Favorite Detroit Jazz Festival national and/or local act? [[year of your choice)

**everglade carl** · September-02-10, 04:56 AM

I've been going downtown to the DJF for almost 20 years. Some of the later festivals have had great artists. Bassist John Clayton was awesome last year in all of the different groups he was a part of.

I'm looking forward to Maria Schneider's group and Mulgrew Miller.

Anyone else have favorite artists [[local and/or national) in any year you visited the festival?

**Jimg** · September-02-10, 07:39 AM

Nice thread. Every single year contained some special performance - and I'll brag and mention my perfect attendance record.
This year will be extra special because of Jazz Planet. We are streaming video all 'round the world.
[[Warning ! shameless plug alert!) I hope forum members will drop by the Jazz Talk Tent and say 'hello' and enjoy some of the panels/interviews/presentations.

One performance I will always remember is Tommy Flanagan's trio in 2001, I think. It was maybe the finest jazz trio I've ever experienced. Tommy passed not long after the festival. He was a real gent, a class act all the way.

**Downriviera** · September-02-10, 08:15 AM

Back in the day when they had some paid/ticketed performances I saw Cecil Taylor at the DIA. That was an amazing performance. Carla Bley comes to mind as well.

LodgeDodger · September-02-10, 08:28 AM

I love both the Jazz Fest and ABE. [[It'll be a busy weekend for lodgedodger and betterhalf.) I love Thornetta Davis, the Howling Diablos, Twistin' Tarantulas, Erich Goebel and the Flying Crowbars, Mikhal Caldwell Project, The Brothers Groove, and any group Kathleen's husband Dave is drumming with...

Awww, heck. I love 'em all.

**Johnlodge** · September-02-10, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

I love both the Jazz Fest and ABE. [[It'll be a busy weekend for lodgedodger and betterhalf.) I love Thornetta Davis, the Howling Diablos, Twistin' Tarantulas, Erich Goebel and the Flying Crowbars, Mikhal Caldwell Project, The Brothers Groove, and any group Kathleen's husband Dave is drumming with...

Awww, heck. I love 'em all.

**EastsideAl** · September-02-10, 10:19 AM

The single most electric performance I ever saw at the festival was saxophonist Billy Harper at the Pyramid [[which has by far the best acoustics of any of the venues), with Eddie Henderson on trumpet & fluglehorn. The audience, which had begun small and only marginally interested, was huge and screaming by the end. Another great, spellbinding, performance I remember at the Pyramid was pianist Tommy Flanagan. He played mostly very quietly, but held the audience in his hands throughout the performance. Unfortunately, he came back a year later but couldn't finish his performance due his health, and he died just a few months later.

LodgeDodger · September-02-10, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Johnlodge

HELL YEAH! That guy can play a bass!

Ravine · September-02-10, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by everglade carl

I've been going downtown to the DJF for almost 20 years. Some of the later festivals have had great artists. Bassist John Clayton was awesome last year in all of the different groups he was a part of.

I'm looking forward to Maria Schneider's group and Mulgrew Miller.

Anyone else have favorite artists [[local and/or national) in any year you visited the festival?

The Schneider appearance may actually get me out of the house and into a largish crowd, and that doesn't happen easily or often.

About 17 years ago, I stayed home and recorded the Sir Roland Hanna performance, broadcast live on WDET, and I still enjoy every second of it. Stunning.

**1KielsonDrive** · September-03-10, 12:32 AM

Waaaaay too many to say which was the best. But I will recount the entire Detroit Piano Summit at Music Hall during one of, if not the first, Montreaux-Detroit Jazz Festival. Charles Boles blew the doors off of the house.

**buckster1986** · September-02-11, 11:45 AM

Might be interesting to see Kevin Eubanks play...for once without you know who...Lots going on this weekend...

http://woodwardspine.com/2011/09/02/...metro-detroit/

**detroittrader** · September-02-11, 12:24 PM

Back in 2000, the festival that Ed Love directed was awesome. I saw 2 great sets i'll never forget: The JazzTimes Magazine Superband was Bob Berg, Randy Brecker, Joey DeFrancesco and Dennis Chambers. The drumming of Chambers was amazing and DeFrancesco on the B3 was great. Then a set by Rufus Harney "The Pied Piper of Jazz" playing the bagpipes, with Teddy Harris on piano. There were more great acts that year too.