Notorious Jazz

THAD WILSON QUARTET
2023-07-28 20:00 - 2023-07-29 23:00 (America/New_York) | Good Times Jazz Bar, 107 W. Broughton St, Savannah, GA, 31401, United States
“My personality is youthful in nature so my audiences should be prepared for a high-energy musical journey. Blues, R&B, Hip Hop, Gospel, and Jazz have always been present in my sound. In my travels, the one thing I’ve discovered is how fragile and beautifully unique the human condition is. When I compose and perform, I base all of my musical ideas on the interconnectedness of that thing we call the human experience.” – Thad
Thad was born in Fort Dix, New Jersey. However, his musical life started as a child living in Montgomery, Alabama. At fifteen, he moved back to New Jersey where he was quickly recognized for his talent and awarded the All-American High School Music Award and a place in New Jersey’s All-State Jazz Ensemble. Shortly after, he began studying privately with Jimmy Owens, former member of Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band. It was Jimmy who gave Thad a glimpse into the life of a true professional musician. In his early days, he performed at the Village Gate, Blue Note, Visiones, Knitting Factory and many other new york city venues.
While in New York, Thad was a member of Charlie Persip’s Super Band and had a brief stint with Illinois Jacquet. Over his career, Thad has performed alongside James Moody, Benny Golson, Steve Turre, Cecil Bridgewater, Andrew White, Buck Hill, Keter Betts, Johnny O’neal, Russell Malone, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis and many others. He also lived briefly in Atlanta and made his way on the early hip hop scene performing with Bone Crusher, Khalfani, and many others. Currently, Thad tours with the legendary group, The Blackbyrds. He also composes and performs his live film scores all over the world.

THE BAYLOR PROJECT
2023-08-03 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | St. James Live, 3220 Butner Road #240, Atlanta, GA, 30331, United States
A husband. A wife. An astonishing duo built on love, family, faith, culture and community.
These are the things that power The Baylor Project featuring Jean Baylor and Marcus Baylor. This enticing collaboration is steeped in the heart and soul of jazz. As the children of Pastors, Marcus’ and Jean’s musical roots were planted deep within the church, and it was there that the road was paved for the influence of jazz, gospel, blues and soul to make it’s mark. Their debut CD “The Journey“, released on their own label, Be A Light, topped the Billboard Jazz Chart at Number 8 in 2017 and a year later garnered 2 GRAMMY® Nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance. Two years later during one of the most challenging years in recent history, The Baylors released their single, “Sit On Down” in 2020 which earned a 3rd GRAMMY® Nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance, solidifying The Baylor Project as an undeniable force. Their second album, “Generations,” released in 2021 earned the duo its first NAACP Image Award win for Outstanding Jazz Album-Vocal and it’s 4th GRAMMY® Nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. And their first live album, “The Evening : Live At APPARATUS” earned The Baylors their 5th and 6th GRAMMY® Nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo.
Marcus and Jean Baylor signed an exclusive distribution agreement, in partnership with their artist-owned label, Be A Light with Motown Gospel (a division of Capitol CMG/Capitol and Universal Music Group) making The Baylor Project’s catalogue available for the first time across all streaming platforms.
Jean, a “Jersey Girl”, was introduced to jazz in college as a Vocal Performance Major at Temple University, where she was heavily influenced by artists such as Carmen McCrae, Jimmy Scott, and Shirley Horn. She subsequently made her mark as one-half of the platinum recording duo, Zhane´. In time, Jean grew into a composer, arranger, producer and bandleader. She has been a featured guest artist on performances and recordings with artists including Yellowjackets, Kenny Garrett, Marcus Miller and legendary bassist, Buster Williams. Well-equipped with an agile mezzo-soprano range, Jean combines a fresh, whimsical approach to phrasing with clever improvisation resulting in singing of such vocal purity that she embraces the soul.

THE HIGHTOWER HARPER HANG
2023-08-03 20:00 - 23:59 (America/New_York) | HandleBar, 476 Edgewood Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30312, United States
Singer/Songwriter Tony Hightower is taking up the mantle to be a bridge that ushers R&B audiences into Jazz…Real Jazz. With years of experience as a musical performer and actor with familiar roots that place him firmly within the music’s firmament, Atlanta-native Hightower is still just getting started on this benevolent turn in his journey. And he is bringing a lot of young people with him.

Growing up in Atlanta with a local legend mother who was a Funk-Rock singer but could sing anything and mentored many singers coming behind her, Tony learned music first-hand from Bobby Blue Bland and the Platters to Mother’s Finest, S.O.S. Band and Brick. And as mother Theresa evolved as a first-class singer – shifting her focus to Jazz that resulted in her historic residency at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in once fiercely segregated Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia – so, too, did Tony’s taste begin to broaden. The artist that Theresa followed at The Ritz: Freddy Cole, Nat’s brother.
Trumpeter Terence Harper started playing the drums at the age of two and at twelve years old began playing the trumpet. While in middle school he began playing the drums for one of the Spelman College Jazz ensembles under the direction of Joe Jennings, while also being featured on a recording with the Inman Middle School jazz band on both trumpet and drums.
Harper attended North Atlanta High School Center of the Performing Arts and played trumpet in both jazz band and symphonic band under the direction of Mr. Reginald Colbert. During his high school years he started to focus more on both classical and jazz trumpet and has won numerous auditions during his high school term including the Georgia Music Educators Association All State band, principal trumpet for the district honor band, The Talent Development Program and the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony at Emory University. Terence has also attended the prestigious Interlochen Arts camp in Michigan and has also taught trumpet performance and jazz studies at Summerbridge Atlanta at the Lovett School.
He graduated from Rutgers University as a classical trumpet major in 2009, where he studied under William Fielder, who has been regarded as one of the greatest trumpet instructors of his generation.
Every Thursday: Music from 8:00pm ~ Midnight | Hang til 2:00am
Cover: $10.000 | Musicians: $5.00 | Free parking in the lot just past slutty vegan atl

