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.”

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.

ANAT COHEN

ANAT COHEN - Leading the Resurgence of the Jazz Clarinet

By John Zaff

Virtuoso clarinet and tenor saxophone player Anat Cohen has traveled the world, both literally and figuratively, in her quest to expand her musical palette and hone her formidable improvisation skills. The figurative travels she’s embarked on have been musical forays undertaken with an international cast of musicians, with the ultimate goal of soaking up the wide array of styles and sub-genres of music that make up the larger jazz idiom. Throughout her journey, Anat has assimilated an encyclopedia’s worth of musical styles into her playing, drawing from such disparate sources as classical, New Orleans style, klezmer music and Brazilian Choro, all the while synthesizing her own unique personal style of playing.

Anat grew up in Israel, in a musical family, studying and learning music alongside brothers Yuval and Avishai, both great players in their own right. Older brother Yuval plays saxophone, which was also Anat’s first instrument, and Avishai plays trumpet. She frequently collaborates with them in a group called the 3 Cohens. Anat’s mom played the accordion and taught music to kindergartners. Her dad also had a great love for music, but Anat’s grandparents both made it clear to her parents that music would not be an acceptable career to pursue. Perhaps because of their denial, things worked out differently for Anat and her brothers. She says, “Unlike our grandparents, our parents never put any doubts in our minds that we could make music a major part of our lives. We went to special schools for the arts and our parents chauffeured us to music lessons. For me, it all started in junior high school.”

JALEEL SHAW

Shaw in the Raw
by Raul da Gama

Sometimes (not often), you can tell the depth and erudition of an artist in the first few notes they play. Music seems to flow with every breath they take. And not simply music but history – human history. This is just the special kind of music that Jaleel Shaw seems to create when he plays his alto saxophone.

Somehow, the air that he breathes into his lungs becomes hot – jazz hot – as it is channeled into the invisible cauldron inside his chest and gets infused with a large measure of uncommon wisdom that comes from a life of contemplation of the human condition. The result: when the air is expelled from his lips through the vibrating reed, it sings and dances with the beautiful struggle that spells life itself.

Jaleel is sharply focused on the struggle of life. However, he is quick to point out a few things about his preponderance of that “struggle of life” that sets him apart from the kind of negativism that is prevalent in the world around him, and around all of us.

CAMILLE THURMAN

THE TWO VOICES OF CAMILLE THURMAN

By Ronald E. Scott

In the arena of jazz, it’s extremely difficult to become proficient with just one instrument, but Camille Thurman has become a creative improviser on tenor saxophone and a versatile singer, boosting four octaves.

Nina Simone, Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan and Hazel Scott, all great pianists and singers, but Camille has blossomed on saxophones, flute and clarinet, and her inventive scats to swooning ballads make her a rare treasure.

As a finalist in the Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition in 2013, Camille could have become a major force on the depth of her vocals or her tenor saxophone. She restructured Horace Silver’s instrumental “Love Vibrations” into a song dancing with bluesy rhythms, she then seamlessly picks up her sax and comps on the song with a beautiful melody. She once joked on stage that playing and singing can become a tongue twister when trying to introduce a song, because it requires two different movements from her tongue. Her dual diversity onstage has earned her the reputation as being a double threat.

Camille has shared stages with jazz luminaries like Benny Golson, Roy Haynes, George Coleman, Diana Krall, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Terri Lyne Carrington, Kenny Barron and Jon Batiste. On the R&B and hip-hop scene, she’s accompanied Alicia Keys, Missy Elliot, Ciara and India Arie.

BIG CHIEF DONALD HARRISON

Big Chief Donald Harrison: Sparks the Revolution of Unity
by Raul da Gama

Sing it and swing it: “There is a Big Chief down in New Orleans/They call him Donald Harrison/He plays his horn and wears his plume/The big blue one he was born to wear…” Yes, indeed, the inimitable alto saxophonist and alum of one of the last iterations of Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers has earned the honorific in many more ways than one.

NEA Jazz Master Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr. says that he has his father, Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. to thank for inculcating in him the study and knowledge and enabling him to pierce the enigmas of New Orleans's secret tribal culture and New Orleans's second-line culture. The sluice gates of music were not long in opening before Big Chief’s sound world came tumbling out like a flash flood, inundating the world of music. It’s something that Big Chief began to describe as “Nouveau Swing.”

All of this suggests that if anyone would be anointed as Big Chief of the Congo Nation Afro-New Orleans Cultural Group, it would be Harrison. No one could have predicted how far he would fly with New Orleans culture on the wing. True, he did cut his permanent teeth with Art, who never shied away from bringing a slew of new-generation players into the Messengers to rejuvenate the music; not ever.

PAUL CARR AND VANESSA RUBIN

Paul Carr and Vanessa Rubin: Rawhide Blues Meets the Seductive Elegance of Jazz

By Raul da Gama

To say “the blues begat jazz” is like preaching to the choir. Although there can be no substitute for a universally songful, modern blues in the 12-bar arrangement, there is something quite unique about the blues bred in Texas. The air around the Lone Star State is steeped in the nuclear fusion of lowdown blues, sharp-edged, gloriously inventive jazz, and the high and lonesome whinge of country music. It is no wonder: Blind Lemon Jefferson used his acoustic guitar to charm and bend notes in a minor key, describing heartache with an anguished glissando. He sang quintessentially evanescent blues for lost love and described the social despair of being Black in America. The sorrow he spun in his narratives influenced the future creation of the hard-nosed, diamond-in-the-rough jazz musician—one who wailed in sharp rebuke of all that was wrong in society while joyfully celebrating all that was right.

