GhostLight and Cabaret 313 are reuniting to present the second installment of their collaborative neighborhood performance series, Cabaret in Conversation: My Voice, My City, as Encore Michigan reported.
The upcoming event will take place on Friday, November 20, at 7:00 p.m. inside the James E. Tate, Jr. Community Center in Detroit. Attendance is free to the public, though advance online registration is required due to limited room capacity at the venue.
Featured vocalist Jynn Cole will headline the evening alongside pianist and music director Brian Buckner. The performance is designed as an intimate mix of live music and storytelling rooted in the region's creative history. Joining Cole and Buckner on stage for the showcase are bassist Matt Ryan and drummer Russell Sauter.
Cole's musical background includes previous performances alongside notable artists such as Karen Clark Sheard and Angela Winbush. She performs with her band, Jynn and Juice, and previously released her debut EP titled Honey Fall. Her performance style bridges classic R&B traditions with modern narrative storytelling.
In remarks provided to Encore Michigan, Cole explained that each song reflects different personal moments, aiming to build a shared space where the audience can reflect and celebrate growth together.
The performance series seeks to place cabaret into community-centered venues throughout Detroit neighborhoods. The goal is to offer a relaxed atmosphere where residents can experience live music combined with personal storytelling, serving as an accessible entry point for community members who may be unfamiliar with the cabaret performance style.
This current event follows an initial installment launched last spring. During that debut showcase, Cole performed alongside Tavon Webb, a senior at Wayne State University. Webb's recent acting work includes a role in the production One Monkey Don't Stop No Show, which was directed by GhostLight Executive Director John Sloan III. In that initial showcase, Webb performed the song "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" while Cole engaged directly with the attending audience.
Speaking to Encore Michigan about the collaboration, Sloan emphasized his long-standing appreciation for the intimate connection cabaret creates between performers and attendees. He noted that this style of performance has a deep history within Black culture, and expressed enthusiasm for continuing to build on that heritage while ensuring access to the arts remains available across Detroit neighborhoods.
The project represents a joint effort between two local arts organizations with distinct community missions. The GhostLight Arts Initiative acts as a social-impact group focused on utilizing creative, performing, and media arts to encourage community progress. This cabaret performance forms part of the initiative's Neighborhood Engagement Program Series, which receives support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.
For Cabaret 313, the concert falls under its E3 Initiative, which stands for Educate, Elevate, Expand. That effort receives partial funding support from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. The mission of the E3 Initiative is to strengthen Cabaret 313's presence within the local culture by building neighborhood partnerships, offering youth education, and raising the profile of local performing artists.
Organizers reiterate that while ticket admission is free for all neighborhood residents, space at the James E. Tate, Jr. Community Center remains limited. Community members interested in attending the November 20 performance must complete their registration in advance through Cabaret 313's official ticketing system.