Detroit's Historic Palmer Woods Music in Homes 5th Season
Holiday Concert & Soirée Stars Miche Braden
Palmer Woods Music in Homes, a series of eight jazz, classical and world music concerts presented in its historic mansions and unique homes, launches its 5th season on Saturday, December 17 with a special holiday concert and soirée featuring one of Detroit's extraordinary blues and jazz divas, Miche Braden.
A former Detroiter, Miche currently stars as the legendary “Empress of Blues" Bessie Smithh in New York's Off-Broadway sensation “The Devil's Music." The talented singer-actress—who has also has portrayed Billie Holiday, Ma Rainey, Valaida Snow and other legends— will be joined by pianist Gerard Gibbs, bassist Jeff Pedraz and guitarist A. Spencer Barefield for an evening of blues, jazz, wine, feasting and festivities in the luxurious 10,395 sq-ft Van Dusen estate. Tickets, $75, must be purchased in advance, online at Palmerwoods.org, at Blossoms in Birmingham, or by calling 313-891-2514.
“A big voice full of blues, bawdy and unapologetic ... she knows when to let it soar and when to keep it at an insinuatingly low simmer" states the New York Times. A famed musician, songwriter, arranger and musical director, Miche is a founder and former lead singer of Straight Ahead. A protegé of Motown musicians Thomas “Beans" Bowles, Earl Van Dyke (leader of The Funk Brothers), and jazz master composer Harold McKinney, Miche has also shared the stage with other jazz and blues greats such as saxophonist James Carter, violinist Regina Carter, Leon Thomas, Eddie Harris and Milt Hinton.
Palmer Wood Music in Homes presents a concert each month in a different fantastic home; the concerts in May and June are held in a tent in the gardens adjacent to the homes. Each event also includes receptions with freshly prepared buffets, often with food related ot the musical genre and theme of the concert.
Saturday, January 28, 8 pm
Taslimah Bey's Mardi Gras Celebration
The music of Jelly Roll Morton, Scott Joplin and New Orleans will be featured with accomplished pianist Bey and her all-star quartet featuring trumpeter Dwight Adams (a regular in Stevie Wonder's band), bassist Dan Jordan and percussionist Djallo Keita. A glimpse of jazz history with Grand Marshal Larry Gabriel and a creole-style feast during intermission are included.
Saturday, February 25, 8 pm
Black History Month Jazz Tribute
Hurst-Barefield-Riggins Trio
The works of Coltrane, Monk, Mingus, Ellington and Strayhorn—highly recognized as creators of Jazz, America's classical music—will be interpreted by five-time Grammy Award winning bassist Robert Hurst, world-renowned guitarist A. Spencer Barefield, and premiere percussionist Karriem Riggins.
Saturday, March 24 8 pm
World Music with Wisaal
Performing a mosaic of world music, Wisaal—an Arabic word meaning links, connections, or unity—fuses elements of Arabic musical heritage with Klezmer (Eastern European Jewish dance music), Indian, and American influences, while respecting the spirit of these traditions. Trained by masters in Lebanon, France, India and the U.S., Wisaal's musicians create rhythmically charged global grooves on Arabic instruments—oud, percussion and bass—the Klezmer-influenced clarinet, and American-folk mandolin.
Sunday, April 22, 7 pm
Stellar Piano Trio
Detroit Symphony Orchestra vibrant newcomer, violinist Adrienne Rönmark, joins her mom, veteran DSO cellist Debra Fayroian, and celebrated Brazilian-born pianist Maria Meirelles for an evening of Bach, Beethoven, and dazzling surprises.
Saturday, May 19, 8 pm
Ozzie Rivera's Orquesta La Inspiracion
Led by Puerto Rican-born congero Ozvaldo “Ozzie" Rivera with award-winning music director-pianist Bill Meyer, La Inspiracion is a 10-piece unit honoring the traditions of merengue, cumbia and Afro-Caribbean jazz. Exciting, infectious rhythms explode from their intricate percussion ensemble. Mixed with soulful Latin vocals and horns, they weave a classic Afro-Latin tapestry that makes dancing irresistible. Also included is a gourmet Latin feast served during intermission.