WILLIE JONES III QUINTET
2023-08-04 19:00 - 2023-08-05 23:00 (America/New_York) | Jazz Forum Arts, 1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, United States
Jazz drummer Willie Jones III has played, toured, and recorded with Horace Silver, Roy Hargrove, Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, and Herbie Hancock. He played on Arturo Sandoval’s Grammy-winning 1998 album Hot House.
Jones was one of the founding members of the band Black Note in 1990. Members of this ensemble included, at various times, Ark Sano, Eric Reed, Gilbert Castellanos, James Mahone, Kenneth Crouch, Mark Shelby, and Richard E. Grant. They released several albums.
In 1991, Jones began studying at the California Institute of the Arts, where he took drum lessons from Albert “Tootie” Heath. Jones played with Milt Jackson in 1994, and toured with trumpeter Arturo Sandoval from 1994 to 1998.
Jones was based in Los Angeles until he moved to New York in 1997. He played in trumpeter Roy Hargrove’s quintet from 1998 to 2006.
In 2000, Jones founded an independent jazz label, WJ3 Records. He has regularly played with pianist Eric Reed, as the drummer for Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center, and has several CDs released as a leader on his own label, playing hard bop and swing.
Jones has taught at Northwestern University since 2010.
Showtimes: 7:00pm | 9:30pm

WYCLIFFE GORDON QUARTET
2023-08-04 19:30 - 2023-08-06 23:00 (America/New_York) | Birdland, 315 W 44th Street, #5402, New York City, NY, 10036, United States
Wycliffe Gordon experiences an impressive career touring the world performing to great acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Jazz Journalists Association named him 2020 “Trombonist of the Year” for the record breaking 13th time, and he’s topped Downbeat Critics Poll for “BestTrombone” again for an unprecedented six times (2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013 &2012). Last year he was the recipient of the “Louie Award”, the International Trombone Award and the Satchmo Award, among others. Wycliffe is a prolific recording artist and is extremely popular for his unmatched signature sound, plunger technique and unique vocals. He can be heard on hundreds of recordings, soundtracks, live DVD’s and documentaries. In addition to an exceptionally successful solo career, Gordon tours regularly leading his quintet, headlining at legendary jazz venues and performing arts centers throughout the world. He is commissioned frequently, and has an extensive catalog of original compositions that span the various timbres of jazz and chamber music. Musicians and ensembles of every caliber perform his music throughout the world and his arrangement of the theme song to NPR’s “All Things Considered” is heard daily across the globe. Gordon is a former veteran member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and has been a featured guest artist on Billy Taylor’s ” Jazz at the Kennedy Center” Series. Gordon is also one of America’s most persuasive and committed music educators, and serves as Director of Jazz Studies at Augusta University in Augusta, GA. Wycliffe Gordon is a Yamaha Performing Artist and has his own line of Wycliffe Gordon Pro Signature Mouthpieces by Pickett Brass.

SCOTT WENDHOLT / ADAM KOLKER QUARTET
2023-08-04 20:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Maureen’s Jazz Cellar, 2 N Broadway, Nyack, NY, 10960, United States
Scott Wendholt, born in Maryland and raised in Denver, he began playing trumpet when he was eight years old. He took a bachelor’s degree at Indiana University in 1987, then played in Cincinnati in the Blue Wisp Big Band of John von Ohlen. He relocated to New York City at the end of the 1980s, where he studied jazz with Dave Liebman and played in a succession of Latin jazz ensembles. He had a house band at Augie’s Jazz Club in Manhattan from 1991 to 1994.
Adam Kolker is a multi-talented performer, composer and arranger. He performed and recorded with latin-jazz artist Ray Barretto from 1994 through 2002 (with whom he received two GRAMMY nominations). He also appears in New York City with groups including the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Fred Hersch’s “My Coma Dreams,” the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Bruce Barth, Judi Silvano, Lucia Pulido, and his own groups with John Abercombie and Billy Hart. He has recorded with Bruce Barth, John Hébert, Marty Ehrlich, The Story, Bobby Previte, Gunther Schuller, Bruce Saunders, Frank Carlberg, among others.

Scott Wendholt ~ trumpet | Adam Kolker ~ saxophone, clarinet | Ugonna Okegwo ~ bass | Anthony Pinciotti ~ drums

SAMARA JOY
2023-08-04 20:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah, NY, 10536, United States
Concert On The Lawn presented in collaboration with Jazz At Lincoln Center.
22-year-old Samara Joy makes her case to join the likes of Sarah, Ella, and Billie as the next mononymous jazz singing sensation recorded by the venerable label. Her voice, rich and velvety yet precociously refined, has already earned her fans like Anita Baker and Regina King, appearances on the TODAY Show and millions of likes on TikTok — cementing her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz singing star. On Linger Awhile, Samara will introduce that massive audience to a slew of classic standards several times older than she is through her timeless, irresistible sound.
Samara is still relatively new to jazz. Growing up in the Bronx, it was music of the past — the music of her parent’s childhoods, as she put it — that she listened to most. She treasures her musical lineage, which stretches back to her grandparents Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, both of whom performed with Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and runs through her father, who is a singer, songwriter and producer who toured with gospel artist Andraé Crouch. “Sometimes I catch myself when I’m singing — I’m like, ‘Whoa, that was a dad moment’,” Samara quips. Eventually, she did follow in the family tradition, singing in church and then with the jazz band at Fordham High School for the Arts, with whom she won Best Vocalist at JALC’s Essentially Ellington competition. That led to her enrolling in SUNY Purchase’s jazz studies program, where she fell deeply in love with the music.

