By Asia Nail
The Truth Reporter
Have you ever felt music wrap around your bones like a warm breeze, lifting you off the ground before you even realized you were dancing?
That’s jazz. And in Toledo, thanks to Cheryl Catlin and Hugh Ross of the Great Lakes Jazz Society, jazz is not only alive—it’s thriving.
As organizers of the Glass City JazzFest and Toledo Jazz Week, this dynamic duo aren’t just booking performers. They’re building bridges—between generations, genres, and cultures. And they’re doing it with heart.
Jazz Can’t Be Boxed In—And Toledo Won’t Be Either
“We always say,” Catlin smiles, “Jazz cannot be defined. It must be experienced.” Ross nods. “And that’s why we don’t put it in a box. Jazz is evolving. It’s a mixture. And it’s whatever the artist says it is.”
This year, that mixture is bold. From smooth jazz to Christian jazz, Latin fusion to hip-hop jazz—and even a Japanese ensemble transforming tsunami-inspired folk songs into jazz—every performance tells its own story.
“We want people to see how jazz has influenced the world,” Catlin says. “We’re showcasing Brazilian jazz with a Korean vocalist. We’re bringing artists from Japan, Detroit, New York… And we’re bringing them here. To Toledo.”
From Local Roots to Global Sounds
While the lineup has international flavor, Cheryl and Hugh are quick to spotlight Toledo’s homegrown talent.
“Toledo has a rich jazz history,” Ross says, voice filled with pride. “People forget—Art Tatum, Miles Davis, John Coltrane… they all entertained here. This city had its fingerprints on jazz back in the ’50s.”
But somewhere along the way, the beat slowed. Jazz faded from the spotlight. “There was a time people said jazz was dead,” Ross admits. “But we knew better. It was just waiting for someone to turn up the volume again.”
So they did.
And the city is dancing once more.
Jazz Week: A Love Letter to the City
Toledo Jazz Week, the lead-up to Saturday’s big Glass City JazzFest, is a five-night adventure across city venues. From classy hotel lounges to open-air parks, each night is a different sound and a different scene.
“We want to show off the City of Toledo,” Catlin explains. “That’s why we move around. One night might be at the Hilton, the next at Metroparks or a hidden jazz club. We want people to fall in love with new places and new sounds.”
This year’s lineup features artists like Leslie Deshazor, who once played in the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, and Lori Lefevre with students from Toledo School for the Arts. It’s a beautiful blend of talent, legacy, and hope.
“It’s important for kids to see this,” Catlin adds. “To see jazz up close. To see women, different cultures, people their age playing music. That’s how you inspire the next generation.”
Women in Jazz: Not an Afterthought—An Anthem
“We didn’t have to go out of our way to include women in jazz,” Catlin says with a grin. “It would be hard to exclude them.”
This year, legendary vocalist Jean Holden will kick off the Glass City JazzFest. “We start strong,” Hugh says. “No high school warm-up bands—we want people in their seats early, fully present, from the start.”
Another standout? The all-female ensemble Straight Ahead out of Detroit.
“These women play with such fire,” Catlin says. “It’s jaw-dropping. And the beauty is, they’re not there because they’re women. They’re there because they’re incredible.”
The Jazz Jam: A Family Reunion in Sound
After the festival winds down at sunset on August 9, the beat doesn’t stop. Instead, it shifts indoors to the Assembly American Brasserie at the Hilton, where Ramona Collins will host a Jazz Jam Session from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
“It’s going to be magic,” Catlin says. “Musicians from all over can just sit in, play together, vibe. It’s jazz at its purest, spontaneous, soulful, unrehearsed.”
Admission is free for performers, $20 for the public. The money supports next year’s programming.
“This is our way of building community,” Ross says. “Old school meets new school. Legends meet up-and-comers. And the audience gets a once-in-a-lifetime night.”
Beyond the Music: Economic Power and Cultural Pride
The Glass City JazzFest isn’t just about notes and rhythms. It’s about economic development, tourism, and pride in Toledo.
“In year one, we had 2,500 attendees,” Hugh recalls. “Then 4,800. Last year, over 8,000. People are coming from Cincinnati, Michigan—even Florida.”
Their goal? To turn this one-day festival into a weekend destination.
“We want people to get hotel rooms, eat in our restaurants, walk our waterfront,” Cheryl says. “Toledo has amazing infrastructure. It deserves to be seen.”
And sponsors are catching on. From the Mud Hens to Taylor Kia, from Destination Toledo to Lucas County, more local partners are stepping up to support this musical movement.
The Legacy Lives On
One of this year’s headliners, Akira Tana, played at Rusty’s in Toledo decades ago. Now, he’s returning with his global jazz group Otonowa, bringing stories and sounds inspired by the tsunami in Japan.
“That tells you something,” Ross says. “Artists are calling us. They remember Toledo. They want to come back.”
Catlin adds, “We’ve had agents from Sweden reach out. Musicians are saying, ‘There’s something special happening in Toledo.’ And they’re right.”
Final Notes: Why This Matters
As we wrapped our call, Cheryl and Hugh were still buzzing, not just from coffee, but from purpose.
“You know,” Cheryl said softly, “you never know who’s in the audience. A little girl who sees a woman making magic with her saxophone. A teenager who’s never heard live jazz before. These moments change lives.”
So if you’re in Toledo this August, come. Feel the beat. Bring your kids, your grandma, your lawn chair. Let jazz grab you by the hand and whisper, “You belong here.”
Because in Toledo, the music isn’t background noise.
It’s a heartbeat.
Reach Glass City JazzFest With $3 Shuttles From Franklin Park Mall, The Docks
Glass City JazzFest returns to Glass City Metropark on Saturday, August 9, and so does the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority’s shuttle service to this event, with affordable rides available from two park-and-ride locations.
Buses at Franklin Park Mall and The Docks will be running directly to JazzFest, which begins at 12:30 p.m. and is expected to draw 8,000 people to the park. For $3 round trip, attendees can connect to this celebration of Toledo’s past, present and future in jazz music.
That celebration is a weeklong event this year, with free jazz performances slated around the area August 4-8 as part of Toledo Jazz Week.
Trips from Franklin Park Mall to Glass City Metropark will begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and run every 30 minutes until 8:30 p.m. Return trips to Franklin Park will run from 1:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Trips from the parking lot at The Docks to the event will begin at 11:45 a.m. and run every 15 minutes until 9 p.m. Shuttles back to The Docks begin at 1:05 p.m. and run until 10:20 p.m.
TARTA Move paratransit service to the event can be scheduled by calling 419-382 9901, and fixed route service on TARTA routes 2, 12 & 14 stop near the Glass City Metropark.
Glass City JazzFest will include performances by: · Jean Holden, 12:30 p.m. · Otonowa, 2 p.m. · RiShon Odel & The 5th Element, 3:45 p.m. · Straight Ahead, 5:30 p.m. · Vinicius Gomes Quartet, with SongYi Joen, 7:15 p.m. · Brian Bromberg, 9 p.m.
Music fans can also take TARTA to Jazz Week performances (6-8 p.m. each night), which include:
- Leslie Deshazor at Assembly American Brasserie (101 N. Summit Street) on Monday, August 4. Accessible via TARTA routes 2 & 5.
- Lori Lefevre & Toledo School of the Arts Jazz Vocalists at Middlegrounds Metropark (111 Ottawa Street) on Tuesday, August 5. Accessible via TARTA routes 27, 31, 32 & 34.
- Keith Bernhard & More Jazz Messengers at Toledo Club (235 14th Street) on Wednesday, August 6. Accessible via TARTA routes 2, 5, 22 & 26.
- Jerome Clark Trio at Club 1343 (1343 Avondale Avenue) on Thursday, August 7. Accessible via TARTA Route 33.
- Gene Parker & Damen Cook at Glass City Metropark (1001 Front Street) on Friday, August 8. Accessible via TARTA routes 2, 12 & 14.