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.

SOMETHING ELSE! FEATURING VINCENT HERRING

SMOKE / APRIL 30 - MAY 4

Veteran alto saxophonist Vincent Herring envisioned Something Else! as a small collective that embraced his love of the soul jazz tradition. Soul Jazz, their debut album, was issued by Smoke Sessions in 2024, featuring Herring with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Essiet Essiet, guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Otis Brown III, interpreting works by the masters of soul jazz, including Horace Silver, Eddie Harris, Donald Byrd and Stanley Turrentine. One can almost envision 1960s club audiences getting on their feet and grooving to the music on the dance floor, shouting encouragement to the band. Most of the personnel are still a part of the group, with Freddie Hendrix subbing for Jeremy on May 2, Adam Rogers on guitar and the master drummer Lewis Nash.—KD

ANTHONY BRAXTON

FORT GREENE PARK - BROOKLYN / MAY 3

Anthony Braxton, the trailblazing composer and multi-instrumentalist, brings his avant-garde brilliance to Fort Greene Park with a performance of **Composition No. 19**, a processional work for 100 tubas. Known for redefining the boundaries of sound and improvisation, Anthony’s decades-long career includes groundbreaking contributions to jazz and experimental music, as well as innovative performance systems. Raised on Chicago’s South Side, he was a foundational member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. While Braxton is best known for his saxophone mastery, particularly on alto, this free outdoor event highlights his visionary approach to large-scale compositions and unorthodox instrumentation. **Composition No. 19**, originally conceived in the early 1970s, is a celebration of sonic textures on an epic scale. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience Braxton’s forward-thinking artistry in a dynamic, open-air setting. CLR

MARY HALVORSON & BILL FRISELL DUO

ROULETTE INTERMEDIUM - BROOKLYN / MAY 3

Mary Halvorson and Bill Frisell, two of the most inventive guitarists in modern music, will unite for a rare duo performance. Halvorson, known for her unconventional technique and genre-defying style, pairs up with Frisell, whose work blends jazz, Americana, and experimental sounds. Their collaboration promises to be an intimate, exploratory dialogue between two distinct voices in contemporary guitar artistry, celebrating jazz guitar legend Johnny Smith. Both artists bring their unique approaches to the performance, ensuring an evening of creativity and musical discovery at Roulette Intermedium. This will be a must-see event for fans of innovative and modern guitar music. CLR

TOMEKA REID QUARTET

BRIC BALLROOM / MAY 3

Described by *The New York Times* as a “New Jazz Power Source,” cellist and composer Tomeka Reid has emerged as a leading figure in contemporary jazz and improvised music. Her quartet blends groove-infused jazz, classical techniques, and boundary-pushing improvisation, creating a unique and vibrant sound. Tomeka’s distinctive approach to the cello is complemented by the talents of acclaimed guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Jason Roebke, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara, who together deliver music that is both innovative and deeply rooted in tradition. Known for its strong sense of melody, rhythm, and interplay, the Tomeka Reid Quartet offers audiences a strikingly fresh perspective on modern jazz. **Performers:** Tomeka Reid (cello), Mary Halvorson (electric guitar), Jason Roebke (bass), and Tomas Fujiwara (drums). CLR

SHELLY BERG TRIO

BIRDLAND / MAY 6

Arranger, producer and pianist Shelly Berg will showcase music from his newest recording, Allegria (ArtistShare), which was called “an instant jazz piano trio classic” by Modern Drummer. Critically acclaimed as one of the finest modern mainstreamed jazz pianists, Shelly is a multiple GRAMMY Award-nominated arranger and producer. His recording Blackbird (Concord) garnered Record of the Year and Artist of the Year nominations. He has performed, recorded, and arranged for a plethora of renowned vocalists including Nancy Wilson, Bobby McFerrin, Kurt Elling, and Dionne Warwick, and has performed or recorded with an extensive list of jazz legends such as Ray Brown, Arturo Sandoval, Clark Terry, and Bill Waltrous. Shelly will appear at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, with Cuban musicians Dafnis Prieto on drums and Carlitos Del Puerto on bass. DJS

