Smoke Jazz Livestream's Upcoming Shows

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Wayne Escoffery – tenor saxophone ELEW – piano Bar Filipowicz – bass David Hawkins – drums “Every time he plays, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery brings a sense memory that includes early days in the church choir in New Haven, Connecticut; the wisdom and watchful eye of the legendary Jackie McLean; time spent with The Mingus Big Band, Ron Carter and Tom Harrell.” –WBGO Acclaimed tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery joins forces with pianist ELEW and the dynamic ELEW Trio for a highly anticipated, high-voltage collaboration. A two-time Grammy Award winner and longtime member of The Mingus Big Band, Escoffery is widely regarded as one of the premier tenor saxophonists of his generation. His sound is commanding yet lyrical, rooted in the hard-bop tradition while exploring modern harmonic territory. One of the most prominent protégés of the great Jackie McLean, Escoffery authentically channels the energy and passion of his formative mentor. All About Jazz says, “Not since the works of bassist Charles Mingus and saxophonist John Coltrane has there been music so charged with emotion and so engulfed in spirituality.” Stereogum adds, “the leader’s playing has thoughtfulness and muscle in equal measure.” ELEW (formerly Eric Lewis) is widely acclaimed for redefining the piano trio format. He is renowned for explosive live performances and daring reinterpretations of contemporary repertoire, infusing them with the raw energy of rock and pop. His percussive attack, sweeping dynamics, and rhythm ingenuity create a sound that is both original and immediately familiar. The Wall Street Journal declares, “ELEW plays with fire, style, and relentless energy.” 

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Dayna Stephens – tenor saxophone Simon Moullier – vibraphone Kevin Hays – piano Vicente Archer – bass Kendrick Scott – drums “Kendrick is a true artist of the highest order. He is exactly what we need: someone with the vision and courage to press forward and expand the world of music.” – JazzTimes Acclaimed drummer and composer Kendrick Scott makes his debut as a bandleader at Smoke, leading an exceptional quintet featuring saxophonist Dayna Stephens, vibraphonist Simon Moullier, pianist Kevin Hays, and bassist Vicente Archer. A five-time Grammy nominee and one of the most distinctive rhythmic voices in contemporary jazz, Scott has toured and recorded with artists including Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, Terence Blanchard, Kurt Elling, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. He appears on several of Blanchard’s celebrated Blue Note releases and has also recorded his own acclaimed albums for Blue Note Records, affirming his place among the label’s leading contemporary voices. His drumming balances power with restraint, propulsion with space. As The New York Times observes, he plays with “an ultramodern sense of propulsion… lightweight yet heavy-gauge.” As a bandleader, Scott brings a vision that is both expansive and intimate. DownBeat praises him as “a sophisticated composer whose hooky melodies lean toward the poetic and spiritual.” With this remarkable quintet lineup, his compositions promise richly layered textures and a dynamic conversation among five master improvisers. 

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Adam O'Farrill – trumpet Vijay Iyer – piano & Fender Rhodes Devon Gates – bass Jeremy Dutton – drums “Trailblazing… one of his generation’s brightest jazz luminaries.”
– Time Out New York Pianist Vijay Iyer leads a visionary quartet featuring trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, bassist Devon Gates, and drummer Jeremy Dutton. Iyer was described by The New York Times as a “social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker, and multicultural gateway.” Iyer has carved out a unique path as an influential, prolific, shape-shifting presence in 21st Century music. A composer and pianist active and revered across multiple musical communities, Iyer has created a consistently innovative, emotionally resonant body of work over the last three decades, earning him a place as one of the leading music-makers of his generation. He is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, among many accolades, and was named Downbeat’s Jazz Artist of the Year four times in the last decade. He was called “an American treasure” by Minnesota Public Radio and has been praised by Pitchfork as “one of the best in the world at what he does.” 

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Joel Ross – vibraphone Devin Daniels – alto saxophone Tyler Bullock – piano Kanoa Mendenhall – bass Jeremy Dutton – drums “It’s easy to hear poetry in Ross’ performances, in the strike of his mallets and the prosody of his phrasing.” – Downbeat Celebrated vibraphonist Joel Ross makes his bandleader debut at Smoke, with his band of exceptional young talent, Good Vibes, with saxophonist Devin Daniels, pianist Tyler Bullock, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, and drummer Jeremy Dutton. A rising star on the modern jazz scene, Ross has released five albums as a leader on Blue Note Records, including his latest, Gospel Music, which explores storytelling and the spiritual dimensions of music. His work has drawn praise for its clarity, lyrical depth, and balance of technical sophistication with emotional resonance. Ross has performed and recorded with some of the leading voices in contemporary jazz, including Christian McBride, Kenny Barron, Jon Batiste, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Ari Hoenig. He was also recently featured on drummer Joe Farnsworth’s acclaimed release, The Big Room. Ross’s playing is praised for its precision, expressive nuance, and capacity to shape the ensemble’s sound while remaining fully in dialogue with other musicians. The New Yorker writes that he “takes advantage of the inclusive options of millennial jazz.” His compositions often combine rhythmic intricacy, melodic invention, and harmonic subtlety, reflecting both rigorous study and the vibrant, communal energy of Chicago gospel, which shaped his early musical life. The New York Times says he “is an upstart reasserting how scholarly group improvisation, rooted in spiritual intent, might feel fresh — even provocative.”