click to enlarge 
Courtesy photo
Tia Fuller.
Motor City jazzheads, get ready: The lineup for the 39th Annual Detroit Jazz Festival has just been announced. Organizers announced on Wednesday more than 30 performances for the festival, set to return to Detroit's Hart Plaza Aug. 31-Sept. 3.
This year's highlights include artist-in-residence Chick Corea, the 25th-anniversary reunion of Straight Ahead, and three sets honoring the late Geri Allen by the festival's inaugural "resident ensemble," Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding. Crossover acts include Chris Dave and the Drumhedz (who have collaborated with acts like Adele, D'Angelo, and Justin Bieber) and saxophonist Tia Fuller (who is a member of Beyoncé's touring band).
"Jazz has always been about freedom, communication and individual expression, and there’s nothing that encapsulates the depth of the genre better than a diverse lineup like the one we have planned this year," Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation, said in a statement. "From legends to artists just embarking on their musical careers, to some of the most powerful female artists that have ever touched the genre, the 39th Annual Detroit Jazz Festival presented by Quicken Loans will be free-spirited in nature and offer a unique cultural flair of jazz stylings for all to enjoy."
Without further ado, the lineup:
Friday, Aug. 31
• Dr. Valade’s Brass Band Led by New Orleans Legend Shannon Powell
• Resident Ensemble: Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding – Tribute to Geri Allen
• Artist-in-Residence: Chick Corea Akoustic Band
Saturday, Sept. 1
• Straight Ahead 25th Anniversary Reunion Featuring: Regina Carter, Marion Hayden, Gayelynn McKinney, and Alina Morr
• Julian Lage Trio
• Dr. Lonnie Smith Organ Trio
• Detroit Jazz Festival National Instrumental Competition Winner
• Tia Fuller
• Nicholas Payton – Afro-Caribbean Mixtape
• Sasha Masakowski & Art Market
• Emmet Cohen Trio
• Trio of Oz featuring: Omar Hakim and Rachel Z
• Artist-in-Residence: Chick Corea Elektric Band
• Ravi Coltrane’s Universal Consciousness: Melodic Meditations of Alice Coltrane
Sunday, Sept. 2
• Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
• Harold López-Nussa with Grégoire Maret and Pedrito Martinez
• Eddie Daniels Quartet with The Harlem String Quartet
• Omar Sosa Quarteto AfroCubano
• Karriem Riggins Detroit Generations
• Hub-Tones: Freddie Hubbard 80th Birthday Celebration – Featuring: Nicholas Payton,
Randy Brecker, David Weiss and Dwight Adams
• Chris Dave and the Drumhedz
• Resident Ensemble: Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding – Tribute to Geri Allen
• ASABA Trio – Hirofumi Asaba
• Senri Oe
• J.C. Heard JazzWeek@Wayne All-Stars
• Pat Martino Quintet
• Marcus Miller
Monday, Sept. 3
• Four Freshmen and 5 Trombones
• Cecile McLorin Salvant
• The Brecker Brothers Band Reunion
• Resident Ensemble: Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding – Tribute to Geri Allen
Christian Sands Trio
• Joey DeFrancesco: Project Freedom
• Artist-in-Residence: Chick Corea with the Detroit Jazz Festival Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Steven Mercurio
The full Festival schedule will be available at
detroitjazzfest.org closer to the event.
Get our top picks for the best events in Detroit every Thursday morning. Sign up for our events newsletter.
