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| Jazz on the River features all-star lineup Spend an afternoon lounging riverside while enjoying some smooth sounds at the 18th annual Jazz on the River in Trenton. Sponsored by Wayne County Parks, the music festival attracts thousands of devoted followers to Elizabeth Park each year for performances from local and national jazz artists. One of the largest and most popular free jazz festivals in the region, Jazz on the River will feature an all-star lineup of nationally known jazz greats Saturday and Sunday. Organizers say the festival stage, backed by the Detroit River vista at the park, makes for an idyllic summer music experience. This weekend's lineup includes Jeff Lorber Fusion, with Paul Jackson Jr. and Eric Marienthal, and Sax & The City, starring Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Vincent Ingala and Joe McBride. Additional stars are Nick Colionne and Lin Rountree. Detroit's nationally known jazz flutist Alexander Zonjic serves as artistic director for the event and will perform with his band, as well as with special guest keyboardist Keiko Matsui. Celebrated keyboardist and studio musician Brian Simpson, who has been the go-to musician for everyone from Janet Jackson to Dave Koz, joins the musical fray. Simpson has worked as Koz's musical director for 15 years. Chicago guitarist/vocalist Nick Colionne brings his ability to combine jazz, funk, R&B, blues and soul to the festival this year. Bringing the first day's music to a close will be Jeff Lorber Fusion, featuring Paul Jackson Jr. and Eric Marienthal, Grammy Award-winning keyboardist Jeff Lorber, saxophonist Eric Marienthal and guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. Philadelphia native Lorber has made his mark with freewheeling jazz that he calls "second generation fusion" and picked up some Grammy nominations for his work. His group once featured a then-little known sax player named Kenny G. The festival's second day will feature soul/jazz/R&B trumpeter Lin Rountree, one of the latest artists to emerge from the new Detroit music factory to rave reviews. Continued... Zonjic takes the stage with Tokyo-born Matsui, a jazz keyboardist who has sold more than 1.2 million records in the United States. A student since the age of 5, when she studied Mozart and Chopin, Matsui graduated from Japan Woman's University and majored in children's culture. It was music, however, that was her calling. At the age of 17, she composed her first major film score and became a recording artist for the Yamaha System. One might think that Matsui and her music have just an Asian touch, but her renderings are known to take listeners around the world and represent the many countries to which she has traveled. Music critics call her a true visionary. She was voted Billboard magazine's No. 1 Contemporary Female Artist in 2000. Rounding out the festival will be contemporary jazz act, Sax & The City featuring soprano saxophonist Marion Meadows, smooth jazz sax man Paul Taylor, young sax sensation Vincent Ingala and keyboardist Joe McBride. The complete two-day music lineup is: Saturday: 1 p.m. - Athena Johnson & Friends 2:30 p.m. - Demetrius Nabors 4 p.m. - Brian Simpson Continued... 5:30 p.m. - Nick Colionne 7:30 p.m. - Jeff Lorber Fusion, featuring Paul Jackson Jr. and Eric Marienthal Sunday: 1 p.m. - Deon Yates 2:30 p.m. - Testimony 4:00 p.m. - Lin Rountree 5:30 p.m. - Alexander Zonjic with Keiko Matsui 7:30 p.m. - Sax & The City Jazz on the River is free to the public; however, there is a $5 suggested donation for parking. Free parking is available in downtown Trenton with free shuttles provided by Smart Transportation at the corner of West Jefferson Avenue and West Road, also Jefferson and Elm to the entrance of Elizabeth Park. write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Jazz News :: home page |