DELFEAYO MARSALIS & THE UPTOWN JAZZ ORCHESTRA
On packing a full jazz orchestra into a tiny historic jazz club: “Whatever you have to do,” the trombonist says philosophically. But when the band plays the swing and bebop hits from the 1930s through the 1960s, the music is just as tight. From Mardi Gras music to modern jazz, this band does it all. An intimate experience like no other!
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WESSELL “WARMDADDY” ANDERSON
Alto saxophonistWessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson grew up in the tough Bedford Stuyvesent and Crown Heights neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NY. By the time Anderson was 14 years old, he was deeply involved in the local jazz scene (thanks in part to his father, a drummer) and attending jam sessions at then-active Brooklyn and Queens jazz clubs like the Blue Coronet, Pumpkin’s, and the Turbo Village.
Anderson later studied at Harlem’s famed Jazzmobile workshops with the likes of Frank Wess, Charles Davis, and Frank Foster. Here, Anderson also met Wynton and Branford Marsalis, who were both playing with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers at the time. At Branford’s urging, Anderson soon departed New York to study with famed clarinetist Alvin Batiste at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA.
It wasn’t long before Anderson got his first big break, when Wynton Marsalis asked Anderson to tour with the Wynton Marsalis Septet. Soon, Anderson was off to the studio and the road with Marsalis, helping make some of the most defining music of the late-’80s and early-’90s jazz revival. Although Marsalis disbanded the group in 1995, Anderson is still the first string alto saxist with Marsalis’ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
It was during his time with Marsalis’ group that Anderson began to develop his own sound: a mix of traditional New Orleans jazz and a sweeping blues style similar to that of Cannonball Adderley, and Wynton thus dubbed him “Warmdaddy” soul.
The Quintet
Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson – saxophone
Ed Perkins – vocals
Victor Atkins – piano
Robin Sherman – bass
Jason Marsalis – drums
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CARLA COOK
Carla Cook – vocals | Jeremy Pelt – trumpet | Vincent Herring – alto saxophone | Eric Reed – piano | tba – bass | Joe Farnsworth – drums
When Carla Cook sings, she swings. The Washington Post says, “She has sass that enlivens her impeccable diction, and tremendous soul that lets her swagger with gutbucket finesse, but it’s all buttressed with sparkling optimism and innocence.” Her improvisational style is steeped in the swing tradition yet eclectic and brimming with fresh interpretations.
Cook will be joined by Smoke’s Coltrane Festival “Countdown 2024” band, the Eric Reed/Vincent Herring Quintet featuring Jeremy Pelt, and Smoke’s Coltrane Festival “Countdown 2024” core ensemble. JazzTimes reports, “Pelt is a technical marvel. He executes intricate solos with ease, plays gorgeous ballads in a tasteful manner, and never lacks flair or sensitivity.” Audiophile Audition adds he has “the power and range of Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard in their seminal years.”
The group is co-led by the perpetually swinging Eric Reed, who All About Jazz says “has fully established himself in the forefront of jazz pianists,” and the fiery Herring who “has firmly established himself as one of his generation’s masters,” adds The New York City Jazz Record. It also includes one of the elite musicians working today, drummer Joe Farnsworth.
7PM Show Details: Your $250 ticket (plus tax & tip) includes a 3-course holiday dinner
9:30PM Show Details: Your $350 ticket (plus tax & tip) includes a 3-course holiday dinner, two shows, a midnight celebration, hats & noise makers
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MILESTONES
Jeremy Pelt – trumpet | Vincent Herring – alto saxophone | Wayne Escoffery – tenor saxophone | Eric Reed – piano Buster Williams – bass | Al Foster – drums
The two nights before New Year’s Eve are dedicated to Countdown Festival Sextet III, which includes two more special guests who also happen to be two of the all-time greats: Bassist Buster Williams and drummer Al Foster. These two masters join esteemed co-musical directors Eric Reed and Vincent Herring along with the powerful duo of trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and saxophonist Wayne Escoffery. It is a stunning group to close out the year, to say the least. The Guardian calls Williams “one of the great acoustic bassists,” and JazzTimes adds, “Williams’ résumé ranks with that of any bassist in the modern era.” JazzTimes also says that Al Foster—well-known for his work with Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Rollins, and many more—“is a not-so-secret special groove ingredient enlivening performances and sessions by a long list of heavy hitters,”
~ Please Note: All 7PM and 9PM shows at Smoke are Dinner Shows
~ Friday & Saturday Shows Only: 10:30pm
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BLUE TRAIN
Eddie Henderson – trumpet | Vincent Herring – alto & tenor saxophone | Steve Davis – trombone | Eric Reed – piano Dezron Douglas – bass | Joe Farnsworth – drums
Countdown 2024 at Smoke continues with an all-star sextet with two special guests: Trumpeter Eddie Henderson and trombonist Steve Davis. This outstanding group is co-led by pianist Eric Reed and alto saxophonist Vincent Herring with the unbeatable rhythm team of bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Downbeat writes, “Henderson’s muscular chops and round sound are astonishing for an 83-year-old and lovely to behold.”Steve Davis, who spent some of his formative years honing his craft and earning his reputation with a trio of giants: Art Blakey, Jackie McLean, and Chick Corea, “has established himself as one of the most accomplished and lyrical improvisers on his instrument, as well as a prolific composer,” reports JazzTimes.
Please Note: All 7PM and 9PM shows at Smoke are Dinner Shows
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