From this fertile tradition emerged an extensive line of Texas bluesy jazz saxophonists. Giants like Arnett Cobb, Don Wilkerson (born in Moreauville, Louisiana, but raised in Houston), and Ornette Coleman paved the way. It is no surprise that the celebrated saxophonist Paul Carr should follow in the footsteps of those giants—and not just walk in their path but blaze a musical trail of his own. A Houston native, Carr graduated from Howard University. He studied music privately and performed as part of the Kashmere High School Stage Band, directed by the legendary Conrad “Prof” Johnson (aka Conrad O. Johnson).

BUSTER WILLIAMS

Buster Williams: Infinite Bassist

by Eugene Holley, Jr.

For seven decades, the GRAMMY Award-winning, NEA Jazz Master bassist/bandleader Charles Anthony “Buster” Williams, Jr. has been the standard-bearer on his instrument for generations. With contemplative, Buddha-like concentration – the very opposite of the grimacing, “stank face” images popular among musicians now – Buster quietly, yet powerfully, became a master at playing the right notes, at the right time for the right reasons; as evidenced by his gigs with Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Jimmy Heath, Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, The Jazz Crusaders, Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. Buster was a founding member of Herbie Hancock’s 1970s Afro-fusion Mwandishi ensemble, and he was a core member of the ’80s Thelonious Monk repertory group, Sphere.

Buster brings his group, Something More, to Jazz at Lincoln Center for an extended engagement from July 31 to August 2. The group consists of saxophonist Steve Wilson, pianist Brandon McCune (7/31 and 8/1), vibraphonist Stefon Harris (8/2) and drummer Lenny White. Some of the evening’s selections will include Buster’s wistful ballad, “Christina,” an uptempo number, “Where Giants Dwell," and Buster’s arresting arrangement of the Rodgers & Hart standard, “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was.”

Buster released their self-titled recording in 1989 (In & Out) and created the group shortly after. The ensemble was created by Buster to fulfill a growing need for more individual musical expression. “I had promised myself that I was not going to form a band that I would constantly lead until I was writing music that I wanted to play every night. And so I did this album with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, [the late] Al Foster, and Shunzo Ohno, the trumpet player.

RON CARTER

Ron Carter: Opus d’Solo, Duo, Trio, and d’Great Big Band
by Raul da Gama

Miles Davis, one of Ron Carter’s illustrious employers, is quoted by Quincy Troupe in Miles: The Autobiography as saying, “Legends are dead people.” Miles was also quoted by Legacy Records as saying, “A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I’m still doing it.” Miles was dead wrong in both instances, certainly when it comes to Ron, one of his most celebrated alumni. At 88 years of age, the composer, musician, and bassist has no use for “a cane” nor known “for what he used to do. He’s still doing it” and being recognized for it.

Celebrated worldwide, Ron has been awarded France's premier cultural award, the medallion and title of Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2010). The Japanese government not only credited him with helping to popularize jazz in Japan, thereby facilitating cultural exchange between the U.S. and Japan, but also honored him with The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2021. Stateside, he has won GRAMMY Awards and been inducted in the DownBeat Hall of Fame (2012) and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (2024).

Ron has seven honorary doctorates. He was the 2002 recipient of the prestigious Hutchinson Award from the Eastman School at the University of Rochester (2021) and he received the Satchmo Award from the Louis Armstrong Foundation for his lasting contribution to jazz as an educator. He has been judged the Most Valuable Player by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Most intriguing of all, unbreakable too, in 2015 Ron earned a Guinness World Record as the most recorded jazz bassist with 2,221 recordings. Since that time, he has recorded hundreds more. Without using “a cane.”

WILLIAM PARKER

WILLIAM PARKER INSIDE THE MUSIC

by Ronald E. Scott

In William Parker’s five decades and counting, the innovative bassist and composer has released over 20 albums as a leader (most reaching #1 on the CMJ charts) and appeared on over 150 albums while publishing his ongoing hefty volumes of interviews with renowned musicians in the avant-garde arena. The Village Voice in 1995 named him “the most consistently brilliant free jazz bassist of all time.”

In response to his many accolades over the years, William responds, “I’m happy to be able to make a contribution to the music that reaches people, to play with all my heart every time, and don’t take any prisoners, set everybody free. I can’t name one bassist who didn’t make a great contribution, like Abdul Malik, Doug Watkins, or Paul Chambers and Henry Grimes; we are all family. We each have a role to play; some of us are delicate flowers and some of us are power kegs. Everybody is great in their own way, and some like Charlie Parker and Eric Dolphy stood out. I’m happy to be in the same room with established and aspiring musicians; we all have to find our own voice and keep it going.”

MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER

Malcolm-Jamal Warner: The Rhythms of Humanity—A Legacy in Art, Literature, and Music

by Raul da Gama

Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a man whose life seemed predestined for greatness. Born into promise, his parents named him "Malcolm" after civil rights leader Malcolm X and "Jamal" after legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. From a young age, his life reflected the depth and creativity inherent in those names. Warner’s undeniable talent for the dramatic led to his enrollment in The Professional Children’s School in New York—a pivotal decision that would lay the foundation for his illustrious career in the arts.

Although Warner is undoubtedly best remembered for his role as Theo Huxtable—the lovable son of Dr. Heathcliff and Claire Huxtable—on the critically acclaimed television sitcom The Cosby Show, his artistic journey went far beyond this iconic role. The Cosby Show, which aired for eight seasons (1984–1992), became a cultural phenomenon, ranking among Variety magazine’s 100 greatest television shows of all time. Warner’s portrayal of Theo, blending humor, charm and relatability, left an indelible mark on American audiences.

VICTORY BOYD

Victory Boyd: Spiritual Colors of Jazz
by Raul da Gama

When Victory Boyd begins to sing, she is creating a sacred space. Each warm exhalation washes the air and is a fervent exhortation to her creator and ours to illuminate that sacred space now virtually manifest around her. Not so surprisingly, the young yet erudite Victory reveals herself to be an artist of the first order, broadening out from the spiritual repertory for which she is best known. Her instrument is gorgeous; lustrous, precise, and feather-light. Her musicianship is fierce as she digs into the meaning of each word, brings ceaseless variety to soft dynamics, and imbues every phrase with a very special grace.

Victory – one of nine children – was born to sing. And sing she did, from the age of four, nurtured by her musician-parents. Her father is composer and vocalist John Boyd, who founded The Rising Musical Family. The family website states John’s unique artistic vision: “The audiences will see what it’s like to have music as a refuge and shelter during times of family pain, trouble, and separation. For the large musical family, music is not just a hobby; it’s the proverbial family farm. It’s the means by which a family survives. Everyone has to make a contribution. Everyone has to plant in the fields and reap the harvest.”

ANAT COHEN

Anat Cohen: Virtuoso Clarinetist and Musical Polyglot

By John Zaff

When critics and music journalists consistently bestow honors on a musician, year after year, you can be certain that that musician has honed their talent and creativity to the highest of levels and reached a true pinnacle as a player. For an amazing 18 years in a row, multi-instrumentalist Anat Cohen has received the Jazz Journalists award for best clarinet player among her peers. That outstanding record may be unprecedented, and it surely is for good reasons.

Virtuoso clarinetist and tenor saxophone player Anat grew up in a musical family in Israel. Her two brothers are both accomplished jazz musicians. Older brother Yuval plays saxophone and brother Avishai plays trumpet. The three siblings are all highly regarded in the New York music scene and beyond. The siblings each received scholarships to attend the Berklee College of Music. It was while studying jazz there that Anat developed a lifelong fascination with world music, especially Latin and Brazilian Choro. Anat’s playing is eclectic and she draws on many influences, melding them into her own unique and creative style. In the music programs Anat attended in Israel, she first studied classical formats, but soon immersed herself studying and playing transcriptions of New Orleans jazz. She also grew up around Klezmer music, and like a polyglot who can easily switch from one tongue to another, she became a musical multi-linguist.

MARCUS GILMORE

Marcus Gilmore: Inheriting Rhythms, Forging New Paths

by Ronald E. Scott

Marcus Gilmore, the inventive drummer and composer, represents the third generation of creative artists from the Haynes family. He is the grandson of revered pioneer Roy Haynes, and the nephew of Roy’s sons: cornetist and composer Graham Haynes and drummer Craig Holiday Haynes.

“It feels great to be able to gain a significant historical perspective and knowledge of the music from my family, that’s pretty cool,” says Marcus. “Up until several months ago I had my grandfather still walking the planet, and he was still innovating until the end, so he was an incredible example for me in so many ways.”

Marcus knew at age 7 he wanted to be a professional drummer, but it wasn’t until his 10th birthday that his grandfather gave him his own set. “I never really felt any pressure from the family,” he recalls. “Once I realized I wanted to be a musician, I took it very seriously. Nobody ever had to tell me to practice—especially my grandfather. I did it automatically.”

At 16, while attending Manhattan’s famed LaGuardia High School for the Arts, Marcus landed his first professional gig: a European tour with Clark Terry. His mother and the school gave permission. “LaGuardia encouraged us to be professional musicians,” he says. “The teachers and community were always making sure students were aware of opportunities.” He also attended Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program and The Manhattan School of Music, and was chosen for the GRAMMY Band, which meant rehearsals in the host city, performances at official events, and attending the awards ceremony.

ABDULLAH IBRAHIM

Abdullah Ibrahim: Architect of South Africa’s Jazz Revolution

by Eugene Holley, Jr.

For an astonishing 75 years, the music of pianist/composer Abdullah Ibrahim, the NEA Jazz Master, paralleled South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, and the birth of a new multiracial, multi-ethnic and multicultural nation, with President Nelson Mandela as its leader. Abdullah’s sonic stew mirrored all his country’s cultural and artistic complexities: a mix of Black jazz, church melodies, African indigenous folk songs, chants and rhythms, played with a soulful synthesis of Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk’s dark and lovely pianisms.

