Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Cyrus Chestnut – piano Mark Lewandowski – bass Willie Jones III – drums with special guest Ekep Nkwelle – vocals (Friday only) “The best jazz pianist of his generation.” –Time Cyrus Chestnut, the soulful and brilliant jazz pianist, leads an exciting trio with bassist Mark Lewandowski and drummer Willie Jones III. He will also be joined by a very special guest vocalist and young rising star, Ekep Nkwelle, for Friday night’s sets. The New York Times says, “[Chestnut’] brand of crisp articulation and blues-inflected harmony evokes another era… multifaceted and dynamic. Chestnut infuses his swinging, classically trained style with a warm gospel sound but he draws on a range of musical influences while never straying too far from the blues, which The New York Daily News says makes him “the rightful heir to Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Erroll Garner.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Eddie Henderson – trumpet Vincent Herring – alto saxophone Peter Zak – piano Nat Reeves – bass Mike Clark – drums “His musical wisdom, gleaned during decades spent on the best jazz bandstands, informs every unerring note.” – Downbeat Trumpeter Eddie Henderson leads a spectacular quintet of close collaborators with alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, pianist Peter Zak, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Mike Clark. It has been an important year for Henderson: He was the subject of a compelling biographic documentary of his incredible life, Eddie Henderson: Uncommon Genius and he released an acclaimed new album in 2023, Witness to History, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of his 1973 recording debut as a leader, Realization. Henderson’s “deft feel and plush sound made him a central figure in the worlds of jazz-funk and hard-bop in the 1970s,” according to The New York Times. The Chicago Reader adds, “His progressive, assured, and imaginative improvisations roll out in a glorious sun-splashed tone… he seems to dance through his solos, balancing his quick clockwork technique with bursts of bluesy soul.” The eternally youthful Henderson has proven again that he is still making some of the most important music of his career into his 80s. 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Eddie Henderson – trumpet Vincent Herring – alto saxophone Peter Zak – piano Nat Reeves – bass Mike Clark – drums “His musical wisdom, gleaned during decades spent on the best jazz bandstands, informs every unerring note.” – Downbeat Trumpeter Eddie Henderson leads a spectacular quintet of close collaborators with alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, pianist Peter Zak, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Mike Clark. It has been an important year for Henderson: He was the subject of a compelling biographic documentary of his incredible life, Eddie Henderson: Uncommon Genius and he released an acclaimed new album in 2023, Witness to History, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of his 1973 recording debut as a leader, Realization. Henderson’s “deft feel and plush sound made him a central figure in the worlds of jazz-funk and hard-bop in the 1970s,” according to The New York Times. The Chicago Reader adds, “His progressive, assured, and imaginative improvisations roll out in a glorious sun-splashed tone… he seems to dance through his solos, balancing his quick clockwork technique with bursts of bluesy soul.” The eternally youthful Henderson has proven again that he is still making some of the most important music of his career into his 80s. 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Steve Wilson – alto saxophone Chris Potter – tenor saxophone (Wed – Fri) Marquis Hill – trumpet (Sat – Sun) Sullivan Fortner – piano Dezron Douglas – bass Johnathan Blake – drums “Despite his roots in Philadelphia, Johnathan Blake is the quintessential New York City jazz drummer.” – JazzTimes Johnathan Blake—a drummer whose dynamic playing, artistic vision, and innate versatility led NPR’s John Murph to call him “the ultimate modernist” — leads a scintillating quintet with saxophone masters Steve Wilson, Chris Potter (Wed-Fri,) trumpet star Marquis Hill (Sat-Sun,) piano phenom Sullivan Fortner, and rock-solid bassist Dezron Douglas. Blake’s most recent album, Passage, was widely recognized as among the best of 2023 and was dedicated to the memory of his father, the renowned violinist John Blake Jr., who composed the title track. The New York Times says, “Blake’s drumming is as bold as thunder and as subtle as the patter of rain.” The Guardian adds, “his command of time is quite unbelievable – tricky and playful but accurate to the millisecond.