UID:10000407-1791486000-1791495000@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Rick Roe Trio
DESCRIPTION:THURS | Oct 8	\n\n	Sets 7pm and 8:30pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Rick Roe is a jazz pianist\, composer\, performer\, and educator in the southeastern Michigan music community. He has produced and co-produced over a dozen recordings with original compositions and jazz classics with some of the most accomplished jazz musicians in the world.  \nMonkʼs Modern Music\, Rickʼs first recording on his RNR Unknown Records label\, has become highly regarded by many jazz greats around the world. It features Rodney Whitaker and Greg Hutchinson. His subsequent recordings have also received praise for his compositions and arrangements of jazz classics and popular culture hits.  \nHis teaching experience includes being an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Jazz Piano at Michigan State University from 2001-2011\, and he has been a guest artist and clinician at the University of Arizona\, North Texas University\, the University of Nevada\, Las Vegas\, Juilliard Jazz in N.Y.\, and the University of Michigan.  \nRick has performed with jazz greats Wynton Marsalis\, Marcus Belgrave\, Frank Morgan\, Louis Hayes\, Clark Terry\, Louis Smith\, Rodney Whitaker\, Donald Walden\, Greg Hutchinson\, Karriem Riggins\, Robert Hurst\, Buster Williams\, Emily Remler\, Wycliffe Gordon\, Barbara Morrison\, Wess Anderson\, Jon Faddis\, Walter Blanding\, Randy Gelispie\, Ron Brooks\, George Davidson\, Wendall Harrison\, Vincent York\, Michael Dease\, Gerald Cleaver\, Frank Foster\, Joe Magnarelli\, Derrick Gardner\, Joe Farnsworth\, James Carter\, Jim Snidero\, Randy Napoleon\, Dwight Adams\, and many more.  \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/rick-roe-trio-4/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261009T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261009T220000
DTSTAMP:20260902T153926Z
CREATED:20260731T162914Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T153926Z
UID:10000372-1791572400-1791583200@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Marcus Elliot Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Fri | Oct 9	\n\n	Sets at 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Multifaceted saxophonist and composer\, Marcus Elliot\, has emerged as one of the leading voices of the Detroit music scene. The New York Times has called him “convincing and confident\, evolved in touch and tone…”\, and the Detroit Free Press has said\, “Marcus Elliot represents next generation of jazz”. Marcus creates music with the hope of  “reminding myself and listeners that we are human beings\, and what a gift that is.” He is a recipient of the Joyce Awards (2024)\, a prestigious award for innovative new projects by pioneered by artists spanning the visual\, performing\, and multidisciplinary arts that engage diverse communities in the Mid-West. He is also a recipient of the Kresge Fellowship(2020)\, awarded to artist that are recognized for their creative vision and commitment to excellence within a wide range of artistic disciplines. Marcus is instructor of jazz saxophone at Wayne State University and is director of the Creative Arts Orchestra at University of Michigan. Marcus has performed and/or collaborated with Terence Blanchard\, Karriem Riggins\, Talib Kwali\, Marcus Belgrave\, Brian Eno\, Shigeto\, Robert Hurst\, Anthony Davis\, Jeff Tain Watts\, and many others. \nLineup:\nJosef Deas- Bass\nIan Finkelstein- Piano\nNate Winn- Drums\n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/marcus-elliot-quartet/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261010T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261010T213000
DTSTAMP:20260901T153840Z
CREATED:20260731T163016Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T153840Z
UID:10000373-1791658800-1791667800@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Sean Dobbins
DESCRIPTION:Sat | Oct 10	\n\n	Sets 7pm & 9pm | $25 Cover \n			\n							RESERVE TABLE\n					\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	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. Sean is a professor of music in jazz studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Dobbins got his start as a sought-after Detroit-area jazz sideman at a young age\, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. Dobbin’s sound can best be described as hard-driving\, solid rhythm with refreshing melodic sensibility. Some of his influences include Art Blakey\, Jeff Hamilton\, Sonny Payne\, Ed Thigpen\, and Detroit-area greats Gerald Cleaver and Elvin Jones.  \n\n				\n	\n			\n							RESERVE TABLE
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/sean-dobbins-9/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20261011T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20261011T213000
DTSTAMP:20260909T160253Z
CREATED:20260608T160326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T160253Z
UID:10000324-1791741600-1791754200@bluellamaclub.com
SUMMARY:Joshua Redman Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Sun | Oct 11	\n\n	Sets 6pm & 8pm\n$125 Dinner & Show\n$75 Cover Only\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)\n			\n\n			About the Artist	\n	Joshua Redman acknowledges that the title of his new Blue Note album\, Words Fall Short\, could be viewed ironically. His previous and widely acclaimed where are we was his first to pair a vocalist with one of his many monumental Quartets; yet Words Fall Short is anything but a comment on the saxophonist’s last triumph. More accurately\, his latest offering is an organic next step\, a collection of previously unheard originals brought to life by inspiring new collaborators. “It’s impossible for me to will a project into being\,” he says of the wide-ranging adventures he has embarked upon in what is now his fourth decade as a recording artist. “This album came out of a working environment that inspired me to dig into compositions that hadn’t found a home yet.” \nThe process began as the first leg of Redman’s where are we tour concluded and pianist Aaron Parks\, bassist Joe Sanders\, and drummer Brian Blade each left to honor other commitments. In building a new rhythm section\, Redman found himself drawn to younger players he had recently encountered. Bassist Philip Norris and drummer Nazir Ebo came aboard first\, and Redman quickly knew he had made the right moves. “Not since Christian McBride can I recall