TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI

Toshiko Akiyoshi: A Life in Jazz, A Legacy Beyond Labels

by Sarah Belle Lin

When I told Toshiko Akiyoshi that we would be featuring her as part of our Women’s History Month coverage, she responded with a single word: “Whatever.”

It’s no surprise. At 95, Toshiko has long seen herself as a musician first, a member of society second, and only distantly, if at all, as a “female artist.” Why should gender matter? “Maybe it’s necessary in order to get some platform, I don't know,” she tells me. “But basically speaking, I'm not for the separation of anything.”

Labels never did much to define Toshiko, but her achievements speak for themselves. She is recognized as one of the first Asian women jazz pioneers, the first Japanese woman to graduate from Berklee College of Music, and the first woman to win Best Arranger and Best Composer in DownBeat Magazine’s Readers Poll. Over the course of her career, she has been nominated for 14 GRAMMY Awards, from her first in 1976 (Long Yellow Road, RCA Records) with the Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band, to her most recent in 1994. She’s won Best Jazz Instrumental Performance ten times and Best Arrangement on an Instrumental four times. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2007, and her six-hour oral history interview is preserved in the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program.

JUDY CARMICHAEL

Judy Carmichael: A Life in Jazz, A Career of Her Own Making

By Ken Dryden

From her teenage years, Judy Carmichael has been an artist who creates her own opportunities. Initially known for her stride piano chops, she has since carved out a multifaceted career as a vocalist, bandleader, composer, radio host, and author.

A German major in college, Judy played piano—especially ragtime—purely for fun. Then, a classmate suggested she audition for a Newport Beach gig, filling in for the regular pianist on his night off. She landed the job with a single ragtime tune. But at that point, she was still memorizing pieces from sheet music, not improvising. That all changed when she heard a Count Basie record featuring Benny Moten’s “Prince of Wales.”

“That was the first time I was really motivated to play the piano,” Judy recalls. “I started teaching myself by ear, playing that record over and over. I began seeing the patterns in the chord changes, and whenever a musician came up to the piano, I’d ask them what key I was in so I could start to understand how it all worked.”

She immersed herself in the recordings of Fats Waller, Earl Hines, James P. Johnson, and Art Tatum, developing a love for stride piano that would define her early career.

RENÉE MANNING

Renée Manning: The Quiet Superstar Who Redefined Jazz

Interview by Raul da Gama

Vocalist, musician and quiet superstar Renée Manning recounts how she came to play Bessie Smith in a jazz opera, with music by George Gruntz and a libretto by the Rabelaisian Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, also featuring Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy. “I remember, I was told that George was looking for a singer with an operatic background for Cosmopolitan Greetings,” she says.

“So, I went to meet him in Köln. Not only do I see that he has Sheila and Mark signed up, but then he tells me, ‘I want you to play Bessie…’” she says. “‘What do you mean?’ I ask him, ‘Bessie Smith…?!’ I almost fell off my chair. I was surprised, apprehensive, and I said, ‘Uh, huh! No, I can’t do it!’ But George is, you know, charming and persistent.”

An even bigger challenge was walking into the first rehearsal. “I was greeted by grim, unsmiling faces of the members of the WDR Big Band. Oh, my goodness, they looked at me as if to say, ‘Here comes another Black diva.’ But when I was done, the musicians put down their instruments, stood up, and applauded,” Renée says without a smidge of egotism in her voice.

KIM CLARKE

Kim Clarke : This Lady's Got Chops

by Raul da Gama

It is highly unlikely that the fabled tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson would have hired a prodigious young bassist named Kim Clarke to anchor his harmonic and rhythmic platform when he was at the height of his powers, as far back as 1986. In fact, not only did Joe do just that, but he toured Europe with her, adding the inimitable Joanne Brackeen on piano as well as the then-unknown Keith Killgo on drums. Clearly, the great tenor saxophonist had no misgivings when he threw in a challenge to the band, counting off Charlie Parker’s “Relaxin’ at Camarillo” to be played at breakneck speed—a night bristling with musical genius. The band responded to the test and came through with flying colors.

You would have expected the more experienced Joanne to dazzle with her chops. But your jaw dropped at Kim’s finger-breaking dexterity and unbridled virtuosity. “Who’s that girl?” many in a Hamburg audience might have asked. Joe might simply have announced her: “…on bass, Kim Clarke…” or something like that. A video of that performance circulates on YouTube. Around forty seconds into the song, the camera focuses on the fingers of Kim’s right hand. You feel as if you’re winded, hit right in the center of your chest. Her elegantly pizzicato also thumps right out of the screen as she deploys a rippling groove that builds ferociously under Joe’s complex boppish runs.

DARLESIA CEARCY

Darlesia Cearcy: A Star of Stage and Screen Who Breathes Life Into Every Role

Chrys Roney

In the vast landscape of Broadway and beyond, few performers possess the ability to completely transform the stage with sheer presence and artistic depth. Darlesia Cearcy is one such force. Her voice, a fusion of power and elegance, coupled with an acting range that seamlessly moves from tender introspection to grand theatricality, has made her a defining figure in contemporary theater. Most recently, she has taken center stage in A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, currently dazzling audiences in New York City. With this latest role, Darlesia once again proves why she remains a vital and magnetic presence in the performing arts.

