THEO CROKER
2026-05-19 19:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | Blue Note ~ Los Angeles, 6372 Sunset Boulevard,, Los Angeles, 90028, United States
Grammy-nominated trumpeter, composer, producer, and bandleader Theo Croker continues to expand the boundaries of modern jazz with his new album, Dream Manifest (Dom Recs / Fat Beats, June 13). Hailed by the LA Times as “a path to jazz greatness,” the project blends jazz, experimental hip-hop, and cosmic soul into a genre-defying sonic journey.
Singles like the high-energy “We Still Wanna Dance” (produced by D’LEAU), the soulful “High Vibrations” (featuring Malaya), and the hypnotic “Crystal Waterfalls” showcase Croker’s dynamic vision — a sound both timeless and forward-facing (Wall Street Journal). NPR describes his vibe as “chill,” driven by a “clear musical approach and determination,” qualities that have made him a standout collaborator with Ari Lennox, Common, J. Cole, Jill Scott, and Wyclef Jean.
Croker’s live performances are cinematic and immersive, guided by a producer’s mind and a jazz artist’s spontaneity. As DownBeat notes, he “layers music and lyrics with the deft touch of a hip-hop producer and the spontaneity of a jazz trumpeter.” His trumpet becomes both melody and texture within a rich production landscape performed live with his acoustic band.
In 2025, he premiered Dream Manifest at London’s Barbican Theatre with designer Nicholas Daley. The Evening Standard called it “jazz, just not as we know it,” while Jazzwise praised its emotional depth and “total stage control.”
Tickets: $37.54 ($30.00 + $7.54 fees) | $54.54 ($45.00 + $9.54 fees)
Discounter Parking: $18.80 ($15.00 + $3.80 fees)
$20.00 Minimum Per Person

BILLY CHILDS TRIO
2026-05-19 19:00 - 23:00 | Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20007, United States
Billy Childs has emerged as one of the foremost American composers of his era, successfully marrying the musical products of his heritage with the Western neoclassical traditions of the twentieth century in a powerful symbiosis of style, range, and dynamism.
Thus far, in his career, Childs has garnered seventeen Grammy nominations and six Grammy awards including two for Best Instrumental Jazz Album (Winds of Change in 2024 and Rebirth in 2018), and two for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist (including New York Tendaberry from Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro, featuring Renee Fleming and Yo-Yo Ma). In 2006, Childs was awarded a Chamber Music America composer’s grant, and in 2009 was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2013 he was awarded the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award. He has also been awarded a composers award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2015). In 2018, Childs was named “Outstanding Alumnus” of the Thornton School of Music (sharing that honor with, among others, Morton Lauridsen, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Marilyn Horne). Childs has also served as president of Chamber Music America (2016-2022).
Born in Los Angeles, California he entered USC as a composition major, graduating four years later with a bachelor of music in composition under the tutelage of Robert Linn. Since then Mr. Childs has received a number of orchestral and chamber commissions from, among others: Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Monterey Jazz Festival, the Dorian Wind Quintet, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the American Brass Quintet, the Ying Quartet, the Lyris Quartet, Anne Akiko Meyers, Rachel Barton Pine, and Inna Faliks.
As a pianist Childs has performed with, among others, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, Yo-Yo Ma, Sting, Renee Fleming, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony, Chick Corea, the Kronos Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, the Dorian Wind Quintet, Ying Quartet, the American Brass Quintet, and Dave Holland.
Childs’ solo jazz recording career includes four critically acclaimed albums on the Windham Hill Jazz label and two volumes of Chamber Jazz music (Lyric, Vol. 1, 2006 and Autumn: In Moving Pictures, Vol. 2, 2010). Childs expanded upon his talent for seamlessly straddling the lines between jazz and classical worlds with a collection of re-imagined Laura Nyro compositions for Sony Masterworks, released in September 2014. Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro, was produced by Larry Klein and features as guest artists, among others: Renée Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, Wayne Shorter, Alison Kraus, Dianne Reeves, Chris Botti, Esperanza Spalding, and Lisa Fischer. In 2017, Childs released the first of his three Mack Avenue recordings, the Grammy Award-winning Rebirth, which was followed by 2020’s Acceptance and 2023’s Grammy Award-winning The Winds of Change.
Childs is an in-demand clinician, whose recent invitations include working with students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, masterclasses at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany, and an educational residency at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.
Tickets: $35.00 +$7.00 fee
Showtimes: 7:00pm & 9:30pm

