Jazz

Roy Brooks: Drumist 1938-2005

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Not a drummer, but a drumist Growing up in a Detroit with pianos in every house, Roy Brooks found the beginnings of his self-described purpose: to create a musical truth. Though Brooks received guidance from several of his more well-known contemporaries — Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane among them — he chose to forge his […]

Kenn Cox: Guerilla Jam Master 1940-2008

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 There Was Music Everywhere Detroiter Kenn Cox (born November 8, 1940) was a jazz pianist, composer, mentor, leader, and performer. In this oral history conducted by journalist Larry Gabriel in 1989, Coxx describes his upbringing in Detroit as a young musician and his then current approach to performance and recording. He cites major influences […]

Alma Smith: The Countess 1922-2012

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The Countess of Detroit Alma Smith (Born Mary Alma Foster, Montgomery, Alabama) was an established singer, composer, record label owner, educator, pianist, and vibraphonist based out of Detroit. Her talents took her on many national and international tours, as well as performances with several revered musicians in a number of well-known jazz and blues clubs. […]