Regular Hits:

Monday night’s through August 18^th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The West Michigan Jazz Society presents live music at John Ball Park Zoo in Grand Rapids: August 11^th, The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra; 18^th , The River Rogues Jazz Band . Information from (616) 458 – 0125 or www.wmichjazz.org.

Mondays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The What Not Inn features a jam session open to musicians and vocalists and featuring local, regional and international jazz musicians sitting in with the “house” band with pianist Wally Michaels, bassist Jeff Beavin and drummer Jack Wilkins. No cover charge.  Music also presented Saturdays and Sundays. www.whatnotinn.com. The What Not Inn is located at M89 and the Blue Star Highway, 2405 68^th Street, Fennville, MI. (269) 543-3341.

Tuesday August 18th from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 The Truth In Jazz Orchestra plays swinging improvisational jazz at The West Side Inn, 1635 Beidler St, Muskegon, MI. This powerful 16 piece Muskegon based big band is fronted by West Michigan's legendary drummer, Tim Froncek, to, according to their web site, play charts from the classic era of the big bands up to today's best writing for large ensemble. The band was organized by Dave Collee, Ed Spier, and Matt Lintula to perform pro-level big band literature, and have fun doing it! More information from www.tijo.org.

Tuesday through Sunday at 7 p.m. June 17^th through August 24^th The World Class Jazz Mini-Tour plays venues across norther lower Michigan. Music played Tuesday at First Street Beach in Manistee; Wednesday, Gull Landing 438 N. Hancock, Pentwater; Thursday, Rotary Pavillion in Cadillac; Friday, the City Campground in Reed City; Saturday, Wenger Pavillion in Baldwin; and Sunday, Gull Landing in Pentwater. See www.worldclassjazz.org. August 5^th – 10^th Sweet Willie Singleton plays trumpet and sings with the Jim Cooper/Dave Hay/Mike VanLente Trio; August 12^th – 17^th, vocalist Mary Rademacher with the Mark Kahny Band present her show “Rad Hot;” August 19^th through the 24^th pianist Tom Hagen and drummer Cherie Lynn Hagen accompany vocalist Rick Reuther.  Phone, Tim Scully: (231) 642 – 1388.

Wednesdays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Rick Reuther sings at Notos Italian Restaurant, 6600 28th St. S.E., Grand Rapids.  Rick Reuther plays with drummer Cherie Lynn and pianist Tom Hagen. See http://www.notosoldworld.com/ or www.rickreuthersings.com .

Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. the Mike Michewicz Quartet plays classic and contemporary jazz on the patio at Zeytin Turkish Restaurant, 400 Ada Dr S.E., Ada Township, 49301. Regular members of the saxophonist’s band are pianist Steve Talaga, drummer/trumpeter Max Colley, and bassist Tom Lockwood. No cover. 

Wednesdays at 7 p.m. from June 25^th through August 27^th the “Echo Through the Timber” concert series at Wenger Pavillion (behind Wenger’s Ice Cream) in Baldwin, MI 49304. August 13^th Muskegon guitarist Rick Hicks Band; August 20^th Tom and Cherie Lynn Hagen Trio accompanies vocalist Rick Reuther; August 27^th, Claudia Schmidt and Her Funtet. Phone (231) 745 – 3152 or (231) 642 – 1388 for more information.  www.worldclassjazz.org .

Thursdays from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Baton Rouge, LA native Sweet Willie Singleton, or varying cast of Grand Rapids jazz musicians, swing at Gill’s Blue Crab Lounge in The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. N.W., Grand Rapids.

Thursdays local live jazz or blues is featured at Naya’s Restaurant, 1144 East Paris, Grand Rapids, MI. (616) 719 – 4400. www.nayagr.com.

Thursdays from 6:30 to 10 p.m. vocalist Libby York (www.libbyyork.com ) sings at the Everyday People Café in Douglas (next to Saugatuck) accompanied by pianist Dick Reynolds. See www.everydaypeoplecafe.com for more information.

Thursdays at 7 p.m. live music at Mill Point Park in Spring Lake presented by The Grand Haven Area Arts Council, www.ghaac.org, mixes jazz into the schedule on August 28^th with the Calder City Concert Band of Grand Haven.

Saturdays from 7 to 10 p.m. Restaurant Toulouse, 246 Culver Street, Saugatuck, presents live jazz with the Chet Baker influenced trumpeter Eddie Curtis in duo with pianist Wally Michaels. (269) 857 – 1561.

