jazz

In 1993 Groov’tet, a self-propelled student jazz quartet, was formed at Western Michigan University. It launched the careers of four distinguished alumni: pianist Xavier Davis, saxophonist John Wojciechowski, bassist Matt Hughes, and drummer Keith Hall.

Kalamazoo Jazz musicians Ashley and Benje Daneman are not afraid to tell a true story. Ashley’s no-nonsense style songwriting combines well with Benje’s interpretive compositions, like in the song Floating On that Benje wrote about an experience he had walking the streets of New York City. 

Local jazz pianist and composer Ron Di Salvio is a renaissance man. He teaches jazz at Kalamazoo College, runs his own heat treating business out of Homer, Michigan, and even made up his own shorthand called Deltadiatonics. Di Salvio taught himself piano, but before that he played accordion.

 The Ken Morgan Jazz Unit presents a free concert Tuesday night at the Oshtemo branch of the Kalamazoo Public Library. Ken Morgan has played professionally for 60 years, he’s a flute and saxophone player as well as a band leader.