“There is no better place in the world for Jazz than Labor Day weekend in Detroit,” said Gretchen Valade, chair of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation Board of Directors. “We’re truly excited for another great Jazz festival and welcome our guests from around the world to our beautiful city.”
Detroit Jazz Festival /Carhartt Stage
September 4-7, 2020
Chris Collins, Detroit Jazz Festival and Artistic Director
Chris Collins, Detroit Jazz Festival President and Artistic Director presented the performance schedule for this year’s festival at the annual press conference last week. He included a list of some of the headlining groups and the annual Artist-in-residence which is the Grammy and Tony award winning Jazz vocalist, Dee Dee Bridgewater.
Chris has out done himself this year with an outstanding artist roster that is sure to attract Jazz fans with diverse tastes in Jazz. Headliners include everyone from Herbie Hancock to Gregory Porter, Robert Glasper and Kurt Elling.
Pianist, Robert Glasper / Photo by NPR
Chris knows his music, as he is also a well-known saxophonist and band leader as well as chairman of the Jazz Studies department at Wayne State University.
Detroit Jazz Festival 2020 media sponsors Detroit Public TV and WRCJ 90.9 FM join Detroit Jazz Fest “On the Road” to the upcoming 50th Festival”!
The music this year shines the spotlight on Detroit’s world-renowned Jazz history and arts community that brought us such artists as drummer Elvin Jones, Alice Coltrane, Dave McMurray, Anita Baker, Yusef Lateef, Donald Byrd, Ron Carter, Rodney Whitaker, Kenny Garrett, Curtis Fuller, Paul Chambers, Faruq Z. Bey and countless others.
“True to our mission, the Detroit Jazz Festival provides a platform for emerging and legacy artists to
present true jazz presentations to enthusiasts and fans across the world…this year is no exception.” – Chris Collins
Media sponsors share a common mission with the festival. “At Detroit Public TV and WRCJ 90.9 FM, we aim to strengthen our creative, diverse local community through innovative programming and strong advocacy for the arts.
This commitment to helping Greater Detroit residents access the best cultural experiences our great city has to offer has led to us partner with the famed Detroit Jazz Festival for our third consecutive year.
As the Detroit Jazz Festival approaches its 50-year anniversary, Detroit Public TV and WRCJ are proud to partner with this iconic annual event that helps ensure jazz remains an important part of life in the town played such a large role in the creation of this great art form.”
In keeping with a tradition of presenting true jazz artists and presentations that define its renowned jazz reputation and legacy across the globe, the Detroit Jazz Festival today announced its 2020 lineup for Labor Day weekend.
Previously announced, Grammy and Tony-award winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater will serve as the Festival’s Artist-in-Residence. The Detroit Jazz Festival is the world’s largest (and best) free jazz festival in the world.
“True to our mission, the Detroit Jazz Festival provides a platform for emerging and legacy artists to present true jazz presentations to enthusiasts and fans across the world…this year is no exception,” said Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation President and Artistic Director Chris Collins.
“This year’s festival will showcase a very dynamic group of artists from various disciplines and generations, representing our embedded mission to present multiple facets of jazz in one festival setting,” said Collins.
The 2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater will headline multiple performances during the Festival including an opening set with protégé group, the Woodshed Network Ladies, and a closing night performance with her all-female big band. Besides Herbie Hancock, Kurt Elling and Gregory Porter, other highlights include performances from Pharoah Sanders, Abdullah Ibrahim, Omar Sosa and Marialy Pacheco.
This year’s theme, “The Road to the Festival”, also kicks off a journey to the Festival’s 50-year celebration.
The great Jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock, will be at the Detroit Jazz Festival again this year!
Here’s a partial listing of this year’s Festival lineup:
Friday, Sept. 4
• 2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Woodshed Network Ladies
• Herbie Hancock
Saturday, Sept. 5
• Matthew Whitaker Quartet
• Kenny Barron Trio
• Alicia Olatuja – “Intuition: Songs From The Minds of Women”
• Etienne Charles – Creole Soul
• David Binney Angeleno Quartet
• Keyon Harrold presents Jazz and the Birth of Hip Hop with special guests “Elzi”, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Chris “Daddy” Dave
• Pharoah Sanders: Icon
• The Summit: The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6
• Kurt Elling’s Big Blind; featuring Kurt Elling, 2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee
• Bridgewater, Broadway Legend Ben Vereen and others
Sunday, Sept. 6
• Michael Mayo Quartet
• Roberto Fonseca – YESUN
• Alfredo Rodriguez & Richard Bona Sextet
• 2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap
• Abdullah Ibrahim and the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra
• Anat Cohen Tentet/Musical Director, Oded Lev-Ari
• Sean Jones: “Dizzy Spellz”
• The Dave Brubeck 100th Anniversary Tribute; featuring the Brubeck Brothers, Jerry
• Bergonzi, the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra and Choir, and others
• Fly Higher: Charlie Parker@100 Co Music directors: Rudresh Mahanthappa & Terri Lyne
• Carrington
• Gregory Porter
Monday, Sept. 7
• Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya
• Joey Alexander Trio
• Jimmy Greene Quintet
• Eddie Daniels and Bob James; Exploring New Worlds
• Omar Sosa & Marialy Pacheco Piano Duo
• Robert Glasper
• 2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and her all-female big band
The full Festival schedule will be available as the event nears.
“There is no better place in the world for Jazz than Labor Day weekend in Detroit,” said Gretchen Valade, chair of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation Board of Directors. “We’re truly excited for another great Jazz festival and welcome our guests from around the world to our beautiful city.”
