We’re back at it again. Thursday Night Tonight returns on January 22nd, 2026, now taking the stage at Blu Jazz+ in downtown Akron. New date, new venue, same charming mayhem. Thursday Night Tonight is a topical late-night comedy show digging into the strange and overlooked corners of Northeast Ohio. Host Adam Bonomo leads audiences through the oddities that capture his attention, using a familiar format that veers into the unexpectedly absurd. It’s a world full of surreal characters and compellingly bizarre talents. Venue Change: The show will now be held at Blu Jazz+. Parking: Free at the Library Parking Deck across from the Akron Art Museum (40 S. High Street) Doors: 7 PM Show: 8 PM Tickets: $20 General Admission One Rule: No busters allowed. 

Blue Lunch is a Cleveland-based 8 piece band with multiple vocalists and a 3 piece horn section, that has been performing it's brand of Blues, Soul, Jazz, and New Orleans Rhythm and Blues throughout the region for 41 years! For the January 23 performance, the band is excited to add veteran Akron-based musician, Tim Longfellow on organ. Tim has performed with a wide range of bands, including recording and performing with Todd Rundgren. Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 day of show) Blue Lunch has performed at numerous clubs, community concerts, and festivals including the Tri-C JazzFest, Pittsburgh Blues Festival, and Columbus Jazz and Ribs Festival. Blue Lunch has appeared at iconic Northeast Ohio venues, the Beachland Ballroom, and The Bop Stop, as well as multiple times at BluJazz+ throughout the years. Blue Lunch has also produced 8 CDs, including "Saxophone Shootout II, Live at Nighttown", which was voted one of the top 5 independently produced CDs at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and is completing their 9th CD. Blue Lunch has also been a backing band/collaborated with internationally recognized musicians, including Billy Price, Tad Robinson, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, and Candye Kane, among others! 

The Stix Quintet returns to BLU , Saturday, January 24th! 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. 

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. 

Grace, soul, and storytelling come together in the artistry of Matelyn Alicia, an award-winning singer, songwriter, and actress whose voice transcends genres and borders. Known for her commanding stage presence and emotionally rich performances, she has captivated audiences around the world through music and theatre. Join us for her debut at BLU! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 day of show) About: With accolades in both music and acting, Matelyn now returns to her first musical love—jazz—with her much-anticipated debut jazz album, “Birthright”, set for release in Spring, 2026. The album is a lush, soulful journey through original compositions, blending smoky vocals with elegant arrangements that nod to the golden era of jazz while offering a fresh, modern perspective. A seasoned performer, Matelyn returns home to NYC after taking her signature charisma and vocal brilliance to stages across France this summer, during her “Vineyard Concert Series” jazz tour. Concerts in various vineyards along Southwest France, she shared her new sound beneath the stars and among the vines! Each performance, a celebration of passion, artistry, and the enduring magic of live jazz. Matelyn Alicia continues to define for herself and her audience, what it means to be a true artist—authentic, fearless, and unforgettable. 

Join us for a special performance at Blu Jazz, featuring the music of local jazz educator, composer, and saxophonist, Chris Coles and his group, Gleam! Featuring: Theron Brown - Piano / Keys Zaire Darden - Drums / Percussion Jordan McBride - Bass Tommy Lehman - Trumpet Chris Coles - Saxophone Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 at door) Bio: Christopher J. Coles is a graduate of Cleveland South High School (2004). In 2009 Chris received his bachelor’s degree in Saxophone Performance from Youngstown State University. It was here that he studied with world-renowned saxophonist and educator Dr. James C. Umble, jazz saxophonist Dr. Kent Englehardt, and jazz bassist and composer Dr. David Morgan. In 2012, Chris received his master’s degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Akron. Chris has performed with many local and international jazz musicians such as, Eddie Baccus Sr., Melvin Burks, Kenny Davis, Glenn Holmes, Bill Ransom, and Cecil Rucker, Grammy Award winner Slide Hampton, Ralph Lalama, Sean Jones, Dominick Farinacci, Maria Schneider (guest conductor for The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra) and Allen Vizzutti. Coles recently was accepted to perform in Italy with the Ohio Youth Jazz Orchestra. It was here that Coles performed with Wessell Anderson, former lead alto saxophonist for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Chris also played at the North American Saxophone Alliance Regional Festival in West Virginia with the Dana Saxophone quartet, performing at the International Saxophone Symposium in Washington D.C., and premiering a commissioned work by John Hollenbeck at the Whitney Art Museum Composers Workshop. Coles also recorded this work on John Hollenbeck’s album Rainbow Jimmies released in 2009. Some of Chris’s recent accomplishments include being a participant at The Banff Workshop for Jazz and Creative music in Alberta, Canada. It was there that Chris had the distinct honor of studying with some of the great pioneers in jazz today such as Vijay Iyer, Mark Turner, Imani Izuri, Tia Fuller, Billy Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Zakir Hussain, Somi, Yosvany Terry, and Miles Okazaki to name a few. In 2017 Chris was an awardee of the Knight Arts Challenge in Akron, Ohio and in 2018 Chris won grants from GAR Foundation as well as the Cleveland foundation for his multimedia work Nine Lives. This 40-minute work will be preimered in 2019. Chris is currently based out of Akron, Ohio and is on faculty at Oberlin Conservatory, The University of Akron, and The Tri-C Creative Arts Jazzfest Academy. Chris is a Yamaha Performing Artist 

