DETROIT BLUES JAZZ
RJ SPANGLER
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RJ Spangler
drummer
Drummer RJ Spangler has been on the Detroit music scene for many years. In fact, he earned his first Motor City Music Award in 1982 with a band he co-founded called the Sun Messengers. After 15 years as a Messenger, RJ went on to running the band for Detroit blues guitar master Johnnie Bassett. With Johnnie, RJ made his way coast to coast in both the US and Canada as well as many European tours.
His résumé includes blues and R&B gigs with Eddie Kirkland, The Drifters, Earl King, Wanda Rouzan, James "Thunderbird" Davis, Big Jay McNeely, Larry McCray, Francine Reed, Tad Robinson, Shawn Pittman, Sir Mack Rice/the Falcons with Eddie Floyd, Johnny Adams, Bob Schultz, Eddie Bo, Andre Williams, Nathaniel Mayer, Robert Penn, Eddie & Jimmy Burns, Pinetop Perkins, Ron Levy, Shirley King, James Montgomery, Martha & the Vandellas, Catfish Hodge, Hamonica Shah, Mr. Bo, Willie D. Warren, Michael Ray & the Cosmic Krewe, Thornetta Davis, Jos'lyn B, Geno Parks, the Griswald Brothers as well as jazz gigs with James Carter, Faruq Z. Bey, Bill Heid, Leon Thomas, Marcus Belgrave and Roy Brooks.
Today he is a WC Handy nominated drummer, producer of CDs & live events & guiding force behind the Planet D Nonet in addition to leading a very busy organ trio.
RJ is on over 70 nationally available CDs.
Projects / Bands
Planet D Nonet, RJ Spangler Trio...and more
Planet D Nonet (PD9)
The Planet D Nonet is Detroit's award winning swing band founded in 2007 by RJ Spangler and James O’Donnell
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Tbone Paxton/RJ Spangler Septet
Plays the music of Abdullah Ibrahim
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Airey B & and her Blues Troupe
Invoking the spirit of the first ladies of the blues!
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RJ and TBone
Classic blues, swing and world jazz.
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RJ Spangler's Tribute to Louis Jordan
Hit That Jive Jack, Choo-Choo Ch'Boogie and all that fabulous Louis Jordan stuff
View moreGigs/Calendar
2024
- Friday, November 8, the Paxton/Spangler Band at Brine Oyster House in Grosse Pointe Park, 6:30 downbeat. https://brineoysterhouse.com/
- Saturday, November 9, the Paxton/Spangler Band at Brine Oyster House in Grosse Pointe Park, 6:30 downbeat. https://brineoysterhouse.com/
- Wednesday, November 13, the RJ Spangler Band with James O'Donnell at the Commerce Township Community Library, 7 pm, sponsored by the Jazz Foundation of America, https://commercetwp.com/library
- Friday, November 15, the Paxton/Spangler band at Totem Books & Cafe in Flint. 7pm. http://totembooksflint.com/
- Saturday, November 16, the Paxton/Spangler Band at the Bay Theater in Sutton's Bay. https://thebaytheatre.com/special-events/
- Friday, November 22, the Paxton/Spangler Band at Gumbo's in Mt Clemens, 6pm. https://www.facebook.com/gumbosmtclemens/
- Saturday, November 23, the Tap Room All-Stars return to the Ye Olde Tap Room for RJ's birthday! 7 pm. James O'Donnell, Tbone Paxton, RJ Spangler https://yeoldetaproom.com/
- Saturday, November 30, Ciao!Jazz featuring Paxton/Spangler Band at Ciao Amici's in downtown Brighton. https://2stonesevents.com/new-page-1ciaojazz
- Monday, December 2, the Paxton/Spangler Quartet at Harrison's Speakeasy in Harrison Township, 6 pm. http://www.harrisonsspeakeasy.com/home
- Saturday, December 7, the RJ Spangler Band w/ James O'Donnell at the Hamburg Twp Library, 2pm. https://www.hamburglibrary.org/
Planet D Nonet
- Sunday, November 24, the Planet D Nonet at the Cadieux Cafe, 4 pm. https://cadieuxcafe.com/
- Friday, November 29, the Planet D Nonet at the Blue Llama in Ann Arbor https://bluellamaclub.com/
- Friday, December 6, Planet D Nonet at Aretha's Jazz Cafe at the Music Hall in Detroit - 7pm. $10 cover https://jazzcafedetroit.com/
- Sunday, December 22, the Planet D Nonet at the Cadieux Cafe, 4 pm. 18th Annual Christmas Party https://cadieuxcafe.com/
- Sunday, December 29, the PD9 All-star Party w/ James O'Donnell & RJ Spangler at Cadieux Cafe, 4 pm. 18th Annual Christmas Party https://cadieuxcafe.com/
Spangler Jazz & Blues Productions represents: Airey B & her Blues Boys & T-Bone Paxton.
To book the Planet D Nonet contact Amanda Stanger-Read at Great Lakes Performing Artist Associates: glpaaoffice@gmail.com greatlakespaa.org
Store
Recordings are available for purchase in both CD and downloadable formats.
Bands
Also available at:
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