Tower of Power Headlines Opening Night of The 31st Annual Detroit International Jazz Festival | Sept. 3rd – 6th, 2010

 
Today, festival organizers
announce artist additions to the 2010 lineup for the 31st Detroit
International Jazz Festival (DJF), Friday, September 3 through Monday,
September 6, in downtown Detroit. The newly added artists further
underscore an already existing diversity of musical genres, including
funk, gospel and R&B.
 
Yellowjackets, Salim Washington &
the Harlem Arts Ensemble, Jason D. Williams, and gospel sensation James
Fortune & FIYA will join the previously announced roster featuring
Mulgrew Miller, Take 6, Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Manhattan
Transfer, Roy Haynes and Allen Toussaint.
 
“Soul” in all meanings
of the word best describes opening night, Friday September 3.  A
spiritual performance by Take 6 and the Mulgrew Miller Trio will be
followed by the urban soul music of Tower of Power.  For over 40 years,
this group has thrilled audiences all over the world with their unique
brand of music.  And there’s a Detroit connection – band members Emillo
Castillo and Tom Politzer both hail from our city.
 
The
Yellowjackets have been cutting-edge purveyors of innovative, eclectic
jazz for nearly thirty years. With every recording since their 1981
debut album, the Yellowjackets have pushed the boundaries of
improvisational jazz and have been leaders in the music’s inescapable
evolution. Hailed as the “most adventurous quartet in contemporary jazz
music” by All Music Guide, this
multi-Grammy Award-winning group features Russell Ferrante, Will
Kennedy, Jimmy Haslip and Bob Mintzer.
 
Jason D. Williams has
the same musical innovation and on-the-edge attitude as Jerry Lee
Lewis.  The fiery Memphis-born pianist covers boogie-woogie rock &
roll, classical, country and jazz, in what has been described as an
“enthusiastic, reckless and stormy” way.
 
ASCAP Award winner and
Stellar Award nominee James Fortune and FIYA will headline the DJF “Come
MONday” gospel celebration on September 6. The Houston artist made
music history with “I Trust You” – the longest running #1 single in
gospel music.  The group’s rapid success in the gospel music industry
has garnered international acclaim and opened the door to their sharing
the stage opening for distinguished artists Stevie Wonder, Kirk
Franklin, Kim Burrell, Fred Hammond, Smokie Norful and Donald Lawrence.
Fortune was a featured guest judge for the 2009 Verizon Wireless How Sweet the Sound Competition.
 
The
“Come MONday” gospel celebration will also feature Detroit’s own Second
Ebenezer and Triumph Church choirs.
 
Tenor saxophonist and
composer Salim Washington grew up in Detroit where he followed in the
footsteps of one of his early influences, Yusef Lateef. In addition to
performing with his own group, Salim Washington & the Harlem Arts
Ensemble, he also performs with Frank Lacey’s Vibe Tribe and Ahmed
Abdullah’s Diaspora. Salim will be joined by KuUmba Frank Lacy, Melanie
Dyer, Hakim Jami, Malik Washington, Aaron James and Detroit’s own Pamela
Wise.
 
For the full 2010 artist roster, visit detroitjazzfest.com.
The lineup of Detroit-based jazz musicians playing the festival will be
announced in mid-June.
 
Detroit
International Jazz Festival (DJF) brings world-class artistry and
tourism to Detroit, and is dedicated to music education and community
service. On Labor Day Weekend, it shines a positive light on the city
like no other event in Detroit. It attracts a diverse, educated
audience, and because it is FREE, makes high quality performances
accessible to all, including families and children. More than a weekend
event, DJF is engaged in the community throughout the year, bringing
national artists to Detroit to work with students and local musicians
and to help support educational efforts in jazz with other cultural
organizations. In 2010, the festival has received support from the
National Endowment for the Arts, the Erb Foundation and the Kresge
Foundation. Major corporate sponsors include Chase, Carhartt, Absopure,
Mack Avenue Records, DTE Energy, Meijer, Budweiser, Pepsi, Comcast and
Fox 2.

DL Media