Guitarist Dave Frackenpohl brings his Trio featuring vocalist .Lavahi and bassist Kevin Smith to the stage with a stirring combination of original music and loved favorites to Churchill Grounds Dave has been lauded by his peers as breathing life into incredible originals that speak to the heart as well as stimulate the imagination. Combining his […]
Two-time GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter, composer, arranger and producer Russell Gunn returns to this intimate room with one of his most ambitious statements yet: his album release weekend of Afrikan-Amerikan Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth By Any Means Necessary, a provocative seven-song work that draws inspiration from the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead and reimagines […]
Since 2004, Nicole Henry’s versatile and emotionally driven performances have wowed audiences in 20 countries. She has established herself among the jazz world’s most acclaimed performers, possessing a potent combination of dynamic vocal abilities, impeccable phrasing, and powerful emotional resonance. Heralded by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Japan Times, El Pais, Jazz […]
Ted's natural persistence and relentless fascination of developing his craft dominated his life. He soon became not only a student at Berklee, but a professor of piano arranging, theory and improvisation -- all before reaching the age of 24. He joined the faculty of Georgia State University where he assisted in developing its first jazz education […]
Frankie Quiñones & The Latin Jazz Collective for an unforgettable evening of world-class Latin jazz, salsa, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and soulful improvisation. Experience the energy, passion, and musical mastery of Atlanta's premier Latin jazz ensemble as they bring together vibrant percussion, dynamic horns, and captivating melodies for a night that will move your soul and your […]
Gunhild Carling is an internationally acclaimed Swedish jazz star, celebrated for her dazzling performances, incredible versatility, and magnetic stage presence. A true force of nature, Gunhild sings, tap dances, and plays over a dozen instruments — including trombone, trumpet, bagpipes, piano, harmonica, recorder, drums, harp, and ukulele — often switching between them seamlessly in a […]
Every once in a while, an opportunity comes along that reminds me why I built The Velvet Note in the first place. This is one of those weekends. Our Signature Series welcomes guitarist Oz Noy, one of the most original voices in contemporary jazz and fusion, joined by legendary drummer Dave Weckl and brilliant Hammond […]
Denise Donatelli is a 3 time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist whose acclaimed albums were arranged and produced by Grammy winner Geoffrey Keezer. Her latest release, Take My Breath Away, reunites her with Keezer and an all-star New York band. She was named Jazz Vocalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Jazz Society and regularly appears […]
Néstor Torres’ dynamic, unique sound is a blend of his Caribbean heritage with Classical training and Jazz improvisation. A prolific recording artist with 18 releases, earning him 5 Latin Grammy nominations, 1 Latin Grammy Award (Best Pop Instrumental Album), and a Grammy nomination (Best Latin Jazz Album), Torres has always challenged artistic expectations. The complex […]
Cindy Blackman Santana celebrates the release of her new album Coherence, a once-in-a-lifetime journey combining jazz, rock, fusion, & spirituality. As a virtuoso drummer, bandleader, musician, and the new face of NFL Monday Night Football, Cindy is a sound innovator with a passion for pushing creative boundaries and exploring movement and change. She is as known […]
Named by her jazz loving grandmother, Jazzmeia Horn was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1991. She grew up in a close church-going family singing gospel music. Horn graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, which was attended by other great artists such as Roy Hargrove, Norah Jones, and Erykah […]
Tenor saxophonist and composer David Sánchez brings his Carib ensemble to the stage, presenting the West Coast premiere of his new work, Tambó. Formed to record his 2019 album of the same name, Carib represents a deeply personal journey for Sánchez, and the GRAMMY-nominated debut recording was a trailblazing use of modern jazz to explore […]
An internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist with more than three decades of performance, recording and music-education experience, Williams brings a rare combination of sophistication, sensuality and emotional truth to the stage. Her voice moves effortlessly from the elegance of traditional jazz to the warmth of soul and contemporary grooves, and her career has taken her from […]
In the 1960s, Antonio Carlos “Tom” Jobim brought the bossa nova craze to the United States, and this infectious and sensuous sound soon became beloved throughout the world. We celebrate Jobim’s centennial and the jazz genres of Brazil—including bossa nova, samba and choro with Shelly Berg and the Frost School of Music's Henry Mancini Institute […]
Miami vocalist, songwriter, vocal teacher, arranger and producer Leesa Richards celebrates the 40th Anniversary of The Sunshine Jazz Organization. Bringing her voice to the Historic Lyric Theater stage for one night only, she'll give tribute to the legendary women of jazz featuring the new canon chamber collective. Not only is this talented women the above, […]
In the 1960s, Antonio Carlos “Tom” Jobim brought the bossa nova craze to the United States, and this infectious and sensuous sound soon became beloved throughout the world. We celebrate Jobim’s centennial and the jazz genres of Brazil—including bossa nova, samba and choro. Performers: Eliane Elias: Piano Anat Cohen: Clarinet Trio da Paz: Ensemble Shelly […]
Haitian-American trumpeter and composer Jean Caze has emerged as one of the most beautiful voices in modern jazz. Renowned for blending his Haitian heritage with American jazz, Caze crafts an Afro-Caribbean instrumental sound reminiscent of icons such as Hugh Masekela, Fela Kuti and Caribbean Jazz Project. A captivating performer, Caze has shared the stage with […]
Musicians from the Atlanta Jazz Community come together to celebrate the life and music of the late, great hometown Jazz Legend ~ Audrey Shakir. She gave so much to the city and set a standard for jazz vocalists to follow. Holding down the rhythm section are drummer Justin Varnes, pianist Louis Heriveaux, bassist Kevin Simth, […]
Listeners can expect to hear a lot of the “right notes” as two of the true legends of low-end meet for these momentous evenings over four nights. Between them, 2022 NEA Jazz Master Stanley Clarke and 1998 NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter have defined and redefined the bass’s role in modern jazz, from the hard bop […]
, Wherever Tomi Berry sings, she spreads joy. Whether singing swinging jazzsmooth R&B, or sultry ballads, she holds an audience in rapt attention. A spiritual song-stylist, she engages her listeners in musical conversation. An accomplished, classically trained singer, Tomi has performed most of her life in multiple music genres, starting formally in gospel and spiritual […]
There are few artists in the world who can do what Kamasi Washington does in a room this size. Up close, with Ami Taf Ra beside him, his towering saxophone meets her Moroccan gnawa, Arabic vocals, and gospel-soaked spiritual jazz, and you feel every note. Some collaborations feel inevitable in hindsight. Ami Taf Ra and […]
Charles Lloyd, is an NEA Jazz Master and recipient of the prestigious French honor, l'Ordre Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. Voted DownBeat magazine’s Artist of the Year in 1967, Charles Lloyd was again voted Artist of the Year in 2023. And in 2024 he was honored with a rare DownBeat Critic’s Poll quadruple crown; […]
The Jazz Heritage Orchestra performs a musical tribute to Ohio’s quiet musical genius, composer, arranger, bandleader, saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Frank Foster. Perhaps best known for his work with the Count Basie Orchestra, Foster also wrote and arranged music for Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, and Dizzy Gillespie, and he performed with jazz greats, including […]
Vibraphonist Jason Marsalis knows a brilliant young musician when he hears one. Equally renowned as a drummer, the youngest brother in the illustrious New Orleans jazz clan has blazed a singular trail since co-founding the Caribbean jazz-steeped Los Hombres Calientes with Headhunters percussion legend Bill Summers. His sleek quartet plays with the dynamic control and […]