BUENA VISTA ALL STARS
2023-08-05 20:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Adrienne Arsht Center | Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey with Buena Vista All Stars, descendants of the iconic Buena Vista Social Club. This extraordinary ensemble is bringing the vibrant spirit of Havana’s streets to the Arsht Center’s Knight Concert Hall, delivering a mesmerizing blend of time-honored rhythms and narratives.
The lineup features unparalleled talent, including Ibrahim Ferrer Jr., son of golden-voiced Ibrahim Ferrer, who will appear in a sensational holographic projection. Grammy Award winner Juan De Marcos González, lauded virtuoso Barbarito Torres, piano prodigy Rubencito González and four-time Latin Grammy-nominated Danay Suárez join the ensemble, conducted by esteemed musical director Demetrio Muñiz.
Join us for the inaugural performance of the Una Noche en La Habana Tour on August 5. Experience the enduring legacy of Cuba’s musical heritage, artfully preserved and reimagined by Buena Vista All Stars. Secure your tickets now for an unforgettable celebration of Cuban music and culture.

BANSKO JAZZ FESTIVAL
2023-08-05 20:00 - 2023-08-12 23:30 (Europe/Sofia) | Nikola Vaptsarov Square, Nikola Vaptsarov Square, Bansko, Bulgaria
Three groups perform each evening beginning at 8:00pm.
The Lineup:
August 5: Velislav Stoyanov | Frank Gambali and His All~Star Band | Cinga Manga Funk
August 6: Camelia Todorova and Konstantin Kostov Trio | Ari Erev Trio | Petar Slavov Special Quartet
August 7: Veronika Todorova & Christopher Herman | Yonder Fokan Trio | Lucy Woodward Quartet
August 8: Xul Gaspar Selko Quintet | On The Road~JP3 | Mauro Sigura Quartet
August 9: Bluetronic~Miroslava Katsarova Trio | Presti~Lanzoni Duo | Zara Macfarlane Quartet
August 10: Show Trio | Sheki And Friends | Jackson Mathod Quintet
August 11: Posbalkanton | Georgi Kornazov Quartet | Jesus Molina & Los Dromeros
August 12: Desy & The Shiny Stockings with Guest Atanas Popov | Espen Eriksen Trio and Andy Shepherd | Alfredo Rodriguez Trio
Tickets:
Single Event: 30~50 bgn | $16.84 ~ $28.07
Eight Event Package: 120~260 bgn | $67.38~ $145.99

AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA
2023-08-06 20:30 - 23:59, 2023-08-13 20:30 - 23:59 (America/New_York) | Birdland, 315 W 44th Street, #5402, New York City, NY, 10036, United States
The multi-Grammy winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) is an 18-piece big band of jazz and Latin-jazz virtuosos, led by the inimitable Arturo O’Farrill.

DIANA KRALL
2023-08-09 20:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Ree Bank, NJ, 07711, United States
Diana Krall is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. To date, her albums have garnered two GRAMMY® Awards, ten Juno® Awards and have earned nine Gold, three Platinum, and seven multi-Platinum albums. Her 1999 release of When I Look in Your Eyes spent an unprecedented 52 weeks in the #1 position on Billboard’s Jazz chart, won two GRAMMY® Awards, and went Platinum in the U.S. and Canada. Her most recent release, This Dream Of You, has garnered critical acclaim from fans and press alike. Krall’s unique artistry transcends any single musical style and has made her one of the most recognizable artists of our time.

JOE ALTERMAN
2023-08-10 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Eddie’s Attic, 515-B North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA, 30030, United States
Joe Alterman Album Release Show
Atlanta native Joe Alterman expresses a certain upbeat naivete, with a broad smile and bright eyes that make you feel welcome. One would not guess that this is a man hailed by greats; Ramsey Lewis describes his music as “happy music with tasty meat on the bones,” Les McCann states “Joe’s on a ‘blow your mind’ level,” and Ahmad Jamal calls him “a very special artist.” Journalist Nat Hentoff championed three of Alterman’s albums, as well as his writing (Joe wrote liner notes to three Wynton Marsalis/JLCO albums), calling one of Joe’s columns “one of the very best pieces on the essence of jazz, the spirit of jazz, that I’ve ever read, and I’m not exaggerating.”
Joe Alterman began at NYU with a BA and Masters in Jazz Piano from NYU and has since performed at many world renowned venues including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Birdland and Blue Note alongside Houston Person, Les McCann, Dick Gregory, Ramsey Lewis, and his own trio, among others. Downbeat describes his sound as “rooted in the blues, and with a touch reminiscent of the great pianists of the 1950s—Red Garland, Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans.” It is clear Joe hits all of the necessary points for Jazz critics and fans alike.
But there is more to the story, of course. The 21st century has brought another transition for this thing called jazz; in one moment we see the push and pull between tradition and progression, and in another we see Pop and Hip-Hop musicians emulating and sampling. In Joe Alterman we find none of this struggle; the music just sounds good. Our conscious faculties are instantly disabled as we tap our feet, feeling the intent and joy of his playing. An old classic is new when you feel good in the moment. Or, as Hentoff wrote about Alterman in the Wall Street Journal, “Alterman’s continually evolving presence on the jazz scene surely makes people smile and, if the room is right, dance. There’ll be no need for any last rites of jazz.”

