Creative, conscious, commanding—Jazzmeia Horn packs it all into every note. The vocalist, composer, and educator brought a fierce trio to The Blue Llama last Sunday, featuring a set of (almost entirely) original compositions.
Ms. Horn is a decorated jazz vocalist based in New York City (originally from Dallas, TX). She won the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition in 2015 and the International Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition in 2013, as well as accumulated three Grammy nominations for her records “Love and Liberation” and “A Social Call”. She lives with her two daughters in the Bronx, which prompted intimate and animated stories about motherhood.
Her music is focused and refreshingly genuine. She finds deep harmonic exploration in her songs amidst lots of unique vocal qualities throughout her (multiple-octave) range. She mentioned church being a large part of life growing up, with clear inspiration from gospel music, accompanied by healthy doses of pop and R&B.
Most of the set included tunes from her 2024 album “Messages“, including “Tip” and “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,” the only jazz standard of the evening. Each tune was dense and impressive, with numbers “Destiny” and “Free Your Mind” being my favorites for their contemporary feel and expansive vocals (in range and rhythm).
The room seemed to stop when Ms. Horn took a solo. There’s an air of fearlessness behind Ms. Horn’s improvisations. When she started an idea, she took the time to finish it, creating beautifully satisfying lines. Some of her improvisational tendencies give a nod to the great Betty Carter, one of the most rhythmically inventive jazz singers.
A sweet anecdote was tacked onto her second tune, “Happy Living”; she recalled memories of her grandfather’s story about the “man with two bags.” One of which has a hole, where he puts negative comments and thoughts. The other is held close to his heart with words special to him. She sings: “I don’t feel bad when others make me mad, I keep a hole in my bag on my shoulders, and I sing my own songs and just keep along on my journey.” Her performance, even more so than “Messages” through my headphones, felt beautifully intimate and personal.
Your early afternoon cup of Joe may be best served to a near burning temperature, but jazz on the other hand may best be served cold. A Flint resident looking for live jazz groups may find themselves to be surprised when they happen to come across the highly acclaimed Paul Keller Quartet in humble Holly Michigan. The Paul Keller Quartet has been shattering the Detroit jazz scene since 2011. One may often find the group in a bustling jazz lounge or restaurant throughout Ann Arbor and the greater Detroit area, but for this past Tuesday, Holly residents were welcomed to a more personal and intimate experience right in the towns’ cozy library.
Alongside coffee and decadent bite size pastries sat a quartet with genuine love for the craft.
“Yeah man, give it to me!” exclaimed an engaged Sarah D’Angelo while entranced in her collaborator’s spontaneous creative auditorial flow.
It’s something you like to hear, the engagement, the mid-song applause and praise, being feet from performers, one can close their eyes, and interrupt their surroundings as a communicative gathering for personalized expression. Don’t close your eyes for too long, for when looking at the performance you can see the passion put forth in the faces of the artists’ subtle (and maybe not so subtle) gestures communicate their truths through facial expression. It seemed while one player took a solo, the others happen to be singing or scatting the melodies they had just produced.
Every artist brought a unique color to the performance provided a clean and collective combo array of sound. The blend of clarinet and tenor saxophone especially crafted a dark inflection of the lows that complemented the upper clarion register of the clarinet. As both a clarinet and tenor saxophonist myself I find myself amazed at how these two instrument colors merge, I feel inspired to write harmonically for these two horns in my own original material.
Paul Keller wrote many arrangements of the works played that evening proving his myriad of utility as performer, artist, and creative writer. I found it quite compelling how for one of the tunes the saxophone was written over the clarinet for the melody. The upper range of the saxophone combined with the low register of the clarinet displayed a low smokey undertone not many works utilize. A creative choice of breaking the rules of typical western harmony one may say.
