Lineup

Multifaceted jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen is one of this generation’s pivotal artistic figures. Downbeat praised the “nimble touch, measured stride and warm harmonic vocabulary” he employs to communicate with other musicians and audiences at what he terms “the deepest level of humanity and individuality.”

Leader of the Emmet Cohen Trio, Cohen is an international jazz artist and clinician who inspires student performers of all ages to become, like himself, responsive to their audiences. He has appeared in the Newport, Monterey, and North Sea Jazz Festivals, among others, and at many famous music venues, including Rose Hall and the Kennedy Center. Cohen has also played in legendary nightspots, such as the Village Vanguard, The Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Jazz Standard, Ronnie Scott’s, and Jazzhaus Montmartre. He is Hammond B-3 organist-in-residence at Harlem’s SMOKE jazz club. A Suzuki piano student at age 3, Cohen holds jazz piano degrees from the Manhattan School of Music and the University of Miami.

He was a finalist in both the American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter Fellowship (2015, 2011) and the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition (2011).

Over the course of a multifaceted career, GRAMMY® Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, uniquely spinning standards and taking intrepid leaps of faith re-envisioning jazz classics. Fearless pioneer and keeper of tradition, the three-time GRAMMY®-winner’s most recent win was for Best Jazz Vocal Album – Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee.

Bridging genres, her first professional experience was as a member of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Louis Big Band. Throughout the 70’s, she performed with jazz notables Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Dizzy Gillespie among others.

With a parallel career in musical theater, Bridgewater won a Tony Award for her role as “Glinda” in The Wiz (1975). Her other theatrical credits include Sophisticated Ladies, Black Ballad, Carmen and Cabaret. With film, television and soundtrack credits, Bridgewater is an accomplished entertainment “polymath.”

As a legacy Goodwill Ambassador to the UN FAO, Bridgewater champions global efforts in the fight against world hunger. A 2017 NEA Jazz Master, Bridgewater is an ASCAP Champion Awardee, Doris Duke Artist (2018) and Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductee (2019). She serves as co-Founder and co-Artistic Director of The Woodshed Network.

Christian McBride is an nine-time GRAMMY-winning bassist, composer and bandleader. He is the Artistic Director of the historic Newport Jazz Festival, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the TD James Moody Jazz Festival and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. McBride is also a respected educator and advocate for youth, and serves as Artistic Director of Jazz House KiDS and the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions.

In addition to artistic directing and consistent touring with his ensembles, he hosts NPR’s “Jazz Night in America” and “The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian” on SiriusXM. Whether behind the bass or away from it, Christian McBride is always part of the music. From jazz to R&B, and pop/rock and hip-hop/neo-soul to classical, he is a luminary with one hand ever reaching for new heights, and the other extended in fellowship—and perhaps the hint of a challenge—inviting us to join him.

Renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, two-time GRAMMY® winner Kurt Elling has secured his place among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists. Declared “the standout male vocalist of our time” by The New York Times, Elling has garnered unprecedented accolades, including a 14-year run atop the DownBeat Critics Poll, a dozen GRAMMY® nominations, and eight Jazz Journalists Association awards for “Male Singer of the Year.”

Kurt has toured the world in a variety of contexts, including UNESCO-sponsored “International Jazz Day” performances in Havana, Cuba, in St. Petersburg, Russia, in Melbourne, Australia and in Washington DC. He has twice performed at the White House, including a performance in collaboration with the late Marvin Hamlisch and the National Symphony Orchestra for President Obama’s first State Dinner. He has served as Artist-In-Residence at the Monterey and Singapore Jazz Festivals.

In recent years, Kurt has been recording and performing with guitarist Charlie Hunter in their SuperBlue project. Before that he also collaborated as a co-leader with Branford Marsalis and his quartet on Upward Spiral and Danilo Perez on Secrets Are the Best Stories; the former was nominated for a GRAMMY® and the latter won a GRAMMY® for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2020. Influenced by Mark Murphy and Jon Hendricks, Kurt is also known not only for adapting instrumental compositions for vocals, but also for taking poetry and turning it into a stirring jazz tune.

The Jazz Cruise proudly counts Kurt among those very special performers who make the cruise special every year. We call them the Pillars of The Jazz Cruise.

The world first learned of the incredible vocal artistry of Cécile McLorin Salvant when she won the prestigious 2010 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. In just under a decade, she has evolved from a darling of jazz critics and fans, to a multi-GRAMMY® Award winner, to a prescient and fearless voice in music today. The sound of McLorin Salvant’s voice covers the gamut from breathy to bold, deep and husky to high and resonant, limpid to bluesy, with a clarity and richness that is nearly unparalleled. When she first burst onto the jazz scene, many listeners were struck by her ability to recall the sound of Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughan or Betty Carter. Yet with each new album, McLorin Salvant’s voice has become more her own, more singular.

For more than a decade, Sullivan Fortner has been stretching deep-rooted talents as a pianist, composer, band leader and uncompromising individualist. The GRAMMY® Award-winning artist received international praise as both key player and producer for his collaborative work on The Window, alongside Cecile McLorin Salvant with whom he frequently tours and records. As a solo leader, he has released four recordings to critical acclaim: Moments Preserved, Aria, Tea for Two and Solo Game.

In addition to his associations with such diverse voices as Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Diane Reeves, Etienne Charles and John Scofield, Sullivan’s frequent and longtime collaborators have included Ambrose Akinmusire, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Stefon Harris, Tivon Pennicott, Peter Bernstein, Nicholas Payton, Billy Hart, Gary Bartz, Christian Scott, Atunde Adjuah, Fred Hersch and the late Roy Hargrove. Recent collaborations include GRAMMY-nominated releases Dear Love (Empress Legacy) and Generations from leaders Jazzmeia Horn and The Baylor Project, respectively. Sullivan’s accolades include the 2015 Cole Porter Fellowship awarded by the American Pianists Association, Leonore Annenberg Arts Fellowship, the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists and the prestigious Shifting Foundation Grant for artistic career development.

Vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker and was born into musical royalty. Her father, Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist, composer, bandleader and Louis Armstrong’s long-time musical director. Her mother, Carline Ray, was a pioneering vocalist and guitarist. After graduating with honors from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she toured and recorded with Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, among others, appearing on over 200 albums.

She began her own solo career in 2005 and would go on to release eight albums as a leader, two of which, Harlem On My Mind and Alone Together, earned GRAMMY® nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her latest album, Send For Me, received rave reviews in national media outlets, while she performed a concert for NPR Tiny Desk (Home).

A favorite on The Jazz Cruise, Catherine has been a hit at major jazz festivals including Monterey, Newport, North Sea, JazzAscona, Montreal, Bern, Tanglewood and at sold-out venues like The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Scullers in Boston, The Dakota in Minneapolis, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in NYC, SFJAZZ in San Francisco and Pasadena Pops in Los Angeles.

In recent years, Catherine has been performing concerts with the John Pizzarelli Trio in a show called “Billie and Blue Eyes,” in which the two pay tribute to Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra.

John Pizzarelli, world-renowned guitarist and singer, is a premier contemporary interpreter of the Great American Songbook, with a repertoire that includes Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra and The Beatles. He has been hailed by The Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and repopularizing jazz.” The Toronto Star pegged him as “the genial genius of the guitar.” A walking history of American popular history, John has performed and recorded with a wide variety of icons in American music, including George Shearing, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Frigo, Sir Paul McCartney, Michael McDonald and various orchestras.

John’s “formal” musical education was held on the road with his famous father, the legendary Bucky Pizzarelli. The teaching produced great results, accelerating John’s ascendancy in the music world. John has created musical tributes to both Nat King Cole and, more recently, Pat Metheny. He’s recorded more than 30 albums as a leader, including his latest, Stage and Screen, featuring compositions from various films and musicals.

In 2020, John collaborated with the singer-songwriter James Taylor for his album American Standard, featuring songs from the Great American Songbook. In addition to working with Catherine Russell in a show they call “Billie and Blue Eyes”—a tribute to Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra—John performs regularly with his wife, vocalist Jessica Molaskey, with whom he hosts the popular radio show “Radio Deluxe” and appears in an annual residency at the Café Carlyle in NYC.

An adaptable and swinging jazz drummer, Jeff Hamilton has distinguished himself as an in-demand sideman and bandleader, working with both his own trio and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Initially emerging in Los Angeles in the 1970s, Hamilton built his reputation playing with big bands before coming to wider recognition as a member of the illustrious Ray Brown Trio in the ’80s and ’90s. Building upon Brown‘s trio format, Hamilton launched his own group, issuing a steady flow of highly regarded acoustic jazz dates like 1994’s It’s Hamilton Time, 2009’s Symbiosis, and 2017’s Dreamsville. At the same time, he co-leads his big band with bassist John Clayton and saxophonist Jeff Clayton, issuing sophisticated large group dates like 1999’s Explosive! with Milt Jackson and 2014’s Grammy-nominated The L.A. Treasure’s Project.

Houston Person is a legend in jazz. After years as producer and house tenor for HighNote Records and touring with the late Etta Jones, Person is now known as a master of popular songs played in a relaxed, highly accessible style reminiscent of the great Ben Webster.

Houston’s appearances as sideman are legion, and include recordings with Etta Jones, Lena Horne, Lou Rawls, Dakota Staton, Horace Silver, Charles Earland, Joey DeFrancesco and many others. As a record producer, he has worked with many artists, including Etta Jones, Freddy Cole, Charles Brown, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Dakota Staton and Ernie Andrews.

The Jazz Cruise knows him best as the most influential person in the history and development of the program. From the start (2001), Houston has been the heart and soul of the cruise, offering his music in a style that makes everyone happy. His grace and leadership have kept The Jazz Cruise on the right track for more than 20 years.

After 27 years and nearly 20 albums, it still bears repeating that Bill Charlap is one of the great jazz piano players, and that his trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington is one of the great working jazz groups of our day.

Pianist Bill Charlap has performed with many of the leading artists of our time including: Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ron Carter, Phil Woods, Gerry Mulligan and Tony Bennett. The album, “Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap: The Silver Lining, The Songs of Jerome Kern” (RPM) won a 2016 Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. It features the pianist with Mr. Bennett in duet, in collaboration with the Bill Charlap Trio and in duo piano with his wife, the renowned pianist and composer, Renee Rosnes. Mr. Charlap’s latest releases are “The Bill Charlap Trio: And Then Again” (Blue Note Records) and ”Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap: Elemental” (Mack Avenue). Born in New York City into a musical family, Charlap began playing the piano at age three. His father was the musical theater composer Moose Charlap, whose credits include the Broadway production of Peter Pan, and his mother is the Grammy nominated singer, Sandy Stewart.

Ann Hampton Callaway is one of America’s most gifted artists in pop and jazz. A leading champion of the great American Songbook, she’s made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Voted by Broadwayworld.com as “Celebrity of the Year” and two years in a row as “Best Jazz Vocalist,” Ann is a born entertainer.

