THE COOKERS

SMOKE / JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 2

In jazz, the phrase "cooking" denotes a high-energy, dynamic level of improvisation, and with the super-group known as the Cookers, that’s precisely what you get. Founded in 2007 by trumpeter David Weiss, the group originated as a tribute to Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan's famous live album, The Night of the Cookers: Live at Club la Marchal (Blue Note, 1965). The septet features David Weiss, tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart, each a star in their own right. Their music, rooted in hard bop, is energetic, joyous and deftly arranged by Weiss. This group brings lifetimes of jazz experience to their performance, ensuring improvisational chemistry at the highest level. Each musician has carved a unique niche in jazz history, transmitting the legacy and spirit of the many jazz greats they have encountered to their audience. -JZ

CAUTIOUS CLAY AND THE COMMUNITY

BLUE NOTE / FEBRUARY 1

Josh Karpeh, the musician who goes by the name of Cautious Clay, may have something more in common with one of his idols, the legendary Stevie Wonder. Like Stevie, Cautious plays a number of instruments, including the flute. Cautious may also have something in common with another idol, Burt Bacharach, from whom he got a yen for composing, or that other legend, Q, or Quincy Jones, from whom he learned the importance of arrangements and production. Putting this together, plus an uncommon gift for rhymes and making every song tell a story, is all Cautious. This musical omnivore is a true rarity. He’s a poet / and his mama know it … And so will you when Cautious busts a rhyme with The Community. RDG

EJ STRICKLAND

SMALLS NYC / FEBRUARY 1

Enoch Jamal "E.J." Strickland will bring his dynamic and multifaceted performance to Smalls Jazz Club in New York City. Strickland, a significant force on over 60 albums in the past decade, will showcase his diverse influences and exceptional talent as both a drummer and composer. Raised in a creative household in Miami and trained at the New School in New York, Strickland has developed a distinctive sound under the guidance of jazz luminaries like Reggie Workman and Buster Williams, along with early professional experiences with Ravi Coltrane and Russell Malone.

Strickland's performance at Smalls Jazz Club is expected to highlight his eclectic influences, blending Latin, Afrobeat, hip-hop, and jazz elements. With his quintet supporting him, his precise and soulful drumming will captivate the audience, affirming his reputation as a world-class musician with a powerful and innovative voice in contemporary jazz. CLR

MIKI HAYAMA

"FROM TOKYO TO TIMES SQUARE" / FEBRUARY 4 AT KLAVIERHAUS

Miki Hayama, a virtuoso jazz pianist from Kyoto, Japan, will headline a concert titled "From Tokyo to Times Square" on February 4. This event is part of a series highlighting female jazz pianists from Japan, and honors Toshiko Akiyoshi, a trailblazer in the American jazz scene. Miki's performances, whether on piano or synthesizer, showcase her dazzling technique and deep spiritual expression. Acclaimed pianist Kenny Barron praised her for having "great chops and great imagination," while Victor Lewis noted, "This young lady swings as if she's Harlem grown." Miki has collaborated with jazz legends like Victor Herring, Kenny Garrett and Roy Hargrove. At Klavierhaus, she will be joined by brilliant tenor saxophonist Mark Shim. Together, they will perform standards and original compositions, promising an extraordinary performance given their remarkable musicianship. JZ

MIKE STERN

BIRDLAND / FEBRUARY 4-8

Mike Stern is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and eclectic jazz guitarists today. As an early fusion guitarist, he bridged the styles of rock, blues and jazz into a blend that has been widely emulated. Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery and Alan Holdsworth, Mike has established his unique style. His career includes work with jazz legends such as Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Jaco Pastorius and Billy Cobham. In 2016, Mike suffered serious nerve damage in his right hand after a fall, but his recovery and musical comeback have been triumphant. Mike's compositions, like "Wing and a Prayer," are plaintive and soulful. At Birdland, Mike will be joined by an all-star group featuring Randy Brecker on trumpet, Daryl Jones on bass, Dennis Chambers on drums, and his wife, Leni Stern, on guitar. JZ

JEREMY PELT

JAZZMOBILE / FEBRUARY 5

Described by Chamber Music magazine as possessing “poignant and powerful trumpet tones which nod to the kings of the instrument, most audibly Booker Little and Donald Byrd,” the Los Angeles native and Berklee-educated trumpeter/bandleader Jeremy Pelt has been one of the most durable and diverse trumpeters on the New York scene for the last three decades. A valued sideman with the Mingus Big Band, Ravi Coltrane, the Skatalites and many others, Jeremy has released nearly 20 recordings as a leader, including his 2024 release, Tomorrow’s Another Day (HighNote). He’s also the author of Griot, a series of books featuring Q&As with jazz musicians. Jeremy leads a quartet at the winter Jazzmobile session at the Interchurch Center in New York City, with velvet trumpet tones to light up Manhattan. E.H.

