Live Here Now

Southeast Michigan quartet Cold Tone Harvest is no stranger to the slow burn. Country-infused melodies and rhythms lace with a lush ambience often reserved for the loneliest of instrumental compositions. Rich and rugged baritone vocals, clearly suited to whiskey songs and heartache anthems, instead turn their howls and growls towards brave and poetic lyric territory rarely found in a common folk or bluegrass outing.

The ensemble was originally formed by soft spoken singer/songwriter Andrew Sigworth, partnered with drummer and banjo-player Brian Williams. The addition of inimitable upright bassist Ozzie Andrews gave the music a rowdy drive. The ensemble was completed with the addition of guitarist and vocalist Tony Pace, whose dobro, lap steel, and electric work adds a dense and mournful expanse to each song.

Artist website: https://www.coldtoneharvest.com/

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The purpose of the Formula 734 project is to provide amplification for the authentic voices of local men of color, encouraging them to express themselves while thinking critically about their ideas and emotions. The Washtenaw County My Brother’s Keeper Formula 734 team leaders created an original artist development and education pilot program to fill a community need. The program creators identified male hip-hop artists, producers, and engineers of color throughout Washtenaw County to engage in the Formula 734 project, which involves informational sessions, career building, professional development, community service, industry mentors, and professional recording of their music. From November 2019 through February 2020, Formula 734 meetings and recording sessions occurred every two weeks and always started with a meal and a “huddle.” The huddle concept was developed and fine-tuned to build trust and a sense of teamwork and camaraderie amongst the participants. As discussions unfolded during the huddles, it became quickly apparent that these men felt enriched, energized, and inspired to create thought-provoking music together.

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Mark Cooper is a multi-disciplinary rapper and producer, carrying the torch of Nerdcore from Detroit, Michigan. His branded work consists of a large body of verses and cyphers touching on all things considered “nerdy” or from gaming culture, including references from, but not limited to, gaming systems of all brands, Transformers, Power Rangers, Halo, Naruto, and Tron, earning the perfect branding of “nostalgic.”

The difference between Mark Cooper and the many who have traveled the road of Nerdcore is that he’s sustained his placement in the music industry, sharing the stage with artists such as MC Lars, Substantial, Shingo2, MC Frontalot, Sammus, Kid Vishis, Mega Ran, and Schäffer the Darklord, and producing work with Miz Korona, Fatt Father, Finale, and Crimson Alchemist, as well as spotlights and headlining ranks for PAX South, NERDVANA by Not Your Average Nerds, One Button Tekken 7 Tournament, and a Times Square performance for Liberty City Anime Con.

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The Chris Canas Band can be seen blazing a trail in the Metro Detroit area and beyond. In 2007, the Chris Canas Band won their first blues competition when they competed in the West Michigan Blues Society’s challenge. They also won the Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association challenge in 2010, and the Detroit Blues Society challenge in 2012 as well as 2014. They reached the top of the mountain in 2020 at the IBC to become an elite Blues Challenge finalist. The Chris Canas Band has a well blended set of classic covers and clever, roller coaster-like originals that keep the audience captivated and coming back for more. With their diverse mix of blues, funk, and soul, they are always well equipped to bring the party wherever they go and have the dance moves to boot. With heart-wrenching vocals, pulse pounding rhythms, and an electric energy that can be felt in the air, this band is unstoppable. The CCB is driven to pump new life into “The Blues” as well as embracing the rich traditional roots of the past.

Artist website: https://www.chriscanas.net/band

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Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps pulled up to the Michigan music scene in a vintage van, well stocked with songs and stories (but not seatbelts). Coming off her solo EP, Oracle Bones (winner of the WYCE Jammie Award for Best Rock/Pop Album of 2019), Patty brings the same sweet but powerful voice and whimsical lyricism bar, club, and brewery-goers throughout the state and beyond have come to know and love, cranked up to 11 with guitarist Lucas Powell and drummer Alec Klinefelter. Showing yet another side of her artistic versatility, Patty dons the bass guitar in this genre-bending power trio, boasting an eclectic and authentic sound with a strutting, stomping, crooning good time onstage.

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Djangophonique is a musical project born out of reverence for the Parisian Jazz Manouche style that was made popular by the legendary Sinti guitarist Django Reinhardt and his Quintette du Hot Club de France. While remaining steeped in the rich and virtuosic tradition, the group brings this music into the present with stunning improv, spontaneity, and musical interaction. Hot swing, lush ballads, musette waltzes, jazz standards, boleros, and moody minor pieces are all fused together with theatrical flair and musical humor.

