Internationally-renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker and his band will present an evening of swinging jazz favorites at The Block in downtown Muskegon, Friday, Oct. 28.
Described as one of the hardest working and swinging bass players on the scene, Whitaker has an undeniably distinctive “bear- sized” bass tone and is considered to be one of the leading bass performers and teachers of the jazz double bass in the United States.
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 in the United States. Whitaker is the Artistic Director of the Michigan State University Professors of Jazz, former Artistic Advisor of Jazz at East Lansing’s Wharton Center, Director of Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Jazz Orchestra and a member of the Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra. Whitaker received his first national recognition performing with the Harrison/Blanchard Quintet.
Building on his Detroit roots and enormous talent, Whitaker went on to earn an international reputation as one of the world’s finest jazz double bass performers, completing a seven-year tenure as bassist with Wynton Marsalis’ Septet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has toured the world over the last twenty-five years, collaborating and performing with scores of legendary jazz artists such as Jimmy Heath, Eric Reed, Cyrus Chestnut, Vanessa Rubin, Kathleen Battle, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Bob James, Pat Matheny and more.
Tickets to the Rodney Whitaker concert can be obtained by calling The Block’s ticket office at 231.726.3231 or by going to The Block’s website. Tickets are $20 to $30, and $10 student tickets can be purchased with student ID.
The Block is located at 360 W. Western Ave. 2nd floor, in Muskegon. Doors and bar open at 6:45 and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. For more information go to theblockwestmichigan.org.