Abdullah is currently on a world tour, and his engagement at Jazz at Lincoln Center entitled Life of a Legend: a Birthday Celebration (October 9) befits the kingly nature of Abdullah’s legacy and status. Abdullah is backed by his longstanding group, Ekaya, which means “home” in the isiXhosa language, and features tenor saxophonist Lance Bryant; trombonist Michael Pallas; baritone saxophonist Josh Lee; Cleave Guyton on alto saxophone, flute and piccolo, bassist and cellist Noah Jackson and drummer Will Terrell. Special guests are Abdullah’s ex-sidemen, including trumpeter Terence Blanchard, alto/soprano saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and bassist Cecil McBee. “We honor the tradition of rites of passage: the concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center October 3 & 4,” Abdullah proudly proclaims. “Our musicians are four generations – elders and current young.”

GOLDINGS-BERSTEIN-STEWART

Goldings-Bernstein-Stewart: Pioneers of the Modern Organ Trio Sound

by John Zaff

The legendary jazz groups, from Miles to Coltrane to the great Bill Evans trios, all had something in common beyond the sheer mastery of their instruments and the mind-boggling musical talent that went along with that. It was an almost preternatural ability to listen to each other and blend their voices in a way in which the musical whole became greater than the sum of its parts. The long-standing organ trio of Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart have spent several decades honing and utilizing that same secret sauce in their music.

Each of these players are virtuosos. Larry was the DownBeat Critics Choice for best organist the last two years in a row. Guitarist Peter is known for his thoughtful solos, often compared to musical storytelling, as well as for his vast knowledge and understanding of harmonic structure. He’s consistently a top ten DownBeat Critics and Readers Choice in the guitar category. Drummer Bill is famous for his innovative approach to drumming and for the creative and soulful accompaniment he provides, that puts the focus on musical conversation. Guitar great Pat Methaney once called Bill “a bottomless pit of ideas.” Individually, they should be considered a “supergroup,” but collectively they prove to be much more.

JAZZMEIA HORN

SMOKE / DECEMBER 31

Although still young, singer-songwriter Jazzmeia Horn has solidified her position as a straight-ahead, exuberant 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 and winner of several DownBeat Awards, she has been compared to Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson, and is firmly rooted in the jazz tradition. Her latest recording, Messages (Empress Legacy), features eight originals and has been praised, with the Dallas Morning News calling it “a creative step forward.” Jazzmeia will appear on New Year’s Eve at Smoke with the Smoke Jazz Club All-Stars comprised of alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and drummer Jonathan Blake. DJS

AC LINCOLN

DJANGO JAZZ CLUB / DECEMBER 31

Singer and tap dancer AC Lincoln was raised in New York in a musical family. His parents, Kim Kalesti and Marion Cowings, are celebrated jazz singers and his sister is the widely acclaimed singer-songwriter Emily King. AC has appeared with tap dance legends such as Savion Glover, Jimmy Slide and Buster Brown and not only performs with his own band, but has played with many great artists, including The Hot Sardines, Mercedes Ellington, Antoinette Montague and Winard Harper and Jeli Posse. He has headlined at some of the world’s top jazz clubs such as Birdland in New York, Blue Note Tokyo, and The Roundhouse in London. The group at Django includes AC singing and dancing, Danny Mixon on piano, Melissa Slocum on bass, and Danno Petersen on drums. DJS

CHAMPIAN FULTON

Champian Fulton: Engaging Singer and Swinger

by Ken Dryden

Champian Fulton knew early on that she wanted to pursue both piano and singing. The Norman, Oklahoma native was exposed to jazz early by her father, the late trumpeter and flugelhornist Stephen Fulton and she was already singing with enough skill at age ten to help celebrate Clark Terry’s 75th birthday in 1995.

Many vocalists influenced Champian: “My favorite vocalist when I was a little girl is Dinah Washington. Then later, I fell in love with Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams and Jay McShann. I love the blues; I'm from Oklahoma.” As a pianist, she has many inspirations. “I always loved the block chord players, Red Garland, Errol Garner, Fats Waller, and Count Basie.” Yet her approach to performing draws from many of them without mimicry. “I wanted to take all those things that I loved and smoosh them together. Even though I feel like some of them don't naturally go together.”

Champian enrolled at SUNY Purchase at 17, where she studied with Dena DeRose and Hal Galper. “I was an odd student; I was from Oklahoma and already working professionally, playing and singing. I had a clear idea about what I wanted to do.” But she is much more than a ballad singer; she is known to include instrumentals by Charlie Parker, Earl Hines or Gigi Gryce and others in her sets.

WYCLIFFE GORDON

Wycliffe Gordon: The Gospel Truth in Jazz

by Angel Beanland

Wycliffe Gordon doesn’t just play music – he tells stories. His trombone reverberates with echoes of Sunday mornings in the Southern Black Baptist church, hymns rising like prayers, the sermon cutting through the air, and the congregation lifting their voices in song. For Wycliffe, jazz isn’t simply an art form – it’s his testimony, the bridge between sacred traditions and boundless creativity.

