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2025 Detroit Jazz Festival: All Free, All Jazz
Courtesy Detroit Jazz Festival Jeff Dunn
Gretchen said you can do this for me–keep the Detroit Jazz festival free and keep it jazz.
—Chris Collins
As the Friday sun began to rise on the eastern horizon on this, the first day of the 46th annual Detroit Jazz Festival, so much seemed the same as previous years, yet so much was completely different. What remained the same was the upcoming four days of first-rate programming stretched out over two locations in downtown Detroit. The festival is free to the public, enabling an audience that is a true representation of the jazz community in the Motor City by removing the financial barriers to access. But two main differences from last year's opening night were clearly evident. The weather was notably cooler than in 2024, when heat and humidity pounded the stages at Hart Plaza and Cadillac Square. The forecast called for gradual warming over the weekend, a welcome change for the 300,000 or so fans inhabiting the sites and the stretch of Woodward Avenue between the two that amounts to a full-bore, jazz-infused street fair.
The obvious difference on this Friday was the fact that the opening night concert would take place at all at Hart Plaza. The 2024 opener was a tribute to Detroit native
Alice Coltrane
piano1937 - 2007
Ravi Coltrane
saxophone, tenorb.1965
The 2025 opener featured festival resident artist
Jason Moran
pianob.1975
Keyon Harrold
trumpetThe sets by both Moran and Harrold promised to be influenced strongly by their connection to hip hop culture and produced music. Harrold titled his program "Foreverland" after his 2024 Concord Jazz release of the same name. Houston, Texas native Moran chose to incorporate the city of Detroit in his festival opener, bringing in DJ/Producer/techno legend Jeff Mills and poet/ playwright/performance artist Jessica Care Moore. This was the first of three programs that would feature the artist-in-residence.
In this city where a historic jazz scene has been the fuel to enable Motown, hip hop and rhythm and blues movements over decades of time, the decision by Moran to incorporate Detroit, and more specifically Mills and Moore, was notable. Mills aka "the wizard," is a techno giant in southeast Michigan, having made his mark first as a radio DJ, then in forming the '90s techno collective, Underground Resistance. He later founded Axis Records in Chicago, seeking a more minimal soundscape than the majority of techno sounds being produced in that era.
Moore is a noted poet who has used her verse as performance art on many notable stages, including Carnegie Hall. She is the CEO of Moore Black Press, and founder of the literacy-driven Jess Care Moore Foundation. The Detroit resident has fused with artists of many genres, hip hop and jazz included. How Moran would decide to utilize her skills and those of Mills created a buzz in the colorful opening night crowd that spoke to intrigue and anticipation.
With four good days of weather ahead, and a cool breeze gently blowing in off the Detroit River, the crowd began to gather at Hart Plaza. The overall vibe was very Friday night—there was joy and celebration to some degree, with patrons rolling in with friends and family and many greeting festival friends, a year in the making. Yet overall, the vibe was somewhat subdued, as if anticipating many days and many sets ahead on the horizon. When the sound of the second line group began to emerge, and the line of mostly young Detroit musicians snaked through the crowd and up onto the stage, there was a noticeable uptick in the energy of the now large and growing crowd.
The New Orleans style second line band settled facing the audience from the massive Carhart Amphitheater stage, led by Mr. Powell. The New Orleans/Detroit legend was returning after suffering a recent stroke and a heart attack, yet still led the band and acknowledged the crowd with ample joy and enthusiasm.
When trumpeter
Keyon Harrold
trumpetCharles Haynes
drums
Andrew Renfroe
guitarDaniel Winshall
bass, acousticWhen tapping the music from Foreverland (Concord, 2023), Harrold was left with live elements that impacted and separated the sound produced on the studio album. The writing is sturdy and original, and was greatly enhanced by the live presence of Harrold's strong assemblage. "The Intellectual" brought all of this together in the here and now, and continued with the "Foreverland," the tune after which the album is named. Vocalist Malaya, a sister of Detroit, carried the theme with strength, perfect pitch and beatific nuance. Her fearless approach and dynamic presence revealed her roots as a stage performer.
