john e. lawrence

Musician and educator, John E. Lawrence had a dream for a summer jazz festival in Ypsilanti. In 2021, he took the leap, and wow, did they come! Now, thousands flock to Ford Lake on Friday nights to hear the sounds and sway to the music of jazz artists from Southeast Michigan and beyond. Johnny tells us about his Summer Jazz Festival phenomenon when he joins Deb Polich on this edition of WEMU’s "creative:impact."

The city of Ypsilanti will celebrate its Bicentennial on Saturday at Riverside Park. WEMU's Josh Hakala reports.

Ypsilanti native John E. Lawrence is truly a man of many talents. He's a celebrated guitarist, respected music teacher, and the founder of the John E. Lawrence Summer Jazz Series. Lawrence talked to WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale about how he got started in music, transitioned into teaching and why it was important to him to create a jazz series in his hometown of Ypsilanti.

This summer, the first units of a housing development near Ypsilanti’s Depot Town will open. With the name “Dorsey Estates”, it will honor a beloved champion of housing access in the city. WEMU’s Josh Hakala reports.

We are days away from the national and local celebration of Juneteenth. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. 157 years later, racial issues and matter of inequity and inequality remain at the fore of our social discourse. WEMU's David Fair is joined by the founder of Survivors Speak, Trische' Duckworth, to talk about Juneteenth as a platform to advance the dialogue and look at Ypsilanti's annual Juneteenth celebration while also marking the one-year anniversary of the painting of Ypsilanti's Black Lives Matter Boulevard.

Ypsilanti-area residents will be treated to a series of free weekly jazz concerts throughout the summer, thanks to Ypsilanti-based musician John E.…