Two original songs draped the small library that evening. Two tales of the passing and coming seasons, winter and spring. The work titled “winter song” featured the jazz singing of Sarah D’angelo along with a the tenor saxophone in the upper register, giving a cold whisper presence. The song personified both the season and the weather, this was followed be delightful solos in a “cool” jazz type of style. “Frosty winds say hello…”
The song focusing on spring was unique as it was written the day before the event, making this work a welcomed premier. Paul Keller spoke on how when he wrote the song, the title was the start of the creative process. Following the title, the chords, melody, and words came to him quickly. “Spring is just around the corner” also used personification when talking about the changing weather. Steve Wood turned to the flute which reminded me of the Grieg song, “Summer Mood.” Flute is synonymous to me with warm weather and early mornings, which may be what the artist was going for. Following the chorus the song sped up which made me reflect on the speed of time and the changing weather. Ralph Tope on the guitar provided a strong harmonic groove with a relaxed but consistent feel. The colors of the strings blended great with the horns, allowing all voices to balance.
Cool Jazz is a subgenre of jazz that was popularized by the jazz trumpetist Miles Davis. This style of jazz focuses on a walking but relaxed tempo and a prioritization of memorable and tasteful melodies when improvising. The quartet made everyone feel welcome and I found myself enjoying every moment. I am excited to see more of what these artists have to offer for future events.
Following the performance I was able to speak with the group. Prioritising small local concerts allows audience members to greet artists directly, something many people wish for when wishing to talk to their artistic influences.
I was able to talk to Steve Wood and get his take on what artists influenced him the most. Steve Wood is influenced by artists such as Yusef Lateef, Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster and Sonny Rollins
These great jazz giants defined and captured styles of the genre. Steve wood noted he transcribed several Dexter Gordon solos, and I can hear it in his sound. The dark subtone inflection is strong in his sound. The jazz language spoken by Steve wood was one that captures elements of all his inspirations. Jazz is a melting pot of what is picked up by the listener. You are what you eat? You are what you listen to!
When a celebrity is asked for a backstage interview what is the most common question the interviewee asks? What can you say to those looking to follow in your footsteps of course! I ask this question not only as a reporter but also as an artist with an increasing drive for jazz. Sarah’s answer was one that was simple but non the more true and possibly the most important. Play. Play often. Get out and find those with similar interests. I found that there is no substitution for experience. I can tell from
Sarah D’angelo giving her all
this show that Sarah D’Angelo has played countless gigs and presented herself as a courageous and wonderfully charasmatic jazz singer and clarinetist that was a true pleasure to listen to. Sarah recommends newer jazz musicians to head out to Arethas Cafe, a jazz sit-in that focuses on education and learning, hosted by Scott Gwinnell every Sunday. I am hopeful the culture of jazz continues to grow. Going out and playing is a great outlet for individuals to express themselves.
This concert was made possible by the wonderful staff and directors of the Holly Township library. Notable efforts such as Tina Russette, the adult services manager, and Greg Hayes the library director allow concerts and events like this to be a regular occurance. The Holly Township library has several upcoming events that Flint campus locals can look forward towards. A belly full of piping hot coffee and jelly filled pastries held down the audience as they whisked into a warming but still winter night as cool and relaxed melodies packed the listeners ear in delightful hums.
Got the winter blues? I sure do. But Olivia Van Goor has a remedy—sing about it.
The North Star Lounge welcomes the fourth installment of Olivia Van Goor’s vocal jazz cabaret, where she hosts an evening of vocalists based in Southeast Michigan backed by a jazz trio. I caught the second show at 9 pm, (first set sold out) where the neon green walls of North Star were crowded with full tables and assorted cocktails. Four singers each performed three tunes, with hostess Olivia Van Goor bringing the set home.
The band included Rowan Tucker-Meyer on piano, Trevor Lamb on the bass, and Phillip Buchman on drums. This tight trio was swingin’. Sensitive, but not too careful. Tucker-Meyer’s solos were particularly impressive—he’s playful and concise with sprinkles of Oscar Peterson licks.
First to the bandstand was seasoned vocalist Ellie Martin—a jazz scholar who teaches at The University of Toledo. She has a deep and thorough jazz education, which shines through in performance. Her set included “Blossom’s Blues”, “Snowbound” and LHR’s “Blue (I think it’s called..?)”. She was an engaging and hip improviser; full of ideas and vocal freedom.
Hadley Rasnick mentioned she is firstly a pianist, and has been picking up singing in recent months. Second to the bandstand was a young vocalist with a humble, but charming presence. She offered a bit of a variety: Gershwin’s “Not For Me”, The Queen of Soul’s “Ain’t No Way” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. I could sense an ethereal attachment to the piano, but her performance was nonetheless endearing. She shined on the Franklin—perhaps most comfortable in R&B.
