NASAR ABADEY AND SUPERNOVA

DC JAZZFEST / AUGUST 31

Washington, D.C.-based drummer, composer, bandleader and educator Nasar Abadey has been one of the city’s most influential musicians since he arrived there in 1977. A drummer of architectural sophistication and spellbinding syncopation, Abadey’s long side person list includes: Dizzy Gillespie, Gary Bartz, Ella Fitzgerald and Sun Ra. Nasar’s Supernova Chamber Orchestra released Mirage (Amosaya) in 2000 and Diamond in the Rough (CD Baby) in 2010, with a live recording at Blues Alley scheduled for November. The drummer leads a sextet version of Supernova at the festival, featuring pianist Allyn Johnson, bassist James B. King, trumpeter Josh Evans, tenor saxophonist Justin Mendez and alto saxophonist Joe Ford, who, like Nasar, hails from Buffalo, NY. Come to Washington and hear how Nasar’s multidimensional and multidirectional music keeps the nation’s capital under a groove. -EH

ADAM RUDOLPH

SUNRISE QUARTETROULETTE / SEPTEMBER 1

Adam Rudolph is one of the more celebrated acolytes of the legendary reeds and woodwinds master, Yusef Lateef, who ascended the rarefied realm to near canonization in a manner not unlike that of John Coltrane. Yusef explored the inner sanctum of spirituality, penetrating music's secrets unlike anyone - including 'Trane. Adam is drawn to the same endeavor - that is, penetrating music's secrets – no matter where the music is created, from the New York to the Amazon, from Africa to India. Along the way, he has discovered that no silence exists that is not pregnant with sound. He will present his mystical discoveries with a beckoning array of percussion instruments, together with his Sunrise Quartet, including Japanese percussionist Kaoru Watanabe, keyboardist Alexis Marcelo and cornetist Stephen Haynes. RDG

DAVE HOLLAND

SMOKE / SEPTEMBER 4-8

British-born bassist Dave Holland is a renowned composer, bandleader and NEA Jazz Master, who has been a trailblazer for his instrument since the mid-1960s. While playing with his trio at the famed London nightclub Ronnie Scotts, at the youthful age of 22, Miles Davis heard him one night, and was so blown away by his playing that Dave got an immediate job offer to pack up and join Miles’ band. In the blink of an eye, Dave had relocated to NYC, replacing Ron Carter in a supergroup that included Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea and Tony Williams. Like the implicit hierarchy of a high school cafeteria, jazz aficionados often judge a player’s pedigree by the level of musicianship of their peers and bandmates. It doesn’t hurt that Dave has played with the best of them, sharing the stage with the likes of Getz, Jarrett, Monk, and a who’s-who of other legendary musicians. But Dave’s career path has always been driven by his talent, virtuosity, and conceptual vision as a composer. His iconic album Conference of the Birds (ECM, 1972) and subsequent albums with Sam Rivers, as well as his Gateway albums, are considered classics that exerted great influence on others. Dave has worked in such a wide variety of styles, including fusion, free-form experimental and straight ahead, giving the impression of musical evolution without limits. You can hear this maker of jazz history at Smoke September 4 through 8, with Kris Davis on piano, Jaleel Shaw on alto and Nasheet Waits on drums. JZ

MONTY ALEXANDER

JAZZ FORUM / SEPT 6-7

Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander has been a master of American jazz rhythms and Anglophone West Indian riddims for an astonishing six decades. He grew up idolizing jazz pianists, including Nat King Cole and Ahmad Jamal, and moved to the States in the early ’60s. Thanks to Frank Sinatra’s patronage, Alexander worked with many jazz greats, including Ray Brown, Milt Jackson and Dizzy Gillespie, and recorded over 75 recordings as a leader. In the last thirty years, Alexander incorporated reggae into his jazz repertoire. Alexander comes to the Jazz Forum with bassist Luke Sellick and drummer Jason Brown, playing selections from his latest album, D-Day (PeeWee, 2024), highlighting both the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings of June 6, 1944, and his birthday. Come hear the power of Jamaicanized jazz. -EH

