BLU Jazz+'s Upcoming Shows

Join us every Wednesday for the Jazz Heritage Orchestra! This is a FREE event!

Under the musical direction of Dennis Reynolds, the JHO will assemble every Wednesday in August for a reading band format where we'll perform a series of new and exciting tunes throughout the summer. You'll also see some new faces on the bandstand as we'll be welcoming in some talented young musicians who will be sharpening their large ensemble skills alongside us. Bring your friends and enjoy some big band tunes at BLU!

Doors: 7:00pm

Show: 8:00pm

Tickets: FREE ADMISSION!!!

About:

The Jazz Heritage Orchestra was formed in 1998 in residence with the Cleveland State University Black Studies department. Under the artistic direction of Dennis Bradley Reynolds, the mission of the JHO was to preserve and perpetuate the heritage of the great African American jazz masters through educational programming coupled with elite performance. This mission carries on today through a new partnership with OpenTone Music. From our new home base in Akron, The JHO visits public and private schools to hold open rehearsals, master classes as well as jazz history lectures and performs throughout the Northeast Ohio community. The JHO has performed with many local, national and international artists such as Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Nancy Wilson, John Morton, Evelyn Wright and Vanessa Rubin.

"In a thoroughly contemporary twist on the classic jazz lore tradition of the territory band, the Jazz Heritage Orchestra reflects the contributions of an impressive range of musicians from several points on the midwestern map."

Willard Jenkins, Journalist (Jazz Times, Downbeat, BET on Jazz, WPFW)

Cleveland drummer and band leader, Nehemiah Baker, brings his jazz quintet to BLU on Friday, August 14th!

Doors: 7:00pm

Show: 8:00pm

Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 at door)

The Stix Quintet, led by Nehemiah (Stix) Baker, combines elements of neo soul, funk and R&B into a sound tapestry that brings out infectious grooves and danceable rhythms to get you up out your seat.

Starting this upcoming Tuesday, June 23rd, local bassist and producer, SmokeFace, brings his jam session to the stage at BLU! Bring your axe, share your sound, and be apart of creating original music real time. All ages welcome! This jam session will be EVERY OTHER TUESDAY!

Doors: 7:00pm

Show: 8:00pm-10:30pm

Tickets: FREE ADMISSION

Under 18 needs to be accompanied by legal guardian.

SmokeFace is a professional bassist, guitarist, and recording artist from Akron, Ohio, known for blending soulful grooves with modern, genre-bending sound. Having toured both nationally and internationally with major artists as well as leading his own projects, SmokeFace brings a high-level musical experience to every stage.

Join us every Wednesday for the Jazz Heritage Orchestra! This is a FREE event!

Under the musical direction of Dennis Reynolds, the JHO will assemble every Wednesday in August for a reading band format where we'll perform a series of new and exciting tunes throughout the summer. You'll also see some new faces on the bandstand as we'll be welcoming in some talented young musicians who will be sharpening their large ensemble skills alongside us. Bring your friends and enjoy some big band tunes at BLU!

Doors: 7:00pm

Show: 8:00pm

Tickets: FREE ADMISSION!!!

About:

The Jazz Heritage Orchestra was formed in 1998 in residence with the Cleveland State University Black Studies department. Under the artistic direction of Dennis Bradley Reynolds, the mission of the JHO was to preserve and perpetuate the heritage of the great African American jazz masters through educational programming coupled with elite performance. This mission carries on today through a new partnership with OpenTone Music. From our new home base in Akron, The JHO visits public and private schools to hold open rehearsals, master classes as well as jazz history lectures and performs throughout the Northeast Ohio community. The JHO has performed with many local, national and international artists such as Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Nancy Wilson, John Morton, Evelyn Wright and Vanessa Rubin.

"In a thoroughly contemporary twist on the classic jazz lore tradition of the territory band, the Jazz Heritage Orchestra reflects the contributions of an impressive range of musicians from several points on the midwestern map."