The multi-faceted Pia Broden Williams was third on the bandstand, a classically trained coloratura, educator, pianist, and tonight, a star jazz vocalist. You can hear the breadth of her vocals the moment she began singing. She brought out the classic “Blue Bossa”, “Afro Blue” and “I Was Born To Be Blue”—tunes with contrasting energy and spunk. Three of my favorite tunes were performed by the penultimate vocalist Anna George: “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”, “Mood Indigo” and “I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart”. Ms. Van Goor even popped up to hit a few “Mood Indigo” harmonies.
Ms. Van Goor closed the gig with the Antônio Carlos Jobim tune “No More Blues”, a killer latin staple. Right when we thought the gig was done, she passed out papers to the bar with lyrics on them…the words to “Centerpiece”. Perhaps the first time 25 people at North Star chant a blues together. Ms. Van Goor, she’s a stellar vocalist—lively, dedicated, and committed to tradition. So PSA: a doctors prescription for vocal jazz in the dead of January works swimmingly.
It’s clear Laura-Simone Martin brings the swing. Her debut show at The Blue Llama was filled to the brim with vitality, love, and a whole hour of masterful music-making.
At just 19 years old, Ms. Martin already has a host of accolades as a young bassist. She’s performed at acclaimed venues throughout the world like the BBC Proms, Carnegie Hall, Blue Note at Sea, the Kennedy Center, and the Monterey Jazz Festival. She was a member of Marcus Miller’s five-person bass ensemble, alongside Meshell Ndegeocello (a 12-time Grammy nominee), Aston Barrett Jr., and Mamadou Kouyaté, for Steve McQueen’s art exhibit Bass—the director of 12 Years a Slave. She’s currently studying bass at Michigan State University with renowned bassist Rodney Whitaker.
She took the stage under soft pink and blue lighting with her trio: drummer Caleb Robinson (a quirky and dynamic player) and pianist Redwood (a deftly captivating performer). Alto saxophonist Kevin Brewster joined for a few tunes as well, another fearlessly creative player on the bandstand. The trio’s feel remained immaculate the whole set through many different grooves.
Seven songs filled the set, many of them beginning with Ms. Martin’s radiant bass solos. Starting out was Horace Silver’s “Sister Sadie” and the beautiful “Mona Lisa”, a Jay Livingston and Ray Evans tune made popular by Nat King Cole. Ms. Martin revealed her charming and sensitive voice singing “Mona Lisa” while simultaneously playing bass. To start this tune with solo bass and voice was absolutely thrilling. Though quiet (perhaps from the distant microphone), you can hear the sincerity behind every lyric she sings. She finds conviction in intimate tunes contrasting with the bright verve in Silver’s.
Ms. Martin included one of her originals in the set “Kamora’s Bounce”, offering some insight into her compositional tendencies. The tune was fun and featured some of Redwood’s killer improvisational skills—thorough and precise, but never careful. Redwood played both on the grand piano and the electric keyboard next to it, swiftly changing the sound’s texture a few times in the set. Later on in the night was Ann Ronell’s “Willow Weep For Me” (a beautifully bluesy standard). With another solo bass intro (and melody!), I loved the space in this tune, and the choice to feature the lowest voice.
I regrettably did not catch the name of her final tune—but what I do remember is the joy and gratitude that suddenly overwhelmed the room. Ms. Martin penultimately left the audience with some words referencing her gratitude for the art form, and an intention to bring love into the world through her music. Her artistry runs deep into her soul, and when you hear a player perform as such, you can’t forget it. The world always needs more love (and more jazz). Thanks for the reminder, Ms. Martin.
There are few jazz vocalists more in demand than Stella Cole, an up-and-coming jazz singer from New York City who’s got as much glitz and glam as she’s got vocal chops. The Blue Llama Jazz Club welcomes her for the first time on the winter leg of her US tour.