Darlesia's journey to Broadway was one forged with determination and an insatiable hunger for storytelling. She honed her craft at the University of Akron, laying a foundation of discipline and artistic integrity that would become hallmarks of her career. From there, she immersed herself in the art of performance, continually pushing the boundaries of her talent.

Her stage work reads like a masterclass in versatility. From musicals that demand soaring vocal performances to intimate dramas that require a nuanced emotional touch, Darlesia embodies every role with an uncanny ability to connect with both the material and her audience. Each performance is more than just an interpretation—it’s an act of living, breathing storytelling.

RONDI CHARLESTON

JOE'S PUB / MARCH 30

Vocalist and lyricist Rondi Charleston and pianist and composer Fred Hersch collaborated on Suspended in Time––A Song Cycle (Resilience Music Alliance, 2024) to reflect on the loss of time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rich and melodic seven-song album is based on Rondi's journal writings and musings that helped her stay sane and make sense of the chaos. With its poignant storytelling and poetry, Rondi's seventh album dives into the nature of time, its elasticity and how it can expose us to our most vulnerable selves. The meditation will be brought to life by Rondi, Fred, vocalists Kate McGarry and Gabrielle Stravelli, and the Crosby String Quartet. Audiences will be treated to a performance inspired by hope and renewal that might inspire them to re-examine how we choose to spend time. SBL

NICOLE MITCHELL

Nicole Mitchell Revolutionary Exploration Of Worlds from Future Past
by Raul da Gama

The word “revolutionary” may – or may not – be a return to the lexicon of adjectives describing music, an art that has been surfeit with nouns since time immemorial. But when it comes to the flute, it certainly merits its restoration. There are just two flutists who are responsible for this breaking of fresh ground, and both are women. One is Claire Chase, and the other – with a much larger resume in this regard – is the absolutely fearless Nicole Mitchell.

Nicole, together with various iterations of her Black Earth ensembles, has rewritten the palimpsest of what music might or mightn’t be. This is why she has earned the title “Flutist, Conceptualist and Composer.” The descriptive moniker belongs by right to Nicole, an artist who has rocketed way beyond crashing through the glass ceiling into the stratosphere in search of brave new worlds to express herself. And she has exhorted a family of musicians – the expanding core of Black Earth artists – to follow in her wake.

SULLIVAN FORTNER

Sullivan Fortner: The Making of a Jazz Legend

by John Zaff

In every generation, a handful of jazz musicians emerge with a vision so unique and skills so exceptional that they shape the music of their era. In the realm of jazz piano, icons like Thelonious, Bud, McCoy, and Chick come to mind. Sullivan Fortner stands among the contemporary artists headed towards that elite group.

Sullivan is a virtuoso jazz pianist lauded by critics and, more importantly, deeply respected by fellow musicians. Eminent pianists like Emmet Cohen, Brad Mehldau, and Peter Martin of Open Studio have publicly admired his immense talent. While still in his 20s, Sullivan held the piano chair in the legendary Roy Hargrove Quintet from 2010 to 2017. This period was foundational in forming his musical identity. Since then, he’s collaborated with luminaries such as Theo Croker, Donald Harrison, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Samara Joy, and Paul Simon. However, it’s his work as a leader, particularly his trio and solo recordings, that are making significant waves in the jazz world.

A GRAMMY Award winner and DownBeat Rising Star, Sullivan dazzles in so many areas that it's hard to pinpoint what makes him special. Glenn Zaleski, an innovative jazz pianist himself, notes, “From a purely technical standpoint, Sullivan can do things no other pianist can. His spirit, imagination, and element of surprise are what set him apart.” Glenn even created a YouTube video deconstructing a 20-second Sullivan solo, highlighting the pianist’s extraordinary skills.

GARY BARTZ

Gary Bartz: NTU The Future

by Eugene Holley, Jr.

If you could think of all the musical categories of jazz in the last six decades - straight ahead, hard bop, fusion and world music - as way-points in a large stylistic labyrinth, the serpentine fired, alto saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz has effortlessly navigated that musical maze, with imagination, grit, integrity and dedication for the same length of time. He’s recorded over 30 albums as a leader, ranging from his 1967 debut LP Libra (Milestone) and his danceable, Mizell Brothers-produced 1977 classic Music is my Sanctuary (Capitol), to the conscious cadences of his 1972 recording Juju Street Songs (Prestige), and his memorable 1994 release, The Red and Orange Poems (Atlantic). His equally impressive work as a sideman includes working with Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Max Roach, the late Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Norman Connors, McCoy Tyner and Woody Shaw.

The Baltimore-born, Oberlin-based Gary comes to Le Poisson Rouge fronting an invigorating combo of mostly Washington-based musicians, including bassist James King, guitarist Paul Bollenbeck, keyboardist Marc Cary and drummer Kassa Overall. Gary and company will be celebrating the 55th anniversary of the leader’s 1970 albums, Home!, Harlem Bush Music - Taifa and Harlem Bush Music – Uhuru (Milestone), all featuring Bartz’s pioneering NTU Troop: an ensemble that fused jazz, soul and Afro-Swahili inspired music that reflected the revolutionary period of the ’70s.