SAN JOSÉ JAZZ SUMMER FEST
2023-08-11 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Plaza de César Chávez, 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA, 95113, United States
Performers: W.I.T.C.H., Noah & The Arkiteks, The Bad Plus, The Soul Rebels, Malahi Witson, DK Harrell, Billy Childs, Pete Rock & The Soul Brothers, Basi Vibe
Venues: Latin Tropical Stage, SJZ Break Room Stage, Tabard Theatre Swing Stage, Hammer Theatre Stage, Blues/Big Easy Stage, Sobrato Organization Main Sage, Montgomery Theater Stage, SJMA Next Gen Stage
Tickets: Advance Price Ends July 31
3-Day Pass Adult VIP ~ $610.00 + $16.60 fee
3-Day Pass Adult Priority Access ~ $310.00 + $9.80 fee
3-Day Pass Adult All Stages ~ $190.00 + $7.10 fee
3-Day Pass GA ~ $115.00 + $5.60 fee
3-Day Pass Child (Ages 5-12) ~ $30.00 + $3.60 fee
General Admission
Friday Adult VIP ~ $160.00 + $6.60
Friday Adult Priority Access ~ $90.00 + $5.00 fee
Friday Adult All Stages ~ $50.00 + $4.10 fee
Friday Adult GA ~ $35.00 + $3.80 fee
Friday Child ( Ages 5-12) ~ $10.00 + 3.20 fee

RODNEY JONES QUARTET
2023-08-11 19:00 - 2023-08-12 23:00 (America/New_York) | Jazz Forum Arts, 1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, United States
Guitarist Rodney Jones has worked with Jaki Byard, Chico Hamilton, Dizzy Gillespie, and Lena Horne and as a bandleader. He is cited as a jazz guitarist who uses modern quartal harmony. Jones is a faculty member at Juilliard.
The Quartet features Ron Blake, Lonnie Plaxico and Carl Allen
Showtimes: 7:00pm | 9:30pm

RODNEY JONES
2023-08-11 19:00 - 2023-08-12 23:00 (America/New_York) | Jazz Forum Arts, 1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, United States
A foursome of world-class musicians who have worked with countless top talents (like Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, James Brown, Stevie Wonder) Rodney Jones Quartet thrills audiences worldwide by not just playing straight ahead jazz at its highest level, but performing for the audience, sharing stories about the music and its meaning.
Bandleader Jones was also the Apollo Theater house guitarist and staff guitarist on Rosie O’Donnell’s TV show. Jazz Times called him a “consummate guitarist.”
Featuring Rodney Jones, guitar | Ron Blake, saxophone | Lonnie Plaxico, bass | Ronnie Burrage, drums

CHRIS ISAAK
2023-08-11 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA, 92660, United States
Over the course of his three-decade plus career, Platinum-selling and GRAMMY-nominated singer & actor Chris Isaak has performed to sold-out crowds across the globe with his longtime band Silvertone. His music and film credits include thirteen critically acclaimed studio albums, twelve chart-topping singles along with several motion pictures, such as The Silence of the Lambs and That Thing You Do!. His work has also taken him behind the scenes, creating music for multiple film soundtracks, including Eyes Wide Shut, True Romance, Wild at Heart, and Blue Velvet. Isaak has starred in his own critically acclaimed television series The Chris Isaak Show on SHOWTIME, has previously served as a judge on The X Factor Australia, and hosted the music talk show, The Chris Isaak Hour on BIO. 2019 marked the 30th Anniversary of Isaak’s beloved Heart-Shaped World album, which includes his breakthrough classic “Wicked Game”. Isaak was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance by the Americana Honors.
Opening Act: David Rosales
Parking: $30.00 advanced purchase | $35.00 day of
Valet: $40.00 advanced purchase | $45.00 day of (if not sold out)

VANESSA RUBIN & HER TRIO
2023-08-11 19:30 - 2023-08-13 23:00 (America/New_York) | Birdland, 315 W 44th Street, #5402, New York City, NY, 10036, United States
Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin possesses a voice hailed for crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performance from both the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother and traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father. Additional homespun influences include the melodic bell tone clarity of a young Capital Records recording artist, Nancy Wilson, the fire of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, the sweet sounds of trumpeter Blue Mitchell as well as her love of the Motown Sound…especially girl groups like the Supremes.

