The veteran smooth jazz producer, guitarist and singer tops the 2015 lineup with Edye Evans Hyde and the GRJO, Walt Gutowski, Mike Frost, Grupo Aye and more to play Rosa Parks Circle.
Headliner: Paul Brown will headline Saturday’s lineup at GRandJazzFest in August.
Touted by JazzTimes as “the undisputed king of hit-making smooth jazz,” two-time Grammy Award winner Paul Brown – joined by producer/keyboardist Nate Harasim and sax man Deon Yates – will headline Saturday night’s roster of jazz stars playing Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids as part of the Aug. 15-16 GRandJazzFest.
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Billed as “The Producers,” Brown and Harasim deliver what’s described as “high-energy jazz,” with Brown’s most recent release, “Truth B Told,” topping jazz charts and the Michigan-based Harasim also earning widespread kudos (as well as a Grammy nomination). They’ll be joined by saxophonist Yates, who’s performed previously at GRandJazzFest.
Steve Cole
Sunday night’s lineup features headliner Steve Cole, an award-winning tenor saxophone phenom who’s sold hundreds of thousands of contemporary jazz albums across the globe.
The free, fourth annual festival also boasts local and regional stars, including the celebrated Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with singer Edye Evans Hyde, Walt Gutowski & The Bridge Street Band, Mike Frost Project 2.0, Grupo Aye, Brian Simpson & Jackiem Joyner, Big Band Nouveau, Bryan Lubeck and Michael Manson.
The lineup officially was unveiled Wednesday night “on the eve of International Jazz Day” at The B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids, an announcecment which included a performance by the Jazz Fusion Project.
Sponsors of GRandJazzFest include DTE Energy Foundation and the city of Grand Rapids. Get more information about the festival online at grandjazzfest.org.
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