ISAIAH COLLIER

BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB / MAY 8

Isaiah Collier is a rising star in jazz, known as a saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and activist. His emotionally charged performances transform music into a baptismal experience, as his spirited saxophone notes immerse audiences in the depths of jazz. Raised in Chicago’s Baptist church choir, Isaiah discovered the saxophone in adolescence, drawing inspiration from legends like John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and Gary Bartz. Mentored by Chicago greats Ari Brown and Roscoe Mitchell, he delved into the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Isaiah has released five albums, including his latest project, The World Is on Fire (2024). For one night only at Blue Note, Collier’s band, The Chosen Few — featuring pianist Eric Lewis, bassist Jon Michelle, and drummer Joe Dyson — will perform music addressing social disruption, systemic racism, and equal justice. His roaring solos and explosive artistry speak timeless truths from the past, present, and future. RES

BRIA SKONBERG

JAZZ FORUM / MAY 9-10

Hailing from Chilliwack, Canada, Bria Skonberg is a trumpet and flugelhorn player, as well as a vocalist and leader of Bria’s Hot Five – a group that takes inspiration from Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five. In 2017 she won the Juno Award for Best Jazz Album of the Year, for Bria, an album that she produced through crowd sourcing. Bria is also an educator and co-founder of New York’s Hot Jazz Festival. She’s won numerous awards for her singing, playing and compositions, and with six leader albums under her belt and hundreds of international festival appearances, she is now one of the keepers of the flames for the classic jazz music that she plays. The Wall Street Journal called her “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation.” She brings sophistication and sharp improvisational skills to bear in her playing, and like Satchmo, she is a double threat, on the horn and with her impressive vocal talents. JZ

JAZZMEIA HORN

KAUFMANN CONCERT HALL / MAY 10

Singer/songwriter Jazzmeia Horn, only in her early thirties, has already solidified her position as an assured vocalist. The winner of both the Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan awards, Jazzmeia is, in the words of the New York Times, “among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz.” Nominated for multiple GRAMMY Awards, she has been compared to Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan, and Nancy Wilson, and is rooted in the straight-ahead jazz tradition. Her latest recording, Messages (Empress Legacy), contains eight originals and has been praised by critics, with the Dallas Morning News calling it “a creative step forward.” Jazzmeia will appear at Kauffman Concert Hall as a special guest of alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, joining Jazz Master Gary Bartz, pianist Oscar Perez, bassist Elias Baily and drummer Dorian Phelps. DJS

GLENN ZALESKI

CLOSE UP / MAY 10 & MEZZROW / JUNE 6-7

Glenn Zaleski is a New York-based pianist, composer, and educator who grew up in Boylston, MA. A finalist for the Cole Porter Fellowship and semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk competition, Glenn has enjoyed critical acclaim for both his tasteful and sophisticated playing as well as for his compositions and recordings. Downbeat Magazine called his debut album My Ideal, “Sublime.” Glenn has performed with jazz notables such as Ravi Coltrane, the Vanguard Orchestra and Cecille McLorin Salvant. He’s equally at home as a trio leader or on solo piano. The New York Times cites Glenn’s playing for its “fluent but unhurried sense of phrase.” His contemplative compositions can be reminiscent of Bill Evans, while other works contain fiery and creative improvisations. You can also check out Glenn’s sharp musical mind on display in some fascinating videos he’s uploaded to his YouTube channel. JZ

RYAN TRUESDELL PRESENTS GIL EVANS PROJECT

BIRDLAND / MAY 13-17

Multi-GRAMMY Award-winning producer Ryan Truesdell and the Gil Evans Project celebrate the release of Shades of Sound (Outside In Music) and many other Evans compositions at Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W. 44th Street. Their 14th annual residency begins on Gil’s 113th birthday, and continues through Saturday. When Ryan was asked to catalog the manuscripts by the late composer-arranger’s family, he did not realize that he would eventually be conducting a virtuoso big band devoted to playing Gil’s music. With this release, he has now recorded a trilogy of albums with a band playing the demanding and difficult charts. The week features some top brass and woodwind players, superb vocalists, and a rhythm section of pianist Gary Versace, bassist Jay Anderson, drummer Lewis Nash, and percussionist Mike Truesdell. DJS

IMMANUEL WILKINS QUARTET

VILLAGE VANGUARD / MAY 13-18

When you have the kind of towering technique that Immanuel Wilkins has on the alto saxophone, you would expect him to unleash his own kind of “sheets of sound,” like this Philly homeboy John Coltrane. Thankfully, this young bull is more about vibrant and velvet melodic expression than velocity exercises, as evidenced by his 2024 album, Blues Blood (Blue Note), a moving and meditative recording of tantalizing tempos, diasporic downbeats and dreamtime sonic settings provided by vocalist Cecile McLorin-Salvant. A compelling young leader, seasoned by his sideman gigs with Jason Moran, Joel Ross, and Kenny Barron, Wilkins brings his quantum quartet - pianist (po9kand fellow Juilliard alum) Micah Thomas, bassist Ryoma Takanaga and drummer Kweku Sumbry - to the Village Vanguard, taking Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker and Steve Coleman to the stage with him. E.H.

