Jazz Meets Hip Hop at Dazzle

The connections between today’s most popular music and the 100-year old traditions around jazz are on full display this Thursday night, June 17, at Dazzle at Baur’s, as KUVO JAZZ and NPR’s “Jazz Night in America” present “Jazz Meets Hip Hop” with Greg Tanner Harris and Friends and the Rob Tz Experience.

For this event, you ticket price of $20 is also a credit to be used towards food and non-alcoholic drinks. To live stream the event on the evening of June 17 on YouTube click HERE.

The night begins at 6:30 pm with Rob Tz (“Rob Teez”) Experience, presenting a set called “The Sunset Sessions.” The Rob Tz Experience is led by drummer Rob Thomas (Rob Tz), with Thomas’ brother J-Fiaa at vocals and keyboards and THE DROP’s morning show host DJ Dif’Rent at the turntables, “bringin’ the vibe on the 1s and 2s,” says Rob Tz.  Watch for the interplay between the musicians and the DJ, and “bring your boogie shoes!”

Thomas says he’s inspired by the way Kendrick Lamar collaborated with jazz players and producers (Terrace Martin, Thundercat, Flying Lotus) on his project “To Pimp a Butterfly.”  “(Lamar) gave us as hip-hoppers and music lovers a whole different approach to hip hop and how it’s received.”

Vibraphonist Greg Tanner Harris has long been directing traffic at the intersection of jazz and contemporary music.  On this gig, his friends include vocalist Venus Cruz from the band What Young Men Do, Jon Stewart (sax), Matt Fuller (guitar), John Grigsby (bass), drummer Mark Emmons and percussionist Atta Addo. Elements of “world” sound will feature Addo’s vocals and Harris playing the “gyil,” a West African xylophone.

In between sets, Steve Chavis from KUVO JAZZ and DJ Bella Scratch from THE will share insights on the convergence of jazz and hip hop, and take questions from the audience.

Join the KUVO JAZZ and THE DROP teams for a night of what’s happening NOW in music!

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