Past Performers

Neu Roots is a Michigan based band whose music celebrates a wide variety of sounds spanning R&B, Hip-Hop, Soul, and Jazz. Through our music, we aim to create a safe space for hope and positivity, and inspire others to be rooted and grounded in love.

Felipe Klimovicz plays Surf Vibes and Soul Music. He will perform solo, and likes to mix all kinds of musical genres. His main goal is to deconstruct these “music labels”. Main singer of the Band “Oh my dogs”, he is also known as “BIBE”. Felipe will perform a few of his songs as well as some classics.

Ísis Dresch started singing at the age of 5. In 2012 during college, she decided to start a professional career in jazz singing. She also plays the piano. She is very active in the jazz scene of Curitiba and Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2018 she produced her first single “Ghost”, with Lontraz being the producer. It is a mix of Latin, soul and alternative music. In 2020 she took part of the TV show “THE FOUR”, at the TV RECORD Network. This was a great opportunity to boost her career.

Yes, an (unpretentious) reinterpretation of the Beatles. Brazilian (but not overdoing it), acoustic (a bit of bass, a bit of percussion). This project is a longing for a 60s vibe, bridging time and cultures. It’s a confabulation with John, Paul, George and Ringo, into the thoughts and feelings expressed in their music. A re-tropicalism with progressive tendencies (and, if possible, simple).

Dago Schelin is a Brazilian musician based in Germany whose mellow guitar-playing and soothing voice takes us back to a 60s Bossa Nova feel. Brazilian classics are likely to be in his repertoire, but Dago also brings a freshly arranged Brazilian-style Beatles selection, which he intends to show us at this year’s JazzFest.
While he is rediscovering his family roots in Germany, Dago’s passion is the good old Brazilian Musica Popular, from Tom Jobim to Caetano Veloso. Through his authentically Brazilian guitar style, Dago welcomes listeners to re-experience known songs and to try out alternative musical ideas. Dago Schelin’s Living Room is the name of this album, easily found on all streaming platforms.
Dago got his bachelor degree in Música Popular at the Faculdade de Artes do Paraná, Brazil, before moving to Germany to pursue a master and a PhD. Interestingly, Dago lived in East Lansing for two years when he was a child, from 1986 to 1988. His father had gotten a scholarship at the MSU Cyclotron. Last year Dago came back to East Lansing, this time for the JazzFest to perform alongside Péricles Gomes. The Brazilian Bossa Duo was a great success among the crowd at the UrbanBeat.

One of Lansing’s most loved vocalists. Known for her show-stopping voice and stage presence, she’s sung with the Red Hot Blues Band, Wise Guys, Twyla and the Night Crawlers, the Lansing Blues Divas, Big Willy, and several others--and also experienced the honor of sharing the stage with such legends as Larry McCray and Freddie Cunningham. With her deep roots in the Blues, she continues to perform the style with unbridled passion, although recently adding a touch of Jazz. Her performances never disappoint.

Lansing’s own “Queen of the Blues,” Kathleen Walters, has been captivating audiences in Michigan since the formation of her first band, Blues Xpress, in the late 90s. In 2020 she performs with Kathleen & the Bridge St Band, winners of the 2019 West Michigan Blues Society International Blues Challenge (WMBS IBC), with Steve Dely on slide guitar, Doug Fritch on guitar, Tim Brouhard on bass and harmonica and Eric Payne on drums. Jon Gewirtz continues to join the band on bari-sax for larger venues and festivals.

The Corzo Effect strives to create a laid-back atmosphere for people to come relax and groove to some smooth blues tunes! With Josh Corzo, bass, Stephen Boone, keys, and Caleb Robinson, drums.

Kammy Yedor is a young jazz guitarist from the Seattle area who has performed there since high school as a sideman and a leader. She is an alumna of Seattle's prestigious Roosevelt High School Jazz program, the Seattle JazzEd program, and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.She has performed with Michael Phillip Mossman, Harvey Mason, Andrew Speight, Mimi Jones, Jim Alfredson, Jay Thomas, D'Vonne Lewis, the Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra and Steve Wilson. She performs in the Greater Detroit, Lansing, and Grand Rapids areas too.

The Springtails are a charming Michigan-based husband-and-wife duo, Andy & Julianna Wilson. Mixing new songs with old vaudeville and swing-era standards, her lilting voice and snappy ukulele with his soulful harmonica and retro-sounding horn transport listeners back in time with songs that range from haunting ballads to playful swing. Bob Bryan (percussion) and Michael Smalley (upright bass) complete the four-piece version of the band.

Guitarist, composer and singer Elden Kelly has captivated audiences across the country with his masterful writing and improvisational ability. His music thrives at the nexus of jazz, classical and world music, combining a deep knowledge of music with astounding and engaging performances.His sets are marked by exploration and stylistic range, combining jazz with a broad range of global music traditions, instrumental work and original songs.

Lifelong buddies RJ Spangler & Tbone Paxton started working together in 1980 with a very popular band around Detroit called the Sun Messengers. They toured the east coast, Midwest and deep south for a number of years. Back then Tbone was awarded a Motor City Music Award for best trombonist. Since that time, he has also become quite an engaging vocalist. In fact, he has been nominated the last two years as best jazz vocalist at the Detroit Music Awards. The two are cornerstone members of the 9 pc Planet D Nonet, and as such, have toured to 11 states, released as many CDs and garnered 6 Detroit Music Awards. Now they have offer this stripped-down project – just four musicians, with a new CD about to drop.

Dago Schelin is a Brazilian musician based in Germany whose mellow guitar playing and soothing voice takes us back to a 60s Bossa Nova feel. Dago’s passion is the good old Brazilian Musica Popular, from Tom Jobim to Caetano Veloso. Through his authentically Brazilian guitar style, Dago welcomes listeners to re-experience known songs and to try out alternative musical ideas. Brazilian classics are likely to be in his repertoire, but Dago also brings a freshly arranged Brazilian-style Beatles selection, which he intends to show us at this year’s JazzFest.