Kicking off the 10th Annual Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival! Join us for an unforgettable opening night with the incredible Ronell Regis at BLU Jazz+ on Thursday, September 4th, at 8:30PM! FREE ADMISSION Ronell Regis is a saxophonist and composer whose sound is steeped in gospel, R&B, jazz, and hip-hop. From his Grenadian roots to his Atlanta upbringing. Regis brings powerful storytelling and soul-stirring energy to every performance. Don't miss this intimate show as he shares his music. This is a perfect way to launch our 10th Annual Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival in style! 

Garrett Folger Live at BLU Jazz+ - Part of the 10th Anniversary Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival! We're thrilled to present Garret Folger, a rising Cleveland-based trumpeter and composer, performing live at BLU Jazz+ on Wednesday, September 4th at 10PM! FREE ADMISSION Known for his expressive tone and compositional depth, Garrett blends modern jazz, ambient textures, and lyrical improvisation. His 2025 release Horizon showcases his work with the Horizon Trio and highlights his unique voice on trumpet and flugelhorn. Garrett now brings that same artistry to the Akron stage - don't miss this late-night set and jam session! 

Experience the brilliance of Jennifer James at the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival! A rising force in the jazz world, Jennifer brings elegance, creativity, and groove to the keys-blending timeless standards, original works, and unexpected surprises. Friday, September 5th 8:00 - FREE ADMISSION Don't miss this chance to catch one of Akron's brightest young pianists as we celebrate 10 years of jazz, blues, and community! 

Theron Brown returns to the stage for the 10th Annual Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival! A pianist, composer, educator, and founder of this very festival, Theron's sound blends gospel roots, jazz mastery, and boundless creativity. From sharing stages with Snarky Puppy to portraying a young Herbie Hancock in Miles Ahead, Theron continues to inspire Akron's music community and beyond. Friday, September 5th • 9:30 PM - FREE ADMISSION! Join us as Theron leads an unforgettable performance featuring Trumpeter Jon Lampley in celebration of a decade of jazz, blues, and community in the Rubber City! 

Feel the groove with Ashton Blake at the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival! Saturday, September 6 • BLU Jazz+ • 8:00 P.M. - FREE ADMISSION Akron's own sax powerhouse, Ashton Blake, brings a high-octane mix of gospel soul, jazz fire, and funk groove. From Gospel Meets Symphony with the Akron Symphony Orchestra to electrifying club sets, his performances are pure energy and heart. Don't miss this set — it's gonna move you. 

Feel the rhythm, feel the groove! The incredible Sammy DeLeón Latin Jazz Group is bringing their unstoppable Latin Jazz & Salsa energy to the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival! Known as one of the hottest timbales players in the U.S., Sammy has lit up stages alongside Tito Puente, El Gran Combo, and Tony Vega, earning a reputation for music that moves your soul and your feet. Sammy is a Cleveland treasure and cultural icon whose performances electrify from the Rock Hall to Severance Hall-and now, right here in Akron! Saturday, September 6th - BLU Jazz+ 9:15 PM - FREE ADMISSION This one's guaranteed to be a dance floor shaker-don't miss it! 

Experience the future of jazz at the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival with Wave Magnetik - a boundary-pushing trumpet artist blending jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music into one explosive sound. Friday, Sept 5 - BLU JAZZ+ 10:30 PM - FREE ADMISSION Known for his high-energy performances and genre-bending style, Wave Magnetik brings a fresh, modern edge to the trumpet - think Miles Davis meets Madlib. Live horns. Deep beats. Pure vibe. Don't miss this one-of-a-kind set. 

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. 

Billboard chart-topping bassist, producer & contemporary jazz recording artist grooves his way back from Kansas City to the Rubber City for a very special one-night-only BLU return! A dynamic lead bass player from Kansas City, bassist Julian Vaughn is rapidly becoming a major player in the contemporary jazz genre. Vaughn has made a name for himself as bassist in the smooth jazz genre which is dominated by saxophone players. Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $45 General Admission (purchased in advance), $55 General Admission (day of show) 

Joslyn & The Sweet Compression are bona fide, and they want the world to know it. Join us for their return to BLU Jazz+! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $25 General Admission About: A rising force out of Lexington, Kentucky, the band led by Joslyn Hampton come out swinging on their sophomore album, ready to uplift and inspire through their singular and stirring soul-funk sound. 2019’s critically acclaimed debut album made them a favorite headliner at regional clubs and music festivals. After a grueling and relentless tour schedule – one that saw them supporting Tower of Power at New York’s Sony Hall and Tyler Childers at Colorado’s legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre – the band are back with Bona Fide, a sonically and emotionally charged record that captures their breathtaking live energy as well as their humanity. Released August 25, 2023, Bona Fide is a resounding testament to Joslyn & The Sweet Compression’s unparalleled talents, as well as an homage to the band’s co-founder (and Joslyn Hampton’s step-father), Marty Charters, who passed away in 2022. Musically, Bona Fide blends soulful and smoldering neo-funk with elements of ‘70s and ‘80s R&B. Hampton pulls from her inspirations – Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey – as well as from the opera singers she studied in college. “I find myself applying all of the things I’ve learned to my passion now, and placing it in my music,” she shares. The result is a unique, hooky style that helps Joslyn & The Sweet Compression stand apart from their contemporaries. To Hampton, Bona Fide is a record about a ride she calls "the human rollercoaster.” “You have falling in love, getting cheated on, celebrating this life – you only get one,” she says. “We go through so many human emotions on this album, and that’s what I want to bring to life: The ride of being a human! I want to take you to the moment you found the love of your life when you looked across the room. This album is literally meant to take you to every human emotion you have.” “I want them to see themselves in my songs and inspire them to be the best version of themselves.” Joslyn & The Sweet Compression are Bona Fide, ready to bring their love and joy to audiences everywhere. 

