Kalamazoo’s Sounds of the Zoo festival boasts week of more than 50 performances

Take it from the performers themselves: This week’s seven-day Sounds of the Zoo festival unfurling at a host of Kalamazoo venues means more than just entertaining sets of music by diverse artists. 

Many of these artists are making a powerful statement at the festival that kicked off Monday (Sept. 22) with an eclectic music showcase at The Clover Room and runs through Sunday (Sept. 29).

“This collaboration is bigger than just an event,” Grand Rapids hip-hop artist Lady Ace Boogie said of Push the City Cypher’s Thursday (Sept. 25) night extravaganza rolling out at Kalamazoo’s Green Door Distillery.

“It’s a statement that hip hop has a place in every corner of the music scene. By bringing the Push The City Cypher to Sounds Of The Zoo festival, we’re not only highlighting local talent, but also giving artists the chance to share their voice with a wider audience, bridging communities and genres.”

Starting at 6 p.m. with a DJ set by Super Dre, the evening will feature a 32-bar competition hosted by Lady Ace Boogie and Ruben Martinez (with five artists chosen as winners) and sets by Tekeo, Jordan Hamilton, Dezert Eaz and Lady Ace Boogie & Friends.

“Push the City has always been about amplifying authentic voices, and there’s no better place to do that than in a festival setting that uplifts artistry and unity. The original ask was just for Lady Ace boogie & Friends and for me to curate a night of showcases, but I wanted to spice things up a bit.”

Organized by Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert, the fourth-year festival boasts 50 performances by artists from across the state – and a few from outside Michigan -- at cozy spaces such as The Clover Room and Crawlspace Comedy Theatre as well as bigger stages at Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Café and Bronson Park.

The festival also will feature workshops, busking and a premiere screening of the “Kalamazoo Gals” documentary paying tribute to the women who built Gibson guitars in Kalamazoo during World War II. 

For Eli Kahn, who was based for years in South Bend, Ind., about 179 miles southwest of Kalamazoo, his 9 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 25) performance at Crawlspace Comedy Theatre with Asheville, N.C.’s Sugar Bomb will serve as a release show for the “instrumental groove jazz” band’s new record, “Sweet + Explosive.”

“I am so thrilled to be bringing Sugar Bomb to be a part of the Sounds of the Zoo festival. The lineup is incredibly well curated across many genres and we are honored to be a part of the jazz showcase,” said Kahn, formerly a member of the band After Ours.

Sugar Bomb’s music, he said, covers a wide dynamic range – “some moments are very delicate and compositionally oriented which juxtapose nicely against our more insane jazz fusion melee vibes.”

Another highly anticipated out-of-state performer, California-based, multi-genre guitarist Goh Kurosawa, will play Bronson Park at 2:30 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 28), during Sounds of the Zoo’s final day as part of his “Lovetap Tour.”

“I’m quite excited. This would be my first official performance in Michigan,” Kurosawa told Local Spins, noting he’ll also participate in events with Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College, followed by an Oct. 1 concert at the college.

Support Our Work

Ottawa News Network is a nonprofit news service dedicated to providing the residents of Ottawa County with trustworthy, community-driven news. ONN treats journalism as a public good — something that enriches lives and empowers Ottawa County’s 300,000-plus residents to stay engaged, make informed decisions, and strengthen local democracy. Please consider giving today.

Kurosawa, described as having jazz sensibility that incorporates a mix of rock, pop, classical, Latin and Japanese music, said he has “composed over 1,000 songs and I have been touring the world for 20 years now.” 

Get the full festival schedule and details online at soundsofthezoo.com.

— Find more Michigan music news and concert listings at LocalSpins.com. Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.