JACKY TERRASSON

SMOKE JAZZ CLUB NYC / FEBRUARY 5-9

Jacky Terrasson, an innovative and original pianist, has redefined the sound and possibilities of the classic piano trio for over 30 years. Leading an exciting trio with bassist Burniss Travis and drummer Eric Harland, Terrasson continues to push the boundaries of jazz performance. His inspired repertoire, bracing solos, and dramatic ensemble interplay are hallmarks of his celebrated musical style. Notably, special guest Grégoire Maret will join the trio on harmonica for the performances on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. With a career marked by constant evolution and creativity, Terrasson consistently captivates audiences with his fresh interpretations and dynamic energy. He is set to perform at Smoke Jazz Club in New York City from February 5 to 9, bringing his distinctive blend of innovation and tradition to one of the city's premier jazz venues. CLR

NEW JAZZ UNDERGROUND

TRIBECA PAC / FEBRUARY 7

The saxophonist Abdias Armenteros, bassist Sebastian Rios and drummer TJ Reddick – composers one and all – may have a certain “undergroundness” about them. Especially since they exploded on the "overground" scene with a song featuring the sensational – albeit risqué – lyrical lines (appropriately bleeped here to protect the faint-hearted): “they can hate but we still swingin’”, “f**k/s**t/c**t/jazz,” “sad boy jazz…” But their music has a technical rigor and elegance that was born of street-cred and sophisticated, elegant conservatoire-driven education at the Julliard School. Which is why there ain’t no one who can ignore them, and why they performed with the likes of Jon Batiste and Sullivan Fortner, Emmet Cohen and ELEW ... and have even broadcast on NPR. where they have flashed like so much powerful, elegant fire. RDG

CLAUDIA ACUÑA

CARNEGIE HALL / FEBRUARY 7

Claudia Acuña – vocalist and storyteller – not only digs deep down into the soul of her humanity, but also into the heart of her Chilean musical heritage. Then she surfaces for air, singing gloriously. Her songs reflect both heart and humanity to reflect sorrows and joys, doubts and certitude, bittersweetness and turbulence. The celebrated vocalist brings her lovingly crafted curated repertoire of Latin American standards, which she notes “have lived from generation through generation beyond language and borders” to Carnegie Hall. A special treat will be songs, festive and poignant, made famous to listeners by Nat King Cole’s trio of Spanish-language albums. Come and be captivated by Claudia. RDG

JOE LOVANO

VILLAGE VANGUARD / FEBRUARY 11-23

There are not too many grown men (and women) who are NOT Black or Afro-Caribbean and have yet been able to pierce the celebrated Black codes from the underground and who have been able to penetrate the magical mysteries of the idiom of jazz. Happily, the tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano is one of them. Early in life, Joe paid his dues on bandstands with Jack McDuff, Lonnie Smith, Woody Herman, Mel Lewis and many others. In the 1990s, Joe formed the historic Saxophone Summit with fellow jazz elder sojourners Dave Liebman and Michael Brecker (upon whose passing Ravi Coltrane took his place). More recently, Joe has brought so much joy by interpreting the jazz songbook with trumpeter Dave Douglas and others. Soon he hosts a fabulous ensemble at a short residency at the Village Vanguard. RDG

RENÉE MANNING

DROM - EAST VILLAGE / FEBRUARY 13

Renée Manning, renowned vocalist and composer, has dedicated over 35 years to educating students across a vast age range. Her tenure as the Vocal Chair at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music spans a decade, during which she secured multiple grants, notably from Met Life, for her exceptional choral work with the Prospect Hill Senior Center in Brooklyn. Her career is a testament to her versatility and excellence, having toured, performed, and recorded alongside legends such as Taj Mahal, Carmen McRae, and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as David “Fat Head” Newman, Nat Adderley, and the Mingus Big Band, among many others. Manning's contribution extends beyond performance; she has been a teaching and performance artist in countless educational and senior settings, collaborating with organizations like the Brooklyn Arts Council. As a protégé of Carmine Caruso, she devised a unique vocal method. She is the Co-Founder of Excelsior Music Studio. Manning will perform on February 13 at Drom NYC to celebrate her 70th birthday. CLR