STANLEY JORDAN TRIO

IRIDIUM / SEPTEMBER 8-9

Guitarist Stanley Jordan ranges across a panoply of styles, from straight-ahead and smooth jazz to jazz-rock and country. Stanley’s signature sound is not a style, but a technique known as touching or tapping. Instead of plucking or strumming strings with his right hand while fingering notes and chords with his left hand on the fretboard, Stanley touch-taps strings on the board with the fingers of both hands, much like a pianist plays keys. He’s mastered the touch technique to the point that he can play with surprisingly legato phrasing. At this jazz gig, he’ll be revisiting the room where he jammed with the legendary Les Paul in the 1990s. Stanley also leads bands that pay tribute to rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix and jam-rock band The Grateful Dead. The Stanley Jordan Trio plays the Homestead in Morristown, NJ, September 5, and Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club, Portsmouth, NJ, September 6. GK

TESSA SOUTER

DEER HEAD INN / SEPTEMBER 8

What is so attractive about Tessa Souter is the sense of vulnerability that she brings to her interpretations of music. She approaches music with the femininity of her entire being. This is also the reason that you may want to listen deeply to Tessa sing, to drink everything she sings in, as she digs deep into her being to create a sort of eloquently sculpted vocal music from the heart. Her music is at once radiant and sensuous, sung with a smile in the tone, while the warmth of Tessa’s middle register and her strong chest notes are eloquently heard in her subtle, inward performance of every note that might take the music there. Pianist Jim Ridl, bassist Evan Gregor and drummer Billy Drummond will also adorn Tessa’s performance. RDG

INGRID LAUBROCK

BAR BAYEUX / SEPTEMBER 11

Saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock brings her quartet, Ingrid Laubrock’s Grammy Season, featuring Brandon Seabrook on guitar, Shawn Lovato on double bass and Tom Rainey on drums. Acclaimed for her compositional brilliance, Ingrid masterfully blends '60s experimentalism, '70s dynamism, and '80s classical influences into a contemporary jazz tapestry. Critics like Martin Johnson of the Wall Street Journal praise her for the seamless integration of diverse genres, while Stewart Smith of The Wire highlights her ability to create an ever-shifting, cohesive sound. Expect an evening where jazz, avant-rock and chamber music collide, promising an invigorating fluidity and rich melodic interplay that defies categorization. CLR

JAZZMEIA HORN

SMOKE / SEPTEMBER 11-15

The multi-award-winning vocalist, bandleader and author Jazzmeia Horn has been a force on the scene, ever since she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition in 2013 and 2015. Early on, Horn’s vocals blended Betty Carter’s bebop buoyancy and Vaughan’s elegant phrasing, as evidenced by her recordings, A Social Call (Prestige, 2017), Love and Liberation (Concord, 2019), and Dear Love (Empress Legacy, 2021), which featured her 15-piece big band, Noble Force. She also wrote Strive From Within: The Jazzmeia Horn Approach, a vocal instruction book. Horn comes to Smoke performing music from her forthcoming album, Messages, supported by an intimate quartet, featuring pianist Victor Gould, bassist Eric Wheeler, and drummer Greg Artry, singing with a sonic signature that is all her own. -EH

JONATHAN MICHEL

BAR BAYEUX / SEPTEMBER 13

Bassist Jonathan Michel is known for his deep grooves and rich, soulful playing. Jonathan seamlessly fuses elements of jazz, blues and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. His dynamic approach to the double bass and expressive musicality have earned him praise from critics and audiences alike. Jonathan’s performances are a masterclass in musical storytelling, characterized by intricate improvisations and compelling harmonic explorations. Jonathan, alongside his ensemble, will take you on a journey through eclectic soundscapes. CLR

DAVID HANEY

DROM / SEPTEMBER 13

Prepare to be captivated as pianist, composer and storyteller David Haney presents “New York Jazz Stories.” Accompanied by bassist Adam Lane and flutist Cheryl Pyle, David delves deep into the heart of New York City's jazz history, bringing to life the personal stories of jazz icons such as Sonny Rollins, Randy Weston, Gunter Hampel, John McLaughlin and Steve Swallow. Through meticulously transcribed interviews and anecdotes, David’s live performance offers a rich, immersive experience that intertwines music with narrative. Critics have praised David, stating, "Haney tells these tales with the dramatic flair of a Garrison Keillor," (Jerome Wilson, Cadence Magazine) and "One of the most inventive pianists in the USA" (Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery). David’s accomplished career includes collaborations with jazz legends like Andrew Cyrille and Bud Shank, and his work has received acclaim worldwide. Don’t miss this unique celebration of jazz and storytelling.

