Summer Solstice Jazz Festival

What is the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival?

The Summer Solstice Jazz Festival (SSJF) is a celebration of jazz music featuring nationally recognized and regional jazz artists, as well as youth and community education for residents and visitors of East Lansing. The SSJF salutes jazz one of the truly American art forms, and offers this free two-day event in a lively outdoor setting.

2019 Festival Hours & Location

The sounds of Summer in East Lansing! Get your chairs ready. Artistic Director, #RodneyWhitaker ….creating lots of reasons to jazz….You don’t want to miss this one.

SAVE the DATES June 21 & 22.

#RandyGelispie Organ Ensemble with #MichaelDease, #DiegoRivera, #BillHeid, #FrankHaque, #EtienneCharles, #JaneBunnett, #Maqueque, #MaureenChoi, #XavierDavis, #ReginaCarter, #RodneyWhitaker, #TerrellStafford, #BruceBarth, #TimWarfield, #DanaHall, #RockelleFortin, #StanleyRuvinov Quartet, #JordynDavis, #TimBlackmon, #TissaKhosla, #JeffShoup Quartet, #496West, #JAMM, #MargheritaFava Quartet, #BrandonRose, #TheBecoming Quintet, #MaxColleylll, #RootDoctor

Artistic Director, Rodney Whitaker

Internationally renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker, currently holds the titles of Professor of Jazz Bass and Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University where he has built one of the leading jazz degree programs and performing faculty in the United States of America. He is considered one of the leading performers and teachers of the jazz double bass in the United States. Whitaker has performed and toured with over 100+ legendary performing jazz artists over the past 25+ years. Featured on more than 100+ recordings – from film to compact discs – Whitaker’s film scores, China, directed by Jeff Wray, was released on PBS Fall 2002 and Malaria and Malawi, released on PBS