JON FADDIS

Becoming Jon Faddis: From Being Son-of-Dizzy

by Raul da Gama

Once upon a time – as the musical not-so-fairytale goes – an incredibly young Jon Faddis was taken under the wing of the Co-Chief High Priest and Druid of Bebop – John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie. Dizzy went even further to say that he had made Jon his adoptive son. A quick rewind is in order here:

Jon was a musical prodigy who picked up the trumpet to play with an uncommon degree of fluency when he was just seven years old. Legend has it that he was inspired by an appearance by Louis Armstrong on the Ed Sullivan Show. Doors magically opened quite soon after. Bill Catalano, an alumnus of the Stan Kenton band, hipped Jon to the music of Dizzy. But Jon was shy to even speak to his idol when, at 12 years of age, he first met Dizzy at a club called Basin Street West in San Francisco.

DANNY SIMMONS

Danny Simmons: A Multi-talented Griot

by Raul da Gama

You cannot have “Danny Simmons the Poet” without “Danny Simmons the Neo-African-Expressionist Painter.” And you certainly cannot have either artistic personae without “Danny Simmons the Heart-Soft Philanthropist.” The three are so closely interlinked that often you cannot tell them apart. Danny is one of the three wise men. His journey is like a magus – or more appropriately – as this eldest brother of the Simmons family, who is, in everything he does, a modern-day Black American Griot, and a truth-teller who holds extraordinarily little back; and he is a patrician, albeit self-deprecating, gentleman.

Danny is the very epitome of a human prism, and to that extent he represents life itself: the white beam of light – that light of life – appears to have passed through his mind’s eye as he began to perceive the gifts he inherited from his father, Daniel Simmons Sr., who was, among other things, a poet and black history professor, and Evelyn Simmons, a teacher who painted. “Mom taught me to look beyond what was visible,” Danny says. “She taught me that it was possible to paint a dream in color. Still, I never really thought I’d be a painter. I had been writing poetry since I was eleven years old. However, one day, I had a bad case of writer’s block. The blank canvas filled faster with colors and sweeping lines, circles, and figures instead of the blank page with words.”

Remember the analogy of the human prism, into which passing white beams of light turned out to be life itself? Now think of the colored bars that emerged on the other side that reflect Danny’s wisdom, turning life experiences into poetry and painting. Danny’s life seemed to unravel just like that.

LYNNE ARRIALE

Lynne Arriale: Worshipping at the Altar of Originality
by Raul da Gama

Lynne Arriale is a keyboard-playing storyteller, a poet of the piano (and an electronic keyboard that she has added to her armory) driven by her inner beating of the heart and the murmuring of her soul. In that regard, she sometimes recalls Shirley Horn. Whether Lynne is aware of that lineage doesn’t seem to matter to her. After all, she is a stylistically singular artist who has chosen to follow her own path. Hers is what you might call what the iconic Yusef Lateef referred to as “heart music,” that is, music with a depth of emotion that stems from an effort to indulge in “deep song,” albeit not necessarily emanating from the same indigo blues root that gave us her soul sister, Horn.

If her many albums did not convince you that her inward-looking evocations combined with her gorgeous simplicity of melodic line, which makes Lynne not a singular voice amid the often-overcrowded world of pianists, then Being Human (Challenge Records, 2024) most certainly will. Her repertoire is meditative, its one-word titles make for glorious miniatures that seem like vortices of emotion. Lynne is also known to be socially conscious, with music such as on Chimes of Freedom (Challenge, 2020). The Lights Are Always On (Challenge, 2022) examined her place as an artist in our troubled world and dictated how she chose to respond, first as a flesh-and-blood human being with an aching heart.

CHUCHO VALDES

Chucho Valdes: Irakere Forever

by Eugene Holley, Jr.

If the Cuban-born, 83-year-old, 6’4”, NEA Jazz Master Jesus “Chucho” Valdes were known only for his promethean pianism that combines Art Tatum’s impossible technique, McCoy Tyner’s towering touch and Bill Evans’s romantic impressionism, his keyboard wizardry alone would grant him jazz immortality. But Chucho is more than a piano virtuoso. He was the founder of Irakere: a Havana-based supergroup that for five decades fused folkloric Afro-Cuban rhythms and song forms with jazz, R&B and classical stylings. Along with Chucho, many Irakere founding members - including trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and clarinetist/saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera - have become exceptional leaders of their own.

Chucho comes to the Kupferberg Center for the Arts to perform Irakere 50, which celebrates five decades of the group’s innovation and influence, leading a cadre of young musicians who grew up listening to Irakere. They include: drummer Horacio Hernandez; bassist José A. Gola; percussionists Roberto Jr. Vizcaino and Julian Valdes; alto saxophonist Luis Beltran; tenor/soprano saxophonist Carlos Averhoff Jr. (whose father was a founding member); trumpeters Osvaldo Fleites and Eddy D’Armas and vocalist Emilio Frias. Valdes and company will perform many of Irakere’s greatest hits, including “Juana 1600,” “Zanaith,” “Lorena’s Tango,” “Stella Va a estallar,” “Iya,” “Por romper el coco,” “Lo que va a pasar” and “Bacalao con pan.”

JOE LOVANO

Joe Lovano: Paying Tribute

Ken Dryden

Joe Lovano has been one of the top tenor saxophonists for decades, though he credits mentors who helped him along the way. Growing up in Cleveland, OH, Joe’s father, Tony “Big T” Lovano, was a leading tenor player who played with Gene Ammons, Tadd Dameron and others. His father’s influence proved infectious, Joe recalls: “I was learning about the saxophone and its history, listening to his records and hearing him play. His sound and tone vibrated the house.”