She is best known for Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical Swing! and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series The Nanny. She made her feature film debut opposite Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon in the Robert De Niro film The Good Shepherd. Callaway is a Platinum Award selling writer whose songs are featured on seven of Barbra Streisand’s recent CD’s. She has recorded over 50 CDs as a soloist and guest and her latest critically-acclaimed CD, Fever: A Peggy Lee Celebration!,” has been in high rotation on Siriusly Sinatra.

Ann’s honors include The Theater World Award, 16 MAC Awards, several Bistro Awards, The Mabel Mercer Award, The Johnny Mercer Award for Songwriting, The Blanton Peale Award for Positive Thinking and her induction into The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. Her new record Finding Beauty, Originals Volume 1, was recently released via Shanachie Entertainment.

Acoustic and electric bassist John Patitucci has been at the forefront of the jazz world for the last 30+ years and active in all styles of music. He is a 4-time Grammy award winner, has been nominated over twenty times and has played on many other Grammy award-winning recordings. He has performed and/or recorded with jazz giants such as Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Kenny Garrett, Victor Feldman, Nancy Wilson and countless others. John has also performed and/or recorded with pop artists such as Natalie Cole, John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Joni Mitchell, Bono, Sting, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Carole King and Paul Simon. He has been active as a composer with sixteen solo recordings of his own and has been commissioned to write for various chamber music groups. John has performed as a soloist with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the Estonian National Symphony, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Trondheim Symphony of Norway, the St. Louis Symphony and the London Symphony Orchestra. In early 2020, John’s composition, a protest piece entitled Hypocrisy, was premiered in Toronto and performed by the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, along with Danilo Perez, Brian Blade and Mr. Patitucci.

After touring with the award-winning Wayne Shorter Quartet for over 20 years, John continues to tour with his own projects, including the John Patitucci Electric Guitar Quartet, his Brazilian Trio, Children of the Light Trio, and a special collaboration with the Harlem String Quartet as a composer and a performer. John’s 16 th recording, a solo bass album entitled Soul of the Bass was released in 2019, and a remixed and remastered version of his Brazilian trio record, Irmãos de Fé, was released in 2020. Mr. Patitucci composed his first film score for a documentary entitled Chicago America’s Hidden War, which was released in May of 2021. In 2022, John released an album that resulted from a 2021 tour of Italy with saxophonist Chris Potter and drummer Brian Blade, entitled Live in Italy.

Joey Calderazzo grew up in New Rochelle, New York, in a musical family. He began classical piano lessons at eight, jazz piano lessons at 14, and by his high school years was performing with saxophonists Frank Foster and Dave Liebman in New York City.

“I was practicing classical piano for five hours a day,” Calderazzo recalls. “I didn’t love it. I was pretty good at playing Bach and Chopin Etudes. I wish I’d been forced to continue playing classical music but as soon as I it soon as I found jazz, I was done.”

Jam sessions and gigs were plentiful during high school, and when his friends enrolled in Berklee, Calderazzo was awarded a scholarship. But his father died when he was 17—he wasn’t emotionally ready for the rigors of Berklee. Instead, he’d join impromptu sessions at the Boston college, where he interacted with the musicians, then students, who would eventually define the sound of ’90s New York City jazz: Branford Marsalis, Jeff Tain Watts, Kenny Kirkland, Donald Harrison, Wallace Roney, Marvin Smitty Smith.

Like many young and advanced musicians, Calderazzo was already playing solo piano, cruise ship gigs, and weekend hotel work. One such date changed the course of his life, forever.

“I was playing a house gig at the La Reserve Hotel in White Plains New York,” Calderazzo says. “We had heavy cats on the bandstand. Frank Foster and Jeff “Tain” Watts did the gig. Michael Brecker had heard of me and played the gig to check me out. I’d met Brecker at a clinic he was doing at Long Island University in Brooklyn. We played a couple of songs. He came and did a gig with me at the hotel.”

When Michael Brecker’s then pianist Kenny Kirkland left to join Sting, the famous session player and tenor icon invited Calderazzo to join his band. Brecker had just released his 1987 Impulse! Records debut with a cast including Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden and Jack DeJohnette. The sky was officially the limit.

“I have been so blessed, especially with Branford and Mike,” Calderazzo recalls. “With Branford, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, and James Genus, we developed something special, a way of playing. Mike would go out and do other projects, but Branford’s project is his quartet. I got spoiled. We play as a group and in jazz there aren’t a lot of groups. This is special.

“All these experiences I’ve had help me with my trio,” Calderazzo says. “The trio is a real improvising outlet. We play songs. Nothing’s hard. That’s what I like. We can play anything and improvisation is key. That’s good for that.”

Dave Weckl, a renowned drummer with over 40 years of experience, has earned a lasting reputation as one of the world’s premier drummers. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, on January 8, 1960, Weckl’s musical journey began at the age of eight when he started playing drums. His early influences ranged from rock legends like the Monkees to jazz greats such as Buddy Rich and Steve Gadd.

In 1979, he moved to the East Coast, where he gained recognition in the New York club scene. Collaborations with established musicians like Steve Kahn, Michael Brecker and Peter Erskine opened doors to significant opportunities, including joining the band French Toast and later performing on the 1983 Simon and Garfunkel reunion tour.

Weckl’s career continued to soar as he became a vital member of Chick Corea’s Elektric Band in 1985, earning a GRAMMY® award with the Akoustic Band. His innovative use of electronic and acoustic drums propelled him to international recognition.

In 1990, Weckl embarked on a successful solo career with the release of Master Plan, a landmark album that marked a new era in contemporary drumming. He has recorded numerous solo albums, including Heads Up and Hard-Wired.

Weckl’s influence extended beyond his performances through instructional videos and master classes, demonstrating his dedication to music education. His technical approach evolved after studying with Freddie Gruber, leading to the release of a series of educational videos.

In 1998, Weckl achieved his dream of forming a world-touring band, the Dave Weckl Band, releasing several studio records and instructional videos. He continued to innovate in the field of music education, creating play-along products and teaching materials.

Throughout his career, Weckl’s commitment to inspiring aspiring musicians remains unwavering. He believes in the power of music to contribute positively to spiritual happiness and encourages parents to nurture their children’s musical talents. Today, he continues to tour, collaborate with fellow musicians and run an online school, leaving an indelible mark on the world of drumming and music education.

Jazz trumpeter and composer Randy Brecker has helped shape the sound of jazz, R&B and rock for over six decades. His trumpet and flugelhorn performances have graced hundreds of albums by a wide range of artists from James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Parliament/Funkadelic to Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Jaco Pastorius and Frank Zappa.

Born in 1945 in Philadelphia to a musical family, Randy’s musical talent was nurtured from an early age. He attended Indiana University from 1963-66 studying with Bill Adam, David Baker and Jerry Coker and later moved to New York where he landed gigs with such prominent bands as Clark Terry’s Big Bad Band, the Duke Pearson Big Band and the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.

In 1967, Randy ventured into jazz-rock with the band Blood, Sweat and Tears, but left to join the Horace Silver Quintet. He recorded his first solo album, ‘Score’, in 1968, featuring a young, then unknown 19 year-old tenor saxophonist named Michael Brecker.

After Horace Silver, Randy joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers before teaming up with brother Michael, Barry Rogers, Billy Cobham, and John Abercrombie to form the seminal fusion group ‘Dreams’. The group recorded two adventurous and wildly acclaimed albums: ‘Dreams’ and ‘Imagine My Surprise’ – now collector’s items – for Columbia Records before they disbanded in 1971.

In the early 1970s, Randy performed live with many prominent artists including Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House, Stevie Wonder and Billy Cobham. He also recorded several classic albums with his brother under the leadership of the great pianist/composer Hal Galper.

By 1975, Randy and Michael were ready to front their own group, the Brecker Brothers Band. A band of immeasurable impact and influence, they released six albums on Arista and garnered seven Grammy nominations between 1975 and 1981. Their eponymous first record, which Randy wrote, arranged and produced, featured his now classic composition “Some Skunk Funk.”

In 1992, exactly ten years after they parted ways to pursue solo careers, Randy and Michael reunited for a world tour and the triple-Grammy nominated GRP recording, ‘The Return of the Brecker Brothers’. The follow-up, 1994’s ‘Out of the Loop,’ was a double-GRAMMY winner. In 1997, “Into the Sun” (Concord), a recording featuring Randy’s impressions of Brazil, garnered Randy his first GRAMMY as a solo artist.

In 2001, Randy released ‘Hangin’ in the City’ (ESC), a solo project which introduced his alter-ego Randroid, a skirt chasing, cab driving ne’er do well, with lyrics and vocals by Randroid himself. This CD was especially well received in Europe, where Randy toured extensively with his own line-up.

Randy’s next CD for ESC Records, ’34th n’ Lex,’ won him his third GRAMMY for ‘Best Contemporary Jazz Album’ in 2003. In May of that year he toured Europe with his Quintet in support of the CD, and in the summer went back to Europe yet again with the Randy Brecker/Bill Evans Soulbop Band.
 The summer of 2003 culminated in the special headline appearance in Japan at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival of the reunited Brecker Brothers.

2004 saw Randy touring Europe extensively as co-leader (with Bill Evans) of the band Soulbop. The WDR Big Band also celebrated Randy and his music that year in a performance at the Leverkusen Jazz Fest. The date was of special significance to Randy as it was the last time he played with his brother, who took ill shortly thereafter with a rare form of leukemia known as MDS.

In 2005, with Mike unable to travel to Russia for Brecker Brothers gigs booked there, Randy’s wife saxophonist Ada Rovatti sat in for the first time. Randy’s active schedule continued apace with the Randy Brecker Band performing throughout Eastern Europe and across the globe.

In 2007, Randy was awarded his fourth GRAMMY for “Randy Brecker Live with the WDR Big Band” (Telarc/BHM), the live recording (also available in DVD format) of his performance with Michael at the Leverkusen Jazz Fest in 2004. Tragically, Michael passed away that same year on Jan 13th. Randy Soldiered on after Mike’s passing continuing to perform, write and record winning a total of 7 Grammys and one Dutch Edison Award.

Perhaps best known as a trumpet virtuoso, James Morrison is, by anybody’s standard, a virtuoso in the true sense of the word. His showmanship extends to playing tuba, trombone, saxophone, clarinet, double bass, guitar and piano during his stellar career. James has been appointed a member of The Order of Australia, has won countless awards and has been inducted into the Australian Jazz Hall of Fame. James is recognized as one of the finest jazz players Australia has ever produced.

He has played alongside the best jazz musicians of our time, including Ray Brown, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis. He’s performed at the world’s major jazz festivals, including Montreux, North Sea, Nice and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as at jazz clubs like Birdland, The Blue Note and Village Vanguard in New York, the New Morning in Paris, the Tokyo Blue Note and Ronnie Scott’s in London.