LORI WILLIAMS
2026-05-23 19:00 - 23:00 | Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20007, United States
Celebrate the start of Memorial Day Weekend with an evening of live music at the legendary Blues Alley Jazz as international vocalist Lori Williams takes the stage for one special night featuring two intimate performances. Known for her rich tone, expressive storytelling, and deep musical roots, Lori presents an evening of traditional and contemporary jazz, soul, and inspirational music, delivered with authenticity and emotional depth. This performance offers audiences the opportunity to experience her artistry in the city where her musical journey began. Featuring: Benjie Porecki – keys Tracey Cutler – saxophone Michael Bowie – bass Mark Prince – drums Join us for a meaningful holiday weekend evening of music, reflection, and connection.
Williams is a renowned American jazz vocalist, educator, producer, and arts advocate whose career spans more than 30 years. Known for her smooth, soulful sound and expressive storytelling, she blends traditional and contemporary jazz, soul, and inspirational music, delivering performances rooted in authenticity, reflection, and positive messages. Her work has taken her to stages around the world, earning international respect as both a performer and educator.
An accomplished recording artist, Lori has released multiple albums, including Healing Within and her most recent project, Here We Are, recorded in Austria, reflecting her continued global artistic reach and creative evolution. She has performed at venues such as Blues Alley, Keystone Korner, Middle C Jazz, City Winery, the Capital Jazz Fest and Cruise, as well as numerous international jazz festivals. Her artistry has been recognized by former Vice President and President Joseph Biden, and she received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for her celebrated portrayal of Ella Fitzgerald.
A graduate of Hampton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Communications, Lori is also a veteran music educator. She served for over 30 years in DC Public Schools and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS), advocating for arts education and student empowerment through music. Her educational work continues through her roles as an artist-in-residence, clinician, and workshop leader, where she mentors students and emerging artists through performance-based learning and jazz pedagogy. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies at Georgia State University, further deepening her scholarship and artistic practice.
Beyond the stage and classroom, Lori is an accomplished radio producer and host. She produces and hosts Collector’s Choice with Lori Williams on JazzRadioWETF.org and curates the Sunday Jazz Lounge, selecting and hiring talent while fostering community through live jazz experiences. She is also the founder of Positive Music for Positive Minds, an initiative dedicated to inspiring and empowering youth and communities through the arts.
Now based in Georgia, Lori continues to perform, teach, and create opportunities for artists while advancing her lifelong mission to spread peace, purpose, and positivity through jazz, education, and community engagement.
Tickets: $50.00 +$7.00 fee
Showtimes: 7:30pm & 9:30pm

LAVIE & ALLEN PAUL TRIO
2026-05-24 17:00 - 19:00 | Lummus Park, 1130 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
C
aribbean vocalist LaVie performs alongside pianist Allen Paul for an outdoor concert on Ocean Drive as part of the Promenade Sunday Concert Series.
Known for her expressive vocals and stage presence, LaVie blends elements of soul, pop and inspirational music, while Allen Paul brings a background in composition, arranging and live performance shaped by his work as a musical director and educator in South Florida. Together, the performance offers a mix of familiar songs and original material in a relaxed, open-air setting.
Cover: Free

THE GIL EVANS PROJECT
2026-05-26 19:00 - 2026-05-30 23:59 | Birdland, 315 W 44th Street, #5402, New York City, NY, 10036, United States
The Gil Evans Project directed by Ryan Truesdell
In celebration of the centennial of Miles Davis, the Grammy Award-nominated Gil Evans Project returns to Birdland for an epic, five-night tribute to the legendary Evans–Davis collaborations. Led by Grammy Award-winning producer Ryan Truesdell, the all-star ensemble performs the complete music from two of the most groundbreaking albums in jazz history:
Sketches of Spain (Tues/Wed/Thurs, 5/26–28)
Porgy & Bess (Fri/Sat, 5/29–30)
Cover: $45.76 ~ $56.06