HOT PANTS DE FRANCE
2023-08-11 20:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach, FL, 33444, United States
Assembling some of the hottest talent from around the world, touring/session guitarist (Maynard Ferguson, NKOTB, Kenny Loggins) and Emmy nominated film/tv composer Sam Kaufmann formed the Gypsy Jazz and Swing Group – Hot Pants de France. Sam has liberated himself from the Hot Jazz canon and presents his own uninhibited, modern style with Hot Pants de France and highlights what is still to come. Well received by both listeners and the press, the vision was to bring a fresh, contemporary feel to hits from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s by arranging them in the style of jazz great Django Reinhardt. The intention was not to simply recapitulate the music, but to interpret it with a uniqueness, incorporating modern influences, while remaining true to the innovative style created by Django and Stéphane Grappelli in Quintette du Hot Club de France, one of the first all-string jazz bands.
The dichotomy between musical styles of the ’40s and the ’90s is bridged by our various vocalists including Lisa Rittner, and Valeria Koka. Each elegantly bringing the music into the sound of “today”. Lisa honed her chops for a decade on the Queen Mary and the band Sound F/X. In addition to her voice, Lisa gracefully adds her Saxophone prowess to Hot Pants’ samba-esque version of “Black Hole Sun”. While Valeria is best known for her vocal work with Ukranian Superstar Artem Pivovarov and her own Valeria Koka Sextet.
Harkening back to the establishing sound of OG – Stéphane Grappelli, Jane Young (2nd Place International Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Swiss Dream Circus, NBC, Nova/PBS) constructed excellent counterpoint to Sam’s guitar lines. The two play off each other like a conversation between old friends.
Finally, touring/session bassist Jack O’Roonie (Andre Williams, Danny B Harvey, Wanda Jackson and Labella Strings endorsee) outlines the harmony while controlling the dynamics and pace of the band with his fantastical yet proficient bass lines.
Years of experience and effortless interaction are clear – noteworthy on the recordings as well as on stage. Standing on the works by Django Reinhardt, it is this unique mix of pop, jazz, americana and inventive compositions that makes the unmistakable sound of the group.
BAND MEMBERSSam Kaufmann – Reharmonizer and GuitarLisa Rittner – Vocals and SaxValeria Koka – VocalsJack O’Roonie – BassAndrea Reynolds and Jane Young – Violin

SAN JOSÉ JAZZ SUMMER FEST
2023-08-12 11:00 - 2023-08-13 00:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Plaza de César Chávez, 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA, 95113, United States
Performers: Los Gatos~Saratogo Big Band, Monterey Jazz Fesival Regional All~Star Vocal Ensemble, The Serenaders, Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few, Monterey Jazz Fesival Regional All~Star Band, Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88’s, Vanessa Collier, Vibrasón, Yvonne Flores, Synchronicity, Jazz Education Ensemble, Chika Di, The Blues Defenders Blues REview Featuring Mz. Dee & Willy Jordan, Youth Jazz Jam, Cimafunk, Luca Stricagnoli, Top Shelf, Benny Benack III, Marcus Miller, Lalin St. Juste, Halie Loren, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Soul Message Band, Maxx Cabllo Jr., Óscar Ly & Rumbalú, Blaque Dynamite, Anthony Hamilton Featuring The Ton3s, Grace Kelly, Los Tacoyos, Gabriel Gonzalez Y La Verdad, Sunny War, Ian Santillano
Venues: Latin Tropical Stage, SJZ Break Room Stage, Tabard Theatre Swing Stage, Hammer Theatre Stage, Blues/Big Easy Stage, Sobrato Organization Main Sage, Montgomery Theater Stage, SJMA Next Gen Stage
Tickets: Advance Price Ends July 31
3-Day Pass Adult VIP ~ $610.00 + $16.60 fee
3-Day Pass Adult Priority Access ~ $310.00 + $9.80 fee
3-Day Pass Adult All Stages ~ $190.00 + $7.10 fee
3-Day Pass GA ~ $115.00 + $5.60 fee
3-Day Pass Child (Ages 5-12) ~ $30.00 + $3.60 fee
General Admission
Saturday Adult VIP ~ $225.00 + $8.00
Saturday Adult Priority Access ~ $110.00 + $5.40 fee
Saturday Adult All Stages ~ $70.00 + $4.50 fee
Saturday Adult GA ~ $40.00 + $3.90 fee
Saturday Child ( Ages 5-12) ~ $10.00 + 3.20 fee

ANDREA BRACHFELD QUARTET
2023-08-12 20:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Maureen’s Jazz Cellar, 2 N Broadway, Nyack, NY, 10960, United States
Andrea Brachfeld is an American jazz and Latin jazz flutist. She attended The High School of Music and Art and the Manhattan School of Music. She had her first professional performance at the age of 16. In 1974, she received the Louis Armstrong Award for outstanding Jazz student. She studied with Hubert Laws, Jimmy Heath, George Coleman, and Eddie Daniels. Her breakthrough came when she became flutist for the Latin band Charanga ’76.
Joining her on the bandstand are Mamiko Watanabe, Obasi Akoto & Alvester Garnett.

SAN JOSÉ JAZZ SUMMER FEST
2023-08-13 11:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Plaza de César Chávez, 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA, 95113, United States
Performers: Full Spectrum Jazz Band, Mr. Clifford’s Young Jazz All Stars, Marcu Shelby New Orchestra Featuring Tiffany Austin, Marcel Smith, SOJ Band, Berkeley High School Combo, Yakiv Tsvietinsky With The Siz Collective, Mosaic America: Journey Through Multicultural Jazz Dance, Mariachi Mexico, Veronica Swift, Chickenbone Slim & The Biscuits Featuring Laura Chavez, Ronit Widmann~Levy & Angel Romero, Connie Han Trio, Savannah Martinez Band, Footnotes Big Band, Club Mambí, Billy Iuso, Patrice Rushen, Siz U19S, Ames Jazz Band, Shayna Steele, Vocal Gents Of Jazz With Kenny Washingtn, Nicolas Bearde And Jamie Davis, San Miguel, Bee Taylor, Gregory Porter, Ensemble A Contratiempo Afrovenezuean Jazz, Swing Solution, Orquesta La Moderna Tradición With Orlando “Maraca” Valle, Telmary & Friend, Mae.Sun
Venues: Latin Tropical Stage, SJZ Break Room Stage, Tabard Theatre Swing Stage, Hammer Theatre Stage, Blues/Big Easy Stage, Sobrato Organization Main Sage, Montgomery Theater Stage, SJMA Next Gen Stage
Tickets: Advance Price Ends July 31
3-Day Pass Adult VIP ~ $610.00 + $16.60 fee
3-Day Pass Adult Priority Access ~ $310.00 + $9.80 fee
3-Day Pass Adult All Stages ~ $190.00 + $7.10 fee
3-Day Pass GA ~ $115.00 + $5.60 fee
3-Day Pass Child (Ages 5-12) ~ $30.00 + $3.60 fee
General Admission
Sunday Adult VIP ~ $225.00 + $8.00
Sunday Adult Priority Access ~ $110.00 + $5.40 fee
Sunday Adult All Stages ~ $70.00 + $4.50 fee
Sunday Adult GA ~ $40.00 + $3.90 fee
Sunday Child ( Ages 5-12) ~ $10.00 + 3.20 fee

