BLU Jazz+'s Upcoming Shows

World renown jazz guitarist and Akron native, Dan Wilson, returns to BLU Jazz with his all-star organ trio and horn section on Friday, June 5th! Featuring: David Throckmorton- Drums Clifford Barnes- organ Brad Wagner- sax Chris Coles- sax Tommy Lehman- Trumpet Chris Anderson- Trombone Doors: 6:00pm Show: 7:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($25 in advance, $35 at the door) About: Growing up in Akron, Ohio, Dan Wilson spent the majority of his youth within the church community, where his musical path began. Traces of his major guitar influences – including Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, Joe Pass, and George Benson to name a few – can be discerned through his playing, but his musical identity has been shaped by everything from gospel and blues to traditional jazz, hip-hop and horn players like Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson. After graduating from Hiram College, Wilson made his recording debut with pianist Joe McBride and performed to worldwide acclaim with Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride’s Tip City, eventually recording his debut as a leader To Whom It May Concern. Wilson has had the honor of sharing the stage with jazz greats including Eric Marienthal, Russell Malone, Les McCann, René Marie, Jeff Hamilton, David Sanborn and Dave Stryker. He also teaches jazz guitar and music theory through private lessons. Wilson’s career took him on an exploratory journey into foundations laid down by the guitar/organ tradition, eventually leading to an invitation to perform with jazz great Joey DeFrancesco’s trio quartet, with which Wilson went on to earn a GRAMMY® Award nomination with for DeFrancesco’s Project Freedom album (Mack Avenue Records, 2017). This collaboration allowed the guitarist to insert his own dialect into the musical prowess and respect that DeFrancesco had earned throughout his journey. Wilson had been playing with DeFrancesco for a few years when he met bassist, composer, arranger, Christian McBride. From there, Wilson went on to tour with McBride’s trio Tip City, eventually leading McBride to serve as producer on "Vessels of Wood and Earth" and release the album on his newly formed imprint Brother Mister Productions through Mack Avenue Music Group. The album was released on April 23, 2021 and is available on all platforms.

Vocalist, Kara Scott returns to BLU Jazz+ with the Forest City Django Club! The FCDC is a NEO-based jazz band featuring violin, guitar, accordion, and upright bass. The group brings the timeless sound of Django Reinhardt’s European Swing to Cleveland. Experience the energy of American jazz with the charm of a Parisian cafe. The group is a combination of jazz, folk, and bluegrass veterans who love to bring this music to a new audience. Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission About: Kara Scott is a jazz vocalist living in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Her career started in 2014 with classical training and productions with Cleveland Opera Theatre and The Cleveland Opera in Playhouse Square, but her lifelong love of jazz and swing eventually took over when she started exploring new styles and singing with jazz and swing groups in 2018. Kara and some friends then formed a band in 2021 called Burning River Swing. You can find them around Cleveland and Akron, playing for events with Bainbridge Swing Dance as well as The Land Lindy Hop and the Cleveland Balboa Club. You can also find Kara regularly sitting in with the Forest City Django Club at public and private events around Cleveland. When she isn’t singing, she’s busy being a mother, spending time with friends, and taking care of her 3 cats. Guitarist Steve Karla has recently relocated to Cleveland. Originally from Northeast Ohio, Steve has been making music and art his whole life. He has thirty years of experience playing guitar, including performing regularly for fifteen years in Asheville, North Carolina as lead guitarist of the Hot Club of Asheville. Greg Smith is a jazz violinist and music educator. He studied music education at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music and has a Masters of Music Teaching and Artistry from Bowling Green State University. His inspirations are Stephane Grapelli, Tcha Limberger, and Jason Anick. Accordionist Caroline King graduated from Berklee College of Music with a focus in music production. She currently plays keys in Tall Paul and Western Drawl, a western swing band, and is a sought-after soloist for French Cafe music.

Dan Bruce (guitar), Jordan McBride (bass), and Gabe Jones (drums) are OHM! The trio features high energy original improvised music and unique arrangements of their favorite tunes, all set to forceful and distinctive grooves. Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $25 General Admission About: By embracing the influence of his heroes from the jazz tradition and retaining his own musical personality, guitarist Daniel Bruce has developed a unique and impressive musical voice. A recent transplant to Ohio after spending a decade as an important member of Chicago’s vibrant jazz scene, he is active throughout the Midwest and nationally as a performer, recording artist, composer and educator. Bruce moved to Chicago in 2007 after completing his master’s degree in jazz studies at the University of North Texas. He was quickly performing at a number of the city’s finest jazz venues including Andy’s, The Green Mill, The Jazz Showcase, and Harris Theatre in Millennium Park. As a jazz performer and recording artist, Bruce has had the opportunity to work with a number of eminent musicians including Seamus Blake, Ali Jackson, Lynn Seaton, Dan Wall, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Marvin Stamm, Dave Restivo, and Rose Colella. He has been a featured composer in Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine, and remains a regular contributor. Daniel released A Single Thread, his first album as a leader, in 2008 on NohJoh records. His second release is due out in the summer of 2017. Bruce’s groups have been featured in The Chi-Town Jazz Festival, The Chicago Composers Collective series, The Chicago Cultural Center Chamber Music Series, The Jazz Institute of Chicago NextGen Jazz Series, South by Southwest, the Toledo Jazz Festival, and a special live radio broadcast on WDCB FM Chicago. Bruce was awarded a Teaching Fellowship upon entrance to The University of North Texas where he taught applied jazz guitar lessons, directed two guitar ensembles and a student big band while pursuing his own studies at the University. Daniel has held faculty positions at Muskingum College, Cuyahoga Community College, Harold Washington College, St. Xavier University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and The Chicago Academy for the Arts where he served as Music Department Chair for eight years. “Dan Bruce is a lyrical musician with a thoroughly modern bent, based on a firm grasp of the tradition.” -Bassist Lynn Seaton “A skilled, seasoned player, one capable of filling the space left by an accompanying harmonic instrument with aplomb and finesse.” -Martin Gladu, allaboutjazz.com

Esto Jazz, led by saxophonist, Robert Esterle, brings their variety of contemporary jazz, pop, standards and original compositions back to BLU! Featuring: Dominic Reto - piano/keyboards Billy Joe Wiseman - Guitar James "J.R." Richley - Drums Robert Esterle - Saxophone Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 day of show) About: Esto Jazz-is an instrumental quartet that performs a variety of contemporary jazz, pop, standards and original compositions. The group is led by saxophonist, Bob Esterle, who has performed with such popular artists as Bob James, Bobby Caldwell, Olivia Newton-John, Sandy Duncan, Ray Charles, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Frankie Avalon, Martha Reeves, The Platters, The Fifth Dimension, The Four Lads, Rich Little, Joan Rivers, Guy Lombardo, The Rat Pack and Dean Lives (from Las Vegas), Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular, Michael Cavanaugh (from the Broadway Musical “Movin’ Out”), Hal Linden and Red Skelton.

Join us for our continued bi-weekly Tuesday night blues jam session tradition, hosted by NE Ohio all-star blues musicians John Markovic, Ryan Neuman, & Erik Diaz! Bring your axe or horn & wail the blues as part of this ongoing musical series at BLU! The “BLUesday Tuesday” Blues Jam band carries 60+ years of combined experience in and around the Greater Akron Blues scene. They enjoy blending their deep roots & varied influences to bring hot, stylish electric blues to the stage – always listening, always feeding off each other’s energy and always laying down soulful, groove-laden blues with feeling. Doors: 6:00pm Show: 7:00pm *Free Admission* Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.