James Morrison’s career has included much more than just jazz. He has recorded with The London Symphony Orchestra, rock legends INXS and the European Brass Ensemble, written the opening fanfare for the Olympic Games and played for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. He has played classical trumpet at the Kremlin, broken a Guinness record conducting the world’s largest orchestra, and in 2016 was a guest of President Obama at the White House.

Did we mention that he’s also a pilot, rally driver, sailor, author and even an inventor? But not a cruise ship captain…yet.

Trumpeter Sean Jones is a musical chameleon, comfortable in any musical setting no matter the role or genre. After a six-month stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis offered him a permanent position as lead trumpeter of the ensemble, a post he held from 2004 until 2010. In 2015, Mr. Jones was tapped to become a member of the SJAZZ Collective. During this time, he has managed to keep a core group of talented musicians together under his leadership, forming the foundation for groups that have produced and released eight recordings on Mack Avenue Records.

Sean has been prominently featured in recordings and performances with many major figures in jazz, including Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson and Marcus Miller. He was selected by Miller, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter for their A Tribute to Miles tour in 2011. He has also performed with the Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown symphony orchestras, as well as Soulful Symphony in Baltimore and a chamber group at the Salt Bay Chamberfest.

Sean is an internationally recognized educator. He was president of the Jazz Education Network and has also taught at Duquesne University and at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, while regularly offering master classes and clinics all around the world.  He currently holds the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair in Jazz Studies at The John Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute in Baltimore. Sean also serves as the artistic Director for the NYO JAZZ Program of Carnegie Hall.

Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by the late piano legend McCoy Tyner. Recognized as an incredibly gifted and versatile player, he combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Since the mid-1990’s, Terell has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Frank Wess Quintet, Jimmy Heath Quintet and Big Band, Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band. Stafford with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Terell performed on Diana Krall’s GRAMMY nominated From This Moment On (2006). John Clayton invited Terell to perform with the Clayton Brothers Quintet and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

Terell is a member of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and they were awarded a GRAMMY in 2009 for their recording Live at the Village Vanguard. Stafford can be heard on over 130 albums including his own BrotherLee Love, Celebrating Lee Morgan, which received a 47th Annual NAACP Image Award nomination. Terell is the Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University, founder and band leader of the Terell Stafford Quintet, and Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia (JOP). Terell is renowned in the jazz world as an educator, performer and leader and has received countless award nominations and accolades. He has sailed on The Jazz Cruise numerous times, both as a member of the Clayton Brothers Quintet and as an All-Star.

Described by The Wall Street Journal as “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” and “the shining hope of hot jazz” by The New York Times, Bria Skonberg has been at the forefront of a revival of classic American music as both a performer and educator, programming concerts and workshops for students of all ages.

Originally from the small town of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Bria studied jazz and performance at Capilano University in Vancouver while balancing a full road schedule with two bands. After graduating she traveled extensively, performing in China, Japan and throughout Europe as a featured artist. Seeking new challenges, Bria moved to New York city in September of 2010.

A bandleader since her teens, Bria has performed festivals and stages the world over, including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and over a hundred more. In 2016 Bria released her debut LP on Sony Masterworks which won a Canadian JUNO award and made the Top 5 on Billboard jazz charts; her music has over 10 million streams on Spotify.

Emmy-nominated trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III has proven to be that rarest of talents: not only a fiery trumpet player, but also a singer with a naturally expressive delivery in the post-Sinatra mold, performing standards and his own astute songs with a thrilling sense of showmanship. This duel-threat ability was recognized by the 2022 DownBeat Critics Poll where he appeared as not only the #2 Rising Star Male Vocalist, but a top Rising Star Trumpeter as well. His superb intonation and bracing virtuosity enable him to handle astounding feats of originally composed vocalese. On top of it all, he’s a highly capable pianist as well.

Alongside his global touring as a straight-ahead/contemporary bandleader, Benny has appeared as a trumpet soloist in more commercial circles alongside Josh Groban, Ann Hampton Callaway and more. He’s been featured at Birdland, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Mezzrow, The Carlyle and other leading NYC venues. He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where he frequently performed in the House Band.

Third in a generational line of Pittsburgh jazz notables, Benny follows in the footsteps of his trumpeter/bandleader grandfather, Benny Benack, Sr. and his father Benny Benack, Jr., a saxophonist/clarinetist who gave the young Benny his first professional experience. Benny III returns to Pittsburgh often to perform, saluting his family forebears and the jazz heritage as a whole, nonetheless staking his own bold and highly individual artistic claim.

GRAMMY® Award-winning trumpeter Bijon Watson’s recording, live, and touring credits are vast and the short list includes: Natalie Cole, Michael Bublé, Kurt Elling, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Stevie Wonder, Rosemary Clooney, Nancy Wilson and Joe Williams. Bijon plays lead trumpet for the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, John Daversa Progressive Big Band, and John Beasley’s Monkestra. When a jazz big band or orchestra needs a lead trumpeter, Bijon gets the call. In 2022, as co-leader with Steven Feifke, Bijon can be heard not only on lead trumpet but as a featured soloist with their GRAMMY® Award-winning Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra for Best Jazz Big Band Album.

On television, Bijon has performed on episodes of American Idol, The Voice, and The Tonight Show, as well as Grammy Awards shows, The BET Music Awards and Dancing With The Stars. His film appearances include appearing in the award-winning film La La Land and recording on several soundtracks with studios such as Paramount, Fox, and Disney, including Epic, Despicable Me 2 and The Secret Life of Pets.

​As a classically trained musician, Bijon has had the opportunity to perform as a guest with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony. A dedicated educator, Bijon is a sought-after clinician who gives master classes and clinics to colleges, and high schools throughout the United States, and Europe. Bijon rejoins The Jazz Cruise as an All-Star and essential member of Anita’s Big Band.

Trumpeter, composer, arranger, author Eddie Allen has been called upon to play everything from jazz (big band as well as small ensembles) to R&B/Pop to Latin to symphonic to Broadway, and everything in between.

He’s currently leading a quartet, a quintet, a Latin/Brasilian project and a large ensemble which brings together acoustic and electric/electronic instruments. He also leads a big band which not only plays his compositions and arrangements, but also the music of such jazz greats as Jimmy Heath, Bobby Watson, Muhal Richard Abrams and Rufus Reid as they come to lead the band. Eddie Allen continues to work as a freelance musician and clinician.

The Jazz Cruise Music Director Eric Marienthal has won two GRAMMY® Awards and has been nominated eight times as a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band, Jeff Lorber Fusion and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. Having performed in over 80 countries and played on hundreds of recordings, films and TV shows, Eric also has recorded 15 solo recordings including his latest entitled Double Dealin’ with his friend Randy Brecker. Eric’s recordings have produced several top 10 radio singles including three tunes that reached #1 on its respective chart.

Eric is the recipient of the Berklee College of Music Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding achievements in contemporary music. Eric was also named one of the top 3 alto saxophonists in Jazziz Magazine’s Readers Poll along with Phil Woods and David Sanborn. For the past 22 years Eric has organized an annual charity concert for the High Hopes Head Injury Program in Tustin, CA. These concerts have raised awareness for this great organization and have raised over 2 million dollars.

For the past few years, Eric has applied his vast knowledge and experience in the world of jazz to being the Music Director for all of Signature Jazz Cruises’ sailings. In that challenging role, Eric is charged with curating the performances, schedules and support for hundreds of the top musicians in the world. His ability to perform this task with skill and professionalism has made the quality of the programming on those sailings among the very best in the world.

Ever charismatic, prolific and inspired, GRAMMY®-nominated clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen has won hearts and minds the world over with her expressive virtuosity and delightful stage presence. Anat has been declared Clarinetist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association every year since 2007 and has also been named the top clarinetist in both the readers and critics polls in DownBeat for multiple years running.

Anat was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and raised into a musical family. At 16, she joined the school’s big band and learned to play the tenor saxophone. After graduation, she discharged her mandatory Israeli military service duty from 1993-95, playing tenor saxophone in the Israeli Air Force band.

Anat has collaborated regularly with one of her heroes, Cuban-American clarinetist-saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, who introduced her onstage at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in the Jazz at Lincoln Center complex as “one of the greatest players ever of the clarinet.”

Gary Smulyan is recognized as a major voice on the baritone saxophone. Gradually establishing himself as a young player, Gary was asked to share the stage and the recording studio with an impressive group of jazz luminaries including Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Chick Corea and Tito Puente, as well as R&B/blues and soul icons Ray Charles, B.B. King and Diana Ross.

In addition to performing and recording in support of a myriad of people, Gary has a distinguished discography as a leader, with over ten recordings under his own name. In addition to his work with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Gary remains close with Joe Lovano, working with him in his nine-piece Nonet; then there was the Dave Holland Octet and the seminal bassist’s Big Band. Gary has also enjoyed stints in the cooperative Three Baritone Saxophone Band, as well as working with powerhouse tenor saxophonist George Coleman in his octet and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band that, similar to the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, is comprised of some of the world’s best players.

Gary is a four-time winner of the DownBeat Critics and Readers Polls and a multiple winner of numerous other official polls including the Jazz Journalists Award for Baritone Saxophonist of the Year. He is a six-time GRAMMY®-award winner for his work with B.B. King, Lovano, Holland and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Over the years on The Jazz Cruise, Gary has filled the baritone saxophone chair in Anita’s Big Band, as well as hosted jam sessions and performed in All-Star groupings.

Born in Los Angeles into a musical family, Ted Nash has that uncanny ability to mix freedom with substance, blues with intellect and risk-taking with clarity. He is a co-founder of the New York-based Jazz Composers Collective, a musician-run, non-profit innovative entity dedicated to presenting the original works of composers pushing the boundaries of their self-expression. Nash is also a long-standing member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, with Wynton Marsalis. Nash has become one of the most significant jazz composers of the 21st century. His recordings have received wide critical acclaim, appearing on the “best-of” lists in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Village Voice and The Boston Globe. Portrait in Seven Shades, his first big band recording, garnered two Grammy nominations. His following big band album, Chakra, received critical acclaim and charted on Billboard. Receiving two GRAMMY® Awards, Presidential Suite is Nash’s most significant work. Inspired by great political speeches of the 20th century dealing with the theme of freedom, it is rich with social and political awareness. It also involved a very creative approach; Nash transcribed the speeches for their actual musical pitches and created themes, placing them into contexts that embraced the speakers and the location and era of the speeches. For the recording, each track is introduced by an excerpt from the speech that inspired it, read by significant figures from the world of entertainment, politics and sports, including actors Glenn Close and Sam Waterston; Ambassador Andrew Young; Senator Joe Lieberman; authors Deepak Chopra and Douglas Brinkley; diplomats William vanden Heuvel and David Miliband.

