AADL Talks To: Gregory Sipp, Retired Ann Arbor Public School Teacher and Mosaic Artist

Sun, 06/15/2025 - 1:44pm

Gregory Sipp is a retired Ann Arbor Public School teacher with a 35-year career teaching at both the elementary and middle school levels, first at Bryant Elementary, then Allen Elementary, and finally Tappan Junior High (now Tappan Middle School). In his 50s, Greg discovered a passion for mosaic art and dedicated himself to studying the medium and creating portraits, which he still does today. In this episode, Greg chronicles his early years as a teacher in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, highlighting encounters with mentors and colleagues, and the impact of school desegregation. He also takes us on his journey as an artist, discussing several of his mosaic works, the influence of jazz music on his creative process, and a memorable encounter with trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard.

AADL Talks To: Paul Vornhagen, Jazz Saxophonist, Flutist, and Vocalist

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 1:06pm

Paul is an award-winning jazz saxophonist, flutist, and vocalist who got his start in Ann Arbor in 1972 as an accompanist at the University of Michigan Dance Department. Over the past four decades, Paul has played in numerous configurations and venues worldwide. He talks with us about the jazz scene in Ann Arbor in the early years, some of his favorite local venues -- past and present, reminisces about some of the many musicians he's played with, and the many changes he's witnessed in Ann Arbor over the years.

Listen to a historical recording by Paul Vornhagen and Friends captured live at the former Del Rio restaurant