Artist website: https://djangophonique.com/

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London Beck is an up-and-coming musical jack of all trades: singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, to name a few of their many talents. Their vocals are raw and powerful yet vulnerable and sweet. Crisp, silky smooth runs and a range that extends up to a fifth octave B accentuate beats laden with roots expanding all over the musical spectrum, from hip-hop, pop, soul, and even jazz. London is currently growing their fanbase and collection of works including the Drift EP of 2019 and 2020’s ANGXL LP. They’ve also done a variety of performances, not limited to a few headlined performances at The Blind Pig in 2019 as well as a riveting virtual set for Ypsi Pride 2020. The former earned the songstress the honor of becoming a Blind Pig Staff Pick in the Detroit Metro Times in late 2019. Recently, London has been serving as one of the first inducted fellows for the Amplify Fellowship, a program designed to boost signals of creativity from the BIPOC community of Washtenaw County. Through this opportunity, London is primed for their next project, The Black Satin Sessions LP, set to be released early June 2021.

Artist website: https://londonbeck.com/

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Vocalist, songwriter, and producer Kyler Wilkins from Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been performing as Ki5 using nothing but a loop station and a simple effects unit since 2017. His vibrant composition style – influenced by his time in a cappella groups – explores every crevice of the human voice meshed with beatboxing and delivers familiar genres such as R&B, pop, and soul, to name a few. His honest, empathetic, and freeing style has been influenced by Reggie Watts and Bon Iver.

NPR’s All Songs Considered says this about Ki5’s 2019 live-looping performance of “Honey” off his first EP, Looking for the Sun: “Like honey, [his] falsetto is sweet; the layers of loops are sticky and soothing, building to a celebratory bridge, then melting back down to calming waves.”

Leading up to summer 2021, Ki5 has been focused on studio recording and collaborating with fellow artists around the U.S. and Canada to expand upon his vocal-driven style and push himself into new, intriguing territory involving more instrumentation. Recent songs such as “Sunny Days (Remix),” “Made of Stars,” and “Show Me Freedom” are expressions of his musical and personal growth, and he hopes his practice of empathy is on display at every performance.

Artist website: https://www.ki5loops.com/

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One of the most unique and sought-after chamber ensembles on the concert stage today, the Carpe Diem String Quartet is a boundary-breaking ensemble that has earned widespread critical and audience acclaim for its innovative programming and electrifying performances. Carpe Diem defies easy classification with programming that includes classical, Gypsy, tango, folk, pop, rock, and jazz-inspired music. The quartet appears on traditional concert series such as Jordan Hall (Boston, MA); National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.); Chautauqua Institute (Chautauqua, NY); and Asolo Theater (Sarasota, FL); as well as unconventional venues such as Poisson Rouge (New York. NY); Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society (Half-Moon Bay, CA); The Redlands Bowl (Redlands, CA); and The Mug & Brush (Columbus, OH). Carpe Diem has been awarded six transformative grants from the PNC Foundation for their community outreach in Central Ohio.

Carpe Diem has become one of America’s premier “indie” string quartets without sacrificing its  commitment to the traditional quartet repertoire, and continues to rack up accolades and awards.

Artist website: https://www.carpediemstringquartet.com/

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Kenyatta Rashon, born and raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan, is looking to make her big break in the entertainment industry. She has shared her gift from the boardwalks of Venice Beach to the subways of Harlem, and she’s even knocked out opportunities such as singing with Kanye West & THE Samples for Kanye West’s “Sunday Service” in Detroit. The pandemic didn’t stop her shine either; she was featured in the Michigan Chronicle, Current magazine, and Concentrate Media, just to name a few. In 2021, she was awarded a fellowship with Amplify Washtenaw to help further her career and connect her closer to the community.

Artist website: https://kenyattarashon.com/

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John Holk & the Sequins play the kind of music everyone wants to hear live, but no one can define. That is, psychedelic honky tonk music. Inspired equally by Hank Williams and Revolver-era Beatles, the Sequins, along with Whitey Morgan and the 78s and the Deadstring Brothers, helped create a thriving Detroit honky tonk scene as hosts of the legendary “Honky Tonk Tuesday” series at Club Bart in Ferndale. Their self-released debut CD If You See Her (Hole-Key) was described as “The twang-pop record of 2010” by absolutepowerpop.com, and earned a Detroit Music Awards nomination for Best Country Album. Their second CD, Where You Going, was described by powerpopaholic.com in 2016 as “consistently excellent.” Featuring some of the Detroit area’s finest musicians, The Sequins have opened up for both Peter Wolf and Peter Frampton (they are still waiting for Peters Cetera and Criss to call). Celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2021, John Holk & the Sequins are known for putting on energetic, musically adventurous shows whether in concert halls, night clubs, private parties, or good old-fashioned honky tonks.

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Dani Darling is a poetic chanteuse, guitarist, producer, and songwriter from Ann Arbor. She is a Detroit Metro Times “Artist to Watch in 2020” and a founding Fellow of Washtenaw’s Amplify Project. Darling’s newest EP, Mage, premiered to critical acclaim, with both singles “S + M” and “All Stars” being heralded as WDET’s “Best Releases of 2020.” Her psychedelic soul EP The Future is forthcoming in June 2021.

