Matthew Fries is a joyful voice on the piano with a unique and recognizable style that is authentically rooted in the tradition of the classic jazz pianists, while still looking forward to the future of the music and the instrument. As a composer and leader he has performed his own music extensively, recording ten albums of mostly original compositions. His music has been described as playful and hopeful, introspective, full of joy [...]

An alum of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, trombonist Edward Gooch joins TJO Presents for the October '22 rendition at Lucille's Jazz Lounge! Since 1979, the Toledo Jazz Orchestra has worked with dozens of industry legends, including Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Clark Terry and Zoot Sims. The group also performs the works of the major big bands from the past eight decades along with arrangements commissioned specifically for the orchestra. The Toledo Jazz [...]

Sean Dobbins got his start as sought-after Detroit area jazz sideman at a young age, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. As Sean’s Career progressed, he found himself the recipient of many awards and accolades including the “Woody Herman Jazz Award”, an award for outstanding musicianship, as well as the Louis Armstrong Scholarship. Due to Sean’s great talent both as a player and an educator, he has [...]

Trumpeter Ingrid Racine transgresses stylistic, generational and geographic boundaries in pursuit of her own authentic sound as an improviser and composer. Steeped in the traditions of early jazz and Detroit hard bop, she also melds rock, hip hop and aesthetic influences from across the globe to arrive at her unique sound, which is both confident and versatile. In the words of jazz critic Michael G Nastos, "She is a little on the [...]

Steve has been performing for nearly thirty years and is widely regarded as one of the top jazz musicians in the midwest. He has performed at most of the major jazz clubs and festivals in Michigan and Ohio, has toured Europe twice, has recorded with a variety of leading jazz artists, and released two cd's of his own - "Unanswerable Questions" on Alembic Arts and "Deep Woods" on Corridor Records. Steve Wood [...]

Bobby G has been on the blues scene in the Toledo area for around 50 years. He is Originally from a small town/plantation in Winterville, Mississippi. He was inspired by juke joint singers in that area. Bobby has a unique sound and powerful vocals. Bobby has been working with his Friends Band since 2010. He has recorded (3) CDs. "Winterville Mississippi" with his Friends Band in 2015, "Still Standing" with Curtis Jr [...]

Smooth strong, sultry, crystal clear, and definitive phrasing, strong, sultry, crystal clear, and definitive phrasing detail the vocal talents of Jean Holden. Toledo songstress, Jean Holden is an esteemed voice teacher, winner of three Lake Erie West People's Choice Awards for Best Female Vocalist, and inducted March of 2000, into the Lifetime Achievement Category. In May of 2015, Jean was inducted into the Sylvania Distinguished Artist Hall of Fame. Jean began her [...]

Jazz string bassist Paul Keller wears many hats: He is a well-respected master of his instrument; he is a prolific composer and an outstanding arranger of music for small and large ensembles; he is an educator, an entertainer and impresario; he is a lover of, a student of, and a proponent of The Great American Songbook; he is a successful bandleader of several different groups and he is an in-demand sideman who [...]

THIS IS A PRIVATE ENGAGEMENT. NO PUBLIC TICKETS AVAILABLE. A well known jazz singer in the Toledo/Detroit,/Ann Arbor area, Lori calls Toledo home and has been singing jazz in the midwest for the last four decades with some of the finest musicians anywhere. Through theatre and music Lori has had the opportunity to perform throughout the United states and Europe. In addition to concert and club work at places like Rusty's Jazz [...]

A well known jazz singer in the Toledo/Detroit,/Ann Arbor area, Lori calls Toledo home and has been singing jazz in the midwest for the last four decades with some of the finest musicians anywhere. Through theatre and music Lori has had the opportunity to perform throughout the United states and Europe. In addition to concert and club work at places like Rusty's Jazz Cafe, Murphy's Place, Degage Jazz Cafe in Toledo, and [...]

Recognized in both the vocal jazz performance and scholarship worlds, Ellie Martin is a highly respected vocalist, educator, and Jazz studies scholar. She is currently the vocal jazz instructor and vocal jazz ensemble director at the University of Toledo, as well as Toledo School for the Arts. In addition to her teaching, Ellie performs regularly throughout the United States. She performs regularly with Stan Kenton drummer Jerry Mackenzie, Rich Michaels, Tom Dennis […]

Damon Cook is not a Toledo native, but he lives here now and says one of the reasons for taking up residence in Toledo is the great Jazz tradition of the Glass City.Cook is a young man, who has been playing jazz since he was even much younger. "My father was a jazz guitarist and I learned from him." But he did not take up the guitar. Instead he became a drummer […]