Windsor musician receives rare honour of taking the stage at Detroit Jazz Festival

An undated image of Russ Macklem. (Source: Russ Macklem)

A trumpeter from Windsor is performing at the Detroit Jazz Festival this weekend — a rare honour for a musician from the Rose City.

Held annually over Labor Day weekend since 1980, the event is considered the largest free jazz festival in the world.

Located at multiple hotspots in downtown Detroit, the festival showcases world-class jazz talent and celebrates the city’s rich jazz heritage.

Taking the festival stage Sunday evening will be former Juno nominee Russ Macklem from Windsor, who has been playing the trumpet for more than 25 years.

According to Macklem, it is extremely rare for a Windsor musician to be invited to play at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

"Just from seeing who's played at the festival in the past, I could probably count on one hand the artists I know [from Windsor] who have played here over the years," said Macklem.

Macklem leads the Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet.

The band includes Jordan Anderson on piano, Kasan Belgrave on woodwinds, bassist Noah Jackson, and drummer Louis Jones III, who are all from Detroit.

Despite hailing from Windsor, Macklem said he has slowly become embedded in Detroit's music scene.

"That's mostly where I make my living," said Macklem, adding he was able to apply to the Detroit Jazz Festival because of his many performances in the U.S. city. "They give a handful of spots to local musicians to appear on the same stages as all the other national and international acts this year."

To apply to the festival, Macklem had to submit samples of his recent music to the event's organizers.

"I feel that it's pretty merit-based. The people that I've known on the scene that have gotten spots at the festival have deserved it," he said. "I didn't expect this year to be my turn — but I guess it was.”

Earlier this year, Macklem's "The South Detroit Connection" earned a Juno Award nomination for solo jazz album of the year. The album was recorded live at Phog Lounge in downtown Windsor.