experiencing an acoustic jazz bassist who seemingly has it all together at such a young age\,” he says of Norris\, “and Nazir has groove in spades\, a groove that is super-flexible\, in the flow of the moment\, and with an innate sense of architecture that always serves the song.” By the summer of 2023\, pianist Paul Cornish had completed the quartet’s transformation. “Paul is the perfect balance of empath and contrarian\, challenging everyone to break away from established patterns\, while still always making the music feel good and natural in the moment.” \nAs the new quartet performed steadily over the next several months\, Redman felt a vibe developing\, one brought to fruition by a stack of music the saxophonist created during the pandemic. “My dry writing periods lead me to question whether I’m really a ‘Composer\,”’ he confesses. “I might not have a gig for months\, but I touch my horn every day. I don’t compose regularly\, but during the pandemic I had nothing but time to develop ideas… Still\, until I can play a tune with other human beings\, it remains more theory than a reality.” \nRedman’s unheard new music made the transition in September 2024\, when his new quartet had logged almost a year of performances. “We were at a soundcheck\, and I decided to try one of the tunes. It felt good\, and I said\, ‘Let’s try another.’ After we ran through maybe three more in ten minutes\, I realized that we were ‘ready.'” \nCornish\, Norris\, and Ebo impress on each of the album’s eight tracks. While they have moments to emerge and take the spotlight\, they also provide a distinctive ensemble personality\, one in which spontaneity and sensitivity keep the music fluid yet coherent. They are a rhythm section with character\, one in sync with the priorities of their leader. “My approach to bandleading is unchanged\,” Redman says. “Play with the best musicians I can find\, virtuosos who have mastered all the different jazz vocabularies\, but who are also great listeners and collaborators – who know how to express their individual brilliance through group improvisation and collective interaction.” \nThat description applies equally well to the guest artists heard on three tracks. Two of those\, “So It Goes” and “Icarus\,” grew out of Redman the Composer’s desire to give each piece added depth. “I was sort of struggling with the melody to ‘So It Goes'” he says of the track featuring saxophonist Melissa Aldana\, “and immediately thought of Melissa\, who has such a gift for lyrical expression… the way she uses breath and air and contour to really give melodies shape and make them come alive… I sent her the tune… and once I knew she was game\, I began torethink the overall approach as more conversational.” As to the misguided perception that any encounter between two tenors is a ‘battle\,’ he adds that “I’ve never been a fan of that sort of thing. I realize of course that it’s part of the so-called ‘tradition.’ So\, yeah\, I’ll bring my axe if I must\, but I prefer to come in peace!… I really feel like what Melissa and I created here is the antithesis of conflict.” \nRedman first heard trumpeter Skylar Tang – who is featured on the funky\, nine-meter “Icarus” – when she was just a sophomore in high school. “She had huge ears\,” he recalls\, “and she already had tremendous patience\, a deep maturity and sensitivity… Every note had a meaning.” Tang is now a student in a joint Columbia University/Julliard School program. When Redman invited her to attend a soundcheck before the quartet’s Jazz at Lincoln Center concert\, he texted her the sheet music for “Icarus” on a whim the night before. “She came in the next day with the whole thing memorized… She played it perfectly… and sounded like she understood the song better than I did! Once again I heard how that melody benefitted from the presence of another voice\, and we recorded it with her a few weeks later.” \nThe final track\, “Era’s End” (a lyrical recasting of the instrumental album-opener “A Message To Unsend”)\, finds vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa matching her stunning contribution to where are we on only the second recorded composition with both words and lyrics by Joshua Redman. “Writing lyrics is tough\,” he emphasizes\, “and I can’t be satisfied until someone like Gabrielle convinces me that they work. I said ‘never again’ when I finished writing ‘After Minneapolis’ for the last album\, and that was clearly not the case… I could tell early on as the music for ‘Era’s End’ emerged that it would not be a walk in the park\, and then the lyrics that followed were just so dark… but Gabrielle’s gift for expressing melancholy really found the beauty (and perhaps also the hope) in the tune’s darkness. Maybe the lyrics describe the end of a love affair… Maybe they are a metaphor for another sort of loss or mourning or resolution…” \nSeveral of the titles are borrowed from passages Redman admires in books by Cormac McCarthy (“Borrowed Eyes”)\, W.G. Sebald (“Over the Jelly-Green Sea”) and Kurt Vonnegut (“So It Goes”). The album’s title track is taken from Yiyun Li’s PEN/Jean Stein Award winning Where Reasons End. “The novel is short and incisively beautiful\, a conversation the author imagines with a son who recently committed suicide\,” Redman explains. “She grapples with language and how to understand the incomprehensible; and at the end she tells her son that ‘Words fall short\, yes\, but sometimes their shadows can reach the unspeakable.’ That’s also true of notes\, of ideas\, of actions… Any attempt to express our meanings and feelings will never fully succeed\, as perfection is unattainable. But it’s that struggle\, that fallibility\, that makes us so marvelously and exquisitely human.” \nFor Joshua Redman\, the shifting moods of wistfulness\, aspiration\, sadness and resolve contained in Words Fall Short signify his embrace of what he describes as “the beauty of human imperfection. We face huge questions about what our future looks like\,” he stresses\, “and a mathematical approach to language has even left us questioning what it means to be ‘intelligent’ or ‘productive’ or ‘creative.’ At heart I’m a humanist\, and I believe in the shadows of the words\, the things you can’t crunch with technology.” Words Fall Short is Redman’s latest exploration of the words – and the shadows. \n\n					\n	\nRESERVE TABLE(opens in new tab)
URL:https://bluellamaclub.com/event/joshua-redman-quartet/
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