JUDY WEXLER TRIO

PANGEA / MAY 14 & MAUREEN'S JAZZ CELLAR / MAY 16

From the beginning of her career, vocalist Judy Wexler has shown an adventurous spirit as she draws inspiration while exploring standards, timeless jazz compositions, bossa nova and pop, frequently long-neglected treasures of earlier eras. Judy’s rich alto is expressive and buoyed by the top musicians who inspire her on recordings or on stage. Her most recent album is No Wonder (Jewel City Jazz), featuring her infectious take of Luciana Souza’s “No Wonder” and a stunning vocal setting of Cedar Walton’s “Firm Roots (Are What You Need to Win)” with a lyric by Kitty Margolis. Judy will be joined by pianist Jim Ridl, saxophonist Tim Armacost, bassist Bill Moring and drummer Tim Horner at Pangea, while the rhythm section will be with her at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar on May 16.—KD

JUMAANE SMITH

BARUCH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER / MAY 16

Jumaane Smith, renowned for his 18-year tenure as lead trumpeter and vocalist with Michael Bublé, has solidified his reputation as a versatile and talented musician. A contributor to five GRAMMY Award-winning albums and two Emmy-nominated TV performances, Smith has worked with legends like Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, and Wynton Marsalis. At Baruch PAC’s Engelman Recital Hall, Jumaane will perform original music from his upcoming album, Come on Home (Zinn Records, 2024), alongside songs inspired by Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and more. Joining him are Nick Hempton (tenor saxophone), Will Gorman (piano), Lorin Cohen (bass) and Carmen Intorre Jr. (drums). Blending jazz, blues, and soul, the album delves into themes of trauma, joy, and redemption through music. This concert also marks the revival of Baruch PAC's Milt Hinton Memorial Concerts, celebrating their return after the pandemic. SBL

JOEL ROSS + PARABLES

VILLAGE VANGUARD / MAY 20-25

At this pivotal point of the century, jazz arguably has the great assemblage of vibraphonists on the scene, including Steve Nelson, Warren Wolf, Chien Chien Lu, Cecilia Smith, Jason Marsalis, and Monte Croft. Add Chicago’s Joel Ross to that list. A sideman of choice for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Gerald Clayton, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Nicole Mitchell (to name a very select few), Ross’ latest album, Nublues (Blue Note) finds him intelligently interpreting the music of Monk and Coltrane, along with his own compositions. Ross comes the Village Vanguard front his Parables octet: with alternating flutists, Elena, Pinderhughes and Elijah Thomas, alto saxophonist Godwin Louis, tenor saxophonist Maria Grand, pianist Jeremy Corren, trumpeter Marquis Hill, bassist Konoa Mendenh and drummer Kayvon Gordon. Bobby Hutcherson is smiling! E.H.

TED ROSENTHAL QUINTET FEATURING: GARY SMULYAN, ERENA TERAKUBO, NORIKO UEDA, TIM HORNER

JAZZ FORUM / MAY 23-24

Ted Rosenthal is a brilliant and often understated master of the eighty-eights who is also a composer and educator. With Hank Jones, Barry Harris, and Tommy Flanagan as judges – a panel that speaks volumes to Ted’s talent level – he won the second Thelonious Monk Piano Competition. Accomplished in both the classical and jazz canons before choosing to play mostly straight-ahead jazz, Ted often draws from both worlds in his playing. He was prominent in the Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue centennial celebrations last year. Ted has also composed a highly acclaimed jazz opera, titled “Dear Erich.” Its story is based on the letters that his grandmother in Nazi Germany sent to his father, Erich, who escaped to emigrate to the U.S., just before Kristallnacht. Ted’s playing is both swinging and elegant, and he leads a quintet with some stellar players worth seeing in their own right. They’re performing a program called Bernstein and Bop. JZ

