The good news for Detroit rolls on...

'World-class' $7.5-million jazz hub set for Wayne State
"As a lifelong lover of jazz and her hometown music scene, Gretchen Valade has always been quick to put her money where her heart is.

Now a $7.5-million gift from the Detroit philanthropist is set to be a transformative step for Wayne State University’s music program while giving jazz music a high-profile stake in the city's blossoming Midtown district.

The Valade Center, envisioned by WSU officials as “a world-class jazz venue,” will occupy the existing Hilberry Theatre, a 51-year-old hall that will be converted into a music space with flexible seating capacity of up to 400.

Once operational — likely within several years — the venue will be a teeming jazz hub, hosting shows by touring artists, giving a platform to hometown players, and serving as a working space for WSU music students and faculty.

Valade’s contribution will immediately establish a $1.5-million endowed chair in jazz studies and a $1- million endowed jazz scholarship. Those recipients will oversee programming and other activities at the facility."

Full article at Freep.com >>