The Balos Duo is an up-and-coming brother/sister act consisting of Melody and Matt Balos. They have been performing together since they were young, starting out with ensembles such as the Manny Balos Big Band, and they bring a mix of jazz and contemporary repertoire to the stage. Melody won the Detroit Jazz Festival Youth Vocalist Competition in 2017, and has performed at the festival for several years, along with her brother. The Balos Duo is very excited to be playing the London Chop House!

Paul is well known for his associations with pianist/vocalist Diana Krall and guitarist Russell
Malone. Paul has performed with jazz greats Joe Williams, Cab Calloway, Marian McPartland,
Barry Harris, Jeff Hamilton, Benny Golson, Benny Green, Jon Hendricks, Wycliff Gordon,
Mulgrew Miller, Jay McShann and James Moody. He has played on over 50 CDs with artists
such as Larry Vuckovich, Eddie Higgins, and Marcus Belgrave.
Paul was honored by the West Michigan Jazz Society as their 2001 Jazz Musician of the Year
and by the Detroit Music Awards as the 2002 Outstanding Jazz Instrumentalist. Keller is on the
faculty of the Wayne State University jazz department in Detroit. He travels frequently, giving
jazz concerts, workshops and clinics and is well-respected as an innovative and enthusiastic
jazz educator.

Sarah D'Angelo does it with verve, class, confidence, poise, perfect intonation, spot-on phrasing, terrific dynamic, personal expression and loads of love. She's an incredible team player with her own exquisite persona." Linda Yohn, WEMU 89.1

His roots are deep in Detroit, but when he sits in front of the keys, Jarrod Champion’s sound makes its way to the south, over in the dixieland and delta. Ask anyone, he’s one of the best in the city. If it’s top notch Detroit made music you seek, look no further.
Travis Wright, WDET

Keyboard specialist Chris Codish has steadily made himself a vital […]

Keyboard specialist Chris Codish has steadily made himself a vital part of the Detroit musical community. A perennial winner at the Detroit Music Awards over the past fourteen years, he has received multiple honors for his vocal and songwriting skills as well as his keyboard mastery. He formed the multi award winning funk/jazz/jam band The Brothers Groove, produced the last two albums for the late, great Detroit bluesman Johnnie Bassett on Sly Dog Records (Mack Ave. Records), and toured globally with Hiram Bullock, Harvey Mason, Alexander Zonjic, Larry McCray and Lucky Peterson. He's performed and/or recorded with Don Was, Roy Ayers, Ronnie Laws, Jim "Moose" Brown, Sponge, The Motor City Horns, The Dead String Brothers, Kenny Tudrick, Dave McMurray, Thornetta Davis, Kenny G, Bob James, Jeff Lorber, and countless others. When not on tour, Chris performs on piano, organ and keyboard throughout the Metro Detroit area, as well as at God Land Unity Church in Detroit every Sunday morning.

Trumpet player, vocalist, composer, and arranger, Dave Vessella’s unique sound is reminiscent of traditional New Orleans music and west coast jazz a la Chet Baker. Vessella has played at the Detroit Jazz Festival and the Panama Jazz Festival with Wayne State University and Danilo Perez, Walter White’s Big Band at the Michigan Jazz Festival, The Detroit Pistons house band and many more within Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles. This heavy influence of Louis Armstrong lead to Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and more, which has anchored him deep in the tradition of jazz and blues. Dave holds a M.M. from Wayne State University and a B.A. in Jazz Studies from Columbia College Chicago. You can catch him every 2nd and 4th Thursday at Marge’s Bar in Grosse Pointe at one of the longest running continuous traditional jazz gigs in the country.

The Kennebec Avenue Jazz group performs lively and energetic versions of vocal standard Jazz/Pop hits from the 1920’s, 30’s and beyond. The group...

I began to play guitar at the ripe old age of 9 and shortly after started my mind around writing songs. I guess you could say I've always known what I wanted to be when I grow up.

 Currently I perform with three bands that play those songs that keep coming out of my head. There's St Cecelia, The Lucas Band & The Pickups. 
If that wasn't enough to keep me busy I'm currently on tour playing guitar for Bettye Lavette.
When I'm home in Detroit Iʼm the guitarist for the blues soul singer Thornetta Davis and also for a country roots rock group called The Orbitsuns.
I've got another great project with the guys from The Muggs. I play guitar and sing in our tribute band to Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac called Rattlesnake Shake.

In addition to all of that I freelance outside of these groups not only as a live musician but Iʼm also hired as a studio guitarist for many studioʼs in Detroit.

Chris Plansker is a composer,pianist and session musician based in the united states. His work has been featured on various recordings,television shows and commercials globally.Trained in classical and Jazz piano Chris holds a degree in music composition from the University of North Texas. When not composing, Chris also performs on a regular basis with his group as well as the long time keyboardist with Detroit singer/songwriter Stewart Francke. It has been with Francke that Chris has arranged for Motown's Funk brothers and opened for acts such as Brian Adams, Rick Springfield and Bob Seger.

Sarah D'Angelo does it with verve, class, confidence, poise, perfect intonation, spot-on phrasing, terrific dynamic, personal expression and loads of love. She's an incredible team player with her own exquisite persona." Linda Yohn, WEMU 89.1

John “Tbone” Paxton is a veteran trombonist and vocalist professionally […]