GRAMMY® Award-nominated saxophonist, composer, arranger, educator, philanthropist, humanitarian and entrepreneur, Godwin Louis is a trailblazer in the world of music and beyond. Born in Harlem, New York, and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Port Au Prince, Haiti, his music taps all corners of his multicultural background rooted in Haitian heritage.

An acclaimed alto saxophonist, Louis has graced stages around the globe including: Mali, Senegal, Togo, France, Finland, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Venezuela, Brazil, South Korea, Indonesia and Australia. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, Louis has studied and performed with Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Roger Dickerson, Ron Carter, Al Foster, Billy Preston, Patti Labelle, Toni Braxton, Prince, Babyface, Madonna, Barry Harris, Howard Shore, Mulatu Astakte, Mahmoud Ahmed, Wynton Marsalis and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, to name a few. In addition, Louis has performed extensively as a sideman and guest soloist.

As a composer and arranger, he received a GRAMMY® nomination for his work on world-renowned vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant’s album Mélusine; was awarded a Jerome Foundation Emerging Artist Grant and was named a 2013 Jazz Gallery Residency Commission recipient.

Louis has cultivated a diverse musical palette, seamlessly blending jazz, gospel, classical, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and global sounds. His compositions serve as a testament to his creative depth, exploring the intersections of tradition and innovation. A professor at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, he has conducted clinics and master classes worldwide. The saxophonist also teaches at the summer music camps of the Connecticut jazz nonprofit Back Country Jazz.

His work as a humanitarian and ambassador includes his having traveled from Benin to China to help promote cross-cultural understanding and introduce thousands to America’s indigenous art form — jazz — through public concerts, master classes and jam sessions. He is the founder of Experience Ayiti, a nonprofit educational, multidisciplinary arts organization in Haiti. In 2021, The Godwin Louis Rooftop Club opened in Lomé, Togo. Located at El Doria Hotel, the location is dedicated to performances and educational programs that promote music education in Africa.

Louis’s debut album as a leader, Global, was released in February 2019. His album Psalms and Proverbs was released in August 2024 on the Blue Room Music label.

Dylan Band is a jazz saxophonist, educator, and bandleader celebrated for his performance and collaboration with prominent artists in the genre.

As a teenager, Band studied at the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts and the Kimmel Center Creative Music Program, before continuing his studies at Temple University, where he earned both his Bachelors’ (BM ‘20) and Masters’ (MM ‘22) Degrees.

In 2020, Band placed second in the Vandoren Emerging Artists Competition.

Band regularly performs with pianist George Burton, drummer Rodney Green, and vocalist Tyreek McDole. He has shared the stage with artists such as Christian McBride, Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. His festival appearances include the Burlington Jazz Festival, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, NYC Winter Jazz Fest, and the Guimaräes Jazz Festival.

Band is featured on Burton’s album White Noise (2024) and McDole’s Open Up Your Senses (2025). He also leads the Dylan Band Quartet, which performs regularly in New York City and Philadelphia.

In addition to the Quartet, Band co-leads the Philadelphia Ambassador Big Band, which has worked with with and commissioned arrangements for Jaleel Shaw, Seamus Blake, and Kurt Rosenwinkel.

After studying at Berklee College of Music, Italian born saxophonist, composer and arranger Ada Rovatti moved to Paris before landing in New York City. She performed and recorded with artists such as John McLaughlin, Mike Stern, James Moody, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Patti Austin, Joe Bonamassa and many more.

Ada was part of the GRAMMY®-winning CD by Randy Brecker –34th N Lex and on the acclaimed CD of John McLaughlin Industrial Zen and also appeared in the movie Mona Lisa Smile featuring Julia Roberts. As a band leader she has released seven CDS.

Rickey Woodard, a Los Angeles-based jazz saxophonist,  was born in Nashville where he played in a family band with his brothers and sisters, playing Blues and R and B around the Nashville area. He began his career touring with the Ray Charles Orchestra from 1980 to 1988 and then settled in Los Angeles where he is a main stay of the Los Angeles jazz scene. In addition to leading his own groups, Woodard is a member of the the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and Jeannie and Jimmy Cheatham’s Sweet Baby Blues Band. He toured with Horace Silver in the 1990s and has worked with top artists including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, John Legend and Diana Krall. Currently he performs live, frequently leading his own quartet or quintet and also works in theater productions, such as “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “The Color Purple.” This soulful sax player captures audiences wherever he performs.

Nicole Glover is a saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and educator based in New York City. A rising star and sought-after collaborator, she is currently a member of Ursa Major, led by bassist Christian McBride, and a core member of the supergroup ARTEMIS, directed by Renee Rosnes. She appears on both of ARTEMIS’ latest Blue Note releases — In Real Time (2023) and Arboresque (2025). In 2025, ARTEMIS was named Best Jazz Group in DownBeat Magazine’s Critics Poll for the second consecutive year. She has also performed and toured with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO), including a 2023 tour of Australia featuring Marsalis’ symphonic work All Rise with the Melbourne and Sydney Symphony Orchestras. She appears on JLCO’s 2024 Blue Engine release The Shanghai Suite.

Nicole has worked under the leadership of drummers Al Foster, Victor Lewis, Lenny White, Kenny Washington, Carl Allen, and Joe Farnsworth; Grammy-winning vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater and Buika; bassists John Patitucci, Reggie Workman, Harish Raghavan, Ben Wolfe, and Or Bareket; vibraphonist Joel Ross; and pianists Bill Charlap, Geoffrey Keezer, Luis Perdomo, Aaron Diehl, Micah Thomas, and George Colligan, among others. Nicole is featured on several of Colligan’s releases.

Nicole also leads her own trio with bassist Tyrone Allen II and drummer Kayvon Gordon. In 2025, the group headlined the legendary Village Vanguard and released their sophomore album Memories, Dreams, Reflections on HighNote-Savant Records in 2025. Their first release, Plays, featuring vibraphonist Steve Nelson, was described by DownBeat Magazine as “The State of the Tenor circa 2024.”

Nicole is on faculty at the Manhattan School of Music and has taught masterclasses and private lessons to students around the world.

Saxophonist and flautist Steve Wilson has brought his distinctive sound to more than 200 recordings, and ensembles led by such celebrated artists as Chick Corea, Ron Carter, George Duke, Dave Holland, Michael Brecker, Dianne Reeves, Bill Bruford, Gerald Wilson, Joe Henderson, and Charlie Byrd among many others.

He is regularly cited in the Downbeat Magazine Critics and Readers’ Polls in the soprano and alto saxophone, and flute categories. Wilson is currently a touring member of Grammy winning ensembles led by Christian McBride, Maria Schneider, Billy Childs, and Buster Williams. His work in film includes being “Lulu On The Bridge” as artistic consultant to Harvey Keitel, and on soundtracks for “Ed’s Next Move” and the anime series “Cowboy Bebop”. With ten recordings under his name, he leads two acclaimed quartets – Wilsonian’s Grain and The Analog Band.

Wilson is Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at City College of New York, and codirector of the Ravinia Steans Music Institute Program for Jazz. Much in-demand as a clinician he has been a visiting artist at institutions throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, China, and Japan.

Musical ambassador and interpreter of the music, Wycliffe Gordon is one of the world’s most renowned and award-winning jazz trombonists touring today. Wycliffe is a former member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Named “Trombonist of the Year” by Jazz Journalists Association for an unprecedented 15th time, DownBeat Critics Poll has named Wycliffe “Best Trombone” six times, and he has been the recipient of the Louie Award, the International Trombone Award and the “Satchmo” Award, amongst many others.

Wycliffe tours as a soloist and regularly with his quintet headlining at legendary jazz venues and festivals. He’s released more than 20 albums as a leader and eight more as a co-leader. He’s performed with an impressive list of artists including David Sanborn, Dianne Reeves, Anat Cohen, Arturo Sandoval, Doc Severinsen, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Tommy Flanagan, Shirley Horn, Joe Henderson and Branford Marsalis.

A respected educator and mentor, Wycliffe is the director of Jazz Studies at Augusta University in Georgia and he presents master classes, clinics, workshops, children’s concerts and lectures to students from elementary schools to universities all over the world. He’s been an artist-in-residence or taught at prestigious educational institutions such as The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Michigan State University, Peabody Conservatory, Temple University and Arizona State University.

Wycliffe has sailed on more Jazz Cruises programs than any other musician. He has performed in every configuration imaginable and is the guardian of The Jazz Cruise Gospel Hour, one of the most cherished and beloved elements of The Jazz Cruise.

Trombonist John Allred has made a significant mark in the world of music. His roots are deeply entwined with jazz, as he is the son of the renowned jazz trombonist, Bill Allred. After experience in the vibrant music scene of the Los Angeles music scene, John was invited to join Woody Herman and the Young Thundering Herd, marking a significant milestone in his career.

He later relocated to Orlando, Florida, where he continued to contribute his trombone skills to jazz performances and studio recordings. His talents led to an invitation to join the Harry Connick Jr. Big Band, with whom he not only toured extensively but also contributed to numerous studio recordings and television appearances. During this period, John Allred remained actively engaged in his father’s jazz ensemble and participated in various production shows.

In 1999, Allred moved to the bustling music hub of New York City. There, he shared his talents with esteemed groups like the Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band, the Woody Herman Orchestra and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. His dedication and artistry have firmly established him as a respected figure in the world of jazz, contributing his unique voice to the rich tapestry of American music.

John may have inherited the gift of playing jazz on a ship. It seems his grandfather, also named John, was a jazz pianist and banjoist who played on the steamboats of the Strecklus Line that sailed on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. A fixture of Anita’s Big Band and a frequent All-Star, John has carried on the family tradition.

Downbeat Magazine called trombonist Mariel Bildsten “irrepressibly spontaneous” and her 2023 release Steppin’ Out! exploded onto the scene as an exciting follow-up to Backbone, her 2020 debut. Mariel headlines jazz festivals, plays around the country and performs regularly in New York City, in the US and internationally. A frequent member of the Mingus Big Band, Mariel has performed alongside Jennifer Hudson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Roy Hargrove, Wycliffe Gordon, Brian Lynch, Cyrus Chestnut, Frank Lacy, Jon Batiste, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jennifer Hudson, Roy Hargrove and many others. A passionate and popular educator, Mariel guides students through masterclass group instruction, workshops, and clinics, as well as leading educational shows in public schools through Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Michael Dease is one of the world’s eminent trombonists, lending his versatile sound and signature improvisations to over 200 recordings and groups as diverse as GRAMMY®-winning artists David Sanborn, Christian McBride, Michel Camilo and Alicia Keys. Born in Augusta, GA, he played the saxophone and trumpet before choosing the trombone at age 17. In 2001, Dease moved to New York City to become part of the historic first class of jazz students at The Juilliard School, earning both Bachelors and Masters degrees, and quickly established a reputation as a brilliant soloist, sideperson and bandleader.

