Music

Friday, February 5th 89.1 WEMU is proud to present The Sheila Landis Quartet at The Rush Street Nightclub for our next free Sesi Motors 5:01 Jazz show.  Although it has been  a while since Sheila performed at one of our shows, she has a long and rich history with WEMU.  Sheila discovered her passion for jazz singing in 1973 and has been a stalwart of Detroit jazz since the 1970s.  

True to its spirit of music discovery, NPR Music is kicking off 2016 with an invite to unsigned artists of all genres: Show us why you should perform in NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series. The winner will secure a spot at the iconic performance space and a U.S. tour with NPR Music.

Bands and musicians can submit original video entries to the NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest Jan. 12-Feb. 2, 2016 at npr.org/tinydeskcontest (see rules for entry).

89.1 WEMU and Sesi Motors present the 5:01 First Friday Series dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Jan Winkelman. Join us for a 5:01 celebration of music featuring the Glenn Tucker Trio + 1 at Rush Street in Ann Arbor on January 8th.

The Ypsilanti Song Fest returned with another eclectic line-up of singer/songwriters.  This year's headliner was veteran folk artist Marshall Crenshaw.  

Ahead of his Song Fest set  Bona Sera Cafe, Crenshaw stopped by the WEMU studios for a live interview and performance.

As 2015 develops, so will WEMU’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. We began broadcasting at 10 watts to EMU dormitories in 1965 and are now the award-winning and nationally recognized NPR, news, jazz and blues service you know and depend on.

Riley B. King, the guitarist better known as B.B. King, whose voice brought blues to the mainstream, died Thursday night. He was 89.

 Ann Arbor Summer Festival Executive and Artistic Director Amy Nesbitt joined me Friday for a preview of the 2015 Top Of The Park schedule. The free Top Of The Park offerings and activities have grown remarkably over the years. 

What began as little experiment with one band and free film screenings on top of a parking structure now encompasses a city block with two stages, a full variety of food vendors, family activities, exercise and wellness classes, Michigan craft beer tastings, family favorite films and state-of-the art acrobatic performances. 

Alberto Nacif, the former and founding host of the program Cuban Fantasy has every reason in the world to be proud of Invisible, the new CD by his Latin jazz ensemble, Aguankó. He joined me in studio to discuss his partnership with fellow percussionist Jose Pepe Espinosa and his deep admiration for Michigan's great musicians including Marcus Belgrave, Rick Roe, Robert Hurst, Russ Miller, Chris Smith and Anthony Stanco. 

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival has announced the line up for the admission-free Top of the Park series! The festival’s 32nd season runs 6 nights per week, from June 12 – July 5, 2015. 

Jazz musician Marcus Miller's decades-long resume includes multiple Grammy Awards, work with Miles Davis and even an appearance on a Michael Jackson album, but now he's relishing his second calling as a UNESCO Artist For Peace and spokesman for the organization's Slave Route Project.

Aguankó, the internationally recognized Afro-Cuban jazz group led by Alberto Nacif will share lively Latin melodies at WEMU’s next free Sesi Motors 5:01 Jazz Show, Friday April 10th.  We will return to Rush Street, and get the music going at 5:01 PM sharp.

As April and Jazz Appreciation Month comes to a close with International Jazz Day this Thursday, April 30th, I would like to share a personal jazz experience and how my musical appreciation continues to grow through my friendship with saxophonist Vincent York of Jazzistry.

Don Chisholm’s career has been focused on Ann Arbor’s commercial and residential real estate development, but support for the arts and the development of musical expression - especially jazz - never has been far from his heart.

For his years of generous service and philanthropy for jazz and musical theatre in Ann Arbor, property developer Don Chisholm has been selected to receive a 2015 National Jazz Hero Award from the Jazz Journalist’s Association.

"Without Public Radio there is no music" -Esperanza Spalding

To Be Or Not To Bop by Dizzy Gillespie may be the definitive treatise on the life of the legendary trumpeter and the evolution of the jazz form of “Be-bop”.  While Dizzy’s book is essential jazz literature, the new volume Music Is Forever:  Dizzy Gillespie, The Jazz Legend, And Me by Detroiter Dave Usher is a crucial companion to Dizzy Gillespie’s story.

In advance of Record Store day, Mlive chats with PJs Used Records and CDs co-owner Marc S. Taras (and host of Cuban Fantasy) on starting a record collection.