I must say that I was most pleasantly surprised by the Detroit Jazz Festival: all the stages are close by, so that it doesn’t take much time to go from one show to the other and one can even enjoy two shows in the same hour, especially since they’re all free! I had the opportunity to listen to great artists such as Jeff Tain Watts, Kevin Eubanks, Etienne Charles or Regina Carter, who was wonderful, as always; and so were Dianne Reeves, Angelique Kidjo and Liz Wright. Reeves’ talent complements her generosity and her faith. For those who don’t believe in God, Reeves might make you change your mind. She is not only technically brilliant, but also utterly expressive, and has one of the most beautiful stage presences. Detroit also hosted tap dancers for the weekend: Rod Ferrone, M.A.D.D. Rhythms and the Detroit Tap Repertory Company performed on three consecutive days. It is a shame one doesn’t see more tap dancers on the musicians’ stages…. or at the jam sessions, which were conducted in the lobby of the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, where Dave Holland's Octet ended up playing on Saturday night due to heavy rain. Holland and his musicians riveted an audience of real jazz fans who did not tolerate to have their view on the band blocked. The show was followed by another equally mesmerizing one - the performance of the Deacon Jones Blues Band. And Michigan State University students concluded a colorful and rich jam with brio. Congratulations Detroit!
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