Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Eddie Henderson – trumpet Vincent Herring – alto saxophone George Cables – piano Yasushi Nakamura – bass Joe Farnsworth – drums “His musical wisdom, gleaned during decades spent on the best jazz bandstands, informs every unerring note.” – Downbeat SMOKE’s year-end Coltrane Festival “Countdown 2025” welcomes trumpet great Eddie Henderson as the special guest with the Vincent Herring Quartet featuring legendary pianist George Cables. The New York Times says Henderson’s “deft feel and plush sound made him a central figure in the worlds of jazz-funk and hard-bop in the 1970s. 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. Henderson is featured alongside old friend and fellow legend, pianist George Cables, in this quintet. All About Jazz writes, “Anyone who is serious about jazz will tell you that George Cables belongs in the pantheon of the greatest jazz pianists.” Finally, it’s all helmed by the incredible Vincent Herring, one of the great alto saxophonists, who the New York City Jazz Record says “has firmly established himself as one of his generation’s masters.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Jimmy Greene – tenor saxophone Wayne Escoffery – tenor saxophone Orrin Evans – piano Buster Williams – bass Lenny White – drums The year begins as 2024 ended with the Countdown 2025 Coltrane Festival Countdown 2025, the final week! The “Tenor Titans” quintet features two old friends and incredible tenor saxophonists, Wayne Escoffery and Jimmy Greene. Greene and Escoffery are both former students and protégés of the great Jackie McLean. Their playing embodies his passion and fire, as well as the profound influence of John Coltrane. Jazzwise (UK) calls Greene “without doubt one of the most striking young tenors of recent years,” while The New York Times describes Escoffery as “a powerful, passionate player.” Joining these two powerful saxophonists is an inspired rhythm section featuring pianist Orrin Evans and a pair of music legends: bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White. 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Bill Charlap – piano Peter Washington – bass Kenny Washington – drums “The premiere mainstream piano trio of our day.” – The New Yorker Bill Charlap leads his beloved piano trio featuring bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Known as a master interpreter of American popular song, Time says, “No matter how imaginative or surprising his take on a song is, he invariably zeroes in on its essence.” Charlap has performed with many leading artists of our time, from Phil Woods and Tony Bennett to Gerry Mulligan and Wynton Marsalis and led this trio since 1997. The Guardian explains, “As a unit, this must be one of the best piano trios ever, and certainly as instantly recognisable as any of its great predecessors. Charlap’s touch on the keyboard is light, almost stealthy, even when playing full chords, but always firm, clear, and beautifully articulated. With the spirited support of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington (famously unrelated), the total effect is just perfect.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Chris Potter – Tenor saxophone Brad Mehldau – Piano Joe Martin – Bass Al Foster – Drums “One of the great living drummers in jazz.” – Stereophile The incredible drummer Al Foster celebrates his birthday with an inspired quartet featuring tenor saxophonist Chris Potter. Well-known for his long association with Miles Davis throughout the ’70s and ’80s, Foster was also the first- call drummer for an amazing list of jazz legends such as Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, McCoy Tyner, and Joe Henderson. Downbeat calls him “an esteemed master and a consummate sideman.” JazzTimes describes him as “a not-so-secret special groove ingredient enlivening performances and sessions by a long list of heavy hitters.” 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Duane Eubanks – trumpet Robin Eubanks – trombone Kevin Eubanks – guitar Rene Camacho – bass Marvin “Smitty” Smith – drums Hailing from one of the most musical families in one of the most musical of cities, the Eubanks Brothers—siblings Robin, Kevin, and Duane—join forces with bassist Rene Camacho and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith to make their Smoke debut as a group. The music in the Eubanks’ Philadelphia home started early and started with their mother, Vera Eubanks, who was also Kenny Barron’s first piano teacher. Their uncle and Vera’s brother was legendary pianist Ray Bryant. All three would extend the family legacy with remarkable careers of their own, the eldest Robin as one of the premier jazz trombonists of his generation; middle brother Kevin as a beloved guitarist. prolific composer, and musical director of the Tonight Show Band for 18 years; and the youngest Duane as a distinctive and fiery trumpeter who has been a major voice in jazz and beyond. The week following these performances, they will be featured on the sold-out Jazz Cruise, so catch them here on dry land. 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Eddie Henderson – trumpet David Weiss – trumpet Donald Harrison – alto saxophone Azar Lawrence – tenor saxophone George Cables – piano Cecil McBee – bass Billy Hart – drums “Player for player, there’s 
no better working band in jazz than The Cookers.” - The Boston Globe The all-star septet, The Cookers, features a lineup replete with celebrated jazz masters: Eddie Henderson, Azar Lawrence, Cecil McBee, George Cables, and Billy Hart are all legendary artists who arrived on the scene during the fertile, exploratory 1960s. They were historic contributors to some of the most groundbreaking and important bands of that era and have been major artists in the years since. David Weiss and Donald Harrison are the youngest members of the group but share many of the same formative experiences, working most notably with Art Blakey, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Tolliver, Roy Haynes, and Herbie Hancock. The band’s repertoire draws on some of the well-known and lesser-known compositions from their incredible collective catalogs. The Los Angeles Times writes, “This hard-hitting septet wears its name like a mission statement. Rich with a mix of classic elegance and exploration, the group might reference the past by name, but it never sounds less than current.” The New York Times calls them “A dream team of forward-leaning hard-bop.”