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This week we feature Laura Simone and her quartet, including Paloma Ximena, saxophones, Anthony Feimster, Jr, piano, and Sam Melkonian, drums.Laura-Simone is a 20-year-old bassist and vocalist whose artistry has already taken her to world-renowned stages, including BBC Proms, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Detroit Jazz Festival, and Blue Note at Sea. She was selected by Marcus Miller to join a five-person bass ensemble for Bass, a groundbreaking exhibit by Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen, performing alongside legends such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Mamadou Kouyaté, and Aston Barrett Jr.
In 2024, Laura-Simone was awarded the Living Jazz Fellowship, training intensively with Linda May Oh, Allison Miller, and Alicia Olatuja. She has also performed with Etienne Charles’ Afro-Caribbean Big Band through Jazz Aspen Academy and was a member of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra, touring internationally with Sean Jones and two-time Grammy winner Dee Dee Bridgewater.
Merging her love for music and activism, Laura-Simone founded the Queen Amina Music Program during high school to inspire 4th–8th grade girls through jazz history, improvisation, and performance. With grant funding, she hosted masterclasses and a public concert featuring Grammy-nominated saxophonist and Oscar-winner Tia Fuller.
Currently a junior at Michigan State University, Laura-Simone continues to grow under the mentorship of renowned bassist Rodney Whitaker while championing equity and excellence in jazz.
Jazz Tuesdays is sponsored by Gregg Hill and Cold Plunge Records, and Law Office of Trent Harris. Our house piano is graciously provided by Casio Music USA. Thank you also to Moriarty's Pub for making a home for jazz in Michigan's capital city since 2014.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
802 E Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI, United States, Michigan 48912
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