Joe initially played alto saxophone around the age of five, progressing to C-melody in fifth grade, followed by tenor in seventh grade. Joe recalls, “All my lessons were about the fundamentals on the instrument and repertoire. When Big T taught me things in the key of A flat, he taught me songs in that key and melodies, not just the scales and arpeggios. Everything was related to melody, rhythm and harmony.”

Several other locals inspired Joe, including Hank Geer, a Benny Carter disciple who played trumpet, alto, and the B3 organ, who also owned a private club hosting jam sessions. Joe shares, “That was one of the first places that my dad took me. There were local greats, rhythm section players, saxophonists, and horn players. I would sit in and explore music with some amazing musicians and cats who were playing in my dad's bands.”

BILL PIERCE

The Quiet Fire: Bill Pierce and the Unsung Brilliance of Modern Jazz
by Chrys L Roney

There are artists who demand the spotlight, and then there are those who become the spotlight — steady, consistent, illuminating everything they touch. Bill Pierce is the latter. He doesn’t shout. He doesn’t posture. But listen closely, and you’ll hear a voice that’s been quietly guiding modern jazz for over five decades.

Born in Hampton, Virginia, and raised in Florida, Bill grew up surrounded by a rich cultural and musical backdrop. He attended Tennessee State University, playing in the school’s celebrated marching band, before continuing his studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston. At Berklee, Bill became immersed in the heart of jazz education, yet his trajectory was never about flash — it was about feel. His tenor saxophone sound is unmistakable: warm, firm and patient. It doesn’t rush to make its point; it walks alongside you, revealing its truth.

Bill’s musical journey placed him in elite company from the very start. He toured with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, held the tenor saxophone chair in Freddie Hubbard’s band, played alongside Stevie Wonder and made his mark on more than 90 recordings. He even dipped his toes into the world of Motown-style gigs, enjoying the boundary-blurring exuberance of those gigs with equal gusto. Yet, Bill never drew attention to himself. Instead, his horn spoke with a quiet eloquence that required no fanfare.

And then came Tony Williams.

DAVE KIKOSKI

Dave Kikoski: Happy to Entertain // Making Connections // From Milltown to Mingus and More

by Matty Bannond

Remember hearing a piano whiz-kid around Central Jersey in the late ’70s? Perhaps it was Dave Kikoski. The GRAMMY Award winner from Milltown shaped his chops playing in local rock bands and gigging in bars with his dad. “My father’s Polish and he worked as a mailman, but had steady jobs as a reed player on weekends,” he says. “My mother is Italian and I had 36 cousins on her side of the family, so we formed a cousin rock band in high school. But none of them play anymore.”

Dave kept playing, though. He completed the jazz program at New Brunswick High School before heading to Berklee College of Music. That formal education meshed with the pianist’s street smarts to make Dave a popular figure for jazz groups around Boston. He shared the stage with saxophonist Bob Mover, trumpeter Tom Harrell, drummer Les Demerle and plenty more big names at the time.

Les helped Dave make a life-changing connection. “We were playing at the Burgundy Café in Long Island,” Dave says. “Lester got Roy Haynes’ number and invited him to the show. Roy lived right around the block, and he came to hear us. The next day, he asked me to come to his house. He took out the original, handwritten chart of a new Chick Corea tune called ‘Mirror, Mirror.’ It hadn’t come out yet, but I had taped it off a special on the radio and transcribed it. That really impressed him.”

NICOLE MITCHELL'S BLACK EARTH ENSEMBLE - "PORTRAITS OF SONIC FREEDOM"

ROULETTE INTERMEDIUM / JUNE 3

Flutist, composer, and Afrofuturist visionary Nicole Mitchell returns to New York City with her Black Earth Ensemble to premiere Portraits of Sonic Freedom – a multi-dimensional sonic journey rooted in liberation and ancestral memory. Known for blending structured improvisation, narrative, and genre-defying textures, Nicole channels sonic ecosystems where Black imagination leads the way. This new work celebrates visionary figures from the African diaspora and explores the boundless potential of collective creativity. The ensemble’s dynamic interplay and textural range – from spoken word to chamber-jazz urgency – promise an evening of deep listening and radical joy. Nicole doesn’t just perform music – she constructs sonic worlds. CLR

STACEY KENT

BIRDLAND / JUNE 3-7

With her unmistakably elegant tone and refined phrasing, Stacey Kent returns to Birdland for a five-night engagement that promises intimacy, sophistication, and effortless charm. A GRAMMY Award-nominated vocalist celebrated worldwide, Stacey’s artistry transcends borders—fluent in French, Portuguese, and the nuanced language of song. Her interpretations of jazz standards, bossa novas, and original material (often penned with husband-saxophonist Jim Tomlinson and novelist Kazuo Ishiguro) shimmer with emotional depth and cinematic warmth. Whether caressing a lyric in English or delivering a whispered saudade in Portuguese, Stacey draws listeners into her spell with subtlety and grace. Backed by her finely tuned ensemble, this residency offers a rare chance to experience one of jazz’s most lyrical voices in the heart of New York City. Don’t miss this enchanting run at Birdland—an early summer gift for lovers of beauty in every note. CLR