Few musicians embody versatility like Wycliffe, a true polymath who plays an astounding 23 instruments. From trombone to trumpet, piano to didgeridoo, each adds to his vast vocabulary. But his trombone remains his truest voice – a deeply vocal instrument capable of emotion, connection and uplift.

“I wanted to dispel the myth of a separation between Gospel music and jazz,” Wycliffe says, reflecting his belief in the spiritual underpinnings of jazz. His breakthrough album, The Gospel Truth, affirms that Gospel and jazz are two sides of the same coin. Sacred hymns blend seamlessly with jazz improvisation, creating a sound that is both timeless and vital.

Born in Waynesboro, GA, Wycliffe grew up immersed in music’s spiritual possibilities. His father, a classical musician and church pianist, taught him to see music as a universal gift – whether it came from Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, or Bobby Blue Bland. His mother believed good music was simply good music, regardless of genre, as long as it connected people.

“We were in church every Sunday,” Wycliffe remembers. “The singing and the preaching became a part of how I express myself and interpret music, even now.”

Those church traditions became the foundation of Wycliffe’s artistic voice. Watching singers stir congregations with emotion – not technical precision – instilled in him the understanding that music should move the soul.

SULLIVAN FORTNER

The Evolving Cycle of Sullivan Fortner

by Ronald E. Scott

Pianist and composer Sullivan Fortner has been named the recipient of one of the most prestigious honors in music, The Gilmore’s inaugural 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award. The Award was recently announced at a special ceremony held at The Jerome L. Greene Space in New York City. Marking the largest single gift ever dedicated exclusively to a jazz artist, Fortner receives $300,000 in support of his musical and career goals over the next four years. By being so honored, Fortner steps into a historical trifecta as the first Bell awardee to be African American, American and a jazz musician.

Upon receiving the award Fortner noted, “'With great rewards come great responsibility,' my father often said, which makes me feel like I have a lot to do; I have to get much better--playing, writing and all that. I’m honored my peers took time to recognize me but I’m in it because I just want to play music. I love it.” Tentatively, Fortner says he would like to use some of the funds to form a chorale group with his family to include an album, tour and live concerts.

He earned the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance on Samara Joy’s “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” and the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album alongside Cécile McLorin Salvant for her acclaimed album The Window, on which he serves as both key player and producer. He’s been collaborating with her for a decade, first appearing on her 2017 album Dreams & Daggers and on 2018’s The Window, 2022’s Ghost Song and 2023’s Mélusine, Creative.

In the coming years, jazz annals will mark that the Salvant and Fortner collaborations were just as significant as those by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Lester Young, Carmen McRae and George Shearing.

CHIEF XIAN ATUNDE ADJUAH

Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah: Breath, Spirit, and the Bandstand

by Chrys L. Roney

To experience Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah – whether on record or stage – is to encounter not just a boundary-breaking jazz artist but a living vessel for sacred jazz. His artistry is rooted in devotion: a sacred walk shaped by ancestral remembrance, innovation, and humility.

Born in New Orleans, Chief Adjuah draws deeply from Maroon and Black Indian traditions, which teach resistance and ritual. From his earliest years, music was more than an art – it was a bridge connecting generations. Today, he insists: “When we take the bandstand, we’re not just taking it as us… we open our avatars and spirits to be receivers for those who came before us, and other divine powers who join the circle.”

For Adjuah, jazz is not merely sound but living memory – a communal ceremony for healing and transformation.

The trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer (formerly known as Christian Scott) is also a cultural warrior, using music as a platform to confront systemic injustice and uplift ancestral memory. As Chieftain of the Xodokan Nation of Maroons and Grand Griot of New Orleans, his titles honor a lineage rooted in African diasporic traditions and recognize his family’s deep contributions to music, culture, and storytelling.

TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON

CD Review/Feature

Terri Lyne Carrington’s We Insist! 2025: A Cinematic Protest

We live in a moment shaped by media – by scrolling, watching, and constantly witnessing the world through a stream of images. Our emotional register feels different from the 1960s: less explosive, more internal, held in by a kind of collective composure. Terri Lyne Carrington’s We Insist! 2025 meets that reality with unmistakable truth. She doesn’t attempt to recreate the raw fire of Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln; that kind of reenactment would feel like performance, not purpose. Instead, her interpretation of the Freedom Now Suite lands with a quieter force – one that reflects the temperament of this generation. The album unfolds like a film: scene by scene, it invites listeners to absorb its textures as if experiencing a story. It doesn’t shout its urgency; it lets the urgency emerge from within.

Terri’s connection to Max is deeply personal. “Max was really important to me,” she explains. “He encouraged me, had me over to the house, put me on stage whenever he could. That kind of apprenticeship is why I’m where I am.” Terri carries this lineage with quiet confidence, a sense of purpose inherited from the music itself. It’s the same purpose that has shaped her career as a GRAMMY Award-winning drummer, composer, and bandleader; as a collaborator with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Dianne Reeves; and as the founder of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, where she works to widen access to this art form.

SONNY ROLLINS & RENE MCLEAN

Sonny Rollins and Rene McLean – My Favorite Interview

by Ronald E. Scott

My 2025 interview with the colossal saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins had to be my favorite article of the year. Once saxophonist Rene McLean confirmed our interview with him, my anxiety set in. My heart was beating faster than a riffin’ Sonny tenor solo.