GREG ABATE QUARTET
2023-08-13 16:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Jazz Forum Arts, 1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, United States
Greg Abate jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer continues as an International Jazz/Recording Artist with 225 days a year touring the globe. In the mid 70’s after finishing a four year program at Berklee College Of Music, Greg played lead alto for the Ray Charles Orchestra for 2 years. In 1978 he formed his group Channel One which was a favorite in the New England area and from there had the opportunity to play tenor sax with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra under leadership of Dick Johnson from 1986 to ’87.
Following this experience Greg ventured out as post hard bop soloist playing Jazz Festivals, Jazz Societies and Jazz Clubs throughout the U.S. Canada and abroad, including most of Europe, UK, and Moscow and Georgia Russia. His newest release Gratitude, with the Tim Ray Trio has received glowing reviews and a lot of international airplay. Also, check out Greg’s other recordings including special guests Phil Woods and other notable artists.

GEORGE BENSON
2023-08-13 20:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA, 92660, United States
Ten-Time GRAMMY-award-winning artist, George Benson, has the rare distinction of being in the pop consciousness while remaining in the pantheon of jazz greats. With 36 studio albums and 8 live albums, Benson has emerged as a household name best known for the 1976 three-time GRAMMY-winning album, Breezin’, boasting the pop-jazz vocal smash “This Masquerade,” which topped the jazz, pop, and R&B charts. The album remains one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time and has since been certified 3x platinum. His 1980 soul-pop gem, “Give Me The Night,” produced by Quincy Jones and written by Rod Temperton (Michael Jackson), summited to the top of the soul single charts. In 2009, Benson was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship— the highest honor that our nation bestows on jazz artists.
Benson is a consummate performer and an adventurous instrumentalist who remains an annual must-see artist. He regularly packs and, o_en sells out, such hallowed venues as The Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, Hampton Court Palace, and Sydney Opera House. Benson is also a marquee artist at many U.S. Jazz and international festivals, including Montreux Jazz Fest.
Benson’s recent accomplishments are varied and aplenty. He collaborated with subversive art-pop band, Gorillaz, featuring Blur’s Damon Albarn, to co-write and perform on the track “Humility,” which has amassed over 100 million YouTube views and counting. In 2021, DJ Steve Aoki remixed Benson’s hit “Give Me The Night,” with a rugged house beat introducing the irresistible R&B-pop gem to a whole new audience. His recent albums have earned features and rave reviews in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, American Songwriter, Forbes, and Newsweek. In 2020, Benson was inducted into jazz bible DownBeat Magazine’s Hall Of Fame. The following year he was inducted by music legend Quincy Jones into New Jersey’s Hall Of Fame— an honor from which he received a personal congratulatory note from President Obama.
Parking: $30.00 advanced purchase | $35.00 day of
Valet: $40.00 advanced purchase | $45.00 day of (if not sold out)

CARMEN LUNDY
2023-08-17 20:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Yoshi’s, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland, CA, 94607, United States
Grammy Nominated Jazz singer, composer and arranger Carmen Lundy hails from Miami, Florida and received her B.M. degree from the University of Miami. After an early career in Miami, Lundy moved to NYC in 1978 and in 1985, she released her first solo album entitled Good Morning Kiss, which topped the Billboard chart for 23 weeks.
Currently on the Afrasia Productions label, Carmen is a 2-time Grammy® Nominated artist for her 16th and newest album Fade To Black, released on September 30, 2022, and her previous album Modern Ancestors, both for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her 2017 release Code Noir, debuted at #6 on the Billboard Jazz Chart and received both critical and popular acclaim. Carmen’s other releases and discography consist of “Good Morning Kiss” (CLR/Afrasia Productions), “Moment To Moment” (Arabesque/Afrasia Productions), “Night And Day” (CBS/SONY and re-issued by Afrasia in 2011), “Old Devil Moon” (JVC), “Self Portrait” (JVC), “Something To Believe In” and “This Is Carmen Lundy” (both for Justin Time), “Jazz and The New Songbook – Live at The Madrid” (2-disc set and DVD, Afrasia Productions), “Come Home”, “Solamente”, “Changes”, “Soul To Soul” and “Code Noir” (Afrasia Productions). All have topped the Best Albums and Top Ten Albums lists on JazzWeek, Downbeat, and JazzTimes.
Among Lundy’s other awards and recognitions are a Grammy Award for Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic Project, Grammy Winner for Best Jazz Vocal Album of 2011, which features the Carmen Lundy composition “Show Me A Sign”, with Lundy’s original performance from the album “Solamente” reinvented on the arrangement.
As a composer, Ms. Lundy’s catalogue numbers over 150 published songs, one of the few jazz vocalists in history to accomplish such a distinction. Her compositions have been recorded by such artists as Kenny Barron, Ernie Watts, Terri Lyne Carrington, Straight Ahead and Regina Carter. Carmen’s far-reaching discography also includes performances and recordings with such musicians as brother and bassist Curtis Lundy, Ray Barretto, Bruce Hornsby, Mulgrew Miller, Kip Hanrahan, Courtney Pine, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, Randy Brecker, Oscar Castro-Neves, Robert Glasper, Jamison Ross, Patrice Rushen, and the late Kenny Kirkland and Geri Allen among others.
Carmen Lundy’s work as a vocalist and composer has been critically acclaimed by Jazz Times, Downbeat, Jazziz, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Washington Post, and Vanity Fair among numerous other foreign publications. Lundy acted as Resident Clinician at Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. for 20 years. She has conducted Master Classes around the world, among them the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz and The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
Ms. Lundy is also a gifted actress active in theatre. “Acting,” as she told Dr. Billy Taylor in 2006, “helps me to get more comfortable and acquainted with the art of performance.” She performed the lead role as Billie Holiday in the Off-Off Broadway play “They Were All Gardenias” by Lawrence Holder, as well as the lead role in the Broadway show, Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Ladies,” and she made her television debut as the star of the CBS Pilot-Special “Shangri-La Plaza” in the role of Geneva, after which she relocated to Los Angeles, where she currently resides.
Carmen Lundy is a celebrated mixed media artist and painter as well, and her works have been exhibited in New York at The Jazz Gallery in Soho, at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, and at a month-long exhibition at the Madrid Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. Several of her sculptures are currently on exhibit at The Carr Center in Detroit, MI.

