Ellen Rowe’s Annual Mother’s Day Concert

Acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and educator Ellen Rowe closes out her contributions to KCH’s 26-27 season with a beloved tradition: her Annual Mother’s Day Concert, an afternoon of swinging, soulful jazz to celebrate the women in your life. Rowe leads a quintet featuring vocalist Sunny Wilkinson, trumpeter Ingrid Racine, bassist Marion Hayden, and drummer Annie Hayes — a lineup of some of Michigan’s finest jazz musicians, together for one afternoon only.

Sunny Wilkinson brings decades of experience as a vocalist, from the Count Basie Orchestra to session work in Los Angeles. Ingrid Racine, a University of Michigan-trained trumpeter, is known for a sound that moves fluidly between hard bop and global influences. Marion Hayden, the 2025 Kresge Eminent Artist, is a Detroit jazz legend and co-founder of the Grammy-nominated ensemble Straight Ahead. Annie Hayes, an Ann Arbor drummer, rounds out the band with the energy of jazz’s next generation.

Mother’s Day only comes once a year — bring your mom, treat yourself, or gather the whole family for an afternoon of great music and good company at the House. It’s the perfect way to celebrate her with something a little different from the usual brunch.

Ellen Rowe, piano
Sunny Wilkinson, vocals
Marion Hayden, bass
Ingrid Racine, trumpet
Annie Hayes, drums