Tom Dennis is a versatile jazz pianist whose style is defined by melodic solo lines and sophisticated reharmonizations of familiar melodies. His taste in composers ranges from Gershwin to Bacharach. Tom is Professor of Music at Oakland Community College, he currently performs as a solo pianist, a sideman to some of Detroit’s finest vocalists, and as the pianist in Detroit’s own traditional swing band, the Rhythm Society Orchestra.

Influenced heavily by the great jazz, swing and soul crooners, Paul King has created a classic sound of his own. Known for his smooth tone and sophisticated style, Paul and his band have a gift for making your evening special. His interesting song choices and wonderful vocal phrasing have been making dancers, jazz heads and casual listeners happy for decades.

Sarah D'Angelo does it with verve, class, confidence, poise, perfect intonation, spot-on phrasing, terrific dynamic, personal expression and loads of love. She's an incredible team player with her own exquisite persona." Linda Yohn, WEMU 89.1

His roots are deep in Detroit, but when he sits in front of the keys, Jarrod Champion’s sound makes its way to the south, over in the dixieland and delta. Ask anyone, he’s one of the best in the city. If it’s top notch Detroit made music you seek, look no further. Travis Wright, WDET

Keyboard specialist Chris Codish has steadily made himself a vital [...]

Duncan Williamson McMillan began studying piano at age 5. His musical studies con-tinued with Frederic Dehaven at Christ Church in Grosse Ponte, singing in the boys choir (1980-1987). From 1989-1992, Duncan studied jazz piano and music theory with James Hohmeyer, Bess Bonnier and Matt Michaels. Upon graduation from Western Michigan University in 1997 (B.M. piano/jazz studies), Duncan has established a reputation as a versatile musician, working with such diverse artists as Jon Hendricks, Aretha Franklin, Rodney Whitaker, Ira Sullivan, Marcus Belgrave, Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangell, Chris Standring, and The Four Freshman. In demand as both a pianist and organist,

Keyboard specialist Chris Codish has steadily made himself a vital part of the Detroit musical community. A perennial winner at the Detroit Music Awards over the past fourteen years, he has received multiple honors for his vocal and songwriting skills as well as his keyboard mastery. He formed the multi award winning funk/jazz/jam band The Brothers Groove, produced the last two albums for the late, great Detroit bluesman Johnnie Bassett on Sly Dog Records (Mack Ave. Records), and toured globally with Hiram Bullock, Harvey Mason, Alexander Zonjic, Larry McCray and Lucky Peterson. He's performed and/or recorded with Don Was, Roy Ayers, Ronnie Laws, Jim "Moose" Brown, Sponge, The Motor City Horns, The Dead String Brothers, Kenny Tudrick, Dave McMurray, Thornetta Davis, Kenny G, Bob James, Jeff Lorber, and countless others. When not on tour, Chris performs on piano, organ and keyboard throughout the Metro Detroit area, as well as at God Land Unity Church in Detroit every Sunday morning.

Trumpet player, vocalist, composer, and arranger, Dave Vessella’s unique sound is reminiscent of traditional New Orleans music and west coast jazz a la Chet Baker. Vessella has played at the Detroit Jazz Festival and the Panama Jazz Festival with Wayne State University and Danilo Perez, Walter White’s Big Band at the Michigan Jazz Festival, The Detroit Pistons house band and many more within Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles. This heavy influence of Louis Armstrong lead to Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and more, which has anchored him deep in the tradition of jazz and blues. Dave holds a M.M. from Wayne State University and a B.A. in Jazz Studies from Columbia College Chicago. You can catch him every 2nd and 4th Thursday at Marge’s Bar in Grosse Pointe at one of the longest running continuous traditional jazz gigs in the country.

The Kennebec Avenue Jazz group performs lively and energetic versions of vocal standard Jazz/Pop hits from the 1920’s, 30’s and beyond. The group...

Keyboard specialist Chris Codish has steadily made himself a vital part of the Detroit musical community. A perennial winner at the Detroit Music Awards over the past fourteen years, he has received multiple honors for his vocal and songwriting skills as well as his keyboard mastery. He formed the multi award winning funk/jazz/jam band The Brothers Groove, produced the last two albums for the late, great Detroit bluesman Johnnie Bassett on Sly Dog Records (Mack Ave. Records), and toured globally with Hiram Bullock, Harvey Mason, Alexander Zonjic, Larry McCray and Lucky Peterson. He's performed and/or recorded with Don Was, Roy Ayers, Ronnie Laws, Jim "Moose" Brown, Sponge, The Motor City Horns, The Dead String Brothers, Kenny Tudrick, Dave McMurray, Thornetta Davis, Kenny G, Bob James, Jeff Lorber, and countless others. When not on tour, Chris performs on piano, organ and keyboard throughout the Metro Detroit area, as well as at God Land Unity Church in Detroit every Sunday morning.