Research and preparation are allotted for all my interviews, but for NEA Jazz Master Sonny Rollins, panic grabbed me. What do I ask a global artist who's been interviewed by every major publication in the world, and the subject of many books, including the recent autobiography Saxophone Colossus: The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins by Aidan Levy (2023)? Finally, after hours of reading interviews and viewing YouTube, a few questions resonated that were worthy of asking our jazz treasure. Rene and I compared notes and came up with a few more questions; now we were ready. Well, Rene was much more confident than I, him being an established legendary musician in his own right and oh yeah, he is Sonny’s godson.

Waking up early on the day of the interview, I was very excited, with enough butterflies in my stomach to hold an entire pavilion of the colorful specimens. I called Rene just to check in; he was ready. We briefly reviewed our questions and came up with a plan B; one never knows! The interview was a three-way phoner with Sonny in Woodstock, NY, McLean in Connecticut, and me in Manhattan, with the three-way call connection originating in California.

THE MARCUS AND RIZA PRINTUP QUARTET

BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH, NJ / JANUARY 3

Trumpeter Marcus Printup, known for his work with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, joins forces with his wife, harpist Riza Printup, in a collaboration that bridges traditional jazz with contemporary arrangements. Marcus has established himself as one of jazz's premier trumpeters through recordings with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers alumni and his own ensembles. Riza brings a unique voice to jazz through her innovative harp techniques, expanding the instrument's role beyond its classical boundaries. Together, the Printups create an intimate musical dialogue that showcases both individual virtuosity and collaborative chemistry. The quartet format allows for extended improvisation and interaction between the musicians, offering audiences an evening of sophisticated jazz interpretation. The church setting provides natural acoustics well-suited to their nuanced approach. JZZ

FRED HERSCH | THOMAS MORGAN | JOHNATHAN BLAKE

VILLAGE VANGUARD / JANUARY 13-18

Pianist Fred Hersch returns to the Village Vanguard with his longtime trio featuring bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Johnathan Blake. This configuration has been Hersch's primary vehicle for over a decade, developing an intuitive group dynamic through extensive touring and multiple recordings. Fred's approach balances lyrical introspection with rhythmic vitality, drawing from the Bill Evans tradition while establishing his own distinctive voice. Morgan brings a singing tone and compositional sensibility to the bass chair, often engaging in conversational exchanges with the piano. Blake's drumming combines sensitivity with propulsive energy, responding to every nuance while maintaining forward momentum. The trio's repertoire typically includes reimagined standards, original compositions, and spontaneous improvisations. Their Vanguard residencies have become anticipated events, with each performance building on their shared musical history while exploring new territories within the piano trio format. JZZ

MONTY ALEXANDER

JAZZ FORUM ARTS / JANUARY 15-16

Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander brings his distinctive Caribbean-influenced jazz style to Jazz Forum Arts for two evenings. Over his six-decade career, Alexander has developed a unique approach that seamlessly blends bebop traditions with reggae rhythms and calypso melodies. Monty's interpretations of American songbook standards often feature unexpected rhythmic shifts and island-inspired reharmonizations. His left hand frequently channels the bass patterns of reggae while his right hand maintains the melodic sophistication of modern jazz piano. Alexander has performed with jazz luminaries including Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, and Frank Sinatra, while also collaborating with reggae artists like Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. His repertoire spans from Duke Ellington compositions to Bob Marley songs, all filtered through his distinctive pianistic voice. These performances will likely showcase both aspects of Monty's musical identity, offering audiences a journey through jazz history with a Caribbean perspective. JZZ

PETER BERNSTEIN QUARTET

VILLAGE VANGUARD / JANUARY 20-25

Guitarist Peter Bernstein leads his quartet through a week-long residency at the Village Vanguard. Bernstein has been a first-call guitarist on the New York jazz scene for over three decades, known for his warm tone and melodic approach rooted in the bebop tradition. Peter's style reflects the influence of mentors, including Jim Hall and Kenny Barron, with whom he worked extensively early in his career. His playing emphasizes lyrical improvisation and harmonic sophistication while maintaining a strong blues sensibility. Bernstein has appeared on over one hundred recordings as both leader and sideman, collaborating with Lou Donaldson, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, and Brad Mehldau among others. His quartets typically feature a front-line partner—either saxophone or trumpet—allowing for conversational interplay and contrasting textures. The guitarist's Vanguard appearances consistently demonstrate his commitment to swinging, melodic jazz that speaks to both traditionalists and contemporary listeners. Lineup: Peter Bernstein – Guitar; Gerald Clayton – Piano; Vicente Archer – Bass; Billy Drummond – Drums. JZZ