HOWARD HEWETT & MICHAEL LINGTON
2023-08-18 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA, 92660, United States
Howard Hewett is one of the most gifted vocalists in the Post-Marvin Gaye era of pop R&B.
He started singing as a child, fronting his older sisters in The Hewett Singers. The group toured the gospel circuit. As a teen, Hewett sharpened his crooner skills in a funk band called Lyfe. In 1976, Hewett moved to Los Angeles and formed a group put together by the owners of the historic Maverick’s Flat, called Beverly Hills.
​Hewett got his mainstream break as the male vocal lead in Shalamar, a centerpiece of Dick Griffey’s SOLAR (Sound of Los Angeles Records) label. His tenor voice mixed beautifully with the bright vocals of Jody Watley, the dancing skills of Jeffery Daniels and the writing and production of Leon Sylvers III. The group gave the world feel-good dance favorites The Second Time Around and A Night to Remember, the baby-making classic For the Lover in You, as well as a number of beautiful B-side ballads like You Can Count On Me and Somewhere There’s a Love. When Watley and Daniels left the group in 1983, Hewett continued to lead Mickey Free and Delisa Davis in the reconstituted Shalamar. This version of the group was best known for soundtrack contributions on Footloose and Beverly Hills Cop with Dancing in the Sheets and the Grammy-winning Don’t Get Stopped in Beverly Hills, respectively.
​In the mid-eighties, Howard sets out on his solo career, releasing I Commit to Love in 1986 on Elektra and from the first single Hewett made magic, giving his amorous voice and whimsical lyrics to Stay, I’m For Real and the title track. Most beloved track on this freshman release would be his spiritually grounded Say Amen. This single soared on the Inspirational charts and has enjoyed the status of a modern gospel classic.
​Subsequent projects have solidified Hewett’s place in the high ranks of R&B balladeers by writing and collaborating and lending his voice within an intimate group of crooners, including George Duke, Quincy Jones, James Ingram, Anita Baker, Prince and Stanley Clarke. With Elektra, he released Forever and Ever (1988- Once, Twice, Three Times), Howard Hewett (1990- Show Me) and Allegiance (1992- Can We Try Again).
​Later work shows increasing authenticity as Hewett rips song lyrics straight from his soul. It’s Time (1994- This Love is Forever), written and produced almost exclusively with long time friend and collaborator Monte Seward, displays all the vulnerability involved in falling and staying in love. In 2001, Hewett released the all inspirational album The Journey, where he shows us that his faith can’t be separated from his heart and soul.
​Hewett continues to seduce audiences and eardrums as he is constantly touring and intermittently releasing new music.
​“Of all the fine vocalists working today, Howard Hewett is one of the finest.” – Babyface
Michael Lington is an award winning saxophonist, songwriter, producer, recording artist and a purveyor of soul and contemporary jazz.
Powering full steam ahead into the next phase of his dynamic 25 year solo career, saxophonist Michael Lington captures all the freewheeling magic, energy and optimism we’re feeling post-pandemic with his latest perfectly titled Billboard single “Play” – a funked out, fun-spirited, perfect for summertime jam that marks his first time co-writing and co-producing with longtime friend and fellow horn master and hit maker Darren Rahn. The groove-intensive track also features Paul Jackson Jr.’s blistering guitar fire and the non-stop grooves of bassist Mel Brown and drummer Tarell Martin. While creating a forward minded way to keep joy and hope flowing in turbulent times, “Play” – from Lington’s upcoming EP and first set of original tunes since 2018’s Silver Lining – also reflects the multi-talented artist’s ever-bustling role as a first time dad to his son Landon and the passion he’s bringing to his latest endeavor, hosting his own Friday radio show on Smooth Jazz 247.
He has released 12 solo albums and has 27 singles that have charted on the Billboard and Radio & Records (R&R) contemporary jazz radio charts.
Over the course of his career, Lington has collaborated with Michael Bolton, Barry Manilow, Randy Crawford, Bobby Caldwell, Kenny Lattimore, Booker T. Jones, Ray Parker, Jr., Taylor Dayne, Brian Culbertson, William Bell, Dave Stewart, Vince Gill and many others.
He has toured regularly his entire career, averaging 60-80 shows per year. In recent years, Lington joined Michael Bolton on tour as his opening act & special guest. Lington and Bolton performed over 350 shows together in more than 40 countries.
Barry Manilow invited Lington to join his “One Last Time” arena tour. Michael opened the show and joined Manilow on the song “Brooklyn Blues” during the headliner’s main set.
In Nov. 2016, Lington performed for the Memphis Music Hall Of Fame ceremony, honoring 2016 inductee Charles Lloyd. Stax Records soul singer William Bell and Snoop Dogg also performed at the induction ceremony.
In September 2019 it was announced that Michael would join the Dave Koz and Friends; Gifts Of The Season Christmas tour alongside Koz, Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester and Chris Walker. The 22-date concert tour traveled across the U.S. between November 29 and December 23, 2019.
In 2020 during the pandemic, Michael become one of the leading music artists producing hi-quality virtual shows, which earned him a most innovative artist award by Stageit!
Lington is signed to the The Reliant Talent agency for worldwide representation and has a publishing administration deal with Kobalt Music Publishing. He is an ASCAP songwriter/publisher and a 25-year voting member of the Recording Academy.
Parking: $30.00 advanced purchase | $35.00 day of
Valet: $40.00 advanced purchase | $45.00 day of (if not sold out)

