November 4, 2012 - South Bend Tribune
The careers of Franz Jackson and Eric Schneider intersected plenty of times before Schneider came to Dowagiac to celebrate Jackson’s 95th birthday in 2007. Schneider says Jackson worked with some legends of the first generation of great Chicago-based jazz musicians. “He played with Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, the piano player who got famous working in Chicago,” Schneider says. “(Hines) and Louis Armstrong made some brilliant recordings in the 1920s.” A saxophonist, Schneider says Hines led a band at the Grand Terrace club in Chicago through the 1930s and into the ’40s. “Franz played with Earl in the ’30s and ’40s, and I played with Earl (who died in 1983) in the late ’70s and ’80s,” Schneider says. “So we had that in common.”.......More
October 22, 2012 - Leader Publications
The sixth annual Franz Jackson Jazz Celebration: Blowin’ The Blues Away! will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Wood Fire Trattoria, 134 S. Front St., Dowagiac, beginning at 5 p.m. This is a change in time and venue from the Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, where the event was previously scheduled to take place. The Chris Greene Quartet kicks things off at 5, followed by vocalist Jenna Mammina (backed by Bob Dogan and Dan Shapera on piano and bass, respectively), and then the CD release party for “Franz Jackson: Milestone” starts at 8 p.m. with an all-star group of Eric Schneider, Yves Francois, Judi K, Billy Nicks and Bob and Dan.......More
November 3, 2011 - South Bend Tribune
Judi K is a highly regarded jazz vocalist, and Franz Jackson was a respected jazz saxophonist. Both performers called Chicago their home base, so it's not surprising that the two performed together. "I always had a grand time," she says. "He and I would do this routine when I sang 'Bill Bailey' where I would sing it through straight and then I would sing it again and he would make comical comments. That was one of many wonderful moments with Franz."........More
October 7, 2011 - Pioneer Press - Mundelein Review/Chicago Sun Times
It’s time for the fifth annual Franz Jackson Jazz Celebration. This year welcomes back a performer who was here to honor Franz at his 95th birthday concert — the veteran Chicago jazz vocalist, Judi K. Jackson once said, “Judi K has a voice that is true and mellow. A fine singer.” Judi is included in jazz historian Scott Yanow’s book “Jazz Singers: The Top 500” and has been the featured singer with such notable musicians as the late Jethro Burns, the Dick Kress Swing Orchestra, the Jerry King Orchestra and Jim Beebe’s Chicago Jazz........More
September 20, 2011 - Chicagojazz.com - Chicago Jazz Magazine
THE 5th ANNUAL FRANZ JACKSON JAZZ CELEBRATION PRESENTS: AN EVENING WITH JUDI K
Named in the swing category of the jazz history book “Jazz Singers, The Top 500” by jazz historian Scott Yanow, Judi K has made a name for herself........More
September 29, 2011 - Dowagiac Daily News
Honoring a bandmate: Former Northbrook resident and jazz vocalist Judy K will be the featured performer at the Fifth Annual Franz Jackson Jazz Celebration at 5:30 p.m. (CST) Nov. 6 at Wood Fire Italian Trattoria, 134 S. Front St., Dowagiac, Mich. Judy K was mentioned........More
October 21, 2010 - South Bend Tribune
Lisa Roti says it's hard to single out one special moment in the friendship she had with Franz Jackson and his family. When pressed, however, the Chicago-based jazz vocalist comes up with one. "The moment Franz first called me on stage with him is definitely a cherished moment," Roti writes in an interview conducted via e-mail. "He began to introduce a young lady who had, 'all the right stuff.'.......More
November 13, 2009 - Indianapolis/Chicago Examiner.com
Looking for someplace to go Saturday night? What about Dowagiac? Dowagiac, Michigan is about two hours’ drive from downtown Chicago. That’s 115 miles or so by road – maybe 75 miles as the crow flies (but the crow gets to fly over Lake Michigan, and you don’t).......More
November 8, 2009 - South Bend Tribune
It had been a while since Michelle Jewell had seen Tom Bartlett, the trombonist for The Original Salty Dogs. But when Jewell ran into him at the Elkhart Jazz Festival, she wanted to make one request. But first, Jewell had to reintroduce herself.,.......More
October 6, 2009 - Chicago Tribune
The great reedist-vocalist died last year, at 95, but anyone who heard him never will forget him. Fans from Chicago and beyond will converge on Dowagiac, Mich., next month to remember Jackson,.......More
September 30, 2009 - Chicago Jazz Magazine
A long-standing Chicago jazz staple, the world-renowned Salty Dogs will bring their old-school, traditional jazz sound to Michiana with a concert at The Wood Fire Italian Trattoria in Dowagiac, Michigan on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 7:00pm.......More
September 30, 2009 - Dowagiac Daily News
A longstanding Chicago jazz staple, the world-renowned Salty Dogs will bring their old-school, traditional jazz sound to Michiana with a concert at Wood Fire Italian Trattoria in Dowagiac on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. A favorite of jazz audiences throughout the country and around the world, the Salty Dogs have performed at some of the biggest jazz festivals......More
November 6, 2008 - South Bend Tribune
Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave didn’t get a chance to attend Franz Jackson’s 95th birthday bash in November of 2007. “I had another engagement in Detroit on that day,” he says about missing what turned out to be one of Jackson’s last public appearance before his death on May 6. Instead, the Detroit-based trumpeter will bring his Marcus Belgrave Jazz Experience to the Wood Fire Trattoria on Saturday night for a benefit in Jackson’s honor.......More
Dowagiac Daily News - October 13, 2008
Marcus Belgrave, Ray Charles' longtime trumpeter, had an engagement last November which prevented him from taking part in Franz Jackson's 95th birthday gala at Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center. Belgrave made a video greeting for Jackson, "but he never did see it," Belgrave recalled by phone Friday from Detroit. "He passed that morning" last May. The tribute instead played at Mr. Jackson's memorial service......More