Fridays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. live music on the Blodgett Balcony at The Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center, Grand Rapids. Friday, August 15^th saxophonist Chris Bickley; 22^nd, Ed Clifford’s Gordon Parks Tribute Band plays Ellington, Parks;  29^th, Michael Doyle and Evidence with special guest trumpeter Derrick Gardner; September 5^th, pianist Paul Lesinsky; 12^th, drummer Randy Marsh; 19^th, bassist Elgin Vines;  26^th , Matt Clifford. See www.gramonline.org for more information, or call (616) 831 – 1000.

Three Fridays a month trumpeter/vocalist/entertainer Sweet Willie Singleton plays jazz in Ada during the dinner hour (6 to 9 p.m.) at the Thornapple Daily Grill, 445 Ada Drive, Ada, MI. (616) 676-1233 www.thegilmorecollection.com/Thornapple/thornapple.html.

Fridays and Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. live local jazz, blues and other musical forms at The Grand Seafood and Oyster Bar, 24 Washington St., Grand Haven. Live local jazz or blues guitarists on Wednesday evenings from 8 to 11 p.m.  (616) 844- 5055.

Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pumpernickels, 202 Butler St., Saugatuck, guitarist Chip Kristi plays jazz for breakfast. (269) 857-1196.

Timely Hits:

Sunday, August 10^th from 3 to 6 p.m. Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers play early jazz presented by The West Shore Jazz Society at The Oakridge Country Club Ballroom, 513 West Pontaluna Road, Muskegon. Tickets are $20 for members of the WSJS or $25 for non-members. The season includes these performances: September 7^th The West End Jazz Band; October 5^th Rag Time Rick and The Chefs of Dixieland; and November 2^nd, The Chicago Salty Dogs. For season tickets or membership in The West Shore Jazz Society please call WSJS President Bill Blakeman at (231) 759 – 0071 or write West Shore Jazz Society, P.O. Box 175, Muskegon, MI 49443.

Monday, August 11^th at 7:30 p.m. The Blue Lake Faculty Jazz Sixtet led by drummer Tim Froncek plays Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp’s Stewart Memorial Music Shell, a concert to be broadcast live on Blue Lake Public Radio over WBLV FM 90.3, in Grand Rapids on WBLU FM 88.9 and over the Internet from www.bluelake.org/radio. For information please call (231) 894 – 1966.

Sunday September 7th from 6 to 8 p.m. the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra performs at Founder’s Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, at 235 Grandville SE (one block south of Cherry Street).  The GRJO plays the first and third Sunday’s of the month at Founders.  See www.grjo.com for more information.

Monday, September 15^th, from 6 to 9 p.m. Edie Evans-Hyde and the Terry Lower Trio perform for the West Michigan Jazz Society’s “Jazz Gumbo Showcase” as they present a taste of Italy at Kopper Top Guest House, 638 Stocking N.W., Grand Rapids. For information the web site is www.wmichjazz.org or (616) 458 – 0125. To sign up for e-mail alerts please write bforr@hotmail.com.

Saturday, September 20^th Chantal Chamberland plays guitar and sings at the Saugatuck Center For the Arts, 400 Culver Street, Saugatuck. $35 reserved seating. Tickets went on sale July 11^th. (269) 857 – 2399 or www.sc4a.org.

Thursday, September 25^th Renaud Garcia-Fons Trio appears in the Winter Season of the Fontana Chamber Arts in Kalamazoo. Then, The Tord Gustavsen Trio on Thursday, January 15^th at  8 p.m. and Stefon Harris and Blackout on Thursday May 14^th all at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, Kalamazoo. Information from (269) 382-7774. The Fontana Chamber Arts is located at the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite. 200, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. www.fontanachamberarts.org .

October 7^th guitar greats Jim Hall and Bill Frisell open the Jazz Series at the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium, 24 Ransom Avenue N.E. The duo is performing at a select few venues to promote their recent collaborative album (which you can watch come together at www.artistshare.com ). The Jazz Series also features vocalist Karrin Allyson on November 19, and vocalist/pianist Freddy Cole, Nat King Cole’s younger brother, on January 22, 2009. Special season tickets are available from (616) 459 – 2224 or see www.scms-online.org .

Monday, November 3^rd a Tribute to Benny Goodman and Peggy Lee presented by Muskegon Community Concerts and featuring Amada Carr and Everett Longstreth at The Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, 425 West Western Avenue, Muskegon. Then on Saturday, February 21^st Muskegon Community Concerts presents jazz pianist and vocalist Freddie Cole’s quartet in concert at The Frauenthal Theater. Information on the entire season is available from www.muskegonconcerts.org.