Detroit Jazz Festival returns this week with 60 performances
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A scene from the Detroit Jazz Festival. Photo: Courtesy of Chris Collins
The world's largest free jazz festival is back for Labor Day weekend with about 60 performances scheduled.
Why it matters: The festival, first held in 1980, is integral to Detroit's musical and cultural heritage, bringing hundreds of thousands of people downtown each year to enjoy some of the genre's most talented musicians.
Driving the news: The music starts at 6:40pm Friday and runs through 9pm Monday.
- The performances are on three stages — the main stage at Cadillac Square and two others at Hart Plaza.
- Wayne State's new Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center hosts after-hours shows Friday-Sunday.
State of play: This year's lineup features the Bad Plus, Carmen Lundy and artist-in-residence Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band.
- Friday's opening performance is "Translinear Light," a tribute to Alice Coltrane featuring Ravi Coltrane (John and Alice's son) and the Detroit Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra.
- The performances will be livestreamed on the festival's website if you can't go.
What they're saying: "The jazz festival is not a gig. It's a spotlight," Chris Collins, the festival's president and artistic director, told MLive.
- "It's a showcase opportunity for artists, which is really meaningful to them. So sometimes it takes a while before we bring someone back because there's so much great talent out there."
If you go: Visitors can bring folding chairs. There will be food and drink vendors but they will not accept cash, according to the festival's helpful FAQs.
Paid parking is available at:
- Financial District Garage, 730 Shelby St.
- Greektown Garage, 1001 Brush St.
- One Detroit Center Garage, 200 Larned St.
- Two Detroit Garage, 160 E. Congress St.
Bike parking is also available on the left of Hart Plaza's entrance.
Worthy of your time: Recent episodes of WDET's "Visions" program have previewed this year's festival.
- You can listen to Monday's episode, which features Brian Blade, the Bad Plus and others.