Tiffany Johns is a multi-instrumentalist brass player and keyboardist from Los Angeles, California. Regularly performing and recording across Southern California and beyond, Tiffany maintains a diverse portfolio of musical styles and instruments.

Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, Tiffany started on euphonium in the 5th grade. She picked up trombone and bass trombone in high school, and has been hooked on brass doubling ever since. In Southern California, she can be seen most often playing in jazz bands, funk bands, studio sessions, opera orchestras, and the world-famous Disneyland Band.

Tiffany has performed and recorded with a number of world-renowned artists, including Bernard Purdie, Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, Jacob Collier, Gordon Goodwin, and Jason Derulo. She can be heard on numerous albums on multiple instruments, including two that were Grammy-nominated (Intercambio by the Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet and Canto América by La Orquesta Sinfonietta). She was a featured artist at the 2025 International Trombone Festival in London, Ontario.

In addition to performing and recording, Tiffany is an active composer and regional Emmy award-winning arranger. She has had arrangements and compositions performed both in the United States and abroad.

When not playing or writing music, Tiffany can be found eating at her favorite taco trucks, thrifting, hanging out with friends at wine bars, or dancing the night away to disco music.

Renee Rosnes is enjoying an illustrious career as one of the premier pianists and composers of her generation, having performed and recorded with some of the most iconic figures in jazz including Joe Henderson, JJ Johnson, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson and James Moody. She has released 18 albums as a leader, which showcase her virtuosity, creativity and collaborative spirit. Her recording, Kinds of Love (Smoke Sessions) featuring Chris Potter, Christian McBride, Carl Allen and Rogério Boccato, received a Canadian JUNO Award, her seventh. Rosnes is the musical director of the supergroup ARTEMIS, who were named 2023 Jazz Group of the Year by the 88th DownBeat Readers Poll. The band has performed at many of the world’s prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Monterey Jazz Festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival, among others. NPR raved, “A killer line-up of players, composers and performers who hail from all over the world…converge on an extremely cosmopolitan, sleek, rhythm-forward, modern sound.”

During the 2018 Montréal Jazz Festival, Rosnes was awarded the Oscar Peterson Prize in recognition of her outstanding contributions to jazz. In addition to leading her own bands, Rosnes is the pianist for the legendary bassist, Ron Carter’s Foursight Quartet. Rosnes’ piano duo with her husband and acclaimed pianist Bill Charlap, is marked by mutual respect and dazzling interplay. The duo was featured on the recording, Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap: The Silver Lining, which garnered a 2015 GRAMMY® for Best Traditional Pop Album.

Shelly Berg is the dynamic Artistic Director of The Jazz Cruise and has once again helped to curate an amazing line-up of performances for the cruise, as well as being a gifted member of our All Stars. A Steinway piano artist and a five-time GRAMMMY®-nominated arranger and orchestrator, Shelly has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists including Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Niki Haris, Arturo Sandoval, Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder, Seal, Ledisi, Pharrell Williams, Renée Fleming and James Galway. His Film orchestration work includes Warner Bros. Almost Heroes and For Your Consideration, Fox’s Men of Honor and the NBC mini-series The ’60s. He has written for the Royal Philharmonic, the American Symphony and orchestras worldwide.

An award-winning educator with over 40 years of leadership in higher education, Shelly Berg is the Dean of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. He previously held the McCoy/Sample endowed professorship of jazz studies in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California where he taught for 16 years. He is a past president of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE), and was named 2003 Educator of the Year by the Los Angeles Jazz Society. In 2002, Shelly was the recipient of the IAJE Lawrence Berk Leadership Award. He also hosted “Generation Next” on Sirius XM Real Jazz, currently serves as artistic advisor for Jazz Roots at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, and is on the board of SFJAZZ.

Mathis Picard is a pianist, composer and producer in the international music scene. Based in New York City and from France & Madagascar, Mathis honors his multi-cultural background by merging musical influences and elevating sonic synchronicity. Named a “rising star” by The Scotsmen paper, Mathis is an ASCAP Next Generation of Songwriters Recipient, a member of the Montreux Jazz Foundation, and a Juilliard Alumni under the mentorship of Kenny Barron. His band The Sound Orchestra has performed all over The United States. Their debut genre-bending EP World Unity came out in 2020 on Outside In which put him on the map as “a fascinating name to follow in any context” (All About Jazz).

Mathis has shared the stage with artists such as Braxton Cook, Ron Carter, Lillias White, Lee Ritenour, Wynton Marsalis, Veronica Swift, Etienne Charles and more. Rooted in the tradition of live acoustic performance and deemed as “one to watch” by Jazzwise magazine, Mathis also shines as a solo pianist, playing solo sets for NY Fashion Week, Little Island, Umbria Jazz Festival, and is featured on several records. Long awaited, Mathis presented his first solo piano album titled Live at the Museum. Recorded with a live audience at the National Jazz Museum of Harlem in New York City, Live at the Museum is a sonic journey through which Mathis explores the museum of his own life in music, honoring and spotlighting his roots in jazz, classical and electronic music. Mathis will perform on The Jazz Cruise with Cyrille Aimee.

Caelan Cardello started playing piano at the age of 5 and within two years had begun parallel arcs of formal training in both classical and jazz piano, starting with jazz pianist/arranger Allen Farnham and Juilliard classical alum Steve Masi. Caelan’s consistent musical growth enabled him to secure mentorships with some of the most sought after luminaries in the jazz piano pantheon, most notably Fred Hersch, Frank Kimbrough and Dave Kikoski.

Caelan’s early involvement with several distinguished arts programs figure prominently in his musical development. First and foremost was the renowned Jazz House Kids in Montclair, NJ – a comprehensive and immersive community jazz arts program developed and run by jazz vocalist Melissa Walker and husband, bass icon Christian McBride. Caelan often held “featured artist” status when playing with the JHK ensembles and his 7 years with the program afforded him invaluable opportunities to play and study with some of the most prominent figures in jazz today including Jimmy Cobb, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jack DeJohnette, rufus reid, Wallace Roney, Ravi Coltrane, Paquito D’Rivera, pop songsmith Bruce Hornsby and of course Christian McBride to name but a few. As an alumnist of the program, Caelan’s affiliation has continually opened doors for him to perform with many other celebrated jazz greats in NYC’s legendary jazz haunts like Dizzy’s Club, Minton’s Playhouse, Smalls Jazz Club and The Jazz Standard.

Over time, Caelan’s musical accomplishments and live performances have garnered him several prestigious awards including the New Jersey Governor’s Award, the James Moody College Scholarship Award for “Outstanding Musicianship,” the 2021 BMI Foundation’s Future Jazz Master Award, and the prestigious Herbie Hancock International Piano Competition. One honor of particular mention is the “Outstanding Soloist” award he received at the Charles Mingus HS Competition & Festival which resulted in Caelan being “tapped” for a “sub” slot with the Mingus Big Band at the Jazz Standard in NYC. Most recently, Caelan was selected as one of the five finalists for the very prestigious American Pianists Awards. The competition prize includes career assistance and touring, with a value of over $200,000.

Caelan graduated from William Paterson University with a Bachelors degree in Jazz Piano Performance. During his time there he found himself again under the tutelage of many venerable Jazz Masters including Bill Charlap and the late great Harold Mabern. He regularly performed with William Paterson Jazz Ensembles, being featured at WBGO and playing shows at Dizzys Club in NYC. When not performing, Caelan devotes his attention to furthering his musical studies in performance, composition, arrangement and digital music technology.

Combining a joyful swing feel with an impeccable touch, pianist Ben Paterson has established himself as one of the most exciting pianists on the Jazz scene today, garnering international acclaim for his superb musicianship and engaging performances. Whether playing lush ballads on the piano, digging into some hard-driving blues-tinged organ jazz on the Hammond B3, or singing classic tunes by the likes of Ray Charles and Nat King Cole, Ben combines effortless technique with soulful honesty, drawing in both aficionados and Jazz neophytes alike.

Originally from Philadelphia, Ben studied both classical and Jazz music before moving to the great city of Chicago, absorbing the unique blend of Jazz and Blues that can only be found in the Windy City. Now based in New York, Ben is poised to bring his unique talents and style to a wider audience, performing regularly at top notch venues around town, and at clubs and festivals around the world. Ben currently has seven CD’s released under his own name: Breathing Space (OA2 Records 2007) Blues For Oscar (Meetinghouse Records 2012), Essential Elements (MAXJAZZ 2013), For Once In My Life (Origin 2015), That Old Feeling (Cellar Live 2018), Live at Van Gelder’s (Cellar Live 2018), and I’ll Be Thanking Santa (Meetinghouse Records 2019). Visit www.benpaterson.com for more information.

Tadataka Unno started playing piano at the age of 4, and Jazz piano at the age of 9. He began his career as a musician at the age of 18 while a student at Tokyo University of the Arts. He has performed with leading jazz artists in Japan including Yoshio Suzuki, Kimiko Ito, Masahiko Osaka and has been a standard-bearer for the younger generation.

In 2008, he moved to New York City to further explore the roots and culture of jazz. As he started his career from scratch, Unno was soon recognized by top musicians in his new home. Two pivotal opportunities arose in 2010, when Unno was selected as a participant in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center (where he met his mentor, pianist George Cables) and then recommended for a spot in Chicago’s Lavinia Institute by legendary saxophonist Nathan Davis and trombone legend Curtis Fuller.

Unno has since been welcomed as an important new addition to the lineage of jazz. In 2013, he was the first Japanese pianist to perform with the Jimmy Cobb Trio at the Village Vanguard. In March 2022, he released his return album Get My Mojo Back on the Verve label and it became the top-selling new jazz album in Japan.

Two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning NYC-based pianist and composer <strong>Taylor Eigsti</strong> started playing the piano when he was four years old. Growing up in Menlo Park, CA, Eigsti was quickly labeled a prodigy, and has since released 9 albums as a bandleader, in addition to appearing on over 80 albums as a sideman. In February 2025, Eigsti won his second GRAMMY® Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his ninth and most recent album “Plot Armor” (2024, GroundUP Music), following a 2022 win for his eighth album “Tree Falls” (2021, GSI Records) in the same category. Eigsti has garnered a total of 4 individual GRAMMY® nominations over the years for his work as a recording artist and composer, including Best Instrumental Composition, and Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, in addition to being featured on several other GRAMMY® nominated albums by Gretchen Parlato and Julian Lage, and co-wrote a featured composition with Don Cheadle for the GRAMMY® – winning soundtrack to the motion picture “Miles Ahead” (2017). Recently, Eigsti was the winner of Downbeat Magazine’s 72nd Annual Critic’s Poll for Rising Star “Pianist of the Year” for 2024. Eigsti has performed, toured, or recorded with such luminaries as Dave Brubeck, Sting, Chick Corea, Joshua Redman, Joshua Bell, Snarky Puppy, Esperanza Spalding, John Mayer, Vanessa Williams, James Moody, Turtle Island Quartet, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, McCoy Tyner, Christian McBride, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Vince Mendoza, Julian Lage, Ambrose Akinmusire, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, Lalah Hathaway, Joe Lovano, Hank Jones, and Frederica Von Stade, in addition to frequent touring collaborations with Ms. Lisa Fischer, Terence Blanchard, Chris Botti, Kendrick Scott, Ben Wendel, Erin Bode, Eric Harland, and Gretchen Parlato, amongst numerous others.