NICOLE HENRY
2026-05-29 08:00 - 2026-05-31 17:00 | South, 600 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Nicole Henry’s versatile and emotionally driven performances have captivated 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. Usually touring the world with her quartet, Henry has also been a special guest of jazz orchestras, pops orchestras, and big bands.
Heralded by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Japan Times, El Pais, Jazz Times, Essence, and more, Ms. Henry tells real stories through peerless interpretations of repertoire from the American Songbook, classic and contemporary jazz, popular standards, blues, and originals.
Cover: $40.00 +$3.95 fee

JOE ALTERMAN
2026-06-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster Street, Baltimore, MD, 21231, United States
Joe Alterman brings his joyful, groove-driven piano style to the stage in a performance rooted in swing, blues, and soul. A longtime mentee of Les McCann and Ramsey Lewis, he carries forward their life-affirming tradition while blending dynamic space and rhythmic fire into a sound that is both polished and accessible. A two-time Grammy–winning contributor, Alterman delivers deep swing, melodic warmth, and the kind of jazz that simply feels good. Whether leading his trio or captivating audiences solo, Alterman’s music has been described by Downbeat Magazine as “hard-swinging” and by the late journalist Nat Hentoff as “making people smile and, if the room is right, dance.”
Joe Alterman ~ piano
Jeff Reed ~ bass
Lenny Robinson ~ drums
Tickets: $15.00 +fee | GA $30.00 ~ $35.00 +fee

QUATRE
2026-06-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Red Light Cafe, 553-1 Amsterdam Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA, 30306, United States
Bassist Joel Powell, drummer Chris Burroughs, pianist Tyrone Jackson and trumpeter Joe Gransden take to the stage on a Sunday evening of jazz at the Red Light Cafe.
These four musicians have been individually holding down the jazz scene in Atlanta and the metropolitan area for more than thirty years. They have played off and on with one or more in different configurations and come together as a quartet for a one night only performance.
Cover: $15.00 advance | $20.00 at door

JOHN PIZZARELLI
2026-06-13 17:00 - 2026-06-14 22:00 | Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster Street, Baltimore, MD, 21231, United States
Grammy winning producer, guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli celebrates the centennial of iconic singer Tony Bennett with a pair of heartfelt tributes Dear Mr. Bennett, to be released March 3, 2026, which features Pizzarelli’s trio performing timeless songs made famous by Bennett.
For world-renowned guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli, Tony Bennett was more than simply an influence. Pizzarelli’s late father, the revered guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, was a frequent sideman for the legendary singer, appearing on albums including 1960’s To My Wonderful One and 1969’s I’ve Gotta Be Me. John got his own opportunity to accompany Bennett for a radio broadcast that also featured pianist Ralph Sharon and bassist Jay Leonhart. The admiration was mutual – Bennett could be found in the audience for a number of Pizzarelli’s performances, and sketched his likeness on two occasions. The charming artwork that graces the cover of Pizzarelli’s heartfelt new tribute album, Dear Mr. Bennett, was rendered during an engagement at Feinstein’s nightclub at New York’s Loews Regency hotel.
John Pizzarelli ~ guitar and vocals
Isaiah J. Thompson ~ piano
Mike Karn ~ double bass
Tickets: Streaming $15.00 +fee | GA $45.00 ~ $55.00 +fee

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER
2026-06-19 18:00 - 2026-06-20 22:00 | Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster Street, Baltimore, MD, 21231, United States
Two-time Grammy Winner & NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater Sings the Music of Abbey Lincoln!
Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics. Bridgewater’s career has always bridged musical genres. She earned her first professional experience as a member of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Louis Big Band, and throughout the 70s she performed with such jazz notables as Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Dizzy Gillespie. After a foray into the pop world during the 1980s, she relocated to Paris and began to turn her attention back to Jazz.
Strongly influenced by jazz icons Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong, both of whom she met early in her career, NEA Jazz Master Abbey Lincoln’s distinctive vocal style, thought-provoking writing, and spirited personality secured her a place among the jazz luminaries. Over the years, she has worked with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Benny Garter, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Eric Dolphy, Coleman Hawkins, Miles Davis, Jackie McLean, Clark Terry, and Stan Getz. The recipient of numerous civic and community awards for her work with the poor and disadvantaged, Ms. Lincoln resisted the bleak side of life to emerge as a genuine carrier of celebration through music.
Dee Dee Bridgewater ~ vocals
Alexis Lombre ~ piano & keyboard
Liany Mateo ~ bass
Shirazette Tinnin ~ drums
Tickets: $65.00 ~ %75.00 +fee | Streaming: $20.00 +fee