BENNY GREEN

MEZZROW / FEBRUARY 14 & 15

Benny Green is a virtuoso jazz pianist who grew up in the San Francisco-Berkeley area. Considered a brilliant musician at an early age, Benny had already secured a gig playing Oakland’s renowned Yoshi’s jazz club, while still in high school. Playing predominantly in the bebop and hard bop styles, Benny was asked to join a quintet led by trumpet legend Eddie Henderson while still a teenager. That was followed by career-molding apprenticeships playing with Betty Carter and with Art Blakey. Benny’s playing often draws comparisons to Oscar Peterson whom Benny considered a mentor. Oscar invited Benny to collaborate with him on a duets album. Partnerships at that level don't happen from sheer luck. Rather, they’re reflective of the immense talent and hard work that Benny put in to become one of the jazz piano’s most acclaimed and accomplished players. You can hear Benny this month in a solo performance at Mezzrow. JZ

RANDY BRECKER

IRIDIUM NYC / FEBRUARY 14 & 15

Legendary American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer, Randy Brecker, whose career spans over five decades. Known for his versatility, Brecker has made a lasting impact on jazz, rock, and fusion music. He first gained prominence with Blood, Sweat & Tears before co-founding the Brecker Brothers Band with his saxophonist brother, Michael Brecker. They became pioneers of the jazz-fusion movement, earning multiple Grammy Awards and influencing generations of musicians. Brecker has graced countless recordings, from his solo projects to collaborations with James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa, and Jaco Pastorius. Brecker has also toured extensively, sharing his technical brilliance and emotive playing with audiences worldwide. His solo discography includes critically acclaimed albums that showcase his wide-ranging artistry. Despite his success, Brecker remains dedicated to mentoring young musicians and advancing the art of improvisation. Brecker appears at Iridium Jazz Club NYC February 14-15. CLR

ELEW TRIO

SMALLS / FEBRUARY 17

Camden native Eric Lewis won The Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition in 1999, played with Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, and Elvin Jones and recorded his debut album. Ignored by the critics, he rebranded himself as ELEW: a flamboyant pianist and DJ who created a pianistic mix of boogie-woogie, ragtime and Afro-Latin rhythms he called RockJazz. As ELEW, he worked with The Roots, Lil Wayne and Sting, recorded RockJazz, Vols 1 & 2 (Ninjazz Entertainment) And To the Republic (Sunnyside) and a solo piano recording ELEW Plays Rosenwinkel - Cubism (Heartcore). But at his core, ELEW is still a straight-ahead jazz pianist. When you see him at Smalls with drummer David Hawkins and bassist Bar Filipowicz, you’ll encounter an Art Tatum-level pianism that astonishes and astounds. E.H.

ROBERT GLASPER WITH SPECIAL GUEST LALAH HATHAWAY

COUNT BASIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS / FEBRUARY 20

The multi-GRAMMY Award-winning keyboardist, composer, and bandleader Robert Glasper's concerts offer a continuum that includes modern post-bop jazz and hip-hop, from Herbie Hancock to J Dilla. His Black Radio recordings (Blue Note) feature collaborations with Bilal, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jill Scott, Mos Def and Lupe Fiasco. Robert’s most enduring collaborator is the incomparable vocalist Lalah Hathaway, who first teamed up with him on his initial Black Radio album, delivering a compelling cover of Sade’s “Cherish the Day.” Lalah, who released her critically acclaimed Vantablack album (Virgin Music Group) last year, will likely reprise her sumptuous Sade cover with Robert during this performance, promising a magnificent evening of music to treasure. E.H.

UNIT 5: THE MUSIC OF ADDERLEY & NANCY WILSON WITH BEN ALLISON, MICHAEL WOLFF, CAMILLE THURMAND & DARRYL GREEN

BIRDLAND / FEBRUARY 20-23

In 1962, Capitol Records released Cannonball Adderley & Nancy Wilson, an 11-track LP of standards and original compositions pairing the popular alto saxophonist with a young chanteuse from Ohio. The album reached number 30 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and launched Nancy’s long career as a self-described “song stylist.” Today, pianist Michael Wolff, who played with both Cannonball and Nancy, joins Ben Allison on bass, drummer Darrell Green, and his wife, saxophonist/vocalist Camille Thurman, to form Unit 4 – a homage to the album’s instrumental track “Unit Seven,” written by Cannonball’s bassist Sam Jones. This 21st-century quartet will perform selections from that album, including classics like Nat Adderley’s “The Old Country,” “The Masquerade Is Over,” and “A Sleeping Bee.” A musical love letter six decades in the making. E.H.

