hubbsgroove

Theron and Tom sit down to talk about the annual Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival, which takes place this year in Akron, Cleveland and online from August 26 through August 28.

Live performances will take place on August 28 with Hubb’s Groove and Pieces of a Dream performing at the Akron Civic Theater at 8 p.m. (click for ticket information), and Bobby Selvaggio at the Bop Stop in Cleveland at 5 p.m. (click for ticket information).

Virtual performances include Tommy Lehman’s Squadtet and the Lynn Speakman Quintet on August 26, the OpenTone Honors Band and Dan Wilson on August 27, and Rubber City Cribs and Matthew DeRubertis: Seer Music on August 28. The free virtual performances will be available on the festival’s Facebook page.

Theron Brown is an Akron-based jazz musician and artistic director of the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival.

Theron and Tom are kicking it backstage with vocalist Evelyn Wright, drummer Robert Hubbard Jr., and performer Reggie Kelly, talking about the soul of the Northeast Ohio sound, influential musicians from the area, how Gospel musicians express themselves through jazz, and the importance of not taking your art for granted in the second of a two-part series.

Part 1 of the series, Reminiscing, is available here.

Vocalist Evelyn Wright has been a professional singer for more than three decades with experience in jazz, R&B and pop. A native of Cleveland, Evelyn won the 1993 award for Most Promising Female Artist and Favorite Female R&B singer from Midwest Urban Music. Her recordings include a live performance with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra at the Bop Stop. Wright has toured throughout the United States and Canada, performing in top hotels, nightclubs and concert halls. (Learn more about Evelyn here.)

Drummer Robert Hubbard Jr. is known for his diverse style of music consisting of jazz, gospel, R&B and rock. A Cleveland native, Robert began to play drums in his father's church at the age of 5. During his junior and senior years in high school, he was recognized at the Tri-C Jazz Fest as the top high school jazz drummer in the state of Ohio. Robert began his music career playing with local artists throughout Greater Cleveland, and his first major tour began in 1993 with R&B group Men At Large. His touring and performing career has consisted of playing with numerous jazz and gospel artists, as well as playing as the opening act with his bad, Moments Notice. (Learn more about Robert here.)

Reggie Kelly has been the Associate Director Choreographer for the Black Theater Troupe in Phoenix, the West Coast Black Theatre in Sarasota Florida, the African-American Cultural Center in Buffalo, and Karamu House in Cleveland.

Reggie is an award-winning singer, actor, dancer, choreographer, and playwright with over 40 years of professional experience. He conceived, directed, and choreographed the Motown musical biography Soul Sounds for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has the distinction of being the first black choreographer for both the Cleveland Play House and the Cleveland Orchestra. A consummate jazz chanteur performing In jazz rooms throughout the country and abroad, Reggie is currently a member of the New York Harlem Singers. (Learn more about Reggie here.)