JULIE DEXTER

Julie Dexter is a world renowned, award winning, British Jazz singer, songwriter and producer considered by many to be one of the most influential female vocalists of our generation.

Having shared the spotlight with a host of cutting-edge artists, including Mint Condition, Caron Wheeler, Lalah Hathaway, Omar, Ledisi, Third World and Maxi Priest to name a few, Julie not only holds up her own with them but has been praised and respected by them too.

Influenced by legends such as Nancy Wilson, Abbey Lincoln, and Bob Marley, as well as popular icons Omar and Sade, Julie takes classic soul to the heart of Artistry. She is one of an elite few whose talent can transcend genres. She makes it all work on her own terms, as an audaciously independent artist with an undeniable connection to her audience.

“It was the first time I got to see firsthand an energy that literally controls the entire room!! Incredible stage presence…vocals and songs with this perfect match of soul and groove … a style that has inspired me as a music producer to this day”  –  William Rasol

Showtimes – Friday & Saturday 7:00PM & 9:30PM | Sunday 6:00PM and 8:30PM

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ANTONIO HART QUINTET

When Antonio Hart was in ninth grade, the music and art programs were cut out of the public schools. Antonio was devastated because the one thing that made school interesting was taken away from him. Having a friend that attended the then new Baltimore School for the Performing Arts, somehow got Antonio an audition. He did the best he could because he really could not read the level of music he was trying to play. He prayed everyday, but he did not think he would get in. One week to the day, he received a transfer letter in the mail; he had been accepted! Hart considers this the beginning of his life as a young man and musician.

Hart’s real study of Jazz began at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, he studied with Bill Pierce, Andy McGhee, and Joe Viola. The three teachers gave him the foundation he needed to develop into a professional musician. Hart spent many hours in the library listening to all his favorite musicians, and practicing and playing as much as he could. There were also many late hours in the practice room. Because of the lessons learned at the School for the Arts, he really thought it was important to have a balance between music and academia, so in his sophomore year he became a Music Education Major. The most important friendship at Berklee was with Roy Hargrove. They spent three years touring the world and recording Hargrove’s first three records. Hart considers Hargrove to be his brother in life and music. He even used Hargrove on his first recording ‘For the First Time.’

His 1997 release, ‘Here I Stand’ Impulse records, earned Hart a 1997 Grammy nomination for ‘Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.’ He has also been in much demand as a guest on over 80 recordings. Since then, Hart has recorded seven CDs as a leader. Hart balances his time as a full-time Professor at The Aaron Copland school of Music, Queens College, as well as, traveling on the road with his band, The Dave Holland Big band, and The Dizzy Gillespie Big band.

The Quintet
Antonio Hart ~ Alto Sax
Mejedi Owusu ~ Trumpet
Richard Johnson ~ Piano
Alex “Apolo” Ayala ~ Bass
Jerome Jennings ~ Drums

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SAMARA JOY

Samara Joy released her self-titled debut album in 2021 and was subsequently named Best New Artist by JazzTimes. Her second album, Linger Awhile (2022), reached number one on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. She has received six Grammys, which include Best New Artist in 2023, and three wins each for Best Jazz Vocal Album 2023, 2025 and 2026, as well as Best Jazz Performance in 2024 and 2025.

In 2019, as Samara McLendon, she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. One of the judges during that competition, world-renowned bassist Christian McBride, described Joy as a “once-in-a-generation talent.”

Personnel
Samara Joy | Vocalist
Jason Charos | Trumpet
David Mason | Alto Sax
Kendric McCallister | Tenor Sax
Nanami Haruta | Trombone
Isaac Byrd | Piano
Marty Jaffe | Bass
Evan Sherman | Drums

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FRANK LACY

Trombonist Frank Lacy brings his talent to the stage at Smalls. He has spent over two decades as a member of the Mingus Big Band. An alumni of Texas Southern University and Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying trombone and composition. His classmates included Branford Marsalis, Greg Osby, and Marvin Smith.

He played with Illinois Jacquet’s big band, and a couple years later he was musical director for Art Blakey. He released his first album as a band leader in 1991 with his father on guitar.[3] He has also worked with Lester Bowie, Marty Ehrlich, Michael Formanek, Slide Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Rufus Reid, Henry Threadgill, Steve Turre, McCoy Tyner, and Bobby Watson.

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JOE ALTERMAN

He plays with swing, soul, and an unmistakable sense of uplift — the kind of piano that makes people lean forward, smile, and stay a little longer. Les McCann called him “a giant.” Ramsey Lewis called him “an inspiration.” Ahmad Jamal hailed him as “a very special artist.” And George Benson once told him, “You play good and you sound good — and there’s a difference.”

A longtime mentee of Les McCann and Ramsey Lewis, Alterman carries forward their groove-heavy, life-affirming approach to the piano — blending blues feeling and melodic clarity into a voice that is deeply rooted yet unmistakably personal.

Alterman has released eight critically acclaimed albums and performed at iconic venues including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Birdland, and the Blue Note, sharing the stage with legends such as McCann, Lewis, Houston Person, and Dick Gregory. When he and Gregory shared a bill at the Kennedy Center, Gregory introduced him with a knowing smile and the line, “See? Integration works!”

he Band:
Joe Alterman ~ Piano
Nathaniel Schroeder ~ Bass
Alex Raderman ~ Drums

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