NICHOLAS PAYTON

SMOKE JAZZ CLUB / JUN 4-8

Nicholas Payton returns to Smoke Jazz Club for a five-night run that promises to be as expansive and genre-defying as the artist himself. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer, Nicholas continues to reinvent the jazz canon through his Afro-Caribbean lens, blending post-bop brilliance with groove, soul and electric textures. Whether he's behind the trumpet or Rhodes, his sets crackle with intellect and swing. This residency may feature selections from his “Smoke Sessions” recordings and nods to his #BAM (Black American Music) concept. Expect deep listening, rhythmic invention, and musical storytelling at its finest. With Nicholas, the band is always tight, and the vibe is always elevated. CLR

PHEEROAN AKLAFF - "ROBESON RISE"

ROULETTE INTERMEDIUM / JUNE 4

Drummer-composer Pheeroan akLaff brings a towering tribute to a towering figure with Robeson Rise – a percussive and poetic homage to Paul Robeson, the artist-activist whose legacy still resonates. Known for his expressive range and fearless commitment to Black cultural memory, Pheeroan leads a powerful ensemble through a narrative suite that blends jazz, speech, and sonic resistance. With rhythmic complexity and deep emotional depth, Robeson Rise is both elegy and call to action. The performance pulses with ancestral echoes and modern urgency – a celebration of Paul’s voice, vision, and unwavering fight for justice. A must-hear performance where music meets movement-building. CLR

MARY HALVORSON - "CANIS MAJOR"

ROULETTE INTERMEDIUM / JUNE 5

Guitarist-composer Mary Halvorson unveils Canis Major, a new constellation in her ever-evolving universe of sound. Widely regarded as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz and experimental music, Mary fuses angular melodies, warped harmonies, and crisp improvisation into a sonic landscape that’s unpredictable and unforgettable. Canis Major hints at celestial themes but is firmly grounded in Mary’s sharp, lyrical logic. Expect a stellar cast of collaborators and a performance that stretches the boundaries of ensemble interplay. Whether whispering or erupting, Mary’s music always listens – and always surprises. CLR

DION PARSON & THE 21ST CENTURY BAND

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER / JUNE 6-8

Blending the spirit of the Virgin Islands with the pulse of modern jazz, Dion Parson & the 21st Century Band return to Jazz at Lincoln Center for a high-octane, rhythm-forward residency. A master drummer and educator, Dion fuses calypso, reggae and quelbe traditions with hard-bop precision, creating an electrifying sound that’s both deeply rooted and forward-thinking. The band – featuring an all-star lineup of Caribbean and U.S. players – delivers infectious grooves, sharp improvisation, and joyful energy. This is jazz with sunshine in its bones. Don’t miss a chance to catch one of the most vibrant and original ensembles working today. CLR

WILLIAM PARKER

ROULETTE INTERMEDIUM / JUNE 7

A towering presence in creative music, William Parker returns to Roulette with a performance that embodies the spirit of spiritual jazz, community, and cosmic resistance. Bassist, composer, poet, and organizer, William is known for channeling energy that’s both transcendent and grounded. His concerts are gatherings – ceremonies of sound that speak to both the sacred and the street. This performance promises deep grooves, ecstatic improvisation, and urgent beauty, delivered with a hand-picked ensemble of boundary-pushing artists. With William at the helm, expect more than a concert—expect a sonic healing force. CLR

DARRYL JONES

THE BLUE NOTE / JUNE 10-15

How many musicians do you know who are versatile enough to have worked as steady sidemen for both jazz and rock superstars? Hailing originally from the south side of Chicago, bass player Darryl Jones played extensively with Miles Davis throughout the ’80s, and from the ’90s onwards to the present, has held down the bass chair for Mick Jagger's Rolling Stones. It should go without saying that one of Darryl's great musical strengths is his adaptability. Thoroughly conversant with multiple genre styles including jazz, blues, rock and funk, Darryl excels in all of them. Over the course of a stellar career, he's played with musicians as diverse as B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Sting, Kenny Kirkland and LeeAnn Rimes. This June, Darryl brings the musicians collective known as the Reverence Project to the Blue Note, along with John Patitucci, James Francies and Nate Smith. Their music focuses on themes of justice, compassion and spirituality, a combination of elements that should herald a memorable concert! JZ

ROBERT GLASPER & ALAIN PÉREZ - SUMMER FOR THE CITY OPENING NIGHT

DAMROSCH PARK, LINCOLN CENTER / JUNE 11 AT 7:30 PM

Robert Glasper, the genre-defying pianist and multi-GRAMMY Award winner, joins forces with Cuban bass virtuoso Alain Pérez for a dynamic outdoor performance launching Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City series. Set in the open-air Damrosch Park, this free concert promises an evening of musical fusion, blending jazz, Latin pop, hip-hop, Cuban traditional, and R&B influences. Robert's innovative approach meets Alain's Afro-Cuban rhythms, creating a cross-cultural dialogue that pushes musical boundaries. Don't miss this electrifying kickoff to a summer of diverse performances. CLR

BRYAN CARTER - JAZZ AT PRIDE

DIZZY'S CLUB AT JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER / JUNE 11-12

