Jazz Café proudly presents a night of Jazz/Soul and Funk with saxophonist extraordinaire, Javon Jackson and his band, with special guest, the legendary Soul/Jazz keyboard innovator, Les McCann, with a quartet of shows, Friday, December 12th and Saturday, December 13th with a 10PM and a 12 Midnight show both nights.
Tickets are $30 Available at Music Hall Box Office, or www.Ticketmaster.com
Jackson will fill the estimable shoes of sax man Eddie Harris as they perform songs from McCann’s monster-selling Jazz Album, “the 1969 live masterpiece, “Swiss Movement”, as well as work from Javon Jackson’s interpretations of the work of Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter and McCoy Tyner, culled from his latest recording, “Once Upon A Melody”.
"Swiss Movement Revisit" pays tribute to the 1969 album that included the definitive Les McCann and Eddie Harris composition, "Compared To What." Pianist McCann will reprise his role, playing alongside tenor saxophonist Jackson, a former Jazz Messenger, who adds youthful vigor to McCann’s classic Jazz Soul landmark, transporting it to new heights.
Born in 1935, the self-taught McCann burst onto the scene in the late 50’s and early 60’s in Los Angeles, playing all the joints on the Sunset strip, McCann became known for his soulful grooves and pioneering the advent of electronic keyboards in jazz like the Fender Rhodes, Clavinet and the synthesizer.
Javon Jackson cut his musical teeth as a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. As a member of Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Javon Jackson has toured and recorded many albums with the legendary drummer. In addition to Blakey, Jackson has toured and recorded with the likes of Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Betty Carter, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Donald Byrd, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Richard Davis, Bobby Hutcherson, Curtis Fuller and Stanley Turrentine.
As a recording artist, Jackson has appeared on over 125 recordings. Additionally, he has enjoyed a successful career as a bandleader, recording and touring throughout the world. Javon’s current musical group, The Javon Jackson Band, incorporates many styles including jazz, funk, R&B and rock.
His latest recording, Once Upon a Melody, finds Javon returning to acoustic jazz after a series of popular jazz-funk recordings. In addition to two originals, Javon includes tunes by the legendary Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter. In addition, Jackson covers music from the songbook of artist Corinne Bailey Rae. Joining him on Once Upon a Melody are Eric Reed on piano, Corcoran Holt on bass and drummer Billy Drummond.
The current Javon Jackson Band’s line up set to perform at Jazz Café is:
Kenny Davis on electric bass
Rudy Royston - Drums
David Gilmore - Guitar
Javon Jackson - Tenor Sax
Les McCann - Piano & Synths
Jazz Café at Music Hall
350 Madison Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 887-8500
www.jazzcafedetroit.com
www.musichall.org