Julius Rodriguez, also known as “Orange Julius,” is an American pianist, drummer and composer. Rodriguez grew up in White Plains, New York and is of Haitian descent. He began to study classical piano at an early age. He was exposed to jazz through his father, an avid jazz aficionado. He later studied at The Juilliard School.

Rodriguez’s music integrates elements from jazz, avant-garde, R&B, hip-hop and pop music. He has drawn inspiration from The Bad Plus, Vijay Iyer and Jason Moran to find novel ways of integrating music outside of the jazz canon, including music by The Beatles.

Rodriguez has been an active touring member of Isaiah Barr’s Onyx Collective, a group which has done collaborative work with a wide range of artists, including Dave Glasser, Ratking, and members of the Wu Tang Clan. The group accompanied A$AP Rocky on a 2018 tour in which Rodriguez performed on both keyboard and guitar.

Bassist, Composer, Arranger and Producer, John Clayton is a busy man. He is a GRAMMY© winner with nine additional nominations and has written and/or recorded with artists such as Milt Jackson, Diana Krall, Paul McCartney, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gladys Knight, Queen Latifah, McCoy Tyner, YoYo Ma and Charles Aznavour, to name only a few. John was the principal bassist in the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (The Netherlands) from 1980-1984. In 1986, John co-founded the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and rekindled The Clayton Brothers Quintet. In addition to his individual clinics and workshops, he also directs the educational components of Centrum, The Port Townsend Jazz Festival, and the Vail Jazz Workshop. It is John’s arrangement of the “Star Spangled Banner” that helped propel Whitney Houston in her 1990 performance at the Super Bowl (the recording went platinum). His recordings with the Clayton Brothers, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander, Count Basie and others are plentiful. John feels “I’ve been guided by a village of musicians who helped me understand the humility that goes along with playing music at the highest level you can. Ray Brown used to tell me to ‘Learn how to play the bass!!’ Just take care of the music and it will take care of you.

Warren Wolf is a multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore,MD. From the young age of three years old, Warren has been trained on the Vibraphone/Marimba, Drums, and Piano. Under the guidance of his father Warren Wolf Sr., Warren has a deep background in all genres of music.

Beginning with classical music, Warren had studied classical composers from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, Brahms, Vivaldi and Shostakovich. Warren also studied ragtime music learning music from the songbooks of Scott Joplin, Harry Brewer and Geroge Hamilton Green. In Jazz, Warren has studied artist and composers from Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Wynton Marsalis and many others.

Warren attended the Peabody Prepatory for eight years studying classical music with former Baltimore Symphony Orchestra member Leo LePage. During his high school years at the Baltimore School for the Arts, Warren studied with current Baltimore Symphony Orchestra member John Locke. After graduating from Baltimore School for the Arts in June of 1997, Warren headed north and enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

During his time at Berklee, Warren studied with Carribean Jazz Vibraphonist Dave Samuels for seven of eight semesters.One semester was spent with vibist Ed Saindon. During his time at Berklee, Warren began to explore deeper into jazz. Some musicians who’ve helped Warren reach his musical goal during his time at Berklee were musicians such as Jeremy Pelt, John Lamkin, Darren Barrett, Wayne Escoffery, Richard Johnson, Kendrick Scott, Walter Smith, Jason Palmer, Rashawn Ross and many others. Through those musicians Warren becamse an active performer around the Boston area, gigging frequently on the Vibraphone, Drums and Piano. One of the highlights of Warren’s stay in Boston was co-leading a quintet with Boston-based trumpeter Jason Palmer at the historic jazz club Wallys Cafe. Warren was the house drummer at Wallys for two years, performing every Friday and Saturday.

After graduating from Berklee in May of 2001, Warren became an active musician on the Boston local scene. Warren was hired in September of 2003 to become an instructor in the percussion department at Berklee College of Music. Warren taught private lessons on the Vibraphone and Drums, as well as teach a beginners keyboard class for entering freshman drumset majors.

After two years of teaching at Berklee College of Music, Warren headed back to Baltimore to start his main goal of becoming a full time performing musician. Since leaving Berklee as a teacher, Warren has landed the piano duties performing in the Rachael Price Group. Recording and touring with Rachael, Warren has had the opportunity to tour throughout the entire Unites States of America. Warren is currently the drummer of choice for Alto Saxophonist Tia Fuller, who tours with internationally renowned pop star Beyonce Knowles. Warren is also a member of the Donal Fox Group which includes bassist John Lockwood and drummers Dafnis Preito and Terri Lyne Carrington. Also, Warren tour and perform with Bobby Watson’s “Live and Learn” Sextet, Karriem Riggins “Virtuoso Experience” and Christian McBride & “Inside Straight”. With these three groups Warren has traveled the world. Warren has performed throughout the United States of America, South America, Canada, Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Scotland, London, Greece, Singapore, Thailand, Jarkata, Bangkok, Tokyo, Paris, Moscow and many other countries.

Warren has several recordings as a leader. Warren’s first two records are on the M&I label which is based in Japan. The first record is titled “Incredible Jazz Vibes” which features Mulgrew Miller on Piano, Vicente Archer on Bass and Kendrick Scott on Drums. The second record is titled “Black Wolf”. That record features Mulgrew Miller on Piano, Rodney Whitaker on Bass and Jeff “Tain” Watts on Drums. Warren has a self produced CD which is titled “RAW”. That record features Darren Barrett on Trumpet, Walter Smith on Tenor Saxophone, Jason Palmer on Trumpet, Plume on Alto Saxophone, Kris Funn on Bass, Peter Slavov on Bass, Lawrence Fields on Piano/Fender Rhodes and Charles “Dogg” Haynes on Drums. On “RAW” Warren performs on both the Vibraphone and Drums. The fourth recording is titled Warren “Chano Pozo” Wolf. On this recording, Warren performs on the Vibraphone,Drums/Fender Rhodes and Piano. This recording features Tim Green on Alto Saxophone, Lawrence Fields on Piano/Fender Rhodes, John Lamkin on Drums, Dana Hawkins on Drums, Kris Funn on Bass, Louis Cato on Electric Bass, Delandria Mills on Flute, Tabreeca Woodside on Vocals and Integriti Reeves on Vocals. Warren has recently signed to the Mack Ave recording label. A future record will be released in the near future. ​

Musicians that Warren has played with or recorded with are Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Jeremy Pelt and “Creation”, Nicholas Payton, Tim Warfield, Adonis Rose, Donal Fox, Anthony Wonsey, Aaron Goldberg, Cyrus Chestnut, Lewis Nash, Willie Jones, Eric Reed, Mulgrew Miller, Terri Lyne Carrington, Yoron Israel, Larry Willis, David “Fathead” Newman, Stefon Harris, Reuben Rogers, Kevin Eubanks, Curtis Lundy, Steve Davis, Duane Eubanks, Ron Carter, Wycliffe Gordon, Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spaulding and many others.

Known as a “go to” pianist by many musicians, Lafayette Harris Jr. currently performs and records with legendary saxophonist Houston Person where he has recorded on three of Mr. Person’s CDs.

Lafayette has toured with some of the greatest musicians of all time including the four-time GRAMMY® nominee – the late, great, Ernestine Anderson.

Lafayette actually started playing music for money while still a 16-year-old teenager in his hometown of Baltimore with local drummer Willie Kee, who together with other teenagers formed a regularly gigging band – Life Unlimited.

He went on to move to New York and found many inspirations for his musical development including legendary pianist and instructor Barry Harris, Kenny Barron and Walter Bishop, Jr. As he pursued his own self education, he drew on Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Herbie Hancock and Scott Joplin for inspiration. Since then, Lafayette has released nine CDs including his newest, “You Can’t Lose With The Blues,” which was #1 for two weeks on the Jazzweek Jazz Chart in February 2020, and remained on the top ten for 14 weeks.

Pianist and composer Isaiah J. Thompson is originally from West Orange, New Jersey. He began studying with pianist Alla Epelbaum at The Calderone School of Music and Bob Mikula from an early age and soon after enrolled in Jazz House Kids and NJPAC Jazz For Teens. He later was admitted to The Juilliard School where he graduated with both his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music degrees and went on to further his education in Theology and the Arts at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Isaiah joined the John Pizzarelli Trio in 2019 and has performed with other major artists such as, Christian McBride, Steve Turre, Catherine Russell and Buster Williams. His recording debut was featured on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Handful of Keys album with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and he has since released multiple recordings as a leader.

Thompson worked on the Golden Globe nominated soundtrack for the film Motherless Brooklyn, was named a Steinway Artist and has been awarded other accolades including, the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award and second place in the 2018 Thelonious Monk Competition. In 2023 he was named the winner of the American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz and in 2024 Thompson joined the Jazz Studies Faculty at The Juilliard School.

As a jazz musician and performer, Isaiah aims to emit love, spirit and respect and convey his personal experiences and passion for the music through his artistry.

Born in Newcastle, Australia, Nicki Parrott started her musical training at age four with the piano and flute. Nicki switched to double bass at the age of 15. After graduating high school, she moved to Sydney to study jazz at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music where she was granted funds by the Arts Council to study in New York with Rufus Reid.

Nicki was bassist and vocalist for the legendary Les Paul for over 10 years. As part of the Les Paul Trio, Nicki worked side-by-side with guitar greats from Paul McCartney, Steve Miller to fellow Aussie, Tommy Emmanuel.  Paul said about Nicki that, “She has that special gift you cannot buy in a music store.” In addition, she performed in several Broadway shows and at most of the world’s top jazz venues and festivals including The Jazz Cruise and sold-out performances at Birdland and Dizzy’s in NYC.

Nicki recently returned home to Australia where she still tours the globe and records. Her newest release, Feelin’ Groovy (Arbors), is a retrospective and reimagining of songs from the 60s and features an all-Australian band, a first for the label. Nicki has performed with such jazz greats as Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Bucky Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Michel Legrand, Houston Person and Arif Mardin. JazzTimes wrote about her that, “Nicki brings clear articulation, beautiful tone, a sense of rhythmic assuredness and a touch of allure to inventive arrangements.”

She has recorded over two dozen vocal records for Venus Records, Arbors Records and Ooroo Records.