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You’ve got to hurt to heal. Through painfully honest self-reflection, Nadim Azzam addresses depression, addiction, and the dysfunctional realities of our times with his songs rooted in hope and connectivity. A singer, rapper, and songwriter who programs his own beats and plays multiple instruments on his tracks, Nadim has spent years evolving to where his music is at today. His powerful debut EP, Here’s to Changes Vol. 1, landed him a nationwide campus tour with Matisyahu and Nadim’s next project, Dreams for the Future, will release in late 2021.

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Ell is a North American DJ, radio host, producer, and turntablist most well known for playing and touring in the American and European night club, festival, and concert scenes. Recognized for bringing his unique open-format sets and sharing stages with some of music’s biggest artists including ASAP Rocky, J. Cole, Juicy J, KRS-ONE, Logic, and Machine Gun Kelly. Once referred to as the youngest radio mixshow DJ/host in the U.S. for his time on the ‘Prop Shop’ radio show, he can be heard today on a number of weekly radio programs across the U.S.

Artist website: https://www.thatdjell.com/

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Michigan-born jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and arranger, Hannah Baiardi is committed to “moving jazz forward.” Hannah’s sound is original and contemporary, drawing upon soul/jazz/pop influences in addition to more traditional jazz artists. Learning by ear, she started playing piano and writing her first songs when she was three. Hannah prefers to blur the lines between genres, marrying the sensibility of jazz with the soul of R&B and the acoustic depth of film music. She has made it her mission to break barriers between genres and debunk musical stereotypes. She believes artists should honor their authentic sound regardless of genre. Strongly influenced by Sade, Michael Franks, George Winston, Seal, Babyface, Teena Marie, Michel Legrand, Diana Krall, and Kandace Springs, Hannah positions herself firmly in the Contemporary Jazz space with her soulful and evocative approach. Hannah’s music evokes deep feelings and contemplation. Her lyrics radiate empowering messages of hope and her music is listenable and relatable. After the 2018 release of her first EP, The Quietest Place, she released two subsequent singles, “Who Can Relate” and “Distant Land.” Hannah just released a full-length EP, Straight from the Soul, featuring originals and arrangements of film music.

Artist website: https://www.hannahbaiardi.com/

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Westbound Situation blends the precision of classical chamber music, the rhythmic drive of bluegrass, and the colorful expression of jazz into a new style of chamber music—chambergrass. The quartet—comprised of Grant Flick on violin, Matt Davis on banjo, Zach Brown on cello, and Jacob Warren on bass—mixes composition and improvisation seamlessly into their entirely memorized arrangements.

Westbound Situation’s exciting and diverse concerts feature a set of unique original repertoire colored with recognizable standards from many genres. With bluegrass, classical chamber music, and jazz all coming together in the group’s concept of chambergrass, a Westbound Situation concert is a dazzling musical journey not soon forgotten.

Artist website: https://www.westboundsituation.com/

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Peter Madcat Ruth has a brand new band, the C.A.R.M.a. Quartet, which plays eclectic traditional and improvisational music. Blues, American roots, folk, jazz, and world music are all part of the mix.

Peter Madcat Ruth is a Grammy Award-winning virtuoso harmonica player based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He has established an international reputation through his exhilarating, riveting virtuosity on the harmonica. John Churchville was a founding member of the Indian fusion group, Sumkali. Brennan Andes was a founding member of The Macpodz, and he has accompanied countless musicians from the region and beyond including Luke Winslow-King, George Bedard, Sumkali, The Ragbirds, Rootstand, Chris Bathgate, Jen Sygit, Seth Bernard, May Erlewine, Andy Adamson Quintet, Chris Good, Dick Siegel, The Tone Farmers, Vincent York, and The Pherotones. Dan Ripke toured and performed with the rock-bluegrass quintet, Back Forty, for 15 years. After Back Forty, Dan took an exploratory dive into Indian music with the band Sumkali.

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Sean Dobbins got his start as sought-after Detroit area jazz sideman at a young age, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. As Sean’s career progressed, he found himself the recipient of many awards and accolades including the “Woody Herman Jazz Award,” an award for outstanding musicianship, as well  as the Louis Armstrong Scholarship. Due to Sean’s great talent both as a player and an educator, he has been the focus of countless news articles and jazz radio programs.

Though still young by jazz standards, Dobbins has amassed an impressive list of playing companions. He has performed, toured, and recorded with Johnnie Bassett, Benny Golson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Frank Morgan, Joey DeFrancesco, George Cables, James “Blood” Ulmer,  Marcus Belgrave, Larry Willis, Rodney Whitaker, Claude Black, Johnny O’Neal, Paul Keller, Sheila Jordan, Jon Hendricks, David “Fathead” Newman, Donald Walden, Cyrus Chestnut, Barry Harris, David Baker, Randy Johnston, Marion Hayden, Mose Allison, and a host of other great musicians.