Moran's set began with the pianist diving solo into
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
The presence of Moore brought a whole new energy to the performance, with a spoken word set that featured her brilliant work. Utilizing free verse poetry not reliant on rhyming, she delivered a strong and poignant message that in many ways elevated the opening night festivities. Her works were warrior ready, containing phrases that breathed consciousness and light. She stated, "The revolution is within," and remarked, "Ain't it a miracle to just feel simply safe." She spoke to the moment we are in, the times that surround us and how centuries of time have led to our current dilemma. "We are honoring tears," she said, "We are centuries of grace." Her performance was a fitting end to the opening evening of festivities at the largest free jazz festival in the world. It felt like a torch lighting the way for what was to come over the weekend.
Day 2: Under a Perfect, Blue Detroit Sky
Saturday is the first full day at the festival, a day when long lines are seen at the entrance on Jefferson, though much more moderate in size due to the festival adding more access points without compromising security. The Wayne State University Jazz Warriors Big Band made the entrance for Saturday's guests, a swinging one, while patrons dispersed to different points for different sounds. At the Absopure Waterfront Stage adjacent to the Detroit River Walk, Detroit-born and bred pianist
William Hill III
pianoChet Carlson
bass, acoustic
Oscar Peterson
piano1925 - 2007
Mulgrew Miller
piano1955 - 2013
Working their way through Hill's "Grand Master" and the standard, "You and the Night and the Music," the pianist stayed focused on the keyboard, not acknowledging his hometown crowd who came to welcome him. After facing the audience and giving his humble thanks, Hill led the trio through his piece, "The Angels That Took You Away." The composition took its author from melancholic repose to dynamic high points, in many ways giving the audience a brief but thorough primer of how he plays, what speaks to his artistry. "Keep it Movin'" kept the ball rolling, or swinging in this case. A circular motion motivator with a driving, swinging push from Carson and Fu, Hill closed out in virtuosic style. The set was an early highlight of the festival, with a Detroit twist. It illuminates why festival goers would be wise to research local jazz culture in the host city they are visiting. The best music isn't always on the main stages.
After a straight ahead set from drummer
Herlin Riley
drumsb.1957
Chris Potter
saxophone, tenorb.1971
Matt Brewer
bassb.1983
Kendrick Scott
drumsb.1980
Kenny Barron
pianob.1943
Tyreek McDole
vocals
Tatiana Eva-Marie
vocalsPotter's grand ability to form abstractions into formidable melodies was plain in the midst of the push summoned by the pioneering Scott, sharing solo work with Brewer, whose dark, woody sound also provided the foundational axis of the trio. After wading through a choppy version of Stevie Wonder's "Send One Your Love," Potter switched to bass clarinet for "Voices Remembered" in fluid drive directly into "Good Hope." There was true in-the-moment magic in the transition, with the bandleader returning to tenor on the way out. Potter's melodicisms had great forward motion, drifting through new territory in a sonic waking dream. He conjures sounds that are more telling of nature than tied to a particular melodic or rhythmic lexicon.
The evening ended with a set from the
Maria Schneider
composer / conductorManeuvering their way through "Bluebird," and "Wyrgly," the band found their center and played to the ultimate of their capabilities. Altoists
Chris Lewis
saxophone
Ryan Keberle
tromboneb.1980
Jeff Miles
guitarThe first movement of the piece was titled "Distressed Americana," delineating the communicative divide in America, and the hope of getting back to the point where rational discussion can once again be struck in our country. The music literally created beauty out of the dust of chaos. Schneider offered commentary on the sociological stressors that we are all surrounded by and provided a window that displayed emotional and intellectual solutions. Schneider achieved something rare and powerful in the moment, the very essence of what jazz music is supposed to be.