Friday, June 22, 8 pm
Barefield Super String Quartet
This adventurous ensemble—featuring guitarist A. Spencer Barefield, violinist Jannina Barefield Norpoth, violist John Madison and bassist John-Paul Norpoth—straddles the boundaries of traditional and avant-garde jazz, classical and other music idioms. The multi-talented string players will perform originals (mostly composed by 2010 Kresge Arts Fellow Barefield), as well as selections from composers such as John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonius Monk, Ellington/Strayhorn, Enrique Granados, Astor Piazzolla and Manuel de Falla.
Saturday, June 23, 8 pm
Ralphe Armstrong Ensemble
Bigger than life, funky, fabulous and one-of-kind master bassist, composer Ralphe Armstrong has been turning heads for decades. The son of legendary violinist Howard “Louie Bluie" Armstrong landed the John McLaughlin Mahavishnu Orchestra gig at age 17, and has been a star ever since. He'll be joined by Detroit greats, trumpeter Dwight Adams, Henry Gibson on keyboards, and “Straight Ahead" drummer Gayelynn McKinney.
Tickets for the 2012 concerts, $35 or $30 for groups of 10 or more can be purchased online at palmerwoods.org or by calling 313-891-2514. The location of the home is provided to ticket holders. The concerts are special opportunities to hear world-class musicians who have Detroit-based roots and are internationally recognized.
Palmer Woods, long considered to be one of Michigan's premiere communities, is located in the northwest sector of Detroit at Seven Mile and Woodward Avenue. The community actively works to preserve and enrich the quality of life in Detroit. The concerts help raise funds for neighborhood preservation and improvements, as well as support the arts and project a positive and creative image about Detroit. The “concert halls" have included homes designed by legendary architects Minoru Yamasaki, Albert Kahn, Frank, Lloyd Wright, Richard Marr, Louis Redstone, and others. Many of the homes have never been open to the public.
The Palmer Woods Association and Creative Arts Collective present Palmer Woods Music in Homes with the support of Be Well Medical Center & Skin Rejuvenation in Berkley, Barefield DesignWorks, Blossoms in Birmingham, and media sponsor WRCJ 90.9 FM radio.
Holiday Concert & Soirée Stars Miche Braden
Palmer Woods Music in Homes, a series of eight jazz, classical and world music concerts presented in its historic mansions and unique homes, launches its 5th season on Saturday, December 17 with a special holiday concert and soirée featuring one of Detroit's extraordinary blues and jazz divas, Miche Braden.
A former Detroiter, Miche currently stars as the legendary “Empress of Blues" Bessie Smithh in New York's Off-Broadway sensation “The Devil's Music." The talented singer-actress—who has also has portrayed Billie Holiday, Ma Rainey, Valaida Snow and other legends— will be joined by pianist Gerard Gibbs, bassist Jeff Pedraz and guitarist A. Spencer Barefield for an evening of blues, jazz, wine, feasting and festivities in the luxurious 10,395 sq-ft Van Dusen estate. Tickets, $75, must be purchased in advance, online at Palmerwoods.org, at Blossoms in Birmingham, or by calling 313-891-2514.
“A big voice full of blues, bawdy and unapologetic ... she knows when to let it soar and when to keep it at an insinuatingly low simmer" states the New York Times. A famed musician, songwriter, arranger and musical director, Miche is a founder and former lead singer of Straight Ahead. A protegé of Motown musicians Thomas “Beans" Bowles, Earl Van Dyke (leader of The Funk Brothers), and jazz master composer Harold McKinney, Miche has also shared the stage with other jazz and blues greats such as saxophonist James Carter, violinist Regina Carter, Leon Thomas, Eddie Harris and Milt Hinton.
Palmer Wood Music in Homes presents a concert each month in a different fantastic home; the concerts in May and June are held in a tent in the gardens adjacent to the homes. Each event also includes receptions with freshly prepared buffets, often with food related ot the musical genre and theme of the concert.
Saturday, January 28, 8 pm
Taslimah Bey's Mardi Gras Celebration
The music of Jelly Roll Morton, Scott Joplin and New Orleans will be featured with accomplished pianist Bey and her all-star quartet featuring trumpeter Dwight Adams (a regular in Stevie Wonder's band), bassist Dan Jordan and percussionist Djallo Keita. A glimpse of jazz history with Grand Marshal Larry Gabriel and a creole-style feast during intermission are included.