CYRUS CHESTNUT

SMOKE JAZZ CLUB / JANUARY 21-25

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut brings his gospel-infused jazz approach to Smoke Jazz Club for a five-night engagement. A native of Baltimore, Chestnut emerged in the early 1990s through work with Betty Carter and Wynton Marsalis before establishing himself as a bandleader. Cyrus's playing draws deeply from the church music of his youth, incorporating gospel harmonies and spiritual fervor into bebop and post-bop frameworks. His touch ranges from delicate ballad interpretations to thunderous, two-handed passages that showcase his technical command. Chestnut has recorded extensively for Atlantic, Warner Brothers, and HighNote Records, exploring everything from jazz standards to classical adaptations. His performances often feature spontaneous medleys that weave together hymns, jazz classics, and original compositions. Cyrus's trio work emphasizes interactive group dynamics while highlighting his distinctive blend of sophistication and soul. These Smoke performances will likely showcase the full spectrum of his pianistic personality. LINEUP: Cyrus Chestnut – piano Dezron Douglas – bass Willie Jones III – piano with special guest Carla Cook – vocals. JZZ

ANEESA STRINGS

BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB - NY / JANUARY 27-28

Bassist-vocalist Anessa Strings brings her multifaceted artistry to Blue Note for two nights. The Oakland-born musician began her professional career remarkably early, recording her first jazz album at thirteen. Strings holds degrees in jazz studies from USC and Michigan State University, credentials that inform her sophisticated approach to composition and arrangement. Anessa's music seamlessly blends jazz with soul and R&B influences, showcasing her dual talents on upright bass and voice. Her two independent releases, "A Shift in Paradigm" (2014) and "Ways" (2019), demonstrate her evolution as both composer and producer. Strings's performances often feature her singing while playing bass—a challenging combination she executes with apparent ease. Anessa's original compositions explore contemporary themes through a jazz lens, while her interpretations of standards reveal deep harmonic understanding. These Blue Note appearances represent a significant milestone for the Bay Area artist, introducing her distinctive voice and bass work to New York's jazz community. JZZ

NICHOLAS PAYTON | BUSTER WILLIAMS | LENNY WHITE

SMOKE JAZZ CLUB / JANUARY 28 - FEBRUARY 1

Trumpeter Nicholas Payton joins forces with bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White for a week-long engagement at Smoke. This intergenerational trio brings together three distinct voices in jazz: Payton's post-Wynton generation modernism, Williams's deep-rooted acoustic bass tradition, and White's fusion-informed drumming. Nicholas has championed what he calls "Black American Music," rejecting genre boundaries while maintaining strong ties to New Orleans brass traditions. Buster's six-decade career includes pivotal work with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Betty Carter. Lenny gained prominence with Return to Forever before establishing himself as a versatile drummer across jazz, funk, and R&B contexts. The trio format will likely highlight each musician's compositional voice alongside collective improvisation. Payton's trumpet work ranges from muted introspection to brilliant technical displays, while Williams and White provide both supportive and provocative rhythmic frameworks. This collaboration promises dynamic interplay between three musicians who represent different eras yet share common musical ground. JZZ

TIM ARMACOST SEXTET

JAZZ FORUM ARTS / JANUARY 30-31

Tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost leads his sextet for two nights at Jazz Forum Arts. A Tokyo resident since 1998, Armacost brings a unique perspective to hard bop traditions through his decades-long immersion in Japan's jazz scene. Tim's robust tenor sound draws from the Dexter Gordon–Gene Ammons lineage while incorporating contemporary harmonic concepts. His compositions often feature intricate horn arrangements that showcase the sextet format's orchestral possibilities. Armacost studied at Pomona College and later with Joe Henderson, influences evident in his approach to improvisation. Tim has released several albums on Japanese labels, documenting his evolution as both player and composer. The sextet configuration allows for rich harmonic textures through three-horn voicings, while maintaining the flexibility for extended solo features. Armacost's groups typically balance original compositions with reimagined standards, emphasizing collective interplay. His performances showcase the deep swing feel and melodic invention that have made him a fixture in Tokyo's jazz community. JZZ

ALOE BLACC

BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB - NY / JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 1

Singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc brings his soul-influenced repertoire to Blue Note for three nights. Born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III in California, Blacc gained mainstream recognition with "I Need a Dollar" and his vocals on Avicii's "Wake Me Up." Aloe's musical foundation includes jazz influences absorbed during his upbringing in Orange County's diverse music scene. His approach combines classic soul vocal techniques with contemporary production, often incorporating live instrumentation that reflects his appreciation for jazz arrangements. Blacc studied linguistics and psychology at USC, bringing a thoughtful approach to his songwriting. Aloe's performances typically feature a full band, allowing for extended instrumental passages and reimagined versions of his recorded material. His repertoire spans original compositions and selective covers that highlight his vocal range and interpretive skills. Blacc's Blue Note engagement represents a return to more intimate venues, where his dynamic vocal delivery and connection to jazz-soul traditions can be fully appreciated in a club setting. CLR

LOUIS HAYES

DIZZY'S / JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 1

Drummer Louis Hayes brings his quintet to Dizzy's for three nights, continuing a career that spans seven decades of jazz history. A Detroit native, Hayes emerged from the city's fertile jazz scene to become one of hard bop's defining drummers. Louis anchored the Cannonball Adderley Quintet from 1959 to 1965 and co-led the Louis Hayes–Junior Cook Quintet. His crisp, propulsive style helped shape landmark recordings with Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson, and McCoy Tyner. Hayes participated in John Coltrane's early Impulse! sessions and recorded extensively for Blue Note and Prestige. Louis's approach emphasizes melodic drumming within a swinging framework, influencing generations of players. At eighty-seven, Hayes maintains an active performance schedule, leading groups that often feature rising talents alongside veteran players. His current quintet repertoire includes compositions from his extensive discography plus arrangements of jazz standards. Hayes's performances demonstrate the continuity between bebop's founding principles and contemporary jazz expression. LINEUP: Louis Hayes, drums Abraham Burton, tenor saxophone Steve Nelson, vibes David Hazeltine, piano Gerald Cannon, bass JZZ