BLU Jazz+ & DJ Maxafari present a night of One Love and Positive Vibrations to celebrate and pay tribute to the King of Reggae Music, Bob Marley. Let's get together and feel alright! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($10 in advance, $15 at the door) Marley Acoustic opening set by Carlos Jones, Binghi Neal and Maxafari: 8pm-9pm DJ Maxafari Marley Only Dance Party: 9pm-11pm 

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. 

Cleveland saxophonist, Jevaughn Bogard, brings his group Abstract Sounds back to Akron, for a special valentines celebration featuring vocalist Esther Fitz! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($25 in advance, $30 at the door) About: Abstract Sounds is a 6pc Jazz fusion / Funk band from Cleveland, OH started by saxophonist Jevaughn Bogard. The band is a horn section driven by an amazing rhythm section that will keep you out of your seat. The goal for Abstract Sounds is to bring the dance element back to jazz and Abstract Sounds does that with their funky grooves and dance club sounds blended with rich and extended harmony that consumes you. Jevaughn has been blessed to share the stage with artist like, Aretha Franklin, Tye Tribbett, Kim Burrell , Big Daddy Kane, Benny Golson, Deitrick Haddon, Chick Corea and many more. If you're fans of the  music by artist like Micheal Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Beeges, Jill Scott, Snarky Puppy, Herbie Hancock this concert is definitely for you and with a nice selection of original music written by Jevaughn this concert was curated to touch the soul. 

Recently nominated for Best Jazz in the Cleveland Music Awards, EMP continues their momentum with a special Valentine's Day show at Blu! Being joined by local vocalist Kara Scott, the group will feature vocals for the first time. Prepare for a special evening with your loved one as EMP serenades Blu with a mix of standards,The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Vulfpeck, and more. Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: General Admission ($20 in advance, $25 at the door) About: EMP is a dynamic jazz group based out of northern Ohio. Since forming at Bowling Green State University, the group has devoted its time into pursuing a mastery of the jazz tradition while keeping true to their own modern influences. EMP has recently been nominated for Best Jazz in the 2026 Cleveland Music Awards and continues to perform in the NE Ohio area regularly. Traditional standards, arrangements from modern artists, and originals are all on the table with EMP! Evan Michael Palermo is a Cleveland native who is currently a 4th year student at Bowling Green State University. Through the music, Evan has been heard in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, Paris, Berlin, and more. Evan has also had the opportunity to study, create, and perform with some of the best in the craft such as Marvin "Smitty" Smith, John Riley, Ulysses Owens Jr, Stephan Crump, Jacques Lesure, Steve Kortyka, David Bixler, Dan Piccolo, Gene Parker, Ray Parker, Harrison Roth and many more. Through his 4 years of being a professional musician, Evan has worked freelance for major establishments such as Cedar Point, while continuing to be deeply rooted in the Cleveland and Toledo music scene. Evan can be heard regularly through his projects in the Cleveland theatre scene as a freelance percussionist, the Cleveland rock scene through Rellick, and the Ohio jazz scene through EMP.