On Thursday, Mar 27 at 8 pm, three outstanding West Michigan-based music acts — Yolonda Lavender, Normal Mode and Brandon Fitzpatrick and The Element — will perform in the Eccentric Café's Back Room as part of Bell's Spring Concert series.
In a conversation with Cara Lieurance, Brandon Fitzpatrick talks about the sound he's bringing in his return to the Bell's stage. He shares his enthusiasm about the lineup, and praises the series' organizers, including Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert of Sounds of the Zoo, Eric Sebastian of Sebastian Sound, and Zane Forintos of Forintos Media. "They're gonna make our show the best that it possibly can be in that space," he says.
Fitzpatrick's new direction involves an all-instrumental four-piece jazz fusion band, featuring Aris Chalin on keys, Anthony Tyler on drums, Khalin Diggins on bass, and Fitzpatrick himself on keys. "You'll hear piano, Rhodes, synth, talk box, sine wave, poly synth, like it's gonna be pretty deep," he explains, adding that the music is driven by "really, really infectious melodies."
Ian Thompson, bassist for the jazz fusion quartet Normal Mode, joins the conversation via Zoom, discussing the band's unique sound. Formed in 2020, the band drew inspiration from diverse sources. "We were like, well, what would it sound like if we were on a spaceship traveling, you know, from Mars to Europa to check things out?" The conversation led them to invent their own genre: "lo-fi space travel music."
Yolanda Lavender, a beloved figure in the Kalamazoo music scene, will open the show. "She's been in the community doing music and art for the longest," Fitzpatrick said. "Everybody in the audience will know like, okay, we're about to hear some really good R&B." He also praised her community activism and support for other artists. "She's been trying to curate art and put other artists [in a place to] succeed," he said.
Tickets are $12 in advance and at the door. For more information, visit the Bell's Beer website.
