The BLU Jazz Jam is for musicians and music lovers alike! Come hang and experience this exciting forum for musical expression. Bring your “axe” and play through tunes, pick up licks, trade 4’s, and enjoy the camaraderie of having a gathering place for the area’s finest professional jazz musicians (as well as the up-and-comers)! Hosted by University of Akron alumni! *** FREE ADMISSION *** Doors: 6:00pm Show: 7:00-10:00pm 

New Orlean's Piano Powerhouse, John "Papa" Gros, brings New Orleans funk and jazz to Akron for his debut at BLU Jazz+! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $40 General Admission “Sharing New Orleans with the world is my calling,” says pianist and organist John “Papa” Gros (pronounced grow).“That's what I have been doing and that's what I’ll do with the rest of my life.” For over three decades, Gros has brought his city’s celebratory culture to listeners around the globe. Gros mixes all the sounds of New Orleans - funk, trad jazz, brass band, blues - and makes it his own signature gumbo. His new solo album Central City, shows Gros capturing New Orleans’ distinct feel-good charm with help from some of its’ most renowned players. Gros began playing gigs when he was just fifteen years old but didn’t truly kick off his career until after graduating from Loyola in 1989 with a degree in French Horn performance. During the seminal years that followed, the young man cut his teeth as a solo performer on Bourbon Street while also developing a reputation as a formidable sideman. He backed up some of the biggest names in the Crescent City,: such as Meters bassist George Porter Jr. and guitarist Snooks Eaglin. Between 2000 and 2013, Gros began his transition into the spotlight by leading Papa Grows Funk, a highly revered group that mixed hard-hitting funk grooves with often unpredictable jazz spontaneity. The band released six critically-acclaimed studio albums while touring the U.S. and far off countries like Japan and Brazil. This year, John “Papa” Gros released Central City, his third solo album. The album is a collection of classic New Orleans songs, both new and old, filtered through his decades of dedication to his craft. The album features Gros’ feel good originals alongside his takes on beloved songs by Allen Toussaint, Lloyd Price, and John Prine. Joining Gros on the album are a who’s who in the keepers of the New Orleans tradition, who perfectly exploit the similarities between New Orleans jazz and early rock 'n' roll on songs such as "Yeah Yeah Yeah" and "Personality." Gros absorbed a lifetime of lessons and became part of the direct lineage of New Orleans music. “I’m walking in the same path as Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, and Art Neville,” explains Gros. “I’ve been following them my whole life. Now, they’re no longer in front of me. They’ve gotten off the path but the path is still very clear.” 

Cleveland's premier powerhouse drummer, Gabe Jones, returns to BLU Jazz with his freshly squeezed quartet, Fresh Fruit! Door: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission 

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. 

Wonderfully talented vocalist, Ava Preston, returns to BLU Jazz with her local quintet! Featuring Tim Picard (guitar), Gabe Jones (drums), Eli Leder (bass), and Liam Speaks (piano)! Doors: 6:00pm Show: 7:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission Ava Preston Ava Preston is a jazz vocalist and indie singer-songwriter who enjoys performing jazz, blues, pop/rock and her original songs as a solo artist and as a featured guest with various combos and bands throughout Cleveland and New York. Ava was voted Best Female Vocalist at the 2024 Cleveland Music Awards. She is a YoungArts Finalist and Silver Award Winner for Jazz Voice, and is a 12x Downbeat SMA winner, 6x for Vocal Jazz and 6x for Blues/Pop/Rock. She performed at the 2023 Monterey Jazz Festival as the vocalist for the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Ava is currently pursuing a Masters of Music in Jazz Voice at the Juilliard School. 

Legendary Cleveland saxophonist, Ernie Krivda, & The Fat Tuesday Big Band returns to Blu Jazz! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $30 General Admission Ernie Krivda is now in his fifth decade as a jazz performer. He is acknowledged by both his peers and jazz critics as one of the world's great tenor saxophone players and one of the jazz world's most unique artists. “No doubt about it, Ernie Krivda is one of the originals of the tenor saxophone” wrote Bill Donaldson for Cadence Magazine about the legendary jazz musician whose 6 decade on the music scene is already filled with a new burst accomplishment with across the board critical acclaim for his 2011 CD, "Blues for Pekar." The Capri Records release was dedicated to the late Cleveland author and jazz commentator, Harvey Pekar, who had proclaimed Krivda as “one of the best jazz tenor men in the world.” This recording came right on the heels of two other highly acclaimed CD’s, "Live at The Dirty Dog" and "November Man" (both on CIMP). These recordings continue a period of intense activity, achievement and recognition. In 2009, Ernie Krivda received the Cleveland Arts Prize award for lifetime achievement in music. The banner year ended with Krivda being awarded a CPAC (Community Partnership of Arts and Culture) Fellowship worth twenty thousand dollars. In a career that spans over 50 years, Krivda has earned the respect of his peers and the accolades of critics. His very personal and distinctive improvisational style, along with his unique compositions, has been documented on over 30 recordings under his name and many others as a guest artist. In the last decade and into this one, he has set a most prolific pace with eleven releases since 2003 and more to come. 