Saturday, February 25, 8 pm
Black History Month Jazz Tribute
Hurst-Barefield-Riggins Trio
The works of Coltrane, Monk, Mingus, Ellington and Strayhorn—highly recognized as creators of Jazz, America's classical music—will be interpreted by five-time Grammy Award winning bassist Robert Hurst, world-renowned guitarist A. Spencer Barefield, and premiere percussionist Karriem Riggins.
Saturday, March 24 8 pm
World Music with Wisaal
Performing a mosaic of world music, Wisaal—an Arabic word meaning links, connections, or unity—fuses elements of Arabic musical heritage with Klezmer (Eastern European Jewish dance music), Indian, and American influences, while respecting the spirit of these traditions. Trained by masters in Lebanon, France, India and the U.S., Wisaal's musicians create rhythmically charged global grooves on Arabic instruments—oud, percussion and bass—the Klezmer-influenced clarinet, and American-folk mandolin.
Sunday, April 22, 7 pm
Stellar Piano Trio
Detroit Symphony Orchestra vibrant newcomer, violinist Adrienne Rönmark, joins her mom, veteran DSO cellist Debra Fayroian, and celebrated Brazilian-born pianist Maria Meirelles for an evening of Bach, Beethoven, and dazzling surprises.
Saturday, May 19, 8 pm
Ozzie Rivera's Orquesta La Inspiracion
Led by Puerto Rican-born congero Ozvaldo “Ozzie" Rivera with award-winning music director-pianist Bill Meyer, La Inspiracion is a 10-piece unit honoring the traditions of merengue, cumbia and Afro-Caribbean jazz. Exciting, infectious rhythms explode from their intricate percussion ensemble. Mixed with soulful Latin vocals and horns, they weave a classic Afro-Latin tapestry that makes dancing irresistible. Also included is a gourmet Latin feast served during intermission.
Friday, June 22, 8 pm
Barefield Super String Quartet
This adventurous ensemble—featuring guitarist A. Spencer Barefield, violinist Jannina Barefield Norpoth, violist John Madison and bassist John-Paul Norpoth—straddles the boundaries of traditional and avant-garde jazz, classical and other music idioms. The multi-talented string players will perform originals (mostly composed by 2010 Kresge Arts Fellow Barefield), as well as selections from composers such as John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonius Monk, Ellington/Strayhorn, Enrique Granados, Astor Piazzolla and Manuel de Falla.
Saturday, June 23, 8 pm
Ralphe Armstrong Ensemble
Bigger than life, funky, fabulous and one-of-kind master bassist, composer Ralphe Armstrong has been turning heads for decades. The son of legendary violinist Howard “Louie Bluie" Armstrong landed the John McLaughlin Mahavishnu Orchestra gig at age 17, and has been a star ever since. He'll be joined by Detroit greats, trumpeter Dwight Adams, Henry Gibson on keyboards, and “Straight Ahead" drummer Gayelynn McKinney.
Tickets for the 2012 concerts, $35 or $30 for groups of 10 or more can be purchased online at palmerwoods.org or by calling 313-891-2514. The location of the home is provided to ticket holders. The concerts are special opportunities to hear world-class musicians who have Detroit-based roots and are internationally recognized.
Palmer Woods, long considered to be one of Michigan's premiere communities, is located in the northwest sector of Detroit at Seven Mile and Woodward Avenue. The community actively works to preserve and enrich the quality of life in Detroit. The concerts help raise funds for neighborhood preservation and improvements, as well as support the arts and project a positive and creative image about Detroit. The “concert halls" have included homes designed by legendary architects Minoru Yamasaki, Albert Kahn, Frank, Lloyd Wright, Richard Marr, Louis Redstone, and others. Many of the homes have never been open to the public.
The Palmer Woods Association and Creative Arts Collective present Palmer Woods Music in Homes with the support of Be Well Medical Center & Skin Rejuvenation in Berkley, Barefield DesignWorks, Blossoms in Birmingham, and media sponsor WRCJ 90.9 FM radio.
