ETIENNE CHARLES
Trinidad born Etienne Charles is a performer, composer and storyteller, who is constantly searching for untold tales and sounds with which to tell them. His lush trumpet sound, varied compositional textures and pulsating percussive grooves enable him to invoke trance, soothing and exciting listeners while referencing touchy and sometimes controversial subjects in his music. Highlighting marginalized communities and engaging with them has been his mission, evident with projects such as his Guggenheim Fellowship Project, Carnival: The Sound of a People Vol. 1, San Jose Suite, Creole Soul, Gullah Roots, Folklore and his latest commission, San Juan Hill – A New York Story.
His concerts engage, enlighten, educate and enrich audiences with energized multidisciplinary performance utilizing original composition, thematic improvisation, dance, short films and spoken word to create a holistic experience. A firm believer in music and performance as a tool for provoking thought and dialogue, Charles’s themes speak to the status quo while drawing parallels to history. His work is actively connecting the African diaspora and drawing lines to the regions at the roots of migrations, evident in his latest release, NAACP Image Award nominated Creole Orchestra which was named #1 Jazz album on Jazzweek’s top 100 of 2024 after spending seven weeks at #1 on the chart in the summer.
His dedication to music as a tool for social uplift has seen him named as a Laureate of the Arts and Letters, Anthony N. Sabga Awards, Caribbean Excellence (2025). He was conferred the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture (2024) and was awarded a Congressional Citation from the United States (2012).
As a sideman he has performed with and/or arranged for Roberta Flack, Chucho Valdes, Marcus Roberts, Marcus Miller, Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Foster’s Loud Minority Big Band, Monty Alexander, Gregory Porter, Terri Lyne Carrington, René Marie, David Rudder, Machel Montano and many others. He has been commissioned as a composer and arranger by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (2025), Lincoln Center for the New York Philharmonic (2021), Savannah Music Festival (2017), Chamber Music America (2015 & 2021), the Charleston Jazz Orchestra (2012), the Chicago Jazz Ensemble (2011) and the Danish Radio Big Band (2025).
He currently serves as Professor of Studio Music and Jazz at University of Miami Frost School of Music
The Band:
Etienne Charles ~ Trumpet
Mikailo Kasha ~ Bass
Miles Turk ~ Drums
Tickets: $20.00, $30.00, $40.00, $50.00 +$5.50 processing and ticketing fee.
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SAMARA JOY
With a style that harkens back to the ‘50s and ’60s eras of jazz music, the twenty-six year old Samara Joy McLendon is an emerging singer from the Bronx, New York. Her childhood was filled with soul and Motown classics, but gospel music was the most dominant due to many of her elder relatives having been involved with the genre.
Though she performed in the jazz band and won Best Vocalist at the Essentially Ellington Competition & Festival while in high school, her true introduction to jazz came when she enrolled at Purchase College as a voice major in their jazz program. During her studies, a video she made with the head of Purchase’s jazz program performing Ella Fitzgerald’s “Take Love Easy” went viral, and that exciting experience was enough for Samara to create a GoFundMe campaign to cover the expenses in putting together her debut album.
The end result, Samara Joy, was released two months after her college graduation in 2021. Her second album Linger Awhile arrived on September 16, 2022, and has allowed Samara to receive her first of many Grammy Awards thus far: one for Best New Artist and another for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Tickets: $179.00 ~ $651.00
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VANESSA RUBIN
Vanessa Rubin is a revered jazz vocalist and storyteller celebrated for her crystalline clarity, soulful warmth, and bold improvisational style. Born in Cleveland to Trinidadian and Louisiana parents, her sound bridges Caribbean rhythm, classic jazz elegance, and Motown soul. Since launching her career in 1980 in Cleveland’s legendary clubs, Rubin has built an international performance and education legacy.
Signed to Novus/RCA in 1992, she released five albums, including chart-topping Soul Eyes (1992) and Pastiche (1993). Her acclaimed one-woman musical, Yesterdays: An Evening with Billie Holiday, earned a 2011 Kevin Klein Award nomination. Rubin continues touring globally, producing, teaching, and championing lyrical storytelling in jazz.
Performers:
Vanessa Rubin ~ Vocalist
Brandon McCune ~ Piano
Richie Goods ~ Bas
Alvin Atkinson ~ Drums
Cover: $40.00 | Friday, 7:30 Show ~ Sold Out
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VANESSA RUBIN
Vanessa Rubin is a revered jazz vocalist and storyteller celebrated for her crystalline clarity, soulful warmth, and bold improvisational style. Born in Cleveland to Trinidadian and Louisiana parents, her sound bridges Caribbean rhythm, classic jazz elegance, and Motown soul. Since launching her career in 1980 in Cleveland’s legendary clubs, Rubin has built an international performance and education legacy.
Signed to Novus/RCA in 1992, she released five albums, including chart-topping Soul Eyes (1992) and Pastiche (1993). Her acclaimed one-woman musical, Yesterdays: An Evening with Billie Holiday, earned a 2011 Kevin Klein Award nomination. Rubin continues touring globally, producing, teaching, and championing lyrical storytelling in jazz.
The Band: Miki Hayama ! Piano | Richie Goods ~ Bass | Alvin Atkinson ~ Drums | Patience Higgins ~ Tenor Saxophone
Cover: Free
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TOMI BERRY & OMAR ASKEW
Tomi Berry is a beautiful performer, inside and out, brings natural grace, a rich soulful voice, and spiritual essence to her performances throughout the Atlanta area and beyond. Wherever she sings, she spreads joy, whether singing smooth R&B, swinging jazz, or sultry ballads, she holds an audience in rapt attention. A spiritual song-stylist, she engages her listeners in musical conversation.
The 2016 42nd Annual Lawrence Award Winner for “Best Seasoned Performer” and the runner up for the 2016’s inaugural Atlanta’s Top Vocalist competition, she has an extensive background in performing and public speaking. An accomplished, classically trained singer, Tomi has performed most of her life in multiple music genres, starting formally in gospel and spiritual church choirs in her hometown of Montclair, NJ.
Omar Askew, a 19-year-old student at Kennesaw State University, is dedicated to studying Jazz Performance on the piano. Constantly striving for self-improvement, he aims to excel every time he touches his instrument. In lessons, Omar pushes his students to become the best pianists they can be, helping them achieve their personal goals.
Cover & Parking: Free
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