NORMAN CONNORS, JEAN CARNE

THE CUTTING ROOM / SEPTEMBER 15

Norman Connors is the fabled Philly drummer, composer and orchestra maestro who is known for his sensual R&B charts. He is possibly best known for his 1976 smash hit “You Are My Starship” which was sung by Michael Henderson. Norman is also noted for writing “Take It to The Limit,” another big hit recorded famously with Steely Dan. Before his songwriting career skyrocketed into the stratosphere, Norman was much in demand as a drummer and even played with John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and Archie Shepp. He is making waves with his Starship Orchestra, which is featured here with vocalist Jean Carne and the brilliant young violinist Majid Khaliq. RDG

VIJAY IYER TRIO

ARTS WESTCHESTER / JAZZFEST WHITE PLAINS / SEPTEMBER 16

Composer, bandleader, pianist, educator, and MacArthur Fellow Vijay Iyer has crafted a protean pianism indebted to Duke Ellington, Thelonius Monk, Alice Coltrane and Geri Allen, honed from his work with Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith and Steve Coleman. Vijay has recorded about 25 albums as a leader in avant-garde, multimedia, classical, and Indian settings, in solo, duo, and sextet chamber ensemble configurations. He’s been leading a quicksilver trio since 2019, consisting of Australian bassist Linda May Han Oh and Newark drummer and fellow MacArthur grantee Tyshawn Sorey. When Vijay and company perform at the ArtsWestchester building as part of JazzFest White Plains, they will draw from Vijay’s deep compositional catalog, which includes selections from their recordings Uneasy (ECM, 2021) and Compassion (ECM, 2024), in a continuous, swing-at-the speed-of-sound set that dances and trances. -EH

BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET

SMOKE / SEPTEMBER 17-22

The eldest Marsalis brother, tenor and soprano saxophonist Branford, brings his quartet to a Big Apple jazz club for the first time since 2019. Over his professional career, which began with the quintet he co-led with his brother, the trumpeter Wynton, Branford has toured and recorded with Sting, jammed with the Grateful Dead, led the Tonight Show with Jay Leno Band, played in various bands in his hometown of New Orleans, and appeared as a soloist with symphony orchestras. For over three decades, he always gravitated back to his quartet, a unit that has had minimal changes in personnel, largely due to death. It is a high-energy ensemble, built along the lines of its template, the classic John Coltrane Quartet. The current band members are Joey Calderazzo, piano; Eric Reevis, bass, and Justin Faulkner, drums. -GK

JEROME SABBAGH

BAR BAYEUX / SEPTEMBER 18

Saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh takes the stage at Bar Bayeux on September 18 to celebrate his newest release, Heart (Analog Tone Factory, 2024). This performance marks a significant milestone, as it’s the first album released on Sabbagh’s own Analog Tone Factory label. Featuring the masterful talents of bassist Joe Martin and the legendary Al Foster on drums, this ensemble promises a night of profound musical expression. Heart showcases Jerome's elegant and creative compositions, characterized by album-length dialogues with the iconic Al, while Joe enriches the interaction with his expert bass lines. Expect a lyrical outing that thrives on conversational interaction and intuitive interplay. Known for his rich tone and nuanced improvisations, Jerome's synergy with Al and Joe threatens to redefine the boundaries of modern jazz in the intimate setting of Bar Bayeux. CLR

STEVE TURRE QUINTET

JAZZ FORUM / SEPTEMBER 21-22

There are few musicians to wait for with greater anticipation than the trombonist and seashellist Steve Turre. This extraordinary artist bestrides two disparate worlds: that of an ancient instrument, the seashell, and a relatively modern one, the trombone. In the world of seashells, he has no peer and will bring shells of varying shapes and sizes, often soloing with several of them. Steve also connects the world of trombonists from Roswell Rudd and Albert Mangelsdorff to Frank Lacy and Wycliffe Gordon. More than anything, Steve has – with Bill Watrous – turned the trombone into an extension of the human voice, and almost single-handedly extended the range of that instrument. His quintet includes saxophonist Ron Blake, pianist Isiaih J Thompson, and drummer Lenny White. RDG

