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The jam session has always occupied an important place in the history of jazz education, giving young musicians the open-access training they need to develop their craft while learning from more experienced peers. Students develop the confidence needed to survive the night, playing different tunes in unfamiliar keys, with difficult tempos, in front of an audience, oftentimes alongside virtual strangers – they begin to speak the language that only other jazz players understand. As the experienced and new musicians mingle socially and musically, they carry on the legacy of a ‘bandstand education’ that has nurtured the art form for ages. Bebop, credited largely to Charlie Parker, was actually developed and refined by the group of players at Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem – Dizzy Gillespie and others passing along to the next generation the wisdom that they gathered from those before them. Directed by the renowned musician and educator Scott Gwinnell, Aretha’s Jazz Café hosts Jazz Jams every Sunday evening at 6pm. It’s our way of keeping jazz in the present instead of the past.

The wait is over. Flint’s own Rio Da Young OG is back and hitting the stage for a homecoming you won’t forget. Raw, real, and unapologetic—Rio’s bars shook the streets, and now he’s bringing that same energy live. This is more than a concert. It’s a comeback.

Join the legendary Zapp Band, along with Kern Brantley and D-Town Funk, One Way, and Lil Asmar, as they bring the heat to honor the one and only Bootsy Collins – in person!

Antonio Carlos Jobim, in 1995. His best known works include: “Popsicle Toes,” “The Lady Wants to Know,” “Tell Me All About It,” “Antonio’s Song,” “Rainy Night in Tokyo,” “ Island Life,” “Soul Mate,” and “Dragonfly Summer.” Radio hits include “When Sly Calls (Don’t Touch That Phone)” from the album Passionfruit, “Your Secret’s Safe with Me,” from Skin Dive, and “Island Life” from The Camera Never Lies. His recording of “Let It Snow” featuring Carla Bley and Steve Swallow, was the most played Christmas song on Smooth Jazz Radio for many years. The album benefited Special Olympics. He recorded his own holiday CD of original songs, Watching the Snow, to benefit Hearts United for Animals. It was later rereleased by Rhino. And he recorded a cover version of “Christmas Time is Here” with pianist David Benoit on Benoit’s album, Remembering Christmas. He recorded a live album in Australia in 1980, called Michael Franks with Crossfire Live.

The O’Jays are touring history, a connection to an era and a sound that formed the soundtrack for the lives of several generations. In 1972, Gamble & Huff, a team of producers and songwriters with whom the O’Jays had been working for several years, signed the group to their Philadelphia International label.

Richard Marx has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, starting with his self-titled debut which went to No. 8 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The album spawned four Top 5 singles, including “Hold on to the Nights” and “Don’t Mean Nothing,” which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. His follow-up, 1989’s Repeat Offender, was even more successful, hitting No. 1 and going quadruple-platinum with two No. 1 singles, “Satisfied” and “Right Here Waiting.” He has since made history as the only male artist whose first seven singles reached the Top 5 on the Billboard charts.

Immerse yourself in the jazzy world of flappers and champagne with this new and entirely original production from World Ballet Company. Experience the glitz, glamor, and tragic romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel LIVE on stage, featuring a multinational cast, lustrous hand-crafted costumes, and sweeping Art Deco-inspired sets, brought to life by WBC’s all-star creative team.

Experience the world’s most in-demand ballet, Swan Lake, presented by Classical Arts Entertainment and performed by International Ballet Stars. This full-scale production features Tchaikovsky’s legendary score and brings the masterpiece choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov to life.