Join us Thursday, August, 21st, as we welcome Howard Howell, keyboard legend from Youngstown, OH! The evening will be ladies night themed with drink and food specials! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission 

Join us for an epic celebration of Frank Sinatra's first live album "Sinatra at the Sands", featuring performances by Hayden Grove & The Moonlight Serenaders. Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $30 General Admission The Moonlight Serenaders, led by Trombonist Scott Marsh, focus on keeping the traditions of the classic Big Band Era alive, playing songs from the late 1930's up to the mid 1960's...from Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, and Artie Shaw to Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Buddy Rich. The band features vocal and instrumental soloists, and plays clubs, public concerts, and private events throughout Northeast Ohio. 

The DBBB will present it's popular Latin Heat show, featuring big band latin jazz! We will feature a special tribute to Chuck Mangione! There will be compositions by Dave Banks, Don Turoso, Chas Baker, Arturo Sandoval, Maynard Ferguson and more! Vocalist Shannon Eller, and percussionist Sammy DeLeon join the fun! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $30 General Admission The Dave Banks Big Band is a powerhouse 17 piece swinging big band based out of Akron, Ohio and is led by Ohio native and 20 year Las Vegas veteran trumpet artist, Dave Banks. The band boasts of having the very top players in the Northeast Ohio area. Dave fronts the band with his soaring trumpet – reminding you of Doc Severinson, Harry James and Maynard Ferguson. Their repertoire ranges from original compositions to standard big band favorites. Featured vocalists have included Michael Sonata, Stan Davis, Mery White, Shannon Eller, Britni Tozzi, Helen Welch, Don Dasco, John Morton, Frederick Davis and Paul Hoffman. Their library of big band music includes hit songs arranged by the best writers in the business. They have played to packed houses at Akron’s BLU Jazz+, the Cleveland Bop Stop, the Packard Music Hall, Carousel Dinner Theatre, The Tangier Ballroom and The Kent Stage. 

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. 

Sensational pop/R&B/jazz saxophonist & member of New Power Generation (the backing band of music icon, Prince) returns to the Rubber City with his high-energy band for one night only! Join us at BLU for one of our biggest concerts featuring this world-renowned artist. Get your tickets today! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $45 General Admission (purchased in advance), $55 General Admission (day of show) Pop/R&B and jazz sensation, Marcus Anderson, is fast becoming one to watch. Hailing from South Carolina, Marcus Anderson has performed for audiences all over the world as one of Prince’s saxophonists in New Power Generation. As part of New Power Generation, Anderson has played and been showcased in such iconic festivals such as the Essence Music Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival and the Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival. Watching Marcus Anderson perform is akin to no other live experience. The tremendous musicianship Anderson displays in-person is matched only by his energetic, charismatic and passionate showmanship. Heavily influenced by artists such as Michael Jackson, James Brown and Prince, Anderson’s magnetic stage persona and tremendous enjoyment of performing is undeniable. Anderson makes the stage his musical playground and the stage becomes the setting for where “style meets substance.” “Touring with Prince has been rewarding in so many different ways; I feel as if I’m in grad school, business classes, and etiquette school all wrapped into one. Thank you Paisley University!” - Marcus Anderson Join us at BLU for one of the summer biggest concerts featuring this world-renowned artist, get your tickets today! 

Detroit Jazz and Soul Artist, Kathy Kosins, will be performing on Friday, October 3rd! Doors: 6:00pm Show: 7:00pm GA - Tickets: $20 (in advance), $25 (at door) Kosins, along with Joe Lehman (piano), Ray Parker (bass) and Scott Kretzer (drums),  will be performing the repertoire  from Kosins’ many recordings, with the emphasis on her modern exploration of The West Coast Cool Movement from her critically acclaimed album 'To The Ladies Of Cool', a celebration of the artistry of Anita O’Day, Chris Connor, Julie London and June Christy, while also weaving in her jazz infused soul originals, from her, critically acclaimed album, 'Uncovered Soul’ . With 6 albums and 12 singles released worldwide and having performed at jazz festivals and prestigious clubs globally, Kosins is thrilled to present this sophisticated material at BluJazz. Catering To both Jazz and Soul aficionados, Kosins  wows audiences with her impeccable, flawless phrasing and a deep-rooted passion for telling the story. Her eclectic musical palette delves deep into the rich history of both Jazz And Soul. Kosins has recorded, performed and/or shared the stage with many well known Jazz and R&B artists including Gregory Porter, Kevin Mahogany, Terence Blanchard, Gerald Clayton, Cyrus Chestnut, Terrell Stafford, Randy Brecker, Don Was, Michael Henderson, Peobo Bryson, Red Holloway, James Moody, to name a few.