GEORGE CABLES

JAZZ FORUM / SEPTEMBER 26

George Cables comes from a generation of pianists who seemed to caress rather than play the keys of the piano and who dazzled you with an unexpected chord to accompany the simplest of melodic lines. He has never fallen prey to cluttered thoughts or excessively ornamented phrases. His rhythmic bassline melodies are always ingenious, and he seems to carve the very air around you with a retinue of jabs at the ebony and ivory keys as if wielding scythes with magical sharpness. Few can write a ballad like he can. One of these is “Farewell Mulgrew,” a tribute to the pianist Mulgrew Miller. It is almost certain that listeners will leave George’s set as changed human beings, for he is one of the most poignant writers and performers. RDG

SPIKE WILNER

JAZZ FORUM / SEPTEMBER 27

If Spike Wilner had never played piano, he would be remembered as the proprietor of two intimate Greenwich Village jazz clubs, Smalls and Mezzrow. When Spike is not attending to business at either venue, he proves himself as a pianist with a wide stylistic range and deep repertoire of standards, jazz classics and overlooked chestnuts, whether leading his own band, playing solo, or joining another veteran for a gig. Spike has showcased more of his stunning original compositions on recordings over the past few years. Spike’s most recent album is Contrafactus, released earlier this year by Cellar Music, featuring bassist Paul Gill and drummer Anthony Pinciotti, with whom he’s played numerous gigs. Special guest George Garzone joins the trio on tenor saxophone.—KD

OZ NOY, JIMMY HASLIP AND ANTON FIG

IRIDIUM / SEPTEMBER 28

Virtuoso guitarist Oz Noy, legendary bassist Jimmy Haslip and iconic drummer Anton Fig unite for an unforgettable performance. This powerhouse trio will take you on a genre-defying journey, blending elements of jazz, rock, funk and blues into a compelling and innovative musical experience. Oz, renowned for his genre-blending artistry and fluid technique, leads the charge with his adventurous compositions and searing improvisations. Jimmy, co-founder of the Yellowjackets, brings his impeccable groove and sophisticated harmonic sensibility to the mix. Anton, celebrated for his dynamic drumming with the Late Show with David Letterman band, adds rhythmic finesse and explosive energy. Expect a night of virtuosic performances, intricate interplay and spontaneous creativity that pushes musical boundaries. CLR

RICO JONES

SAINT PETERS CHURCH / SEPTEMBER 29

Rico is a young, captivating tenor saxophonist residing in Harlem. He channels the rich tapestry of his ancestry, rooted in the legacies of Chicano activists and his indigenous heritage from North and South America. Raised amidst the fusion of Latino-Indigenous expressions and the vibrant culture of Cure d’Ars, a revered African American church, Rico embodies profound cultural resonance. Guided by luminaries like Eric Wyatt, Bennie Maupin and Charles McPherson, he conjures mesmerizing melodies, weaving sonic tapestries alongside icons such as Philip Harper, Dave Kikoski, Essiet Essiet, Bobby Watson, Sylvia Cuenca and Jeff “Tain” Watts. His upcoming live album, recorded with Giant Step Arts and produced by famed jazz photographer Jimmy Katz, further solidifies his place in the jazz world.

DAN PUGACH BIG BAND

DROM / OCTOBER 1

Since 1988, the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop has been developing and honing the composing/arranging talents of jazz artists, ranging from acolytes like the now acclaimed James Darcy Argue to veterans such as the redoubtable bassist Rufus Reid. Israeli American drummer Dan Pugach is the most recent winner of the Workshop’s BMI Charlie Parker Composition Prize/Manny Albam Commission, for his original “Bianca.” The win spurred Dan to record a big band album, Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Resistance (Outside In Music), featuring his often intricately unfolding compositions, plus a fetching version of Van Halen’s “Dreams.” Sharing solo honors with the band’s instrumentalists is vocalist Nicole Zuraitis, Dan’s wife, who he uses reminiscent of the way Chuck Mangione used Esther Satterfield’s voice. Pugach will be showcasing music from the album at this East Village gig. GK

DIANNE REEVES

DIANNE REEVES: THE RIGHT CHOICE by Joyce Jones

When I connected with Dianne Reeves to gather additional information for this feature, she informed me that she took off for the summer. “Girl, I have my LIFE, my house, my enjoyment, my peace – all of those kinds of things,” she says. Even though Dianne had taken a break, she was working on a recording project with her longtime collaborator and “brother from another mother” Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo. “He’s a very close friend of mine. I enjoy working with him,” she says. The recording is scheduled to be released in January 2025. “After many years of working with Romero, and my love for Brazilian music, because I think that every recording that I’ve ever done, there’s some part of Brazil that shows itself in my work,” says Dianne. “We’ve, for years, done duo concerts, and we (have) a lot of fun and joy together. We decided to go into the studio and do what we’ve always done.” Dianne adds, “It’s a small record, but it’s big with heart, and it shows our relationship with music.”

