Smoke Jazz Livestream's Upcoming Shows

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

"Billy Strayhorn was my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine." – Duke Ellington

Two of jazz's most compelling artists unite to celebrate the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Pianist and composer Eric Scott Reed and acclaimed vocalist René Marie explore the elegance, sophistication, and swing of one of the greatest songwriting partnerships in American music. From "Take the 'A' Train" and "Chelsea Bridge" to "Lush Life" and beyond, Reed and company honor the enduring legacy of their singular collaboration.

A leading voice on the contemporary jazz scene for more than three decades, Reed has been praised by DownBeat as "one of those tremendously gifted players," while All About Jazz notes that he has "fully established himself at the forefront of jazz pianists." While Marie brings her unmistakable, emotional depth to these enduring classics. JazzTimes has called her "one of contemporary jazz's finest vocalists," while another JazzTimes review described her as "utterly transfixing."

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

Cyrus Chestnut – piano

Mark Lewandowski – bass

Carl Allen – drums

“The best jazz pianist of his generation.” – Time

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut, a virtuoso renowned for his soulful brilliance and harmonic genius, leads an impressive trio with bassist Mark Lewandowski and drummer Carl Allen.

Chestnut’s playing, deeply rooted in gospel and blues, infuses each performance with profound emotional depth. As The New York Times notes, his “crisp articulation and blues-inflected harmony evoke another era… multifaceted and dynamic,” seamlessly blending tradition with fresh innovation to captivate audiences.

Chestnut’s artistry has earned him widespread acclaim as one of the most distinctive and compelling jazz pianists of his generation. As The New York Daily News aptly describes him, he is “the rightful heir to Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Erroll Garner.”

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

Nicholas Payton – trumpet

Mark Turner – tenor saxophone

Mike Moreno – guitar

Vicente Archer – bass

Mark Whitfield Jr. – drums

“Payton's genius virtuosity captivated both faithful fans and anyone in the NPR crowd just discovering his music for the first time. – NPR

In celebration of the centennial birth years of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, GRAMMY Award-winning trumpeter, pianist, composer, and producer Nicholas Payton presents A Supreme Blue, a groundbreaking reimagining of two of their most iconic and influential recordings: Davis’s Kind of Blue (1959) and Coltrane’s A Love Supreme (1965). Joining Payton is an exceptional quintet featuring tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Mike Moreno, bassist Vicente Archer, and drummer Mark Whitfield Jr.

Conceived in honor of the Davis and Coltrane centennials, A Supreme Blue—also the title of Payton's forthcoming album collaboration with the band Butcher Brown—explores the compositions of these landmark recordings with arrangements informed by the musical developments since the 1960s. These performances present Payton's vision in an acoustic setting with an all-star ensemble, offering a distinctive new perspective on the project.

A New Orleans native and one of the most original creative voices of his generation, Payton has built a singular body of work across the spectrum of Black American Music (BAM). As The Chicago Tribune reported, “No descriptive label or category could be affixed to Payton's solos, which were as brashly original as they were technically imposing.”

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

Brad Mehldau – piano

Larry Grenadier – bass

Joe Farnsworth – drums

“One of the premier straight-ahead drummers of his generation.” —Glide Magazine

Acclaimed drummer Joe Farnsworth convenes an extraordinary trio featuring pianist Brad Mehldau and bassist Larry Grenadier. Known for his deep swing, clarity of time, and ability to elevate every ensemble he joins, Farnsworth stands among the foremost drummers of his generation and has emerged as a compelling bandleader in his own right.

After more than three decades propelling the bands of Benny Golson, Pharaoh Sanders, George Coleman, Cedar Walton, McCoy Tyner, and Harold Mabern, Farnsworth has built a career that bridges tradition and forward momentum. As a leader, he has continued to shape distinctive ensembles across generations of players, including his recent recording The Big Room, which features artists such as Joel Ross, Sarah Hanahan, and Emmet Cohen.

The New Yorker describes Farnsworth as the “most swinging of percussionists” who “can spark any band with his perfect time and unwavering attention to detail.” Of his trio partners, The New Yorker has also called Brad Mehldau “arguably the greatest working jazz pianist,” while The New York Times praises Larry Grenadier’s sound as “direct and powerful as it is elegant.”