Willard Jenkins, Journalist (Jazz Times, Downbeat, BET on Jazz, WPFW)

Thursday, August 20th, saxophonist, Stephen Philip Harvey, returns to BLU with his trio, SPH+2!

Doors: 7:00pm

Show: 8:00pm

Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 purchased at the door)

Featuring Harvey on tenor saxophone, Steve Arnold on bass, and Jordon Stanley on drums, SPH+2 embraces the freedom and intimacy of the chordless trio tradition. Without a piano or guitar, melody, harmony, and rhythm emerge through collective interaction, creating a conversational approach that rewards attentive listening and invites each musician to shape the music in real time.

Golden Hour is the second album by SPH+2 and the ninth release from saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Stephen Philip Harvey. Recorded live at the Golden Hour Rum Room in Saint Michaels, Maryland, the album features four original compositions and a reimagined interpretation of Henry Mancini’s “Days of Wine and Roses.” Released August 21, 2026, on Hidden Cinema Records, the recording captures one evening of the trio's monthly residency at one of the Mid-Atlantic's most unique listening rooms.

Join us, August 21st as we welcome our friends, Sunny Side, for a night of high energy New Orleans jazz!

Doors: 6:00pm

Show: 7:00pm

Tickets: $25 General Admission

Sunny Side is a jazz band based out of New Orleans, Louisiana. They are heavily influenced by the music of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Fats Waller, and many other early jazz legends. The band name ‘Sunny Side’ was influenced by the 1930 Fats Waller/Jimmy McHugh jazz standard ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’. The band was created in 2019, and is composed of musicians that have played together in various jazz projects around New Orleans since 2017.

Sunny Side provides a full New Orleans style jazz band experience with 3 part harmonies, a solid rhythm section, and an energetic vocalist and dancer. Expect to become a part of the experience as Sunny Side engages with the energy and sound of what makes New Orleans such a special city. Be prepared to dance and sing.

Join us on Saturday, August 22nd, for the return of saxophonist, Sam Ross, with his jazz quartet!

Featuring:

Sam Ross - Tenor Sax

Andru Denis - Keys

Oscar Lacombe - Bass

Zaire Dardin - Drums

Doors: 7:00pm

Show: 8:00pm

Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 day of show)

About:

Sam Ross is a saxophonist, composer, and educator in the Northeast Ohio area who has been involved with music for over 10 years. Originally hailing from Eastern Iowa, Sam has earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Iowa, where he studied under Dr. Damani Phillips, jazz saxophonist and head of the jazz department.

Sam actively performs both as a bandleader and sideman, as well as a weekly jazz jam session host in Akron, OH. He has performed at a wide range of venues and events, including Noce Jazz Club in Des Moines, Iowa City Jazz Festival, a monthly residency at the Ideal Theater in Cedar Rapids, weddings, cocktail hours, engagement parties, and more.

While his repertoire is typically based around jazz, he is known for his stylistically diverse sets ranging from funk, soul, latin, R&B, hip-hop, neo soul, rock, blues, and fusion.

In 2024, Sam performed as a featured guest artist at the 2024 Jazz Education Network Conference (JEN) in New Orleans, LA. Additionally in 2024, Sam performed with the Motown group The Four Tops for a sold-out show they played in Iowa. In 2025, Sam was accepted into the live competition round of the esteemed North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) regional competition for jazz saxophone in South Dakota, where he placed second overall. In May 2025, he performed an opening set for New York-based jazz trumpeter Michael Sarian at his Iowa City show during his national tour featuring songs from his new album.

During his time as a musician, Sam has performed with many professional musicians such as Benny Green, William Menefield, Curtis Taylor, Steve Grismore, Steve Shanley, Craig Erickson, Blake Shaw, Jordan McBride, James Dreier, Zaire Darden, Jerome Gillespie, and Michael D'Angelo. Sam is currently pursuing his Master's in Music (MM) in Saxophone Performance at the University of Akron, where he also serves as a teaching assistant for the jazz department. At Akron, he studies with saxophonist Chris Coles, pianist Theron Brown, guitarist Dan Wilson, and drummer Anthony Taddeo.