Smoke Jazz Livestream's Upcoming Shows

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

Vincent Herring – alto saxophone

Eric Alexander – tenor saxophone

Mike LeDonne – piano

John Webber – bass

Carl Allen – drums

“Herring fuses instrumental mastery with equal and unified parts of jazz’s holy trinity of heart, mind, and soul.” – WNPR Radio

“Eric Alexander can play the tenor saxophone—never doubt that. He has the chops, power, and passion that make him one of the most blazingly bad-assed saxophonists of his generation.”

– Downbeat

For Bird Lives! A Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration, two saxophone masters, Vincent Herring and Eric Alexander—on alto and tenor respectively—join forces for Bird Lives! A Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration featuring a stellar quintet with pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist John Webber, and drummer Carl Allen.

Alexander and Herring have a long-running and rewarding musical relationship that is frequently billed as a “saxophone battle,” a tradition of musical competition that Parker himself knew well. From their celebrated recordings The Battle: Live at Smoke (2005) to their recent acclaimed release Split Decision (2026), Alexander and Herring continue to thrill audiences with their energetic and entertaining exchanges. Every time they meet as formidable peers and longtime collaborators, there is a deep musical rapport and plenty of fireworks.

All About Jazz states, “For those who long for the time when hard bop reigned supreme... here's a sure cure for any lament that those days are lost and gone forever.” While Paris Move calls this very quintet “a dream team of seasoned musicians whose names have long been synonymous with jazz excellence.”

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

Craig Handy – tenor saxophone & flute

George Cables – piano

Essiet Okon Essiet – bass

Jerome Jennings – drums

with special guest

Sarah Elizabeth Charles – vocals

“Anyone serious about jazz will tell you that George Cables belongs in the pantheon of the greatest jazz pianists.” – All About Jazz

Legendary pianist George Cables performs music from his most recent, acclaimed release, “The George Cables Songbook,” featuring his beloved compositions. Cables will be joined by his incredible quartet with saxophonist Craig Handy, bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, and drummer Jerome Jennings, with the very special addition of guest vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles.

A major voice in modern jazz, Cables is celebrated for his fresh interpretations of classic compositions and innovative compositional style. In addition to composing and arranging for his own albums, Cables has contributed to recordings by Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, and many others.

Recently named an inaugural recipient of the 2025 Jazz Legacy Fellowship by the Mellon Foundation and the Jazz Foundation of America, Cables is described as a “humble keyboard genius with impeccable technique and a unique songbook.” The New York City Jazz Record hails him as “a piano giant,” while National Public Radio notes that his solos “reveal a deep sense of groove and pacing and a mind at work.”

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

Steve Davis – trombone

Jeremy Pelt – trumpet

Ralph Moore – tenor saxophone

Renee Rosnes – piano

Essiet Okon Essiet – bass

Willie Jones III – drums

“Steve Davis is the Poet Laureate of the trombone.” – Chick Corea

Acclaimed trombonist and composer Steve Davis leads his celebrated “We See” sextet, featuring trumpeter Eddie Henderson (Wednesday & Thursday), trumpeter Jeremy Pelt (Friday–Sunday), tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Willie Jones III. The group celebrates the release of Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones, Volume 2, featuring rediscovered collaborations between Davis and the legendary pianist.

A longtime Smoke favorite and one of the most accomplished voices on the trombone, Davis has been a major presence in jazz since joining Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1990. The New York City Jazz Record calls him “a major jazz trombonist,” while JazzTimes notes that he “has established himself as one of the most accomplished and lyrical improvisers on his instrument as well as a prolific composer.” DownBeat adds that Davis “thoughtfully balances modernism, lyricism, and drive—as a writer and a player.”

*Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone

Steve Turre – trombone & seashells

Jon Faddis – trumpet

James Carter – tenor saxophone

ELEW – piano

Peter Washington – bass

Orion Turre – drums

“Steve Turre is widely considered to be the finest jazz trombonist in the world.” – All About Jazz

Steve Turre, renowned modern master of the trombone and seashells, leads a momentous, all-star sextet with special guests Jon Faddis on trumpet, James Carter on saxophone, and ELEW on piano.

Turre’s storied career includes work alongside legends such as Ray Charles, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Woody Shaw. A versatile performer and bona fide jazz original, he’s equally at home on everything from swinging classic bop lines to conjuring Rahsaan over a deep groove. Downbeat says, “Few artists ‘own’ their instrument to the degree that trombonist Steve Turre does. Whether playing the music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, performing as a member of the Saturday Night Live house band, or with one of his own units, his voice is distinctive and memorable.”

The Washington Post writes, “To hear saxophonist James Carter is to be blown away,” and The Wall Street Journal declares, “ELEW plays with fire, style, and relentless energy.” And the Chicago Tribune states, “Few living musicians come closer to capturing the spirit and technical brilliance of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie’s work than Jon Faddis.” Turre’s quintet is completed by recent GRAMMY-winning bassist Peter Washington and Turre’s rising-star son and drummer, Orion.