Dubbed as A Love Supreme: The Philly/Detroit Summit, this year's 2008 Detroit International Jazz  Festival will celebrate the story of jazz



By C. Raymond Hidalgo
Writer/Reporter
Tell Us Detroit



Although Philadelphia and Detroit may currently be at odds over the 76ers-Pistons playoff basketball series, the two cities will share their musical talent for the 29th Detroit International Jazz Festival from Aug. 29-Sept. 1 in downtown Detroit.

Dubbed as "A Love Supreme: The Philly/Detroit Summit" for 2008, it is the largest jazz festival in North America and expected to draw a crowd around 750,000 and generate $90 million in revenue. Its major lineup was announced at a press conference today, featuring over a hundred acts from the local to national stage. One of the most anticipated acts will be from the festival’s chosen artist-in-residence, bassist, and Philadelphia-native Christian McBride.

“Philadelphia is a proud city, almost to a fault,” McBride said. “For Philadelphia to give its [artists] to another town is too much to ask. But if it had to give them to another city, it would be Detroit.”

Under executive director Terri Pontremoli, the festival has recently begun thematically focusing on collaboration between Detroit and other American cities rich in jazz heritage such as Chicago which was last year’s featured city.

"The older musicians in Philadelphia are still here so we figured it was a good time to feature them," said Pontremoli.

Elder Philadelphian musicians include drummer Albert Heath (72) and tenor saxophonists Jimmy Heath (81) and Benny Golson (79). Younger Philadelphia artists will include trumpeter Randy Brecker, trombonist Robin Eubanks, and singer Dee Dee Sharpe among numerous others.


DJF Executive Director Terri Pontremoli

Other highlights will include Ravi Coltrane’s tribute to his late mother Alice Coltrane, the late wife of jazz great John Coltrane, a Philadelphia-Detroit tribute to Marvin Gaye, a battle of the bands between the Count Basie Orchestra and the Gerald Wilson Orchestra (featuring Kenny Burrell), and several performances by local and visiting universities such as the Juilliard School, the University of Michigan, and the Berklee College of Music.

A Detroit-Philadelphia collaboration featuring flutist Alexander Zonjic and the Motor City Horns from Detroit and keyboardist Jeff Lorber and percussionist Doc Gibbs from Philadelphia will capture the essence of the festival’s theme.

“Jazz is all about collaborations and improvisations and what not,” Zonjic said.
On the festival, Zonjic said it is one of the highlights of his summer.

“For me to be part of this event is an honor,” Zonjic said. “Even though I play all over the world during the summer, I always look forward to finishing it off in Detroit.”

As a jazz aficionado himself, Detroit City Council president Ken Cockrel Jr. reaffirmed his support for the festival and offered some advice at the press conference.

“For those here as lovers of jazz and members of the press, we have our youth blazing rap and R&B,” Cockrel Jr. said. “Go out and spread the gospel of jazz; make this a family event because if not, we’re in danger of losing a precious art form.”