By Doug D. Sims
Five-time No. 1 Billboard artist Lin Rountree joins Grand Rapids native Isaac Norris for an evening of jazz that raises the bar for live music in West Michigan.
Some concerts entertain you. Others remind you why live music matters. Friday night, October 30, at Midtown GR inside Studio Park, After Dark: Smooth Jazz Sessions brought together national talent, hometown musicians and the unmistakable sound of Detroit.
Presented by Smooth Jazz Sessions (SJS), the evening featured Grand Rapids native Isaac Norris and special guest headliner Lin Rountree, The Soul Trumpeter, a five-time No. 1 Billboard artist. What unfolded was more than a traditional smooth jazz concert. It was an evening where several musical styles came together without losing their individual character.
Norris opened the show with his saxophone leading the way through a selection of songs reflecting his musical influences. The Grand Rapids native also made room for local artists, inviting several familiar faces to join him onstage.
Keisha Patterson and Daniel Smith each delivered separate vocal performances, adding a soulful dimension to the set. Both singers were outstanding. Then Debra L. Perry took center stage for a solo bass performance that ignited the crowd, proving that sometimes the deepest groove comes from the instrument you might least expect to steal the spotlight.
Norris continued his set before joking that he needed to finish up before his wife, Lisa Norris, gave him the signal to call it a night. Lisa, who served as the evening’s host, soon returned to introduce the headliner.
Enter Lin Rountree.
Known as The Soul Trumpeter, Rountree has established himself as a major presence in contemporary jazz, earning five No. 1 positions on the Billboard charts. From his opening notes, he made it clear that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary smooth jazz show.
His trumpet carried a sound that moved between jazz, R&B, hip-hop and soul. The arrangements had a groove that encouraged the audience to do more than sit back and listen. This was music designed to be felt.
As Rountree would say, it was “SOULFUNKY.”
Helping deliver that sound was a Detroit-based lineup featuring Demetrius Nabors, Robert Skinner, Nate Winn and Gary Johnson. Nabors, also a Billboard-charting artist, brought his own notable credentials to the stage. The four musicians backed both Norris and Rountree throughout the evening, providing the foundation for the saxophonist’s opening set before shifting into the funk-driven arrangements accompanying the headliner.
Their versatility gave the concert a natural flow, while the unmistakable Motor City influence tied the two performances together.
The evening reached its climax when Norris and Rountree reunited onstage for a closing performance. With saxophone and trumpet sharing the spotlight, the two artists brought the night to a memorable finish.
For Grand Rapids, After Dark: Smooth Jazz Sessions was a reminder of the value of live music and what happens when established artists and local performers share the same stage. It also highlighted the depth of musical talent in West Michigan while bringing a nationally recognized Detroit artist to town.
This wasn’t simply smooth jazz. It was a mix of sounds and influences that crossed generations and genres.
By the time the final notes faded, Friday night’s concert had made a strong case for being one of the best jazz shows Grand Rapids has seen this year.
If you weren’t there, you missed one for the record books.
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