The Schneider performance was dotted with superb solo work from pianist
Gary Versace
piano
Michael Rodriguez
guitar
Johnathan Blake
drums
Scott Robinson
saxophone, tenorb.1959
Vitor Gonçalves
piano
Rich Perry
saxophone, tenor
Greg Gisbert
trumpetb.1966
Day 3: Ode to 325,000 Jazz Fans
One of the truly remarkable aspects of the jazz scene in and around the city of Detroit, is the tremendous support the music receives from the local education community. From the Detroit School of the Arts and Wayne State University in Detroit, to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Michigan State University in East Lansing, major high school and university level programs offer first rate jazz programs still influenced greatly by the tough love philosophy of the late great trumpeter and mentor,
Marcus Belgrave
trumpet1936 - 2015
Each year, one band in particular tends to bring the swing to the festival stage in stellar fashion—the MSU Bebop Spartans led by the great bassist and Detroit native,
Rodney Whitaker
bassb.1968
Jauron Perry
trumpetb.2004
The Moran program was the second of three for the resident artist, bringing to light the intense sophistication and compositional beauty of America's greatest composer. The band broke out such Ellington pearls as "Such Sweet Thunder," "My Heart Sings," and of course, "It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing)." But it was within the technically difficult lines of "Braggin' With Brass" that Moran's genuine objective in bringing this music to the massive crowd gathered in Cadillac Square was met. After the band burned through the athletic melody line, the aforementioned trumpeter Perry and trombonist
Michael Abbo
tromboneTake two was an equally adept go through, with Perry and Abbo again stepping forward to solo. Perry, clad in a canary yellow blazer, burned the changes down, offering an intense and completely different interpretation. Abbo, a highly agile player, articulated lightning fast figures precisely and with great feeling. The young trombonist is also an excellent bassist, leaving one to wonder if his time spent with that instrument aided him in swinging with such ardent expressionism on an instrument that presents challenges in articulating the language at such a tempo.
As 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival Commission awardees, the band Zambra offered something very different from the already wide-ranging fare at the festival. Presenting "Songs For Our Mothers," the music was dedicated to presenting a sound rich in the diversity of musical traditions represented by its members. Bearing influence from Persian, Indian, Flamenco and Catalan musical influences, the ensemble is all string instruments without percussion. Their softer wooden sound provided challenges for the sound crew, a sharp contrast engineering-wise from the more horn-centric trappings of that stage throughout the day. Once settled in, Zambra became stronger with each note, and as it turned out, they had to be.
One must give kudos to Zambra, for being strong and focused. The performance was on the Absopure Riverfront stage, but the overpowering energy of the music from the adjacent amphitheater performance was highly audible to the band and its audience nestled on the bluff overlooking the Detroit River. Led by Atlanta based double bassist/vocalist
Devon Gates
bassRia Modak
guitar and vocalsÁngela Varo Moreno
violinQueralt Giralt
celloRather than take a stroll through the set song by song, it makes more sense to convey the sound in this instance. It would be easy to say the music has absolutely nothing to do with jazz, or the blues, or any other interpretation of Black American music heard around downtown Detroit over these four festival days.The five women came together at Berklee in Boston, and created a joyous sound that honored culture and ignored borders. They did so with strength of spirit and musical virtuosity. The band represented the fact that jazz and its creative spirit has been gifted to many cultures, producing many different sounds. The Detroit audience was incredibly supportive. Added to that, the location of the stage, was on the blue-green waters of the Detroit at sunset, with a lovely breeze nearing the end of a perfect day—who could ask for more?
The dilemma around Hart Plaza for the late sets was obvious, if not unfair. Which master saxophonist do you prefer—
Branford Marsalis
saxophoneb.1960
Walter Smith III
saxophone, tenorb.1980
Eric Harland
drumsb.1976
Hiromi
pianob.1979
Kenny Barron
pianob.1943
Endea Owens
bass
Omar Sosa
pianob.1965
Randy Napoleon
guitarb.1978
Marsalis has been playing with this particular quartet for a quarter century, save drummer
Justin Faulkner
drums
Jeff Tain Watts
drumsb.1960
Joey Calderazzo
pianob.1965
Eric Revis
bassb.1967
Calderazzo's "The Mighty Sword' got things started, the melody's simple motif providing the impetus for radiant offerings from the pianist and Marsalis. Keith Jarret's rollicking "Long as You Know You're Living Yours" was another vehicle for Calderazzo to shine, with the bandleader taking it in and out on tenor. Marsalis' solo was a soaring crescendo, bringing the audience to its collective feet. At one point, a woman in the front row exclaimed, "You teach!" Marsalis acknowledged her at the tune's end with a point and a smile.