JESSE DAVIS

JAZZ FORUM / FEBRUARY 21-22

Jesse Davis is a New Orleans native and graduate of Ellis Marsalis’s New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). The veteran alto saxophonist made his mark as a leader with a number of acclaimed records for Concord Jazz, where he was known for his adept navigation of complex bop works and proving himself as a lush ballad interpreter. Jesse left for Italy in 2002, collaborating with fellow expatriates like John Marshall, Alvin Queen and Ronald Baker, in addition to marrying and raising a family. Jesse’s latest album is Live at Small’s Jazz Club (Cellar Music), featuring Spike Wilner, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth. For this rare opportunity to hear him live, Jesse is joined by pianist Spike Wilner, bassist John Webber and drummer Minchan Kim.—KD

BLACK ART JAZZ COLLECTIVE

DIZZY'S / FEBRUARY 23

Founded by tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffrey, a major soloist in the Mingus Big Band, the Black Art Jazz Collective’s first gig was at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2013, so this concert is their welcome return home. Simply put, this group was created to celebrate the Black creators of jazz, including Miles Davis, Woody Shaw, Jackie McLean and Art Blakey. The group has released four albums from 2016 to 2024: Presented by the Side Door Jazz Club (Sunnyside), Armor of Pride (HighNote), Ascension (HighNote) and Truth to Power (HighNote). The current roster features Wayne, trumpeter Josh Evans, trombonist James Burton III, pianist Victor Gould, bassist Rashaan Carter and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr. This sizzling sextet will definitely lift every jazzy voice and swing on this Black History Month date. E.H.

ESPERANZA SPALDING

BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB NYC / FEBRUARY 18-23 & FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 2

Multi-Grammy Award-winning bassist, vocalist, and composer Esperanza Spalding, also known as irma nejando, is an artist rooted in the North American jazz tradition. Her multifaceted work spans instrumental music, improvisation, singing, composition, poetry, dance, therapeutic research, storytelling, and regenerative agriculture. She co-founded Prismid Inc., a non-profit supporting artist residencies in Portland. Her recent projects include the opera “…(Iphigenia)” with Wayne Shorter, a mockumentary with brontë velez and the San Francisco Symphony, and research on liberation rituals in jazz and black dance. Spalding also leads the Songwrights Apothecary Lab, blending music with therapeutic potential, and co-leads Off Brand gOdds, a dance company offering residencies. Her forthcoming installation, “I love being Black/Quit saying I’m Black,” reflects her dedication to supporting eaabibacliitoti artists. Her upcoming 3-week residency is eagerly anticipated. CLR

MELISSA ALDANA

VILLAGE VANGUARD / FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 2

The GRAMMY Award-nominated poetess of the saxophone, Melissa Aldana is celebrated by her peers for her sound that is bright and punchy, her rhythms that are crisp, and projections of the themes and related issues that are sharp-edged, almost metallic. With a growing discography, she has earned herself an enviable reputation for taking the gift of music and paying it forward, not with lip-service but like a true artist, sculpting the shaping the changeable amorphous and immortal idiom of jazz. Melissa will be front and center with her quintet to feature her latest, most poignant repertoire. Her expectant audience can, for its part, be guaranteed to be driven delightfully mad by her music that is eloquent, bright and “switched on” with ardor and weightiness. RDG

BILLY CHILDS

Billy Childs: From L.A. with Love

by Eugene Holley, Jr.

In 1988, Billy Childs was a young, Los Angeles-born pianist/composer bursting with promise when he released his first major label release, Take For Example This (Windham Hill).

Four decades later, that promise has been fulfilled: today, Billy is a multi-GRAMMY Award-winning artist, with 17 albums as a leader to his credit. His most recent albums on the Mack Avenue label include Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro (2014), a star-studded tribute featuring Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spalding and Wayne Shorter; Rebirth (2017); Acceptance (2020) and The Winds of Change (2023). They all feature compositions by Billy that brim with cutting-edge, angular melodic lines, sophisticated harmonies, dreamy ballads, and straight-ahead swing.

Billy brings that music to Columbia University’s Miller Theater, supported by a simpatico quartet that features trumpeter Sean Jones, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Ari Hoenig. “We’ll probably play ‘The Winds of Change,’ ‘Master of the Game,’ [Chick Corea’s] ‘Crystal Silence’ and maybe ‘Backwards Bop’ and ‘Dance of Shiva,’” Billy says. For him, the quartet’s sensitive accompaniment reaches classical proportions.