ALLAN HARRIS
2026-06-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Majestic Theatre, 25 Carlisle Street, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, United States
250 Years of Black Music: From Spirituals to Soul
The evening is a journey through the sounds that carried us through slavery, Reconstruction, jazz, blues, gospel, civil rights, soul, and beyond. These songs are more than entertainment. They are history lessons, survival codes, prayers, love letters, protest marches, and declarations of humanity.
Cover: Free | Tickets Required

WYNTON MARSALIS
2026-07-14 18:00 - 2026-07-15 22:00 | SFJazz Center | Miner Auditorium, 201 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States
Trumpeter, composer, and 2011 NEA Jazz Master Wynton Marsalis brings the most recent iteration of his iconic Septet to the Miner stage for four performances over two days.
The most famous jazz musician alive, Marsalis is a towering figure in the evolution of the art form. From his New Orleans beginnings and fiery debut with legendary drummer Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers to his string of acclaimed albums and role as Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Marsalis has amassed a staggering list of accomplishments including nine GRAMMYs and the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his long-form work Blood on the Fields — the first ever awarded to a jazz artist. He received the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award at SFJAZZ Gala 2022 and made news in 2026 by announcing his departure from his leadership position at Lincoln Center after nearly 40 years.
Marsalis returns following his sublime performance of his score accompanying a screening of the 2010 silent Louis Armstrong biopic Louis during the 2025-26 Season with his vaunted Septet — a format that has remained his most enduring creative outlet and yielded a procession of masterful albums including 1992’s Blue Interlude, 1993’s Citi Movement, 1999’s Mr. Jelly Lord, and 2007’s Here…Now, among others.
Cover: $60.00 ~ $210.00

TYRONE JACKSON QUINTET
2026-07-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Eddie’s Attic, 515-B North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA, 30030, United States
Dr. Tyrone Jackson brings his electric band to Eddie’s Attic. The quintet will explores the innovative edges of jazz and creativity. F.T.M.O. (From The Mind Of) is drawn from his critically acclaimed album From the Mind of Tyrone Jackson, where genres blur but the improvisational aspects of jazz remain central.
The Quintet:
Tyrone Kackson ~ Piano
Lavahi~vocals
Patrick Arthur ~ guitar
Joel Powell ~ bass
Robert Boone ~ drums | Grammy Winner
Cover: $23.37

VANESS RUBIN
2026-07-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit, MI, 48226, United States
The Detroit Jazz Workshop is co-sponsoring to bring the incredible performance of the great Cleveland jazz vocalist, Vanessa Rubin. Joining her on stage is the Duncan McMillan Trio.
Vanessa is a vocalist’s vocalist and can do it all. With Vanessa, you know it’s going to be swingin’, Detroit style!
Cover: $15.00 ~ General Admission | $10.00 ~ Students.