"There Ain't No Sweet Man Worth the Salt of My Tears" is a tune from 1928, played out in this case in a modern sense while keeping a close connection to the traditional stylistic trappings of the era. The quartet's dive into Thelonious Monk's "Teo" was the peak of the performance, with Calderazzo and Revis first playing through dynamically—then the saxophone parade began in earnest.
Lakecia Benjamin
saxophone, altoChris Lewis
saxophoneDay 4: Kris, Jason and the Detroit New Wave
Labor Day at the Detroit Jazz Festival is an emotional day for those attending, performing and covering the event. There is that sense of finality, knowing that soon all of the participants will be on flights headed home, or to the next gig. That feeling of loss, of separation is prominent as we bid farewell to friends we have made at the festival, to the festival, and most prominently to the city of Detroit and its lovely, welcoming people. For those seated in one of the sidewalk cafes along Woodward Avenue just north of Campus Martius, the sound of a big band floated through the air in that direction, adding to the charm of the early afternoon vibe under a deep blue sky, You could feel that this would be the warmest day of the festival, a reminder that we still had a few weeks of summer remaining to enjoy, before the air chills and autumn arrives. The University of Michigan Jazz Ensemble under the direction of
Ellen Rowe
pianoA half hour later, the
Kris Davis
pianob.1980
Robert Hurst
bass, acousticb.1964
Johnathan Blake
drumsOpening with "Where Does That Tunnel Go," Davis' piano opening was mildly blended with street noise filtering in at this, one of the city's busiest and most famous intersections. Hurst then took the helm with an active Blake as the undercurrent. Davis utilized some prepared elements placed in the piano to create a percussive sound that danced in perfect cadence with her partners. With "Little Footsteps" we are again reminded of Hurst's ability to make almost anything musical—and achieving this in the pivotal role of bassist in a jazz piano trio. Davis revealed her adept usage of chromatics in her melodic playing, all collectively guided by her side-glancing perception of harmony. Her new composition, "Lost in Geneva" furthered the approach by the trio, one that draws the audience inside of the harmonic embrace of the music, and the rhythmic sense of the band that has groove, but allowance for the threesome to venture outside of it.
The highlight of the set was also one of the top highlights of the entire festival. "Run the Gauntlet," the title track from the trio's superb 2025 release, encompassed all of the finest and unique traits of these three musicians, and the deep conversation between them. The intensity level rose dramatically as well, with Blake easing into intricate and energetic playing to light the fire.
The Carhartt Amphitheater stage at Hart Plaza hosted a special set at 3PM, with the sun becoming a force on this location that sits out in the open, amplified by concrete. As it turned out, old Sol wasn't the only thing burning in the Detroit afternoon. A large crowd welcomed in one of its own, 20-something drummer
Louis Jones III
drumsThose wanting to catch a good share of Jones' set, had to exit Davis' superb showing a few minutes early and travel at a good rate down Woodward and across Jefferson into Hart Plaza. The band represented the best of the newest wave of jazz brilliance coming from the city of Detroit.
Kasan Belgrave
saxophone, alto
Trunino Lowe
trumpetJordan Anderson
pianoJonathan Muir-Cotton
bass, acousticJones is a drummer with strong ties to the sound of Detroit, and to jazz that is influenced around the edges by playing and composing beats along the way. "Motions" made those influences come front and center, with music that had a contemporary vibe very different from the rest of the set which was essentially east coast, progressive post-bop. Jones provided a very strong pulse throughout the proceedings, seemingly accelerating the playing of his long-time mates.
Belgrave plays with great dynamic range, between airy, lightning quick runs and strong long tones. His front line partner Lowe arrived with a trumpet sound that has risen and greatly advanced over the past year alone. What he plays has always been technically brilliant, but the actual sound he produces now from the instrument is something rarely achieved and bodes well for him as his career moves forward. Belgrave showed great adaptability in doubling on flute, with a sound removed from what one is likely to hear from a saxophonist or multi-instrumentalist. He sounds like a flute-first player, much like Eric Dolphy and a scant few others. Both have a wonderful ability to resolve abstractions to arrive at a high point.
