Urban Jazz Coalition
Urban Jazz Coalition (UJC) has electrified audiences over 27 years of performing
their unique and energetic blend of R&B/Jazz at many prominent festivals and concert venues around the world, including multiple appearances at The Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Fest and Capital Jazz Supercruise, Jazz Fest West, Russian River Jazz Festival, Boscov/Berks Jazz Festival, Jazz on The Vine, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, and The Catalina Island Jazz Festival.

Their music has also been featured on network television, international film soundtracks, as well as national advertising campaigns, and as part of an eclectic Gospel/Jazz compilation project released by Universal Records. UJC has certainly earned notoriety as a self-contained group, but they have also become highly in-demand as side men in the smooth jazz genre, having performed as the backing band for many top contemporary jazz artists including Grammy Award Winners Norman Brown & Jeff Lorber, as well as Nick Colionne, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Chuck Loeb, Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene’, and many more top contemporary jazz artists.

 

SOUL (Shades of United Ladies)
Detroit’s newest female R&B groups includes the very talented Bianca Barber, Angela Davis, Ava Jay, and Karla Pace-Fike. With each of these Detroit natives, it’s all about sisterhood, female empowerment and the music. Their first single “Black Queens” was released December 2020 and was followed by “Christmas Time is Here” in December 2021. The group is currently working on their debut EP which is anticipated later this year. Keep your eyes open!

You can follow the group on Instagram (@SOULshadesofunitedladies), Facebook
(@shadesofunitedladies) and YouTube (SOUL-Shades of United Ladies)

 

496 West (www.496west.com)

Fused with vocal soul, killer keys, ear-caressing melodies, a powerhouse horn section, silky strings and indispensable percussions, 496 West has garnered a reputation of being one of the best live bands in mid-Michigan. Individually, band members have a wealth of experience but when they come together, their love of music and mastery of the collaboration is evident. The group recently released their 4th CD, titled Rules of Engagement which combines original songs and covers that add to an already impressive music catalog. The album includes covers of Ella Mai’s Boo’d Up and Bob James & David Sandborn’s Maputo. The track Soul Catcher puts the stylings of a muted trumpet front and center with the backing of a band you might find in a gospel church — piano, bass, drums, and organ. Combining these sounds provides this album with an instant feeling of familiarity but with a few surprises that keep it excitingly fresh.