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Steve Wilson – alto saxophone Chris Potter – tenor saxophone (Wed – Fri) Marquis Hill – trumpet (Sat – Sun) Sullivan Fortner – piano Dezron Douglas – bass Johnathan Blake – drums “Despite his roots in Philadelphia, Johnathan Blake is the quintessential New York City jazz drummer.” – JazzTimes Johnathan Blake—a drummer whose dynamic playing, artistic vision, and innate versatility led NPR’s John Murph to call him “the ultimate modernist” — leads a scintillating quintet with saxophone masters Steve Wilson, Chris Potter (Wed-Fri,) trumpet star Marquis Hill (Sat-Sun,) piano phenom Sullivan Fortner, and rock-solid bassist Dezron Douglas. Blake’s most recent album, Passage, was widely recognized as among the best of 2023 and was dedicated to the memory of his father, the renowned violinist John Blake Jr., who composed the title track. The New York Times says, “Blake’s drumming is as bold as thunder and as subtle as the patter of rain.” The Guardian adds, “his command of time is quite unbelievable – tricky and playful but accurate to the millisecond.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Nicholas Payton – trumpet Sarah Hanahan – alto saxophone Sullivan Fortner – piano (fri – sun) Luther Allison – piano (thu) Peter Washington – bass Joe Farnsworth – drums “One of the premiere straight-ahead drummers of his generation.” – Jim Hynes, Glide Magazine Joe Farnsworth leads a particularly fiery version of his “Time to Swing” quintet with trumpeter Nicholas Payton, saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, pianist Sullivan Fortner (Fri – Sun), pianist Luther Allison (Thursday only) and bassist Peter Washington. The New York Times says, “Joe Farnsworth is a briskly swinging drummer, especially persuasive with the dialect of hard bop.” Broadway World adds that he “is known for his blazing speed, precision, and melodic playing.” Farnworth released a momentous new album last year, In What Direction Are You Headed? furthering his growing reputation as an inspired bandleader, a reflection of his decades working for such notable leaders as George Coleman, Benny Golson, Pharaoh Sanders, Cedar Walton, Harold Mabern, and McCoy Tyner. The New Yorker concludes, “This most swinging of percussionists can spark any band with his perfect time and unwavering attention to detail.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Nicholas Payton – trumpet Sarah Hanahan – alto saxophone Sullivan Fortner – piano (fri – sun) Luther Allison – piano (thu) Peter Washington – bass Joe Farnsworth – drums “One of the premiere straight-ahead drummers of his generation.” – Jim Hynes, Glide Magazine Joe Farnsworth leads a particularly fiery version of his “Time to Swing” quintet with trumpeter Nicholas Payton, saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, pianist Sullivan Fortner (Fri – Sun), pianist Luther Allison (Thursday only) and bassist Peter Washington. The New York Times says, “Joe Farnsworth is a briskly swinging drummer, especially persuasive with the dialect of hard bop.” Broadway World adds that he “is known for his blazing speed, precision, and melodic playing.” Farnworth released a momentous new album last year, In What Direction Are You Headed? furthering his growing reputation as an inspired bandleader, a reflection of his decades working for such notable leaders as George Coleman, Benny Golson, Pharaoh Sanders, Cedar Walton, Harold Mabern, and McCoy Tyner. The New Yorker concludes, “This most swinging of percussionists can spark any band with his perfect time and unwavering attention to detail.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Fred Hersch – piano Alex Claffy – bass Jochen Rueckert – drums “Hersch’s work has developed an intensity of intelligence and emotional directness unparalleled among his peers.”
– The New Yorker Pianist Fred Hersch makes his highly anticipated Smoke debut leading an inspired trio featuring bassist Alexander Claffy and drummer Jochen Rueckert. Called “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair and “a living legend” by The New Yorker, Hersch is a seventeen-time Grammy nominee and the recipient of many of jazz’s most prestigious awards. His trio is venerated as the epitome of thrilling interplay and dynamic spontaneity with The Wall Street Journal calling it “one of the major ensembles of our time. The Boston Globe concludes called Hersch, “a pristine pianist with a poet’s soul — a pair of qualities that combine to especially dazzling effect ...truly transcendent.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Fred Hersch – piano Alex Claffy – bass Jochen Rueckert – drums “Hersch’s work has developed an intensity of intelligence and emotional directness unparalleled among his peers.”
– The New Yorker Pianist Fred Hersch makes his highly anticipated Smoke debut leading an inspired trio featuring bassist Alexander Claffy and drummer Jochen Rueckert. Called “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair and “a living legend” by The New Yorker, Hersch is a seventeen-time Grammy nominee and the recipient of many of jazz’s most prestigious awards. His trio is venerated as the epitome of thrilling interplay and dynamic spontaneity with The Wall Street Journal calling it “one of the major ensembles of our time. The Boston Globe concludes called Hersch, “a pristine pianist with a poet’s soul — a pair of qualities that combine to especially dazzling effect ...truly transcendent.”