DOORS 6PM | SHOW 7-8PM

DOORS 8:30PM | SHOW 8:45-9:45PM

Paul got his start on the Detroit jazz scene performing at the venerable Del Rio bar with Rick Burgess on Sundays in Ann Arbor in 1980s. Mostly self-taught at the beginning, he performed initially with conga drummers at the University of Michigan dance department on flutes and congas for several years as a staff accompanist. He then left Ann Arbor to study music at City College of San Francisco for two semesters learning the basics of reading music, theory and performance on flute, piano, saxophone and performing with the City College Big Band. Returning to Michigan, he got work performing with various bands including his own quartet and Rick Burgess" Latin Jazz combo, CHANGES, featuring conga drummer Norm Shobey. Due to Paul's versatility stylistically, a hugely popular Detroit R & B/Funk band called DOMINO, called Paul to join them on saxophone and keyboard. This band won several Detroit Music Awards in the 1980s and appeared on popular national TV programs. From this point on, he then recorded his first jazz album as a bandleader for Strawberry Records called "Variations" in 1992 followed by two Schoolkids Records releases, "Mercy" and "Parisian Protocol" which reached #30 on the jazz radio charts. His discography then blossomed with the five PKO Records releases, "Swing As You Are", "Heart", "Kindred Spirits", "In Our Own Way" and "Trust Your Heart" His latest recording "Live at the Blue LLama" will be released in early February 2025. Paul has shared the stage with famous jazz musicians that have showed up spontaneously to "sit in" with his Quartet that include Wynton Marsalis, Abbey Lincoln, Marcus Belgrave as well as Del-Rio gigs with Louis Smith (an early mentor) and a tour with organist Charles Earland.

THE BAND:

Paul Vornhagen - Saxophones/flute/vocals

Pat Cronley- Piano

Patrick Prouty - Bass

Larry Ochiltree- Drums