Although Dianne was born in Detroit, MI, she was raised in her family home of Denver, CO, where she has settled in for quite some time now. Dianne’s grandmother’s father was a founding minister of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Denver. However, a large motivation for steering Dianne into music was her family, as many members were entertainers and musicians. Two of her grandmother’s sisters were entertainers. She has an uncle who was a bassist with the Colorado Symphony for over 40 years. He was the first Black member of the San Francisco Symphony, and he played European classical and jazz bass.

JACK DEJOHNETTE

Jack DeJohnette: Drummer, Pianist, Griot and Jedi in The Fifth World by Raul Da Gama

Fires burning in a pow-wow circle of elders - Jack DeJohnette is probably the youngest of the musician-elders. Grandmother Twylah Nitsch of the Seneca First Nation begins by saying, “Truth becomes our byword.” Jack picks up where Grandmother Twylah leaves off. His notes during this session – Jack DeJohnette: Music for The Fifth World (Manhattan/Somethin’ Else Records, 1992) tell us: “Music is energy, and I feel we need the kind of energy that this recording evokes to create the changes needed to heal ourselves and our environment.”

This gives us an insight into what is probably Jack’s most enduring legacy as a musician and his palimpsest. Then, spinning the disc, we listen to the “Fifth World Anthem”, and immediately we enter the drum circle. Discerning the aroma of sage may not be as axiomatic as it seems. Jack is one of a Dohiyi circle of elders, including fellow drummer Will Callhoun. They (Jack and Will) also play Taos ceremonial drums on the track with Robert Rosario and Dennis Yerry.

Now Jack is singing. Together with the women of the group, they sing and chant (in Seneca), “We’re in the Fifth World that’s ever changing / So make your move this whole world’s rearranging / No need for greed and further separation / We’re in the Fifth World that’s ever-changing / So make your move this world’s rearranging /Make up your mind don’t be stuck in doubt / Come back to truth now it's time to shout it out.” These are English translations of the Seneca lyrics and sound infinitely more affecting on record than they do on paper.

BOBBY SANABRIA

Bobby Sanabria: From the Mambo to the Multiverse by Eugene Holley, Jr.

The Puerto Rican, Bronx-born, drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, and educator Bobby Sanabria speaks the languages of jazz and Latin jazz fluently. An eight-time GRAMMY nominee, Bobby has recorded 10 albums as a leader including Afro-Cuban Dream: Live and in Clave!!! (Arabesque Recordings, 2000) and Kenya Revisited Live!!! (Jazzheads, 2010), his big band recordings with the Multiverse Big Band - which include West Side Story Reimagined (Jazzheads, 2018) - Bobby’s Latin jazz take on the Leonard Bernstein classic, and his latest album, Vox Humana (Jazzheads, 2023), which also features three female vocalists: the multi-GRAMMY winner Janis Siegel from the Manhattan Transfer, Newark’s blues and jazz diva Antoinette Montague and the Bronx's own Dominican-Puerto Rican multilingual powerhouse, Jennifer Jade Ledesna.

Bobby and his big band will perform on September 1 at DC JazzFest, playing several Duke Ellington selections to mark his 125th anniversary. “We’re going to play some Ellington things, but in a different kind of way,” Bobby says with a sly laugh, “the way we do it in the Multiverse.”

Bobby was inspired to form the Multiverse Big Band 26 years ago, by watching a TV show that featured astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and by reading the work of Nobel Prize-winning Mexican author Octavio Paz. “Tyson was talking about the concept of the multiverse: all these different universes coexisting at the same time,” Bobby says, “and Paz talked about how Latin America is a multiverse of cultures. So that's when I decided to change the name of the band to the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band. We do everything: Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Venezuela and Puerto Rican rhythms; funk, jazz, R&B, gospel, avant-garde music and everything in the kitchen sink. And we do it authentically. We represent the multiverse of cultures coming together in Latin America.”

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