Pzazz: An Afternoon of Poetry & Jazz

New Orleans Legend Phillip Manuel Brings Pzazz to Old Town

 One of the world’s great jazz singers, Phillip Manuel, will bring the magic to a special session of “Pzazz, an afternoon of poetry and jazz” on Sunday, August 9^th, 4-6 PM at UrbanBeat, 1213 Turner Street in Old Town Lansing. Manuel will be joined onstage by jazz bassist Alex Hoberty, vocal artist extraordinaire Twyla Birdsong, painter and author Julian Van Dyke, and poet Ruelaine Stokes. Tickets: $10 regular, $5 students.

 A New Orleans legend, Phillip Manuel is a powerhouse singer, actor, writer and poet. He took his first paying gig with a band at age 11 and began writing poems and songs at 12. At 16, he was discovered by a New Orleans producer who wrote and produced Manuel’s first record, Will you marry me girl. He has performed with symphony orchestras in New Orleans, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mobile, Alabama, and in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Orchestra. From New York to Los Angeles; from Portugal to Paris, he has graced the worlds’ stages with some of the biggest stars in jazz.

 An MSU student and keeper of the jazz tradition, Alex Hoberty is a bassist, bandleader, composer, and arranger from Indianapolis, Indiana. A recipient of the Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship, she studies at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy under the mentorship of Sean Dobbins and Rodney Whitaker. Hoberty has performed internationally, with appearances at festivals including the Detroit Jazz Festival and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.

 Twyla Birdsong is a superb vocalist whose soulful sound blends blues, gospel, jazz, and soul into a deeply moving musical experience. With over 20 years of performing at festivals, clubs, churches, and community spaces, she is known for her rich voice, emotional delivery, and ability to inspire hope, healing, and connection through music.

 Julian Van Dyke’s is a painter/writer and actor based in the Lansing area. His murals can be found up and down Michigan Avenue in Lansing, as well as in several Lansing schools, and in the Grove Alley Mural Project in East Lansing. His paintings have been exhibited at the Humanities Art Center at Kettering University in Flint, as well as at the META COLLECTIVE Gallery in Old Town Lansing. He also appears on the Riverwalk Theatre stage as an actor. Julian is the author of the children’s books: The Things We Do At My School, The Music We Call Jazz, Juneteenth Celebrating Freedom, and So You Think You Can Color?

 Lois Mummaw, the past president and a founding member of the Jazz Alliance of Mid- Michigan, will host the event, along with Ruelaine Stokes, Lansing Poet Laureate Emerita.

 Pzazz is underwritten by Gregg Hill and Cold Plunge Records, with support from Terry Terry and UrbanBeat.

Tickets: $10 General Admission. $5 Students
Doors open at 3. Show starts at 4. 

Dinner and drink menus are available.