BILL CHARLAP TRIO

Bill Charlap was born in New York City into a deeply musical family, his father was Broadway composer Moose Charlap, whose credits include Peter Pan, and his mother is singer Sandy Stewart, a Grammy nominated vocalist who toured with Benny Goodman. Charlap began playing piano at age three and never looked back. In the late 1980s he joined Gerry Mulligan’s quintet, and in 1995 secured one of the most coveted piano chairs in jazz with the Phil Woods Quintet. Since then he has performed with an extraordinary range of the music’s leading artists, including Tony Bennett, Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Houston Person, and Barbra Streisand.

Charlap is widely regarded as one of the most gifted interpreters of the American songbook working today. Time magazine has written that he “approaches a song the way a lover approaches his beloved, no matter how imaginative or surprising his take on a song is, he invariably zeroes in on its essence.” His acclaimed trio, celebrated for its telepathic interplay and deep swing, has been together for decades and has released nearly 20 albums together. In 2016, his collaboration with Tony Bennett, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. From 2004 through 2023 he served as Artistic Director of New York City’s Jazz in July Festival at 92NY, and he currently serves as Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University.

Joining him for this special four night engagement are bassist David Wong and drummer Dennis Mackrel, two of the most respected rhythm section players in jazz. This is a rare and extraordinary opportunity to experience one of the true masters of jazz piano in an intimate setting.

Bill Charlap – Piano
David Wong – Bass
Dennis Mackrel – Drums

Cover: $38.5

Showtimes:
Thursday~ Saturday: 8:00pm ~ 10:00pm
Sunday: 3:00pm ~ 5:00pm

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,,

AARON GOLDBERG TRIO

The New York Times has called Aaron Goldberg a “post-bop pianist of exemplary taste and range”, and over a career spanning three decades he has more than earned that distinction. Born in Boston, Goldberg discovered jazz in high school under the guidance of bassist Bob Sinicrope, and later studied with saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi before moving to New York at seventeen to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. DownBeat magazine has praised his “quick witted harmonic reflexes, fluid command of line, and cut-to-the-chase sense of narrative logic.”

Goldberg’s career has placed him at the center of some of jazz’s most important collaborations. He toured extensively with Joshua Redman, joined the bands of Kurt Rosenwinkel and Wynton Marsalis, and performed worldwide with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has also collaborated with Charles Lloyd, Madeleine Peyroux, Betty Carter, Freddie Hubbard, and Guillermo Klein, among many others, and somehow found time to earn a master’s degree in philosophy from Tufts along the way. He is a Steinway artist and a member of the celebrated collaborative trio Yes! with Omer Avital and Ali Jackson Jr.

Aaron Goldberg – Piano
Matt Brewer – Bass
Kendrick Scott – Drums

Cover: $27.98

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,,,

BENNY GREEN

Benny Green – Solo Piano

Benny Green is one of the most exciting, hard-swinging pianists to emerge from the legacy of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Born in New York and raised in Berkeley, California, Green began classical piano studies at age seven, drawn to jazz through his father’s record collection of Monk and Bird, and his early talent led to a weekly trio gig at Yoshi’s while still in high school.

After moving to New York, Green studied with veteran pianist Walter Bishop Jr., who encouraged him to explore the full scope of jazz piano history to find his own voice. He went on to work with Betty Carter from 1983 to 1987, then realized a lifelong dream by joining Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, remaining a member until Blakey’s passing in 1990. He went on to join Freddie Hubbard’s quintet, and in 1993 became the first recipient of the City of Toronto’s Glenn Gould International Protégé Prize in Music, selected personally by Oscar Peterson. That same year he joined Ray Brown’s trio, remaining until 1997.

Green has been hailed as the bearer of a torch handed down to him personally by his mentors, Betty Carter, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, and Ray Brown, a living link to one of the great lineages of jazz piano. With a recording career spanning over one hundred sessions as both leader and sideman, and decades of touring as a soloist and bandleader, Green brings the full weight of that tradition to The Side Door for two nights of solo piano, an intimate format that allows his extraordinary touch, harmonic depth, and hard-swinging spirit to take center stage.

The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

Cover: $27.98

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,,

XAVIER DAVIS QUARTET

Xavier Davis’ professional career as a Jazz pianist took off when the legendary vocalist Betty Carter spotted his outstanding talent at the 1994 International Association of Jazz Educators convention in Boston while he was performing with his college ensemble. It was her who brought Xavier to New York, hiring him exclusively as the pianist of her working trio.  Today, Xavier is one of the most accomplished Jazz pianists world wide.  Having led master classes and clinics all over the world and coming from a family of music educators, passing on knowledge and skills to young musicians is very important to Xavier. As such, he is proud to be Associate Professor of Jazz Piano at Michigan State University. Xavier was also member of the teaching staff in the Jazz department of the Juilliard School of Music in New York for six years prior to that.

His development as a musician has been greatly influenced by the inspiration and guidance he has received from Carl Allen, James Williams, and Billy Hart, whom he sees and respects as his great mentors.  In addition to Betty and Carl, Xavier has performed and recorded with many other world-famous Jazz artists like the legendary Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell, Christian McBride, Regina Carter, Stefon Harris, Abbey Lincoln, Wynton Marsalis, Don Byron, Nat Adderley, Nicholas Payton, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Greene, Steve Turre, Al Foster, and Jeremy Pelt among others. During the 1999 – 2000 season, Xavier worked with the Boy’s Choir of Harlem as their Musical Director. He also played keyboard for the television series “Cosby.” His talent has been featured on more than 50 albums.  Xavier is part of the Christian McBride Big Band and was featured on Christian’s album ‘The Good Feeling’, which won a Grammy award in 2012.

A

s a bandleader, Xavier has released two critically acclaimed albums – ‘Dance of Life’ and ‘The Innocence of Youth’. “The pianist [Xavier Davis] simply knows how to make every note on his instrument sing, and he invariably finds the richest area of the keyboard for voicing his chords.” says writer Bob Blumenthal. Jazz Times reviewer John Murph writes “…the music exudes a mature, nonchalant ease and cozy empathy that make this…a rewarding listen.” Down Beat gave the CD, “Dance of Life,” four stars, stating, “Davis steps out with an accomplished debut.”  Xavier is currently working on his long awaited follow-up to these albums.

In 2005, Xavier became the first person to receive the prestigious “New Works Grant” twice from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation under the auspices of Chamber Music America. He has won awards at several festivals as well as in Down Beat magazine.

Cover: $25.00

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,

AYA SEKINE TRIO

Japanese Jazz Pianist Aya Sekine, with over three decades of cross-continental experience, has solidified her position as one of Asia’s most illustrious Jazz figures. Recently, Sekine has relocated to Detroit, Michigan after being approved for an artist permanent residency (EB-1) in the United States based on her Extraordinary Ability.

From her classical piano roots to prestigious stages in New York City and beyond, Sekine’s journey is marked by a rich tapestry of experiences and seasoned expertise. Renowned for her unique style, often hailed as genre-bending, Sekine effortlessly weaves together traditional jazz and abstract expression, infusing her music with a playful charm and a touch of mischief.

Her performances capture audiences in with warmth and allure, while she swings hard, and adding her original color to the classics. Whether collaborating with diverse artists or leading her own band, Sekine’s magnetic stage presence and transcendent musical mixture continue to captivate audiences, cementing her status as an iconic figure in the global jazz community.

Cover: $25.00

Aya Sekine – Piano
Jaribu Shahid – Bass
Jonathan Barahal Taylor – Drums

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,

« Older Posts       Newer Posts »
© Notorious Jazz 2026