JEB PATTON TRIO
2023-08-18 20:00 - 2023-08-19 21:30 (America/New_York) | Maureen’s Jazz Cellar, 2 N Broadway, Nyack, NY, 10960, United States
Described as both a “young phenom…on piano” and an “absolute great,” Jeb Patton has earned a well-regarded reputation in the international jazz community. The multi-talented Patton is known as a “player of great expression” and “not one to tread the predictable,” as well as a “simpatico accompanist” for The Heath Brothers, an “innovative” arranger, and one who “cuts…[an] impressive swath on his composition, ‘Hanna’s Mood,’” a tribute to his late teacher, Sir Roland Hanna.

Jeb Patton graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree with a major in music from Duke University, where he studied piano with Tibor Szasz, Douglas Buys, and Jane Hawkins. As a member of the Duke Jazz Ensemble under Paul Jeffrey, he performed with and/or arranged for more than 60 professional jazz artists, including 48 musicians from New York and more than 12 international jazz musicians from Italy, Monaco, and Portugal.
Studying under Sir Roland Hanna and Jimmy Heath, Jeb earned his Master of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in 1997 from the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, City University of New York, where he also received the Louis Armstrong Award for composition from the ASCAP Foundation.

Jeb Patton ~ piano | David Wong ~ bass | Hank Allen-Barfield ~ drums

VANESSA RUBIN TRIO
2023-08-19 18:30 - 2023-08-20 23:00 (America/New_York) | South, 600 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin possesses a voice hailed with crystalline clarity, hearth-like warm, emotional depth and keen burnished wisdom she can deliver with playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performances. From swing to bossa nova to blues, ballads and contemporary covers performed with small and large ensembles, Rubin’s interpretive ability to move through the Great American Songbook to modern jazz composers/arrangers like Tadd Dameron and Horace Silver to contemporary composers as Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers and Sting is masterful. “The Great American Songbook continues to expand with songs by outstanding composers who can paint pictures of the life of our times with their unique melodies and lyric that also stand the test of time”, Rubin asserts.
The Trio: Brandon McCune ~ piano | Kenny Davis ~ bass | Winard Harper ~ drums
Showtimes:
Saturday ~ 7:00pm | 9:30pm
Sunday ~ 6:30pm | 8:30pm

EUGENIE JONES
2023-08-19 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | The National Jazz Museum In Harlem, 58 West 129th Street, Ground Floor 2203, New York City, NY, 10027, United States
Eugenie Jones is an award-winning singer/songwriter/producer based in the Seattle, WA, area with an international fan base. Her recordings and concerts with jazz icons Reggie Workman, Bobby Sanabria, Julian Priester, Lonnie Plaxico, and many others have earned the entertainer praise in every major jazz publication, a #7 ranking on Jazz Week’s Top 50, and a #30 spot on Jazz Weeks top one-hundred albums. Jones is also a 2023 recipient of the Jazz Journalists Association’s Jazz Hero award for her efforts intersecting jazz performance events with community service.
Rating her recording Black Lace Blue Tears 3.5 out of 4 stars, DownBeat called the singer “impressive.” At the same time, legendary Blue Note Records artist Joe Chambers describes Jones as “an excellent singer, with a voice, style, and range that encompasses multiple idioms.”
Jones brings an authentic and electric presence to the stage, packaged within a uniquely exquisite voice. Accompanying her performance is an a-list line-up of New York musicians, including Lafayette Harris/p, Lonnie Plaxico/b, and Dwayne Broadnax. This concert will feature reimagined jazz classics, soulful jazz originals, and a taste of soul classics by Nina Simone, Anita Baker, James Brown & more!

BERTHA HOPE QUARTET
2023-08-20 16:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Jazz Forum Arts, 1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, United States
Pianist Bertha Hope pays tribute to her late first husband with a Salute to Elmo Hope’s Centennial.
Hope-Booker started playing professionally in Johnny Otis’s band as well as local trios. In 1958, Hope-Booker met Elmo Hope who was touring with Sonny Rollins. Hope-Booker married Elmo in 1960 and the following year they moved to New York City.
Together they recorded an album, Hope-Full, for Riverside which featured Hope-Booker on three songs. After Elmo’s death in 1967, Hope-Booker gave up her music career despite being offered a place in Art Blakey’s band.
