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If
it's the Labor Day Weekend, you know where Jack Marchbanks
and his better half, Alice Flowers, most likely are: The Detroit
Jazz Festival. For the fifth consecutive year, Jack covered
this largest free jazz festival in the world for his hometown
NPR affiliate, 90.5-FM WCBE Columbus. And, although a nasty
thunderstorm forced the cancelation of the Saturday evening
concerts on September 3rd, the 2011 edition of Detroit Jazz
Festival, or "DJF" as it is affectionately called by Motor
City jazz fans, was still a solid success. Acclaimed
bassist Christian McBride quipped that DJF is "Jazz Disneyland."
Jack riffed on McBride's quip and said the term "Jazz Disney
World" is a better handle for the event. Yet, unlike Disney
World, where a four day pass will set you back around $220
a person, the Detroit Jazz Festival is free to all those who
want to take in the great music in downtown Motown over an
extended four day Labor Day weekend (Friday through Monday).
Jazz drummer
Jeff "Tain" Watts was anointed the 2011 DJF's artist-in-residence.
Given that The Drum is the universal instrument, DJF Artistic
and Executive Director Terri Pontremoli noted a poetic synergy
in naming Watts artist-in-residence. A complementary theme
woven through the 2011 DJF was "We Bring You The World." Jazz
remains America's most treasured cultural export and attracts
artists to this nation from all over the globe. The 2011 Detroit
Jazz Festival featured performers from Western Europe, Japan,
Korea, India, South America, the Caribbean and, of course,
the home of The Drum, Mother Africa. As Benin-born jazz/world
music superstar , Angelique Kidjo, joyously reminded the crowd
during her Sing The Truth! performance of "Ashe, Mama Africa"
with Detroiter Dianne Reeves and Lizz Wright:
"I've
been singin' in your language. Sing along with me (in Swahili)
now! When you think about it, aren't we ALL Africans?"
Click
here to see images from
Jack's 2011 Detroit Jazz Festival Photo Gallery.
Commentary
and All Images 2011 (c) Jack R. Marchbanks
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