GRAMMY and Tony Award-winning drummer, composer, and vocalist Bryan Carter returns to Dizzy’s Club with a vision that’s as powerful as it is joyful: Jazz at Pride, a celebration of music, community, and creative freedom. In honor of Pride Month, Bryan curates a luminous ensemble of LGBTQIA+ artists for two nights of bold, affirming artistry. Expect vibrant arrangements, powerhouse vocals, and a stage brimming with authenticity and heart. From the lush strings and tight brass to intimate moments of storytelling through song, this is more than a concert – it’s a vibrant gathering of voices that celebrate love, identity, and self-expression. With performers including Ella Bric, Richard Cortez, Vuyo Sotashe, and many more, Bryan creates an inclusive space where jazz uplifts and unites. Come for the music, stay for the spirit. CLR

AKUA DIXON QUARTET - HARLEM STRINGS AND SWING

MOUNT MORRIS ASCENSION PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, HARLEM / JUNE 13

Trailblazing cellist and composer Akua Dixon brings her signature blend of elegance and edge to Harlem Jazz Boxx with a stellar quartet featuring Jon Nunez on guitar, James Robbins on bass and Orion Turre on drums. A pioneering figure in string-based jazz ensembles, Akua bridges classical technique with soulful improvisation, Afrocentric themes, and chamber-jazz finesse. Her compositions resonate with both fire and grace – rooted in tradition yet always pushing forward. Set in the historic Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church, this performance promises a transportive evening of rich textures and rhythmic interplay in one of Harlem’s most cherished cultural spaces. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to witness a jazz visionary in an intimate and resonant setting. CLR

CHIEF BABA NEIL CLARKE - A TRIBUTE TO RANDY WESTON

SISTA'S PLACE, BROOKLYN / JUNE 14

Master percussionist Chief Baba Neil Clarke leads a powerful musical tribute to the legendary Randy Weston at Sista’s Place in Brooklyn – an intimate cultural stronghold where music and legacy meet. Known for his deep roots in African rhythmic traditions and long-standing collaborations with Weston himself, Neil brings spiritual depth and ancestral resonance to this performance. The evening honors not just Randy’s musical brilliance but his Pan-African vision – fusing jazz with African classical music, tradition with innovation. Neil, revered as a griot and rhythm architect, curates a set that channels Randy’s spirit while forging new ground in celebration. Expect hypnotic grooves, melodic reverence, and communal uplift in a setting that has long championed Black cultural expression. This is more than a concert—it’s a ceremonial return to roots. CLR

JIMMY HEATH BIG BAND

BRYANT PARK / JUNE 14

Known as “Little Bird,” saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator Jimmy Heath (1926-2020) – the oldest of the famed Heath Brothers, Percy and Tootie and father of percussionist/producer Mtume – was a dynamic and durable post-bop player, with a big tenor sax sound. His composition “Gingerbread Boy” was a minor standard in the ’60s. Jazzmobile, an organization Jimmy was active in, presents a 17-piece big band devoted to Jimmy’s compositions and arrangements, led by Jimmy’s protege, alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, and featuring trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, trombonist Douglas Purviance and drummer Dennis Mackrel. Jimmy’s “Gingerbread Boy” is resurrected, and there will be new arrangements of Bird’s “Yardbird Suites” and another Jimmy original, “Turn Up the Heath,” a song as bright as Jimmy’s big smile. E.H.

MARION COWINGS & AC LINCOLN - A FATHER'S DAY CELEBRATION

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER / JUNE 15

For Father’s Day, Jazz at Lincoln Center hosts a special performance by Marion Cowings and AC Lincoln – a musical celebration of legacy, swing, and soul. Marion, a beloved baritone with decades of jazz storytelling in his voice, teams up with Lincoln, a gifted tap dancer and vocalist known for his magnetic stage presence and effortless cool. Together, they channel the energy of a Harlem Renaissance supper club, blending heartfelt ballads, tight scat harmonies, and rhythmic tap into an unforgettable intergenerational tribute. It’s more than a concert – it’s a joyful reminder that jazz runs deep in the family. CLR

RENEE ROSNES

VILLAGE VANGUARD / JUNE 17-22

The arc of Renee Rosnes’ professional career shot through the rarefied realm not long after she moved from Vancouver, BC to New York City. Once there, the bristling virtuosity and graceful elegance of her pianism adorned the groups of an intergalactic constellation of superstars from Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson to JJ Johnson and James Moody, to name a few. Renee has since mastered the intricacies of the world of music like a proverbial polymath. Most prominent among this has been the maddeningly seductive world of Brazilian music. She will display all of her masterful musicianship – especially the beckoning mastery of Brazilian music – at the Village Vanguard with her superb quartet featuring Chris Potter, Peter Washington and Carl Allen. RDG

JON FADDIS

JAZZ FORUM / JUNE 20-21

When Oakland-born Jon Faddis was 12 years old, he met his idol Dizzy Gillespie in San Francisco in 1965. Seven years later, Jon is known as the greatest exponent of Dizzy’s speed of light improvisations, knowledge of harmony and raw power. Jon’s gigs include work with Charles Mingus, Oscar Peterson and George Benson. Though Jon’s album output is less than ideal, he remains one of the most revered and respected musicians on the scene. A professor of Jazz Studies at SUNY-Purchase, Jon comes to the Jazz Forum fronting a quartet featuring bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa, pianist Dave Hazeltine and drummer Dion Parsons. Musically, Jon can play a plethora of Dizzy standards, from “Tin Tin Deo,” and “A Night in Tunisia,” to “Con Alma” and “Kush.” Dizzy is smiling. E.H.