Guitarist, Andy Bianco returns to Akron via New York City with his trio! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission About: Andy Bianco, a jazz artist, composer, educator, and advocate hailing from New York City, boasts an impressive career that spans performances with renowned artists such as Angie Stone, Deborah Cox, Kandace Springs, Ray Chew, Elle Varner, and Bob Moses. His musical journey has graced esteemed venues worldwide, including ABC Television's Good Morning America, Billboard Live Osaka/Tokyo, The Howard Theater, Blues Alley, and The Blue Note, among others. As the guitarist for Grammy-winning R&B artist Elle Varner, Andy has toured extensively across the USA and Japan, leaving an indelible mark on stages like the Essence Festivals in New Orleans, the BET Awards, and the Richmond Jazz Festival. His prowess as a performer extends to prestigious jazz hotspots, including Chris' Jazz Cafe, Smoke Jazz Club, and The Zinc Bar. Highlighted by press reviews praising his "deliciously dynamic jazz" and the triumph-over-adversity theme in "NYC Stories," Andy continues to craft stories through his music. His guitar work has been described as having a "fantastic sound & boundless imagination & fire" by jazz guitar masters Peter Bernstein and Ben Monder. 

Ben Tweedt and his jazz trio return from Cincinatti, for a special night at Blu Jazz! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission Featuring: Ben Tweedt - Piano Justin Dawson - Bass Phillip Tipton - Drums Ben Tweedt is an in-demand pianist, keyboardist, arranger, and composer based in the Cincinnati area. He performs regularly with some of the country's most sought-after jazz and session musicians including Walfredo Reyes, Jr., Jamey Haddad, and Dan Wilson. His trio project is a culmination of years of work on original compositions influenced by American jazz and folk music, Latin American music, gospel music, and more. Ben's debut trio album, Life Cycle, is out on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms. 

Recently voted as #19 on All About Jazz’s “Favorite Living Saxophonists” poll for 2024, native NE Ohio fusion saxophonist Matthew Alec and his high-octane, 7-piece jazz-pop supergroup The Soul Electric make their debut at Blu Jazz+ celebrating the release of their 4th album, A Bad Rep in the Rubber City on Cleveland Time Records! Featuring: Matthew Alec – tenor saxophone Greg Banaszak – alto saxophone Brian Woods – piano/vocals Corey Conway – guitar/vocals Miguel Tarin Torres – bass Drew Parent – percussion The Franchise – drums Minus the Alien – vocals Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission 

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. 

Experience the electrifying fusion of jazz innovation and elemental inspiration as saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Stephen Philip Harvey takes the stage with his acclaimed Stephen Philip Harvey Octet (SPH8). Join us for a dynamic double set of music—celebrating where this boundary-pushing ensemble has been and where it’s headed next. Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $20 General Admission About: Set One – Elemental (Live) Vinyl Release Originally composed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Elemental (Live) is a powerful suite inspired by the classical elements—fire, air, water, and earth. With Harvey’s signature blend of modern harmony and cinematic texture, the music captures the forces of nature through a uniquely personal lens. While released digitally in May 2024, this special performance celebrates its new vinyl edition, arriving just ahead of Harvey’s next large ensemble album, Multiversal: Live at Bop Stop. Early copies of Multiversal will be available for purchase at the show before its worldwide release on August 22. Set Two – The Pen is Mightier Premiere Be the first to hear Harvey’s latest work for octet: The Pen is Mightier, an eight-movement suite inspired by seminal voices in Black American literature. Drawing from the writings of Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, August Wilson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Amanda Gorman, and others, this deeply resonant piece pays tribute to the authors who shaped—and continue to shape—the narrative of Black life in America. This premiere performance leads into the ensemble’s upcoming studio recording of the suite. 

Bond is Back! The Dave Banks Big Band returns to BLUJazz with their "Spies in the Night: The Music of 007 Show, one of Tony's favorites! From "Goldfinger to "No Time To Die," the iconic theme music from the James Bond Movies as well as other famous crime fighters fits perfectly in a jazz big band setting. This show features Sandra Montevideo on vocals and we promise this music will "shake AND stir" you! Doors: 7:00pm Show: 8:00pm Tickets: $30 General Admission