This Labor Day weekend jazz fans pick between three premier jazz festivals in the Great Lakes region: The Mackinaw Island Labor Day Weekend Jazz Concert Series, the 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival or the 2025 Chicago Jazz Festival.
Against the beautiful natural scenery of Mackinaw Island the Grand Hotel hosts the John Pizzarelli Trio featuring Grand Rapids own Paul Keller on bass and Isaiah J. Thompson piano, plus The Brubeck Brothers Quartet (Dave Brubeck’s sons attended the University of Michigan for their undergraduate degrees) and a horn heavy soul band called The Huntertones. Information from: https://www.grandhotel.com/packages/jazz-up-your-labor-day-weekend/#
In Detroit four stages keep the music going from Thursday through Monday near Hart Plaza in downtown. This year’s Artist in Residence is pianist/bandleader Jason Moran and the schedule is overflowing with international jazz stars and stellar student ensembles. Highlights include former Blue Lake camper James Carter’s Organ Trio, The Branford Marsalis Quartet, guitarist John Scofield, The Maria Schneider Orchestra and pianist Kenny Barron’s “Voices” featuring Tyreek McDole. A full schedule is available from https://www.detroitjazzfest.org/ .
In downtown Chicago this Thursday through Sunday afternoons and evenings the Chicago Jazz Festival is held at three stages during the day and the futuristic Jay Pritzer Pavilion at Millennium Park in the evening. The understated vocal beauty and smart song selections of pianist Patricia Barber will highlight the weekend, as well as concerts by pianist Monty Alexander, bassist and vocalist esperanza spalding, and New Orleans trumpeter and singer Kermit Ruffins with his Barbecue Swingers. A full schedule from https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_jazz_festival5.html
This week and Saturday morning Jazz From Blue Lake highlights programming featuring the many phenomenal jazz musicians coming into our region for these three great Labor Day weekend traditions. You can hear #JazzFromBlueLake over #BlueLakePublicRadio on 90.3 FM across the region, 88.9 FM in Grand Rapids, and worldwide through our Blue Lake Public Radio mobile app or www.bluelakeradio.org