LINDA MAY HAN OH TRIO

VILLAGE VANGUARD / JUNE 24-29

The young and brilliant contrabassist Linda May Han Oh now rocks the erudite rumbling of the glorious instrument and her mastery of it with a super-trio that includes trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and the MacArthur Genius drummer Tyshawn Sorey. The three musicians together have graced the soundstages and studios of the world. Their long, sculpted melodic lines, elliptical harmonic variations and rippling, tumbling rhythms will dazzle the ear and penetrate the open heart during this Village Vanguard residency as the trio plays music that includes charts from their new trio album. Inevitably, the vaunted glass ceiling and the tradition of music as you know it will shatter with their edge – individual and contrapuntal conversations – of the seat performance. Expecting the unexpected? You bet. RDG

PETE RODRIGUEZ

SMALLS / JUNE 26 / TRIUMPH BREWING / JUNE 28

Trumpeter/composer/educator/percussionist Pete Rodriguez was born to swing. His father, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, was a sensational salsa singer who recorded for the legendary Fania label. His sister, Cita, is also a singer, and his godfather is the great Dominican flutist/vocalist Johnny Pacheco. Born in The Bronx, Pete was the musical director of his father’s band. He’s worked with Celia Cruz, Bebo Valdes and Rodriguez’s 2024 album, I’m Pete Rodriguez, Vol.1 was selected by the New York City Jazz Record magazine as one the “Best” recordings that year. Pete comes to Smalls and Triumph Brewing fronting a fiery combo supporting Pete’s clarion tones that span the styles of Latin trumpet icons Chocolate and Arturo Sandoval. Catch this rising star if you can. E.H.

ENDEA OWENS & THE COOKOUT

WAVE HILL, BRONX / JUNE 26, 7 PM

Hailed as one of jazz’s most vibrant rising stars, Detroit-born bassist Endea Owens has carved a path shaped by mentorship from legends Rodney Whitaker and Ron Carter. A GRAMMY and Emmy Award winner, she’s best known for her work with the Stay Human band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and she’s earned widespread respect performing alongside greats like Wynton Marsalis, Diana Ross, Jon Batiste and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Endea leads The Cookout, her dynamic ensemble that fuses jazz, soul, hard bop, and global influences into rhythmically rich, joy-filled performances. Her debut album, Feel Good Music, lives up to its name – delivering groove, uplift, and heart. A Juilliard School alum with undeniable stage presence, Endea brings her signature energy to Carnegie Hall Citywide for a free outdoor concert at Wave Hill. It’s sure to be a spirited celebration of community, rhythm, and summer soundscapes. Don’t miss it! RDG

CARRIE JACKSON

MORRIS MUSEUM / JUNE 27 / CLEMENTS PLACE / JUNE 28

Carrie Jackson brings her velvety voice and joyful swing to two standout New Jersey stages this month. A commanding interpreter of the Great American Songbook, Carrie evokes the elegance of Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald while infusing each lyric with her own expressive warmth. Backed by her stellar jazz ensemble, she delivers timeless standards with flair, vocal agility, and deep emotional resonance. Whether in a museum concert hall or an intimate club setting, Carrie’s performances create a welcoming space where tradition and soul meet. These back-to-back dates offer a perfect chance to experience one of the region’s finest jazz vocalists up close. CLR

DANILO PEREZ

Danilo Perez: Comprovisation and Jazz Globalization

by Eugene Holley, Jr.

58-year-old pianist, composer, bandleader and educator Danilo Perez has played a lot of music from the world and around the world, from the time he played in Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nation Orchestra in the late ’80s to his historic run as a member of Wayne Shorter’s quartet from 2001 to 2023 with drummer Brian Blade and John Patitucci. His 12 albums as a leader include the music of Thelonious Monk, Cuban clave and Brazilian baiao rhythms and folkloric musical genres from his native Panama.

Danilo comes to Smoke with a quicksilver triad consisting of John on bass and longtime collaborator Adam Cruz on drums, who recorded with Danilo on several of his recordings including…Till Then (Verve, 2003), Live at the Jazz Showcase (ArtistShare, 2005), Providencia (Mack Avenue, 2010) and Panama 500 (Mack Avenue, 2014). The trio will be performing new material for a forthcoming album that will feature Danilo’s experiments in odd-meter claves, interpretations of Latin American standards, Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” and two tributes to Dizzy Gillespie and Shorter. This live date pairs Adam with the language John and Danilo created with Shorter.

“Adam and I have had a long relationship since the ’90s,” Danilo says. “Adam and [bassist] Ben Street were my longstanding trio, and we developed a language that I think Adam managed really well: that bilingual expertise, where he could cross over from jazz to the Pan-African roots of this music. Adam brings a perspective of the Caribbean Pan-African language, which is what I'm made out of. I wanted to [merge] that language with the other language that I have developed with Patitucci; the zero gravity experience we developed over the years through the Wayne Shorter Quartet … This is pure magic.”

EMILY KING

Emily King: Music Born of Heart and Soul
by Raul da Gama

Some people come to music from a cerebral place. They sit at a piano or pick up their chosen instrument, and the right notes seem to fall in line—a song emerges, crafted almost mechanically. That is not Emily King. Truth be told, Emily feels music with every fiber of her being—body, mind and soul. It's this all-encompassing connection to sound and emotion that makes her one of the most extraordinary R&B singer-songwriters of our time. She has elevated the genre in ways few others have, and even the skeptics—those who might shy away from acknowledging her artistry—cannot deny there is something undeniably special about Emily’s music.

