Nostalgia

Older fans remember great music in this downtown spot when it was Tiffany's — and the great, tinted glasswork still sets a mood. Wednesday nights, vocalist Sky Covington and saxophonist Scott Reiter head up a crack ensemble that's been building a sound for months now. When we stopped by the other night, Covington reminded us of her roots in Nina Simone and flair for high drama on "Summertime," in particular. And after Covington-Reiter and company have their say, the final sets of the night are given over to a lively jam session. More recently, drummer Keith Glass has settled into Saturday nights with his group Nostalgia, putting an emphasis on, as he puts, on the days before the beat blotted out all else and music was about melody. But note that Nostalgia takes melody as something to play with rather than revere. The regular saxophonists are Tony Holland (formerly of Griot Galaxy) and Cassius Richmond (a onetime Jackie McLean student), and the other night the similarly inclined James Carter stopped by to make sure the volcano kept spewing lava. Harbor House, 440 Clinton St., Detroit; 313-967-9900; cover $5 on Wednesday, no cover on Saturday.

Harbor House

440 Clinton St.

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Venue phone: 313-967-9900