Ms. Cole’s silky voice will surely transport you into a newly colorized film from the 1940s. With a sound reminiscent of The Golden Age of Hollywood, it’s no secret that Ms. Cole admires the aesthetic. The 25-year-old gained popularity during the pandemic singing jazz standards and Great American Songbook tunes on TikTok. Today, she boasts over 12 million likes on the app and nearly 770k followers on Instagram. Her debut single was released with Scott Bradlee’s Post Modern Jukebox in 2022, and now Ms. Cole has two studio albums: the newly released “Snow!” and the self-titled “Stella Cole”.
Her trio included Michael Kanan (piano), Mikey Migliore (bass), and Henry Allen-Barfield (drums). She began her set with the Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer tune “I’m Old Fashioned,” which was a perfectly fitting introduction considering what followed.
There was no shortage of Christmas magic from Ms. Cole either. “White Christmas,” “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,” and “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” (to name a few) all made it into the set.
“I’m singing on the “Today” show later this week…” she said, introducing the next tune. “Is it okay if this is a practice run?” Audience members smiled, knowing they had received a first glance at her solo version of “Snow!”.
Her set was modest, focusing on her sumptuous vocalism as she performed primarily “Songbook” tunes in a fairly traditional style. The Songbook tradition can be stifling to some modern jazz musicians, but Ms. Cole fully embraced the beauty and relevance of that tradition in her more “straight-ahead” performances.
“The Boy Next Door” was one of my favorites of the set, plainly revealing her influence from the great Judy Garland. The ghost of the Hollywood star surely beams over Ms. Cole’s studio recording of the tune, as well as “Over The Rainbow,” which is featured on her first album. Ms. Cole’s suggestive tribute made me consider the history of American music and its influence on our modern times—Songbook tunes pop up all over modern jazz records. They are taught thoroughly in academia, and holiday songs released over 60 years ago play on the radio year after year. The pop music of America’s past carries into the future, thanks to its beautiful melodies and heartwarming lyricism, preserved through dedication to tradition.
“So many people of my generation aren’t familiar with these songs, and I’m excited about the opportunity to introduce this timeless music to a new audience,” Ms. Cole says. There is an endurance behind jazz’s relevance, which Ms. Cole is clearly devoted to preserving.
No better place in Ann Arbor to see live jazz than under the magenta-blue lights of the Blue Llama Jazz Club. These dimly lit corners have housed some of today’s most esteemed jazz players since its opening in 2019, featuring all-star players from our own Detroit and beyond.
Tonight’s late-night set featured the spunky William Hill III, a pianist and composer currently based in Manhattan. Hill’s trio included Detroit-based players Dylan Sherman on the bass and drummer Sam Melkonian. I have seen a few of his sets at the Llama now, where he performs standards from the Great American Songbook along with his original tunes. And to celebrate December 1st’s icy debut, he wove in some holiday favorites.
It’s easy to return to Hill’s sets—he is overflowing with creativity and vibrancy in his playing. His improvisational language is deep and complex, with nods to the great Red Garland and Oscar Peterson (favorites of mine). Combined with his technical virtuosity allows for a really interesting exploration of the Songbook tunes we all know and love. He released his debut album “Three’s Company (Live)” this past July, recorded live at Detroit’s historic Cliff Bell’s Jazz Club.
The sound in The Llama is the second best reason to go (the first being the fantastic musicians, obviously), but the space resonates nicely for such an intimate setting and allows for both a beautiful visual and aural experience (at least from the tables along the back wall). A piano trio fills the stage and the sound in the room super nicely.
The very first tune included a tight bass feature from Sherman. He’s got a pliable sound, with light, effervescent improvisational ideas, making his interaction with Hill such fun to encounter. Never underestimate a swingin’ bassist.
I couldn’t catch the name of every tune but a few caught my ear: A striking version of John Coltrane’s “Moments Notice”, the Strayhorn classic “Take the A-Train”, and “Chant” which seems to be an original composition of Mr. Hill’s. He also included a favorite of mine from his record: “Jilly”, a sweet tune, one that captured the audience amidst its meditative waltz-i-ness.
Holiday tunes included: Duke Ellington’s “Sugar Rum Cherry” (a la Tchaicovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy); a jaunty and playful “Winter Wonderland”; and a burning “Sleigh Ride” accompanied by Detroit trumpeter Jauron Perry to complete the set.
I expect Will Hill III does well in Manhattan—he’s breaking out in the industry almost as fast as he can swing.