“Jazz is chamber music,” Billy says, “if you think of the definition of chamber music as a conductor-less [ensemble], one person to a part. The nature of the music is interdependency; everyone is depending on the next person to keep track of things. And so in that regard, these improvisations and the interpretations of the melodies are chamber-like. When you start playing with people like this, then they have such a command over their instruments and their concepts, when they see new music, they already can figure out how to arrange it … It’s a spontaneous way of composing that makes it interdependent like a chamber group.”

NIKARA WARREN

Nikara Warren: The Symphonic Power of Being Human
by Raul da Gama

In the year 2020, much of the world was held hostage by the global pandemic and, thanks to the lockdown, were also not exactly gainfully employed. But not Nikara Warren, granddaughter of the iconic jazz pianist Kenny Barron. The brilliantly educated Nikara, sassy, savvy, and highly opinionated in things most socially-relevant, a full-time composer, vibraphonist, and hip-hop rhymester and vocalist, was busy putting finishing touches on one of the most genre-bending septets – Black Wall Street Tulsa, Oklahoma.

For the uninitiated, the name of Nikara’s ensemble is a reference to a heinous event in Black American History. Atlanta Black Star’s Christina Montford reminds us of that. “In 1906, Ottaway ‘O.W.’ Gurley, a wealthy African-American from Arkansas, moved to Tulsa and purchased over 40 acres of land that he made sure was only sold to other African-Americans.”

Seeing opportunities in Tulsa, Gurley sold his store and purchased 40 acres of land in north Tulsa in 1906. In time, this prosperous area became known as the Greenwood District. O.W.'s intent for Greenwood was to establish a community-led and run by enterprising Black Americans. We all know what happened next. However, just in case, Nikara’s pulsating song “Solar Plexus” has a musical reminder for us that goes straight to the gut.

Its rhythmic propulsion is evocative of the Black Wall Street Tulsa Oklahoma massacre, when in two frenzied days of white supremacist terrorist rioting, mobs of white residents, attacked black residents. They burned and destroyed more than 35 square blocks of the neighborhood housing one of the wealthiest black communities in the United States, known as “Black Wall Street.” The heinous crime left 36 Black Americans dead, 800 admitted to hospitals, and as many as 6,000 interred in large facilities.

AVISHAI COHEN

AVISHAI COHEN – PUSHING BOUNDARIES

By John Zaff

Avishai Cohen is a world-renowned bass player whose lifetime devotion to mastering his instrument has put him onto almost every jazz critic’s list of best contemporary bass players. There are several key factors that account for his rise to such prominence. Firstly, of course, Avishai is a virtuoso bassist, but perhaps that is the least of the reasons that his playing and his music fascinate and enthrall so many of his fans. As a composer, his works are deeply expressive and moving in a way that encompasses real emotional depth. Yet another important ingredient in Avishai’s secret sauce is his talent and ability to fuse together musical genres and sounds from his diverse cultural influences, often blurring and weaving them into something completely new. The broad musical palette that Avishai taps into as a composer has an interesting backstory, reflecting the sundry and diverse roads he’s traveled on in his lifetime.

JON GORDON

The Resilient Journey of Jon Gordon: Saxophonist, Composer, and Educator

by Ken Dryden

Jon Gordon is renowned as an alto saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and jazz educator, but his early life was a challenge, growing up impoverished with his loving but troubled mother.

Jon took music lessons in high school and was friends with pianist Bill Charlap and bassist Sean Smith. He recalls, “Bill played me a lot of stuff; that was my introduction to most things because we had so few records at home.”

Another great friend was saxophonist Jay Rodriguez, a fellow high school classmate. “Jay played me a bunch of records and a couple were by Phil Woods. I flipped out hearing Song for Sisyphus and Musique du Bois; that's when I realized I had the saxophone, and this was my passion, that's what I want to sound like.”

Jon’s goal was to study with Phil, repeatedly asking him for lessons over the course of a year. Jon says, “Finally, he looked at me and said, ‘Well, can you play?’ And I stammered. He threw his card down and said, ‘Call my wife. You got to pay me whether you can play or not.’”

The first two lessons with Phil were incredibly inspiring for Jon, but the third got off to a rocky start due to the sudden death of Phil’s good friend and mentor, Budd Johnson. Jon was already on the bus to Stroudsburg, as there was no way to reach him. Jon notes, “I got in the car with Phil and he said, ‘You better know why you're doing this. I lost too many great people who've given their lives for this music. You better want to change the world with it. Otherwise, don't come in my house.’”

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