Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Ravi Coltrane – saxophones Gadi Lehavi – piano Jason "Maximo" Clotter – bass Elé Salif Howell – drums “A worthy heir to his father, jazz legend John Coltrane.” – The Telegraph (UK) Critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated saxophonist and composer Ravi Coltrane makes a highly anticipated Smoke Jazz Club debut with his inspired quartet featuring pianist Gadi Lehavi, bassist Jason "Maximo" Clotter, and drummer Elé Salif Howell. An artist whose career occupies a singular niche in modern jazz, Ravi Coltrane has established a sound and concepts that stand undeniably on their own, extending far beyond the shadow of his iconic name. Over a twenty-plus-year career, Coltrane has worked as a sideman to many and recorded noteworthy albums for himself and others, including McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Terence Blanchard, Geri Allen, and many more. All About Jazz reviewed his group, saying, “The band is dynamite. Coltrane mainly played tenor, on which his sound is massive but softer-edged and less biting than that of his father.” The New York Times adds, "There are few saxophonists in jazz today as silvery and deft as Ravi Coltrane." 

Livestreams are Available for 48 Hours in Every Time Zone Nicholas Payton – trumpet Eric Alexander – tenor saxophone Eric Scott Reed – piano Peter Washington – bass Joe Farnsworth – drums “Reed is one of those tremendously gifted players.” – Downbeat Countdown 2025 continues with an exciting Coltrane-inspired quintet assembled by piano master Eric Scott Reed, who All About Jazz reports has “fully established himself in the forefront of jazz pianists.” A child prodigy who grew up playing in his father’s storefront Baptist Church, Reed has been one of the most important ambassadors of the music for over 30 years. Ahmad Jamal called him “one of my very favorite pianists.” Joining Reed is a virtuoso front line, trumpeter Nicholas Payton and saxophonist Eric Alexander, and an all-star rhythm section, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth. 

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.”