DIZZY GILLESPIE ALL-STARS

BLUE NOTE / MAY 23-25

Many players come together to pay tribute to the jazz master’s many contributions to jazz, including bop, jive, Afro-Cuban jazz, Latin jazz, bossa nova and more. In addition to being a virtuoso trumpeter, prolific composer, and innovative arranger, Dizzy was a jazz educator to musicians who played with him, especially providing insights on how his approach to rhythm shaped the mood of his music. The band for this show was assembled by Dizzy’s long-time bassist, John Lee, joined by trumpeter Charlie Porter, saxophonist Erena Terakubo, Brazilian pianist and vocalist Abelita Mateus, drummer and fellow Dizzy alum Tommy Campbell, along with percussionist Roger Squitero. Expect to hear a wide variety of songs and styles from throughout Dizzy’s long career.—KD

PETE MCGUINNESS JAZZ ORCHESTRA

BIRDLAND / MAY 25

20 years strong in the game, the Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra will celebrate their new and fourth album Mixed Bag (Summit Records, 2025). The album is the band’s most ambitious and spirited release to date, offering unbridled swing to simmering bossa nova, elegant balladry to bracing modernism.The album marks the orchestra’s first release since Pete was forced to leave his trombone behind after recent years suffering from a neurological disorder. Pivoting now to writing and singing, the three-time GRAMMY Award-nominated arranger will showcase brand new originals and arrangements of timeless jazz tunes and American popular standards with his 17-piece group. Both Pete, who has been active in New York City’s jazz scene since 1987, and his long-time bandmates have performed with some of the world’s most famous big bands, including those led by Maria Schneider, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Jimmy Heath, John Fedchock, Lionel Hampton, Mike Holober, and others. SBL

THE AFRICAN RHYTHMS ALUMNI QUARTET FT. TK BLUE

SISTA'S PLACE - BROOKLYN / MAY 25

The African Rhythms Alumni Quartet brings together an ensemble of renowned musicians to honor the legacy of NEA Jazz Master Dr. Randy Weston. Saxophonist and flutist T.K. Blue, a close collaborator of Weston, provides melodic depth rooted in African traditions. Chief Baba Neil Clarke, an expert percussionist, underscores the performances with rhythmic complexity. Pianist Sharp Radway delivers expressive harmonies, while bassist Alex Blake adds dynamic energy and inventive technique. Dr. Randy Weston’s contributions to jazz extended far beyond performance, embodying a cultural bridge between African heritage and American jazz. The African Rhythms Alumni Quartet continues this tradition, highlighting Weston’s role in redefining jazz through the incorporation of African grooves and philosophies. CLR

MARIA SCHNEIDER BIG BAND

BIRDLAND / MAY 27-31

Maria Schneider is a trailblazing composer, arranger, and bandleader. Maria studied orchestration with classical composer Dominick Argento. She received an NEA grant to study composition with the late NEA Jazz Master Bob Brookmeyer, who said in a 1999 interview that she was close to being fully formed by the time of her first recording. Maria credits him with thinking in terms of music rather than jazz history to help find her voice. Her seven GRAMMY Awards are ample proof that her deep, colorful, and emotional works have won her a widespread audience. Honored as an NEA Jazz Master in 2019, Maria leads an 18-piece band including Steve Wilson, Dave Pietro, Rich Perry, Scott Robinson, Greg Gisbert, Mike Rodriguez, Ryan Keberle, Gary Versace, Marshall Gilkes, Jay Anderson and others.—KD

KENNY GARRETT

BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB / MAY 29 - JUNE 1

Alto saxophonist and composer Kenny Garrett's influential 30-year career cements his status as a prominent American jazz creator. Collaborations with legends like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, and Chick Corea have been pivotal. Since his debut album, Introducing Kenny Garrett (Criss Cross, 1984), he has released over a dozen albums and received numerous GRAMMY Award nominations. In 2010, he won a GRAMMY Award for Five Peace Band—Live, playing with the Chick Corea/John McLaughlin ensemble. Garrett's music, exemplified by Sounds from the Ancestors (Mack Avenue, 2021), blends jazz with R&B and gospel influences, drawing from his Detroit roots. The album also incorporates musical traditions from Cuba, Nigeria, and Guadeloupe. “The concept was about capturing sounds that lift your spirit, inspired by Coltrane, Aretha, Marvin Gaye, and spirituals,” Kenny reflects. Performing with his sextet, including Keith Brown and Melvis Santa, Kenny also explores electronic sounds in Who Killed AI? (Mack Avenue, 2024). Svoy. RES

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.”