LISA FISCHER
2026-07-19 20:00 - 23:45 | Blue Note ~ New York, 131 W. 3rd Street, New York City, NY, 10012, United States
After four decades of featured background singing with icons like Luther Vandross, The Rolling Stones, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, and Nine Inch Nails, Ms. Lisa Fischer set out to take center stage with her own humble, heartfelt song. The 2013 Best Documentary Oscar winning film “Twenty Feet from Stardom” altered the course of Lisa’s musical journey, telling her story, with clips of her legendary duets with Sting or with Mick Jagger on “Gimme Shelter”, left audiences eager to see and hear more, so Lisa took the chance to set out on her own reinventing classic songs with her co-conspirators JC Maillard and Grand Baton. Their organic fusion of Caribbean psychedelic soul and jazzy progressive rock ignited Lisa’s flexibility and freedom of expression, awakening her lifelong desire to make music that heals but still rocks the house.
While Lisa’s range is legendary, her greatest gift is the ability to connect, to reach the hearts of her listeners. Raised in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, she emerged from New York’s fervent studio scene in the early 1980s, sang for two decades with legendary vocalist Luther Vandross, and released “So Intense”, earning her first Best R&B Performance Grammy with “How Can I Ease The Pain”. She joined the Rolling Stones for their 1989 Steel Wheels tour, and continued to grace their stage for the next 26 years. Lisa’s passion for constant growth and experimentation with different styles invited recent collaborations with jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Michael McDonald, Eric Krasno, Talib Kweli, Billy Childs and YoYo Ma, the BBC Proms / Jules Buckley and the Metropole Orkest, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Anna Deavere Smith’s “Notes from the Field” for HBO, and especially her full evening program The Classic Lisa Fischer with Grand Baton and Seattle Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony and the National Philharmonic.
The Band:
Lisa Fischer: Vocal
Orrin Evans: Piano
James Genus: Bass
Mark Whitfield Jr.: Drums
Cover: $49.43 ~ $66.32 | Fees Included
Food/Beverage Per Person: $20.00 Minimum

VANESSA RUBIN
2026-07-24 19:00 - 2026-07-25 23:00 | Con Alma, 613 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222, 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.
The Trio
Vanessa Rubin – vocals
Cliff Barnes – organ
David Throckmorton – drums
Cover: $20.00 ~ $50.00 | Call For Reservations

HENDRIK MEURKENS
2026-07-24 20:00 - 22:00 | The Side Door, Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
One of the most unique and captivating voices in jazz brings his quartet to The Side Door. Hendrik Meurkens is a virtuoso on both the chromatic harmonica and the vibraphone and is widely regarded as the most important jazz harmonica player since Toots Thielemans. Born in Hamburg and now based in New York, his path to musical mastery is one of jazz’s most extraordinary stories. As a teenager, a Benny Goodman record with Lionel Hampton lit the fuse — he had to play vibraphone. Then, at nineteen, he heard Toots Thielemans for the first time and knew he had to play harmonica too. He perfected his unique musical voice at Berklee as a vibraphone major, then moved to Rio de Janeiro in the early 1980s to immerse himself completely in the music and culture of Brazil.
His poignant, emotionally affecting harmonica proved to be a sound that Brazilians strongly embraced, and that deep love of Brazilian music , samba, bossa nova, choro, has never left him, infusing everything he plays with a warmth and rhythmic vitality that is entirely his own. Back in Germany by 1983, he became a respected studio musician, recording with European Radio Orchestras and accompanying visiting legends like Harry “Sweets” Edison and Buddy Tate. He then moved to New York on an exclusive contract with Concord Records and has since released over fifteen acclaimed albums as a leader, performing at festivals and clubs around the world.
The Band
Hendrik Meurkens – Harmonica & Vibraphone
Steve Ash – Piano
Joe Fitzgerald – Bass
Ben Bilello – Drums
Cover: $27.98

BENITO GONZALEZ TRIO
2026-08-08 20:00 - 22:00 | The Side Door, Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Two-time Grammy nominee Benito Gonzalez is joined by legends Buster Williams and Lenny White.
Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Benito Gonzalez grew up immersed in traditional Venezuelan folk music before discovering jazz through the playing of Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett, an early inspiration that shaped his powerful, Afro-Latin-infused approach to the piano. Gonzalez made his way to the United States by a serendipitous route, an American cultural ambassador caught one of his trio gigs and later invited him to Washington, D.C.
He went on to play with Jackie McLean in 2003, then spent nearly seven years touring with Kenny Garrett’s quartet, earning two Grammy nominations for the recordings Seeds from the Underground and Pushing the World Away. In 2019 he joined NEA Jazz Master and Coltrane protégé Pharoah Sanders as pianist and musical director. A 2005 winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition and a Steinway artist since 2020, Gonzalez has shared the stage with Dave Liebman, Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Al Foster, and many others.
Joining him are two of the most legendary rhythm section players in jazz history. Bassist Buster Williams has anchored some of the most important recordings and bands of the past six decades, from Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis to McCoy Tyner and Ron Carter, and remains one of the most revered bassists in the music. Drummer Lenny White, a member of the original lineup of Return to Forever and a Grammy-winning legend in his own right, brings a depth of groove and history matched by few. Together, this trio represents three generations of jazz mastery converging in one room.
The Band:
Benito Gonzalez – Piano
Buster Williams – Bass
Lenny White – Drums
Cover: $38.57

