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2023 Detroit Jazz Fest schedule and lineup

By and Jack Nissen
Published  September 1, 2023 1:17pm EDT
Things To Do
FOX 2 Detroit

Previewing Detroit Jazz Fest

The annual festival will incorporate dozens of artists across three days of music. They'll perform on three stages in downtown Detroit, with the JPMorgan Chase Main Stage in Campus Martius and the Carhartt Amphitheater and Absopure Waterfront stages in Hart Plaza.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The 2023 Detroit Jazz Fest has returned with a massive slate of artists expected to rock the house this Labor Day weekend. 

The annual festival will incorporate dozens of artists across three days of music. They'll perform on three stages in downtown Detroit, with the JPMorgan Chase Main Stage in Campus Martius and the Carhartt Amphitheater and Absopure Waterfront stages in Hart Plaza.

The first shows kick off at 6 p.m. Friday. For any fans that can't make the first day, fear not for there is three more days of music to be enjoyed. 

Find more things to do here.

Here's a breakdown of the schedule this weekend:

Friday, Sept. 1

Carhart Amphitheater Stage

  • 6:00– 6:40 p.m. Dr. Valade’s Brass Band featuring Shannon Powell
  • 7:00– 8:15 p.m. Gretchen C. Valade: Our Angel of Jazz
  • 9:00–10:15 p.m. 2023 Rocket Mortgage Artist-In-Residence Karriem Riggins "Interplay" Special Guests: Madlib, J.Rocc, w/Sasha Kashperko

Saturday, Sept. 2

JPMorgan Chase Main Stage

  • 1:30–2:30 p.m. Trunino Lowe Quartet
  • 3:15–4:20 p.m. Melissa Aldana Quartet
  • 5:05–6:15 p.m. Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Brian Blade "Children of the Light"
  • 7:00–8:10 p.m. Kenny Garrett
  • 8:55–10:10 p.m. Regina Carter: Gone in a Phrase of Air

Carhartt Amphitheater Stage

  • 1:30–2:30 p.m. Wayne State University Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Professor Russ Miller
  • 2:30–2:40 p.m. Youth Jazz Vocal Competition Winner presented by Bingham Legal
  • 3:15–4:30 p.m. Miho Hazama and m_unit
  • 5:15–6:30 p.m. Stefon Harris & Blackout
  • 7:15–8:30 p.m. Dafnis Prieto "Cantar" featuring Luciana Souza
  • 9:15–10:30 p.m. John Scofield Trio featuring Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart

Absopure Waterfront Stage

  • 11:30 a.m.– MSBOA Showcase –
  • 1:00 p.m. Northview HS Jazz Ensemble, Greg Wells,
  • 11:30 a.m. Monroe HS Jazz Ensemble, Joseph Swinkey,
  • 12:00 p.m. Rockford HS Jazz Ensemble, Cullen McCarthy,
  • 12:30 p.m. 1:45–2:50 p.m. The Curling League of Belle Isle
  • 3:35–4:35 p.m. Joan Belgrave The Oooo Boy Tour
  • 5:10–6:15 p.m. Balance
  • 7:00–8:10 p.m. Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few
  • 8:55–10:10 p.m. The Detroit Piano Legacy Continues

Sunday, Sept. 3

JPMorgan Chase Main Stage

  • 12:00–1:00 p.m. Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra 1 "The Bebop Spartans" under the direction of Professor Rodney Whitaker
  • 1:45–2:55 p.m. Alexa Tarantino Quartet
  • 3:40–4:45 p.m. Joel Ross’ Good Vibes
  • 5:30–6:40 p.m. Johnny O’Neal & Sullivan Fortner "Tribute to Detroit Piano Masters’’
  • 7:25–8:30 p.m. Lizz Wright
  • 9:15–10:30 p.m. 2023 Rocket Mortgage Artist-In-Residence Karriem Riggins "J Dilla Lives Forever" Special Guests: Jessica Care Moore, Beej, T3, Common, PJ (@justpeej), DJ Dummy, J.Rocc, Ma Dukes – w/Band: Smurf, Boom Bishop, and Sasha Kashperko

Carhatt Amphitheater Stage

  • 12:00–1:00 p.m. Downbeat Blindfold
  • 1:30–2:30 p.m. Kenji Lee’s Fortune Teller Trio: Kyudo
  • 3:15–4:30 p.m. Veronica Swift
  • 5:15–6:30 p.m. DJF Global – Connect International All-Stars; The Hurricane Trio (Italy) with Chris Collins in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago
  • 7:15–8:30 p.m. Dee Dee Bridgewater and the DDB Quartet
  • 8:30 p.m. Presentation of awards
  • 9:15–10:30 p.m. Jason Moran presents James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield

Absopure Waterfront Stage

  • 11:30 a.m.– MSBOA Showcase –
  • 1:00 p.m. Meridian HS Jazz Ensemble, Matthew Shephard,
  • 11:30 a.m. Northville HS Jazz Ensemble, Mike Rumbell, 12:20 p.m.
  • 1:45–2:45p.m. Collegiate Combo Competition Winner presented by Central Michigan University
  • 3:30–4:30 p.m. Caleb Robinson & Reaching
  • 5:15–6:10 p.m. Khamsin, Japan Exchange with the Takatsuki Jazz Festival
  • 6:55–8:00 p.m. Nduduzo Makhathini Quartet
  • 8:45–10:00 p.m. Rodney Whitaker Group: Spirituals of John Coltrane

Monday, Sept. 4

JPMorgan Chase Main Stage

  • 12:30–1:30 p.m. University of Michigan Jazz Ensemble 1 under the direction of Professor Ellen Rowe
  • 2:15–3:20 p.m. Dafnis Prieto with the Collegiate Jazz Festival Orchestra
  • 4:00–5:00 p.m. Jesse Palter Quartet
  • 5:45–6:55 p.m. Allison Miller presents "Rivers in our Veins"
  • 7:40–8:55 p.m. 2023 Rocket Mortgage Artist-In-Residence Karriem Riggins "Karriem and the Erratic Specialist" Special Guests: BJ The Chicago Kid, PJ (@justpeej), Nick Grant, DJ Dummy – w/Band: Smurf, Boom Bishop, and Sasha Kashperko

Carhartt Amphitheater Stage

  • 12:15–1:15 p.m. J.C. Heard JazzWeek All-Stars
  • 2:00–3:15 p.m. Russ Miller: Beatitudes
  • 4:00–5:15 p.m. Louis Hayes Quintet
  • 6:15–7:30 p.m. Samara Joy

Absopure Waterfront Stage

  • 11:45 a.m.– Detroit Public Schools Showcase –
  • 1:15 p.m. Duke Ellington Conservatory of Music and Art @ Beckham, Sean Patton, 11:45 a.m. Renaissance High School, Dr. Christopher Gray, 12:10 p.m. Cass Tech High School, Andrea Holley, 12:45 p.m.
  • 2:00–3:00 p.m. Evening Star
  • 3:45–4:55 p.m. Linda May Han Oh – The Glass Hours
  • 5:40–6:50 p.m. To Barry With Love: The Michael Weiss Trio with Peter Washington and Lewis Nash celebrates Barry Harris
  • 7:30–8:40 p.m. Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours