LANSING, Mich. — Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority’s Grand Concert Series continues with Psalmist William Crenshaw Jr. and Worshippers for Christ on Thursday, August 22nd, and MSU Professors of Jazz on Tuesday, September 10th (rescheduled from September 5th). Both concerts will begin at 6 pm with an opening act and conclude at 8 pm. The concerts will take place on the Lansing Center’s riverfront plaza.
Admission is free due to sponsorship from LAFCU, Wolverine Development, the Lansing State Journal, Sohn Linen Service, Art Craft Display, Inc., Lansing Made, and WKAR. New this year, the concerts will offer a full cash bar. Attendees are free to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages.
The headliner for the August 22nd date is William F. Crenshaw, Jr., a Lansing native who has been singing since the age of four, when he attended St. Matthew A.M.E. Church just northwest of downtown. He has since opened for and worked with several gospel artists such as Yolanda Adams, David & Tamela Mann, Bishop Neal Roberson, and Dorinda Clark-Cole. William is the CEO & Founder of W.F.C. Ministries, a singing ministry for which he “travels extensively sharing the love of Jesus through song and personal testimony,” according to his artist bio. William currently serves as the assistant minister of music at Jesus of Nazareth Church of God in Christ and serves as the president of the Southwest Michigan Fourth Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Choir.
One of the largest draws of previous years’ series, MSU Professors of Jazz, returns on September 10th. The “hard-bop” band was established in 2000 under artistic director, Rodney Whitaker, the director of the Jazz Studies program at Michigan State University. The MSU Professors of Jazz are members of the jazz faculty in the university’s College of Music. The seven-piece ensemble features Etienne Charles on trumpet, Randy Gilespie on drums, Diego Rivera on tenor saxophone, Xavier Davis on piano, Randy Napoleon on jazz guitar, Michael Dease on trombone, and Rodney Whitaker on bass. The band performs music from the jazz canon, including standards, jazz classics, and original compositions.
“We are proud to announce the expansion of the concert series on the Grand, to not only include more shows, but more artists and genres of music,” said LEPFA president and CEO, Scott Keith. “The annual series provides continued opportunities for residents and visitors to experience free concerts in a scenic environment – along the river in downtown Lansing. These great artists performing all summer long not only provide entertainment, but experiences in the arts for the children who attend.”
Limited seating will be available, therefore, attendees are encouraged to bring camping chairs, unless inclement weather causes a concert to be moved inside the Lansing Center. Metered parking is available on Michigan Avenue, in a pay lot underneath the Lansing Center, and a pay lot immediately north of the Lansing Center.
Want to learn more about great things happening in mid-Michigan? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Appleand Android
and
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