NAT REEVES SEXTET
2026-08-14 20:00 - 22:00 | The Side Door, Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Nat Reeves brings his sextet to The Side Door, the same all-star group from his new album Now in Time. For over 40 years, Nat Reeves has been one of the most respected bassists in jazz. Early in his career he performed with Jackie McLean, Benny Golson, Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Kirkland, and Kenny Drew. He became a longtime member of Kenny Garrett’s group beginning in 1994, and has worked and recorded with Pharoah Sanders, George Coleman, Harold Mabern, George Cables, and Joe Farnsworth, among many others. He has released three albums as a leader, State of Emergency, Blue Ridge, and now Now in Time, released April 17, 2026 on Cellar Live.
Now in Time brings together an extraordinary lineup spanning multiple generations of jazz, twelve tracks running just over an hour that move comfortably between Reeves’ own original compositions and a thoughtful selection of standards, including “On Green Dolphin Street,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and a tribute to Marvin Gaye with “The Creator Has a Master Plan.” Throughout the record, Reeves’ bass acts as a quiet narrator, steering the music’s direction with the kind of unhurried confidence that comes from four decades on the bandstand. Critics have praised the album as a recording that rewards close, attentive listening, one that resists the pace of casual consumption and instead invites listeners to settle into a long evening built on the trust and shared musical language of these six players.
T
his is a rare chance to hear the album’s celebrated lineup perform the music live, in an intimate setting.
The Band:
Nat Reeves – Bass
Eric Alexander – Tenor Saxophone
Steve Davis – Trombone
Eddie Henderson – Trumpet
Caelan Cardello – Piano
Jeff “Tain” Watts – Drums
Cover: $38.57

MONTY ALEXANDER
2026-08-16 17:00 - 21:00 | Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster Street, Baltimore, MD, 21231, United States
Nearly sixty years after he moved to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica, his hometown, GRAMMY® nominated pianist Monty Alexander is an American classic, touring the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message. A perennial favorite at Jazz festivals and venues worldwide and at the Montreux Jazz Festival where he has appeared 23 times since 1976, his spirited conception is one informed by the timeless verities: endless melody-making, effervescent grooves, sophisticated voicings, a romantic spirit, and a consistent predisposition.
In the course of any given performance, Alexander applies those aesthetics to a repertoire spanning a broad range of jazz and Jamaican musical expressions—the American songbook and the blues, gospel and bebop, calypso and reggae. Documented on more than 75 recordings and cited as the fifth greatest jazz pianist ever in The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time (Hal Leonard Publishing), the Jamaican government designated Alexander Commander in the Order of Distinction in 2000 and conferred on him the national honor of the Order of Jamaica in 2022 for “Sterling Contributions to the Promotions of Jamaican Music and the Jazz Genre Interpretations Globally”.
The Trio:
Monty Alexander, piano
Lorin Cohen, bass
Jason Brown, drums
Cover: $45.00 ~ $55.00 +fees | Streaming: $15.00 +fee

VANESSA RUBIN & HER TRIO
2026-08-29 17:30 - 21:30 | NY
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.
Rubin takes the stage of the Jellife Theatre for a Benefit Concert with proceeds from the evening will support Karamu’s artistic productions, arts education programs, workforce development initiatives, community engagement efforts, and the preservation of Black theatre and storytelling. Opening reception begins at 5:30pm, concert @ 7:00pm.
The Band:
Vanessa Rubin ~ Vocal
Brandon McCune ~ Piano
Kenny Davis ~ Bass
Jerome Jennings ~ Drums
Cover: $125.00 | Ticket Includes:
~ Admission to the Vanessa Rubin Benefit Concert
~ Pre-concert reception
~ Complimentary drink tickets
~ Post-concert dessert reception