Jon Hamar is a versatile artist who’s ability to find a tasteful, unique voice in any musical situation has made him a staple in the music scene. Hamar’s friendly nature, sense of humor and work ethic has kept him busy as a freelance bassist in multiple performance genres. Jon was born in Kennewick, Washington. He began playing the string bass at age 11 and a year later began playing the electric bass as well. Jon’s parents are musical and Jon grew up listening to his father play gospel, boogie woogie and classical music at the piano and his mother play the oboe and sing at church. His parents were a great musical influence to him at an early age.

Jon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Double Bass Performance from Eastern Washington University under the tutelage of Roma Vayspapir and Kelly Ferris. Jon graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a Master’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media, studying with Jeffrey Campbell, James Vandermark, Harold Danko, and Fred Sturm. In 2001 Hamar relocated to Seattle, Washington, and was in high demand as a freelance bassist. Hamar performed for four years with jazz and blues great Ernestine Anderson as well as Northwest notables such as Greta Matassa, Jim Knapp, Kelley Johnson and John Hansen.

In Fall of 2015 Hamar joined the faculty at the Natalie Haslam School of Music at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee

Bassist, Composer and Educator, Clark Sommers has toured and performed extensively throughout the world.

Clark completed his undergraduate degree in Jazz Studies and World Music at California Institute of the Arts in 2002, and completed a masters degree in Jazz Composition in 2021 from DePaul University.

Clark is proud to be at home in the bass chair with vocalist Kurt Elling, with whom he tours the globe, bringing jazz to everyone from Istanbul to the Canary Islands. Thus far, he has been privileged to play on multiple recordings with the Elling. One of which won the GRAMMY for best jazz vocal album in 2009 “Dedicated to You” Kurt Elling sings the music of Coltrane and Hartman and the second in 2020 for “Secrets Are The Best Stories” featuring Danilo Perez.

“One of the most commanding voices on bass today” Yasushi Nakamura is praised for imaginative, quicksilver bass lines that deepen the groove. His blend of guitar-like precision and gut-level blues has sparked collaborations with artists such as Cécile McLorin Salvant, Joe Lovano/Dave Douglas Soundprints, Emmet Cohen, Wycliffe Gordon, American Patchwork Quartet, Christian Sands, With his charismatic stage presence and artful, hard swinging melodic touch, Nakamura is a first-call performer capturing new audiences and fans around the world. Born in Tokyo, Nakamura moved to the United States at age 9, and considers both places home. He began with clarinet and tenor saxophone, but his older brother’s study of guitar and drums drove him to pick up the bass. His love of rock and funk aside, the music of Charlie Parker, Ray Brown, Miles Davis were a potent influence on him. Nakamura received a BA in Jazz Performance from Berklee School of Music in 2000, and was awarded a full scholarship to The Juilliard School for his Artist Diploma in 2006. He credits Myron Walden as an early champion, and keeps close ties to Juilliard mentors Victor Goines, Wycliffe Gordon, and Carl Allen, Ben Wolfe all of whom maintain him in their bands. Nakamura’s career is flourishing, with consistent engagements at premier jazz festivals including Tokyo, North Sea, Monterey, Ravinia, and venues such as Birdland, Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, the Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. In 2014, he was honored to play the “NEA Jazz Masters Concert: Celebrating Jamey Abersold, Anthony Braxton, Richard Davis, and Keith Jarrett,” sharing the stage with Joe Lovano and Dave Liebman. A wide array of projects permits him to explore musical styles and collaborations. In 2016, he recorded with one of his long-time inspirations, Toshiko Akiyoshi, for her recent release, Porgy and Bess. His performance with Akiyoshi’s Jazz Orchestra was also broadcast as a documentary film. Recent works include “For the Love of Duke” with New York City Ballet choreographed by Susan Stroman, and “Ellington at Christmas: Nutcracker Suite” with Savion Glover, Lizz Wright, the Abyssinian Baptist Choir, and David Berger conducting. In 2010, he toured the Middle East with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s “Kings of the Crescent City” project, and he toured Asia in 2008 with the Juilliard All-Stars. As an educator, Nakamura has led master classes and summer intensive courses at the The Juilliard School, New School, Koyo Conservatory, Osaka Geidai, and Savannah Swing Central. In 2016, Nakamura release his first album “A Lifetime Treasure” and in 2017 he also released 2nd album “Hometown” from Atelier Sawano featuring Lawrence Fields, Bigyuki, and Clarence Penn which received album of the year 2017 in JazzLife magazine.

Tal Ronen is an accomplished young bass player living and working in New York City. As a highly sought-after sideman, Tal has been a frequent band member with many notable musicians such as Frank Wess (Sax.), Jimmy Cobb (Drums), Harry Whitaker (Piano), Shiela Jordan (Vocals), and many more. Ronen is currently the bassist for acclaimed Grammy winning international artist Catherine Russell. He also leads his own group featuring his own original compositions, as well as being a main collaborator and songwriter for up and coming artist Dida Pelled.

Ronen has played at many prominent New York venues and is a frequent presence on the world stage, participating in various international festivals around the world.

Born and raised in Rochester NY, Mike Karn was an accomplished saxophonist with recordings as a leader, until 2007 when he began to seriously pursue the bass and within a couple of years was working with some of New York’s best musicians, including tenor great Lew Tabakin and with jazz vocal legend Jon Hendricks. In 2010 Mike began playing with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (VJO) and quickly established himself as that famous big band’s first call sub. In addition to numerous Monday nights at the Village Vanguard, Mike has traveled with the VJO throughout the U.S. and the world. Mike has played with Jimmy Heath and his brother and fellow NEA Jazz Master Albert “Tootie” Heath on numerous occasions including engagements at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, the Village Vanguard, and the Chicago Jazz Festival.

In 2015, Mike had the opportunity to travel to Japan with yet another jazz legend, vocalist/pianist Freddy Cole. In 2018, Mike returned to Asia with Freddy, playing again at the Cotton Club as well as the Blue Note in Beijing. In 2015, Mike joined the band of guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli and since then has appeared with the guitarist/vocalist throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as tours of Japan, Brazil and multiple trips to Europe. He is also featured on many of John’s recent albums including, most recently, Stage and Screen. Of course, Mike will return to The Jazz Cruise with John and pianist Isaiah J. Thompson.

Bassist and composer Martin Wind was born in Flensburg, Germany in 1968 and moved to New York in 1996 to study at New York University (NYU) with a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service.

Since his move to New York Martin has become a regular at all major jazz clubs and is also in demand as a session player; his credits include movies such as “The Alamo”, “Intolerable Cruelty”, “Mona Lisa Smiles”, “Fur”, “True Grit”, “The Adventures of Walter Mitty”, and “Gemini Man”.

Martin has released more than 20 albums as leader/co-leader including his debut album “Gone with the Wind” (1993), quartet recordings “Salt & Pepper” (2007) and “Get it?” (2009), as well as the orchestral album “Turn out the Stars – music written or inspired by Bill Evans” (2014) featuring Scott Robinson (tenor sax), Bill Cunliffe (piano) and Joe La Barbera (drums), which Paquito D’Rivera called “disgustingly beautiful”. More recent releases include “Light Blue” (2018) and “White Noise” (2020), and “My Astorian Queen” (2021) in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his move to New York City. In 2022 he presented a new project, the New York Bass Quartet: in his 4 ½ star review for Downbeat Magazine, Bill Milkowski called it a “bass manifesto”.

Currently Martin is a member of the trios of Bill Mays, Dena DeRose, Bill Cunliffe, Ann Hampton Callaway, Ted Rosenthal, as well as the quartets of Matt Wilson (“Arts and Crafts”) and Ken Peplowski. Since 2013 he has also been touring with Belgian guitarist and jazz legend Philip Catherine, playing material from their duo album “New Folks” (ACT Records).

In 2018 he premiered his bass concerto “Legacy” with his hometown orchestra; he has also written the sonata “Into the light” for bass and piano, many arrangements, and original compositions for bass ensemble and about 100 jazz tunes and concert pieces.

Bassist David Wong was born and raised in New York City. In 2004, he graduated from the Juilliard School in classical music. He has studied with Orin O’Brien (New York Philharmonic), and Ron Carter. He is currently a member of Roy Haynes’ Fountain of Youth band, the Charles McPherson Quintet and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. He was also the last bass player in the Heath Brother’s Quartet led by Jimmy Heath and Albert “Tootie” Heath as well as Hank Jones’ Great Jazz Trio and is featured on the piano master’s last recording.

David is on faculty at Temple University, Purchase College, The New School, and The City College of New York.

Matthew Parrish is a sought after performer, arranger, composer, producer and instructor. Matthew’s warmth in his playing and loyalty to delivering heartfelt, passionate works is apparent in every note, every tune, and every interaction with his fellow musicians. Born in central California to hard-working, music-loving parents of four children, Matthew Parrish epitomizes the heart of jazz bass performance and livelihood. Matthew has performed and recorded with many of the top names in jazz.

In addition to seven years of musical interaction, Matt has most recently been spending a lot of touring and concert time with the legendary Houston Person. Domestic highlights include 7 years of performing on The Jazz Cruise.

Matthew has recorded over sixty works, including his debut CD Circles and his most recent recordings with Karine Aguiar, where Matthew was the producer, bassist and arranger (recorded in São Paulo Brazil). An additional recording is in development with Houston.

Ted Rosenthal is one of the leading jazz pianist/composers of his generation. He has performed worldwide as soloist, with his trio, and with many jazz greats including Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Phil Woods, and James Moody. Winner of the Thelonious Monk International Competition, Rosenthal has released 15 critically acclaimed CDs as a leader. His album Rhapsody in Gershwin reached #1 on iTunes and Amazon. Rosenthal has been a featured soloist with major orchestras including the Detroit Symphony and Phoenix Symphony.

Rosenthal was artistic director of Jazz at the Riverdale Y and Jazz at Dicapo Theatre, both in New York City. He has also performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Jon Faddis and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. In addition, Rosenthal has been the pianist of choice for many top jazz vocalists including Helen Merrill, Ann Hampton Callaway, Kurt Elling and Barbara Cook.  He appeared on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz on National Public Radio and performed with David Sanborn on NBC’s Night Music.

An active composer, Rosenthal’s jazz opera, Dear Erich, was commissioned and premiered by New York City Opera in 2019. The recipient of three NEA grants, Rosenthal has also been commissioned by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. An author and active in jazz education, Ted is on the faculties of The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music. Ted will be performing as a member of Ann Hampton Callaway’s group and in other shows.

Lewis Nash is one of jazz’s most recorded musicians, appearing on over 500 recordings including 10 GRAMMY® winners and numerous GRAMMY® nominees. Nash has the distinction of being the only musician in jazz history featured on the winners in both the “Best Jazz Vocal” and “Best Jazz Instrumental” album categories in two separate years: the 2004 GRAMMY® s with Nancy Wilson and McCoy Tyner, and again in 2010 with Dee Dee Bridgewater and James Moody.

