By Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans
There’s a good reason for all that good music going on in Wayne County Parks; it’s our heritage. Plus good music brings people together to share a positive and uplifting experience, and it exposes them to the outstanding local arts scene that has been a defining feature of our region for generations.
Good music is all about good community, and anything that helps promote strong community in Wayne County can only be a good thing.
So it’s safe to say that we know good music when we hear it, perhaps more so than a number of other cities around the country, because we have been surrounded by good music for so long. This inherited love of music is one of the reasons why we have been working hard to promote that appreciation throughout our year-long celebration of the 100thAnniversary of Wayne County Parks. Our parks are critical to maintaining and improving our quality of life, and good music plays a large part in that.
This weekend will once again feature Jazz on the River in Elizabeth Park, hosting a number of well-known artists from both the national and local scene, including:
Saturday Aug. 3rd
- 1-2pmRayse Biggs( Detroit Jazz Legend ,trumpet )
- 2:30-3:30pm L’Renee( R&B singer tours with Kem , signed to Kemistry Records )
- 4-5:15pm Kim Waters(International best selling Sax Man ,10 #1 hits )
- 5:45-7:00pm Nick Colionne( Chicago Award Winning Guitarist ,Singer, Entertainer )
- 7:30-9:00pm Avery Sunshine ( R&B ,Soul , Gospel singer and pianist )
Sunday Aug.4th
- 1-2pm Larry Lee & The Back In The Day Band( Jazz,R&B,Funk ,Soul , Larry Lee , Bassist former NFL Player )
- 2:30-3:30pm Yancyy & The Flex Band ( Detroit Sax Man , Jazz/Funk at its best )
- 4-5:15pm Alexander Zonjic and Friendsfeaturing vocalist Beth Griffith-Manley ( featured on NBC’s The Voice )
- 5:45-7:00pm Marion Meadows ( internationally-renowned Jazz,R&B saxophonist)
- 7:30-9:00pm Peabo Bryson (Grammy Award Winning vocalist ) R&B , Soul Legend
Jazz on the River has been going on for 24 years and is literally attended by thousands every year, many of whom come in their trailers to spend the night. This event has served as many as 40,000 visitors over an entire weekend. This year jumbo screens have been added to make sure everyone gets a good view of the entertainment.
In Detroit and Wayne County, our comeback story will only be complete with a renewed emphasis on the richness of our cultural heritage, especially when it comes to music. The truth is that few cities can compete with Detroit and the surrounding metropolitan area when it comes to the sheer depth of talent, historical significance and global/cultural impact stretching back multiple decades.
It’s something worth singing about. Together.
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