DETROIT, MI — The Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation today announced an exciting addition to the 2026 Detroit Jazz Festival schedule with the inclusion of Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Jazz Club, bringing late-night performances to the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University.
Named after the Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, the Jazz Club series will feature dynamic late-night sets designed to capture the spirit, intimacy, and spontaneity of a classic jazz club experience. These performances will take place in conjunction and concurrent with the Detroit Jazz Hall performances at the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center, offering audiences an expanded late-night programming experience.
Performance Schedule:
Saturday, September 5, 10:45 PM – 12:00 AM
LoEnd Quintet
Sunday, September 6, 10:45 PM – 12:00 AM
LoEnd Quintet + Guest Vocalists
LoEnd Quintet, from Berklee College of Music in Boston, was the winner of the Detroit Jazz Festival’s annual Collegiate Combo Competition presented by Central Michigan University, which celebrates the artistry, craftmanship and discipline inherent in college and university jazz programs across the country.
These performances will take place at the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center, a key venue in this year’s Festival programming, complementing the three main stages located at Hart Plaza.
“This addition brings a unique late-night energy to the Festival and the Gretchen C. Valade Center, highlighting the depth of talent within Detroit’s jazz community,” said Chris Collins, President and Artistic Director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Jazz Club offers audiences an opportunity to experience world-class jazz in an intimate setting and venue that reflects the music’s roots.”
The 2026 Detroit Jazz Festival, taking place Labor Day weekend, September 4–7, continues its tradition as the world’s largest free jazz festival, drawing more than 300,000 visitors annually while reaching millions more through its global livestream.
This year’s Festival is centered at Hart Plaza, where all three downtown stages are located, creating a more connected and immersive experience for attendees. Additional performances, including Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Jazz Club, will take place at the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center.
Festival organizers encourage attendees to plan ahead, arrive early for performances, and review updated guest guidelines, including the policy that no coolers are permitted inside Hart Plaza.
The Detroit Jazz Festival will be held in downtown and midtown Detroit on Sept. 4 – Sept. 7 (Labor Day weekend). Performances will also be livestreamed for free on live.DetroitJazzFest.org, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
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About the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation
Under the leadership of President and Artistic Director Chris Collins, the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization that presents jazz and educational workshops throughout the year. The Foundation produces the Detroit Jazz Festival, which is the signature event for the Foundation and the largest free jazz festival in the world. The Festival is also a major tourist attraction for the City of Detroit, with 26 percent of its audience coming from out of state. For more information, visit detroitjazzfest.org.
The Detroit Jazz Festival is supported by the Gretchen C. Valade Endowment for the Arts, a private foundation generously created by the late Angel of Jazz, Gretchen C. Valade. The Foundation also receives grant funding from the DTE Foundation, Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, Kresge Foundation, the Knight Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Midwest, Carolyn and Mel Wanzo Music Legacy Endowment and the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. Hundreds of individuals also contribute to the Festival through membership and donations.
Major corporate partners include Rocket Companies, Carhartt, JPMorganChase, AARP and Kia.
Since 2011, the Detroit Jazz Festival has been produced by the acclaimed Detroit-based production group, Paxahau.
Media partners include Fox 2 Detroit, 760 WJR, WEMU-FM, DownBeat, WDET-FM 101.9, WRCJ 90.9 FM, Channel 22, City of Detroit’s new arts and entertainment channel, Detroit PBS, WJZD Radio, WJZZ Detroit Jazz Radio, and DETIPTV.
About Paxahau
Paxahau is a world-renowned production and promotion company specializing in music festivals and live events, always placing the highest priority on music and experience. Since 1998, the Paxahau brand has established itself as a leader in event production, rooted firmly in Detroit’s rich musical heritage.
The company first gained recognition as an underground dance music promoter in the early 90s and is now in its 20th year as producer of the Movement Music Festival, recognized globally as one of the longest-running dance music events in the world. Since 2011, Paxahau has been entrusted with managing operations and production for the Detroit Jazz Festival, bringing the same commitment to excellence, artist experience, and world-class production that defines their body of work.
