The Michigan Daily-Friday, February 5, 1988- Page 9
1
Java and Jazz
serves up
the
Ken Kellett Trio
By Brian Bonet
This Sunday Eclipse's Java and
Jazz continues to showcase the finest
musicians the Detroit area has to of-
fer with the Ken Kellett Trio. As
usual, it all takes place in the
Michigan Union's Tap Room and
the coffee as well as the music will
be free.
Bassist Ken Kellett, pianist Gary
Schunk, and drummer Danny
Spencer make up the trio and their
musical influences span several
styles. Kellett is a product of the
Oakland University Jazz Department
and the well-known Marcus Bel-
grave's Jazz Development Work-
shop. He began his professional
music career playing Broadway
shows and Las Vegas revues with
Johnny Trudell's Big Band at the
Detroit Hyatt.
"It was a great learning experi-
ence," says Kellett who was given
the opportunity to play with na-
tional greats, most notably Billy
Eckstine. "I wouldn't have changed
that for the world."
Interestingly, Kellett went on to
study the four string with Robert
Gladstone and Steve Molina of the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Kellett
describes this collaboration as noth-
ing out of the ordinary for a jazz
musician. "It's the quest to improve
your instrument. These guys are
master bass players," says Kellett,
who sees direct parallels between his
music and that of his classical peers.
"They're (classical and jazz) pretty
much the same thing, except classi-
cal doesn't have the African roots."
Kellett has traveled to Europe
with Joe Loduca and has been the
house bassist at Baker's Keyboard
Lounge where he has played with the
likes of Pepper Adams, Mose Alli-
son, Mark Murphy, Herb Ellis, and
other well-known players.
Detroit, says Kellett, is a
extraordinary place for young artists
to grow. "A lot of bright people
come out of here - not just jazz
musicians," he says. "Art comes out
of diversity. Detroit keeps you
sharp."
So what does the trio have
planned for Sunday's Java and Jazz
engagement? "We'll probably just
play what comes to mind. That's
what we usually do," says Kellett,
explaining that, because the band has
played together for so long, a prede-
termined playlist isn't necessary.
However, Kellett says he'll probably
call the other members of the trio
the night before the show to ask
them if there's anything in particular
they'd like to play.
Trio member Gary Schunk is fre-
quently a house pianist at Baker's
Keyboard Lounge and has recorded
with Mark Murphy, Joe Loduca, and
several others. In 1968 Drummer
Danny Spencer played with Dexter
Gordon and Art Farmer in Paris.
Later that year he formed the group
C.J.Q., which recorded two records
on the Blue Note label.
. Java and Jazz performances have
been well attended this year and ap-
pear to be serving their purpose of
exposing live, local jazz to the Uni-
versity community. So come check
it out. The coffee will be steaming
and so will the music.
THE KEN KELLETT TRIO will
be performing at the Michigan
Union Tap Room as part of
Eclipse's Java and Jazz series on
Sunday. They will be perfortring
two sets, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admis-
sion is free.
MYSTIC & Common Ground Theatre Ensemble present
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AEIZID0-A'.4411IQ1CA4N SIVIIICII
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
February 4, 5 & 6 at 8:00pm I
$8.00 in advance
$10.00 at the door
February 7 at 4:00pm
Tickets Available at Ticket Master
For more information on group
rates call: 763-0786
sponsored by
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