Emily was born into a tapestry of musical brilliance. Her parents, Marion Cowings and Kim Kalesti, are prodigiously gifted vocalists, their artistry often likened to the legendary jazz duo Jackie and Roy. As the younger child of this remarkable pairing, Emily was steeped in the rhythms of music from the start. Her brother, AC Lincoln, is an equally talented artist—a tap dancer, songwriter, and vocalist—who forged a musical bond with his sister early on. Recently, Lincoln penned a song for Emily titled “Medal,” which has garnered wide acclaim across digital platforms. The track’s stunning ostinato and rippling jazzy rhythms resonate deeply, and its emotional core digs into the raw and uneasy truths that pierce the heart.

STACEY KENT

Stacey Kent: A Jersey Girl with a Global Compass

by Chrys L. Roney

In a jazz world where some singers need a wall of sound just to hold your attention, Stacey Kent does the opposite—she dials it all the way down. No fireworks. No vocal gymnastics. Just clear, conversational phrasing that somehow says more by doing less.

But don’t get it twisted: behind that understated delivery is an artist with deep roots, major co-signs and a global career that’s anything but small-scale.

Born in South Orange, New Jersey, Kent didn’t grow up in a jazz dynasty. No club circuit pedigree. No big family name. What she did have was an early obsession with stories, lyrics and languages. She studied comparative literature at Sarah Lawrence College—a solid literary foundation that shows up in how she treats a lyric: like something to be unwrapped, not just performed.

She didn’t start out thinking she'd be a jazz singer. But after college, she moved to the UK and enrolled at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. That’s where everything started to click. That’s also where she met saxophonist Jim Tomlinson—her future husband and long-time musical partner. Between the two of them, they crafted a sound that blends jazz, bossa nova, chanson and American standards without feeling like a sampler platter. It’s cohesive. It’s international. And it’s unmistakably Stacey.

ROSCOE MITCHELL

Black to the Future: Roscoe Mitchell and the Liberation of Sound
by Raul da Gama

For decades, African American artists have protested tirelessly against the limits imposed by the term “jazz”. While the label has become a convenient shorthand for an extraordinary genre of music, its origins are steeped in a Eurocentric framework that fails to capture the visceral, vibrant rhythms birthed from Black creative expression. In truth, this art form is more faithfully understood as Indigenous Black American Music. The same applies to all artistic forms that emerge from the boundless wellspring of Black creativity—be it poetry, painting, drama, or any other discipline.

At the forefront of this reclamation stands Roscoe Mitchell: a towering composer, multi-instrumentalist and sonic visionary whose life’s work exemplifies a categorical refusal to be confined. For Mitchell, sound itself becomes a way to reframe the Black experience while also challenging the very frameworks that define the continuum of American music.

GRACE JONES

Grace Jones: Statuesque, Iconic, and Timeless
by Raul da Gama

The legendary British-born, Jamaican-based producer Chris Blackwell (with Graeme Goodall as his initial partner) not only knew how to spend a 2000 pound stipend from his mother, but had an eye for the supremely-gifted and highly visible Jamaican artists for his newly-minted Island Records. Among his first signings for Island were Bob Marley and Grace Jones. Bob was riding the crest of the reggae wave - making it move to the beat of his own "riddim."

Grace always seems to be taller than almost any proverbial wave that would rise in Jamaica and crash in Britain. Even sitting on an interviewer’s couch, which she literally takes over as she drapes herself upon it. She is a celebrated supermodel, an actress, singer, a revolutionary presence, and is larger than life in each of the roles she plays.

Life? That began in Spanish Town, Jamaica, where Grace was born to Marjorie (née Williams) and Robert Jones, a local politician and Apostolic clergyman. “I grew up living in a bubble,” she says, gesticulating with both hands to the British ITV host Jonathan Ross, suggesting how small a space her life once occupied. Growing up in Jamaica, “…there was nothing except church and school which was in church and school which was church,” she continues, explaining the need to break on through to another side. That was not long in coming. Grace was always a singer, and being a striking presence, she naturally gravitated to the stage.

JANELLE MONÁE

From Afrocentric Roots to Android Futures: The Evolution of Janelle Monáe

by Raul da Gama

Somewhere in Janelle Monáe’s orbit, there’s a wall of accolades that reads like a mosaic of artistic triumphs. Among them: a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Children’s and Family Emmy Award, the ASCAP Vanguard Award, and Billboard Women in Music’s Trailblazer of the Year honor. Even more impressively, Monáe boasts ten GRAMMY nominations, including one for Album of the Year at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards for her groundbreaking 2023 project, The Age of Pleasure (Wondaland/Bad Boy/Atlantic).

But beyond the trophies, Monáe—the actress, songwriter, rapper, and cultural icon—might be even more proud of how her art has transcended boundaries. From her Afrocentric origins to the Afrofuturist universe of Cindi Mayweather, she has expanded not only her creative reach but also the representation of Black women in music, film, and speculative art. In her conceptual work, she becomes Mayweather: a crested android messiah confronting belonging, alienation, identity, and power in a world few artists dare to imagine—let alone embody.