Artist website: https://seandobbinsmusic.com/performance-bio/

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Sitting somewhere between creative improv, up-tempo dance music, post-funk, and performance art, slapslap is an Ann Arbor-based band that provides a striking and unmistakable musical experience. Having performed in diverse venues around Southeast Michigan, from coffee shops, basements, and bars to the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium, slapslap commands the attention of everyone in the room, filling listeners with equal parts shock, fascination, laughter, and delight. slapslap is comprised of electric bassoonists Maddy Wildman and Ezra Gans and drummers Cameron Wilson and Tanner Tanyeri.

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A founding member of the Silvertones, George Bedard formed the first version of the Kingpins in 1984. Their debut CD won the “Best Blues CD of the Year” award. He has closed the Ann Arbor Summer Festival (A2SF) for more than 25 years and headlined festivals and clubs from St. Louis to Barcelona. In 2014 he and the Kingpins toured Honduras as part of the U. S. State Department’s Arts Envoy program.

Bedard has backed such luminaries as Johnnie Johnson, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt, Big Joe Turner, Earl King, Eddie Taylor, Koko Taylor, Johnny Adams, and Kim Wilson. As the house guitarist on the Cincinnati Blues Festival’s Arches stage, he has accompanied dozens of blues, jazz, and boogie pianists from all over the world.

Artist website: www.georgebedard.com

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A product of Kalamazoo, this diverse group was brought together by a mutual love of art. Their live arrangements are reminiscent of The Internet, The Roots, and Hiatus Kaiyote, with melodic cello or saxophone lines, jazz guitar voicings, and gospel piano setting a beautiful soundscape underneath soulful voices and poetic lyricism. As LGC continues to debunk stereotypes one melody at a time, their music never ceases to touch the hearts of people from all walks of life.

Artist website: http://www.lastgaspcollective.com/

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Whether in front of an audience of 10 or a crowd of 10,000, singer, songwriter, and performer Steffanie Christi’an commands the stage with an electrifying blend of grit and sensuality. Singing before she could speak, she bares her soul in her lyrics and through her soaring vocals. With seamless versatility and an eclectic stable of influences from Beethoven to Bob Marley, her performances leave audiences feeling flushed and fed. She has independently released four EPs and one full-length album, and has collaborated with a variety of renowned artists including Idris Elba, Talib Kweli, and Taylor Mac. In addition to her solo career, she is the lead singer for influential and iconic dance music group Inner City. Inner City released a highly anticipated new album in July 2020 on Armada Records to rave reviews. You can catch Steffanie rocking stages from California to Australia.

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Both the traditional funk hits and the originals that Sabbatical Bob writes contain one mission—keep the funk alive. Sabbatical Bob released their first EP in September 2019 and is currently in the process of writing their first full length album. The debut EP, Sabbatical Bob: Live and in Person, consists of 5 Sabbatical Bob originals collaboratively written together. The band is confident that these five tunes truly represent the current phase of the band—energetic, live, funk.

Artist website: https://sabbaticalbob.wixsite.com/funk

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Active in the Ann Arbor music scene since 2014, Jive Colossus is an 11-piece ensemble formed to celebrate community and the rich musical traditions of an increasingly interconnected world. Lead vocalist Shelley Catalan’s fresh vocal stylings percolate over danceable, infectious grooves punctuated with colorful horn riffs. Driven by a three-piece horn section and percussion-heavy rhythm section, Jive Colossus will activate the dance floor and take you on a high-energy musical journey through Afrobeat, funk, Caribbean, R&B, Latin, jazz, and soul. Nurtured by deep musical roots, members of Jive Colossus have performed nationally and internationally, with artists including Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Percy Sledge, Kenny Garrett, Calypso Rose, the Temptations, and Jimmy Dorsey, and Michigan artists such as the Ragbirds, May Erlewine, and Rachael Davis. The band’s members are a microcosm of the rich diversity of our community and America today, with deep ties to Ann Arbor as well as family members on four continents.

Artist website: https://www.jivecolossus.com/

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The circumstances surrounding the death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey are mysterious, but there’s one thing that renowned detective Benoit Blanc knows for sure—everyone in the wildly dysfunctional Thrombey family is a suspect. Now, Blanc must sift through a web of lies and red herrings to uncover the truth.

(PG-13, 2hr 10min, 2019)

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Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. She’s also surprised to learn that Nick’s family is extremely wealthy and he’s considered one of the country’s most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives, and something far, far worse: Nick’s disapproving mother.

(PG-13, 2hr 1min, 2018)

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