Anderson was the harmonic foundation of the quintet, of course, but his solos featured lithe right hand runs and a hammer-like left hand chordally asserting the harmony. His style strikes a similarity to the Philly sound exemplified by McCoy Tyner, reinforcing a commonality between Detroit and Philadelphia. The two cities have a mind-blowing roster of jazz greats historically, and a common vision of soul, swing and a deep awareness of and dedication to the blues.
The quintet had a marvelous facility to jump from a vamp into hard-swinging solos featuring the front line. Some of Lowe's breaks and Belgrave's slowly building crescendos brought the max crowd to its feet. You could feel the Detroit pride in the crowd, and their recognition that Jones' set represented the continuation of the great jazz tradition that has graced the Motor City since the great migration of the 1940s. Even those from out of town could feel the vibe, making this one of the most satisfying sets of the weekend.
Jones' set was followed by a trio plus one performance from iconic guitarist
John Scofield
guitarb.1951
Nicholas Payton
trumpetb.1973
Bill Stewart
drumsb.1966
Moran's last set of his residency once again took a sharp left turn from his previous offering. appearing with Bandwagon, an ensemble featuring drummer
Nasheet Waits
drumsb.1971
Tarus Mateen
bass
Akili Bradley
trumpet
MeShell NdegeOcello
bass, electricb.1968
Wayne Shorter
saxophone1933 - 2023
Ornette Coleman
saxophone, alto1930 - 2015
Fats Waller
piano1904 - 1943
Brian Blade
drumsb.1970
There is always a deep sense of satisfaction tempered slightly by sadness when returning to the hotel after the festival closing set. Taxis and Limos are busy gathering and transporting musicians to the airport, while the rest enjoy final dinners and drinks with friends, and retreat to rest up for flights the following morning. Upon arriving home, those deep feelings turn to motivation, to renewal. How and why this music is so personally important to us comes to mind, as autumn approaches and we settle in for another year before we return—and return we will. There is nothing like the Detroit Jazz Festival. There you will see everything that has taken care of this music and allowed it to travel forward—a true audience that gathers for free, young musicians having access to the mentorship cycle at the jam session at Cliff Bell's, jazz education taking place at the highest level, and most importantly, more than 300,000 people united in the music for four days. The welcoming spirit of Detroit is front and center in this one of the great music cities in the world. Its embrace is inspiring, bringing joy and hope to all that arrive and are open to it. Other major festivals can point to attractive, legitimate attributes to their respective events—but none have the unique history and cultural importance of this free event.
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Live Review
jason moran
Paul Rauch
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Chris Collins
Alice Coltrane
Ravi Coltrane
Brandee Younger
Keyon Harrold
Charles Haynes
Andrew Renfroe
Daniel Winshall
John Coltrane
Chet Carlson
Mathew Fu
oscar peterson
Mulgrew Miller
Herlin Riley
Matt Brewer
Kendrick Scott
Kenny Barron
Tyreek McDole
Tatiana Eva-Marie
Django Reinhart
Maria Schneider
Chris Lewis
Dave Pietro
Ryan Keberle
Jeff Miles
Gary Versace
Michael Rodriguez
Johnathan Blake
Scott Robinson
Vitor Gon?alves
Rich Perry
Greg Gisbert
Marcus Belgrave
Rodney Whitaker
Jauron Perry
Sarah Whitaker
Devon Gates
Ria Modak
Angela Varo Moreno
Bahar Badieitabar
Queralt Giralt
Branford Marsalis
Walter Smith lll
Eric Harland
Hiromi
Endea Owens
Omar Sosa
Randy Napoleon
Chucho Valdez
Pacquito D'Rivera
Justin Faulkner
Jeff"Tain"Watts
Joey Calderazzo
Eric Revis
Lakecia BENJAMIN
Kris Davis
Robert Hurst
Louis Jones lll
Kasan Belgrave
Trunino Lowe
Jordan Anderson
Jonathan Muir Cotton
John Scofield
Nicholas Payton
Vincente Archer
Bill Stewart
Nasheet Watts
Tarus Mateen
AKILI BRADLEY
Meshell Ndegeocello
Wayne Shorter
Ornette Coleman
Fats Waller
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