By Jim Gallert Phelbert Quincy Lasley III, (1940-2018) came of age during the 1950s. The 1950s were Detroit’s Golden Age of jazz, and he heard many great musicians like Barry Harris and Yusef Lateef before they left town. His family came to Detroit from Kentucky during the 1920s looking for […] Read More »

By Jim Gallert Saxophonist, Joseph Robert St. John had a thirty-year career in Manhattan and Detroit. His New York band battled the great Chick Webb Orchestra and shared a stage with Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and King Oliver.  For five years, {1929-34} Joe navigated his band through the turbulent waters […] Read More »

By Lars Bjorn, Jim Gallert, and Adam Stanfel. First published in the 2019 Detroit Jazz Festival program booklet. Johnny Trudell started his career as a bandleader when most teens are struggling with Acne and homework.  From that point Trudell rose to become Detroit’s premier session man.  He played with his […] Read More »