CRAIG HARRIS

CRAIG HARRIS ORBITS INTO 2026

by Ronald E. Scott

Conversing with the prolific trombonist, composer and bandleader Craig Harris is just as spiritually intriguing as his music. He sparks cultural awareness with intense grooves as he plays, swings and sings; there’s a message in his music like the Sound of Philadelphia (Gamble and Huff), Randy Weston, Amiri Baraka and Gil Scott Heron. He was influenced by his professor and mentor, Makanda Ken McIntyre, while attending SUNY Old Westbury. His musical journey began when touring with the eclectic cosmic music genius Sun Ra which landed him on a path with the ranks of creative music’s most progressive leaders, a path that he continues on today and is often leading the way.

Using art as cultural facilitation to promote change in the Harlem community, and the world at large, Craig has flexed his musical voice to comment on social injustice and humanity, as a 2022 NAACP Image Award nominee for his co-composition of the score for Judas and the Black Messiah (the Oscar-winning film). That same year, he released his record, Managing the Mask (Aquastra). This release is another example of Craig’s music that grabs the soul. All 13 tracks are filled with, as he says, “righteous music, great black music / yes the world can really use it.”

On a brisk, cold Saturday afternoon, we sat in Craig’s Harlem brownstone (where some years ago, he presented regular live jazz soirees) as he reflected on his past year and upcoming projects. “2025 was a hard year, because we lost a lot of our European audience due to these political times,” says Craig. “We have a commitment to our ancestors – as long as we play music in the community, it keeps the community alive; it’s really a ritual live meditation for the community.”

MARSHALL ALLEN

Still Playing for the 21st Century: Marshall Allen at 101

The stage lights catch the gleam of his alto saxophone as Marshall Allen steps forward, 101 years into a life dedicated to impossible music. Behind him, the Sun Ra Arkestra launches into "Space Is the Place," and suddenly time collapses—it could be 1968, 1993, or last Tuesday. The only constant is Marshall himself, playing notes that seem to arrive from somewhere beyond the stratosphere.

"Imagination is the magic carpet," Marshall says. "It'll take your soul to distant lands. And outer space."

Born May 25, 1924, in Louisville, Kentucky, Marshall has spent nearly seven decades as keeper of one of jazz's most radical flames. As the longtime lead alto saxophonist and current leader of the Sun Ra Arkestra, he embodies a living link to a visionary who claimed to be from Saturn and transformed American music. But Marshall is no mere caretaker of a museum piece. At 101, he continues to push the music into uncharted territories.

His centennial year brought unprecedented recognition when Marshall was named Jazz Musician of the Year for 2025—a testament not just to his historical significance, but to his ongoing vitality. At an age when most musicians have long since put down their instruments, Marshall continues to lead the Arkestra with the same cosmic energy that first drew him to Sun Ra's orbit nearly seventy years ago.

"We're playing his music, and we're playing it with different interpretations," Marshall explains. "Yesterday we played it one way, today we play it slightly different." This philosophy—honoring tradition while embracing constant change—defines his stewardship of Sun Ra's legacy.

Magazine

GARY BARTZ

JON FADDIS

DANNY SIMMONS

LYNNE ARRIALE

CHUCHO VALDES

JOE LOVANO

BILL PIERCE

DAVE KIKOSKI

DANILO PEREZ

EMILY KING

STACEY KENT

ROSCOE MITCHELL

GRACE JONES

JANELLE MONÁE

ANAT COHEN

JALEEL SHAW

CAMILLE THURMAN

BIG CHIEF DONALD HARRISON

PAUL CARR AND VANESSA RUBIN

BUSTER WILLIAMS

RON CARTER

WILLIAM PARKER

MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER

VICTORY BOYD

ANAT COHEN

MARCUS GILMORE

ABDULLAH IBRAHIM

GOLDINGS-BERSTEIN-STEWART

JAZZMEIA HORN

AC LINCOLN

CHAMPIAN FULTON

WYCLIFFE GORDON

SULLIVAN FORTNER

CHIEF XIAN ATUNDE ADJUAH

TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON

SONNY ROLLINS & RENE MCLEAN

THE MARCUS AND RIZA PRINTUP QUARTET

FRED HERSCH | THOMAS MORGAN | JOHNATHAN BLAKE

MONTY ALEXANDER

PETER BERNSTEIN QUARTET

CYRUS CHESTNUT

ANEESA STRINGS

NICHOLAS PAYTON | BUSTER WILLIAMS | LENNY WHITE

TIM ARMACOST SEXTET

ALOE BLACC

LOUIS HAYES

CRAIG HARRIS

MARSHALL ALLEN