A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Lewis first gained international recognition as a member of vocalist Betty Carter’s trio. In the years to follow, Nash toured, recorded and performed with many of jazz’s most celebrated icons, including Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, JJ Johnson, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Gerry Mulligan, Hank Jones, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson and many more.

In 2012, The Nash, a jazz education center and performance venue named in Lewis’s honor, was established in his home town of Phoenix.  It has been a focal point of the city’s jazz activity since its inception.

Lewis is in great demand for his educational expertise as well as his drumming skills, and presents clinics, masterclasses and workshops at institutions worldwide.  He has been a member of the faculty of the annual Vail Jazz Workshop for the past 20 years. In 2017, Nash joined the jazz studies faculty at Arizona State University, where he was named the Bob and Gretchen Ravenscroft Professor of Practice in Jazz.  (TJCHOF)

Since coming of age in the nurturing environment of a very musical family and a distinguished bloodline of drummers, New Orleans native Herlin Riley emerged from that most creative era of all things rhythmic in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, to enliven the ensembles of such influential and demanding improvisers as pianist Ahmad Jamal and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis through his commanding yet elegant rhythmic presence.

His authoritative style of melodic percussion is deeply imbued in the fertile creative soil of the Crescent City, encompassing as it does the entire length and breadth of America’s ongoing musical journey.

Now with the release of his debut recording for Mack Avenue Records, Riley’s New Direction is an engaging, wide-ranging recital that distills a lifetime of experience into a swinging body of new music that defines what a big tent the music of New Orleans has always represented stylistically and spiritually.

“You see,” Riley explains, “New Direction reflects a personal transition from being a musical associate with the likes of Ahmad and Wynton, to functioning in a leadership capacity, both as a bandleader and a composer. Like Art Blakey, I’m trying to maintain a certain exuberance by using all younger musicians, while helping them develop their own voices. So many great musicians and drummers have come out of New Orleans, and that really defines my personal legacy; I’m standing on the shoulders of giants. But I’ve been playing drums since I was three years old, so while the title New Direction may suggest new bottles, this is surely some well-aged wine.

“As a boy growing up in New Orleans, way before you heard that big bass drum in the street parades, you could feel it coming from four or five blocks away, and it would literally beckon you to come on down to the street, check out this music, and participate in it. On ‘Connection to Congo Square’ I quote the ‘Reveille’ in my intro. It reflects the melodic nature of how I tune my tom toms and is also a symbolic call to arms, for all the cats from the different neighborhoods to gather ‘round and participate in this celebration, this collective dialog. In everything I play, there’s some reference from my own personal experience, and while it may not be explicit, it’s all underneath there somewhere.”

For all the hard rhythmic driving intensity of New Direction, Riley is not one of those drummers who needs to blast away to captivate listeners and to remain engaged. There’s a consoling sweetness to the thematic variations of the slow groove on “A Spring Fantasy” and the manner in which Riley narrows the stylistic distance between hand percussion and the drum kit – just as he elicits those mysterious bent notes of the great congueros on his intro to the sultry changes of “Shake Off The Dust.”

“Still, when the music came to me, it was not with any particular intent. Everything on this record is something I’ve lived. It’s like cooking a big pot of gumbo; you may start out with some very humble ingredients, but by the time you’re finished, you have a meal fit for a king. I mean, the essence of jazz music to me is that it is free, but it has form. So our music is modern, and it’s progressive, but we’re trying to engage people as well. I do love to groove; that is a big part of who I am, and that is why as an expression of where I would like to take my music, New Direction feels very much like

Painted in the broadest of strokes, the stories of Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez may seem similar: both started life in Havana, discovered their gifts and passions for music and headed to the States, where they melded the music of their homeland with a wide variety of influences, each in his own deeply personal way.

Zoom in a little, though, and the two paths differ considerably. Rodriguez was born into a musical family, his father a popular singer and TV host. A child prodigy, he studied classical piano at the prestigious Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán and Instituto Superior de Arte while playing popular music in his father’s orchestra by night. While performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2006 he was discovered by his future mentor and producer, the legendary Quincy Jones.

Martinez, on the other hand, honed his craft on the streets of Havana, learning the deeply-rooted percussion and vocal style of Afro-Cuban folkloric and religious music. Nearly a decade Rodriguez’s senior, the master percussionist and vocalist arrived in the U.S. in 1998, was soon awarded First Place at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Afro-Latin Hand Drum Competition, and appeared in the documentary film, Calle 54. He then co-founded a Latin fusion group, Yerba Buena, with which he toured extensively and recorded several successful albums. Pedrito has performed or recorded with Wynton Marsalis, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Angelique Kidjo, Chucho Valdés, and James Taylor. He has been leader of his own quartet since 2005 with a GRAMMY® Award-nominated album released in 2013 on Motéma Music.

As a result of their differences, Rodriguez and Martinez share a natural chemistry that makes for a galvanizing musical experience when they come together. Their first duo outing, Duologue (due out February 1, 2019 via Mack Avenue Records), finds the pair exploring a range of moods and influences, from Cuban classics to collaborative original compositions to a number of unexpected favorites.

Despite their shared Cuban roots, Rodriguez and Martinez didn’t cross paths until both had moved to the States. The pianist caught a set by the always-thrilling Pedrito Martinez Group at a jazz festival and instantly knew he wanted to work with the percussionist. “There are times when you feel something and know that you want to collaborate with someone,” Rodriguez explains. “That was one of those occasions.”

The first opportunity for the two to team up came with the recording of Rodriguez’s second album for Mack Avenue, The Invasion Parade, on which Martinez’s stirring vocals and virtuosic percussion appear on two tracks. Busy schedules kept them on separate paths for the next several years, until they reconvened for a stint at New York City’s Jazz Standard and a short tour in early 2017, their first chance to test the waters as a duo.

“What makes this duo completely different is that I came from the folkloric side and Alfredo came from the classical side,” Martinez says. “You put those things together and you come out with an extraordinary and different sound. Alfredo has brilliant ideas when he’s composing and putting together melodies, and it was so easy to mix and absorb his ideas and vice versa. Each song has a different sound and history.”

Most of the original pieces on the album originated with Rodriguez, who would record rough demos on his phone, then send the files to Martinez to compose lyrics and rhythmic patterns. The tunes were further solidified in true collaboration between Rodriguez and Martinez during a weeklong rehearsal period in Los Angeles prior to recording, then polished by veteran producer Quincy Jones. The broad sweep of rhythmic frameworks Martinez brings to the original compositions reflects not only his Afro-Cuban roots but also the range of influences that have impacted him in NYC, whether it’s reggae, 1970s R&B, jazz or funk.

“Every artist on the planet would be lucky to work with Quincy,” Martinez enthuses. “Just having his name on any record is like a trampoline: you don’t go step by step, but you automatically jump five steps up.”

Opener “Africa” stems from Rodriguez’s voracious fascination for rhythmic traditions from around the world. “If I’m listening to music from Benin, Cameroon, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, or Cape Verde, I try to bring them into my world,” he says. “I try to transform those rhythms into something melodic, and that’s how a song like ‘Africa’ becomes reality.” For Pedrito the object in bringing the African rhythm scheme that defines the batá drumming he is steeped in is “to make people feel the tribal roots that my music comes from.” Those specific rhythms influenced Martinez to have his compositions express the notion that although both artists were born in Cuba, their history and heritage always points back to Africa. “Estamos Llegando” provides a lush, lyrical testimony to the pair’s gift for conveying deep emotions, not just rhythmic excitement. The same can be said for the sweet, tender ballad “Cosas del Amor,” while the title track simmers with sharp, surging percussive energy. “I always wanted to be a drummer,” Rodriguez admits with a sheepish laugh. “So I love playing with great percussionists, and Pedrito is the best example when it comes to Cuban percussion. It really touches my heart.”

“Flor” introduces a more soulful, modern sound to the album, while “Jardín Soñador” offers a vivid, compelling narrative sweep. The classical elegance of Rodriguez’s upbringing shines through on “Mariposa,” which evokes sensitive accents from Martinez, before “Yo Volveré” concludes the album with a rousing fanfare.

While those new compositions are indicative of the vast range and flavor of the two artists’ music, their choice of cover songs is more surprising. The ideas stemmed from Rodriguez’s social media outreach, where he enjoys playing a variety of songs in the style of timba, the Cuban popular music that became a craze during Rodríguez’s formative years in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Hence the duo’s lively version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” – which shares its production credit with the Quincy Jones-helmed original – and their joyous take on the theme from the classic video game “Super Mario Bros 3.” More traditional is their bristling rendition of the Cuban classic “El Punto Cubano.”

“Since the beginning, my collaboration with Pedrito has been very exciting,” Rodriguez concludes. “Even though we come from different backgrounds, the energy we share, the passion for what we do, and the respect we have for each other has been beautiful.” Adds Martinez, “It was an amazing experience and a pleasure to work with Alfredo because he’s a great human being. The way he plays and the way he composes are unique and amazing.”

“You have to be totally comfortable wherever,” Carter says. “I feel that music equals life, that’s the way my teacher always taught me. You just can’t go through life and experience it fully with a set of blinders on. I think there’s tremendous beauty in cross-pollinations of music and influences.”

In many ways, weaving together divergent impulses is at the heart of Carter’s music. Like the late tenor sax titan Ben Webster, he’s given to furious, high-velocity solos, but is just as likely to wax sentimental, using his big, bruising tone to tenderly caress a comely melody. In 2000, he released two albums simultaneously that amounted to an anti-manifesto, a proclamation that everything is fair game.

On Chasin’ the Gypsy, a voluptuous, lyrical session partly inspired by the timeless collaboration between Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, he assembled a thrilling group with violinist Regina Carter and Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, for a project born out of some sound check jamming with Lubambo and Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista during a tour with Kathleen Battle. The groove-laden Layin’ in the Cut, featuring James Blood Ulmer’s former rhythm section with electric bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma and drummer Grant Calvin Weston, combines harmolodic freedom with a deep reservoir of funk, and developed out of a project inspired by another legendary guitarist, Jimi Hendrix.

He reinvented the organ combo (with 2005’s Out of Nowhere and again in 2009 with John Medeski on Heaven and Earth), explored the music of alt-rock band Pavement (on 2005’s Gold Sounds), and paid loving tribute to Billie Holiday (on 2003’s Gardenias for Lady Day). Taken in context, Carter’s creative rendezvous with composer, Roberto Sierra, with the Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra made perfect sense.

Now Carter presents us with James Carter’s Elektrik Outlet, a new configuration within which he has found a new groove to explore. Shifting his sax into a keen array of electronics and pedals just might be the perfect “outlet” for Carter to tap into that “frustrated guitarist” that he often describes himself to be. An excellent selection of tunes from Eddie Harris, Gene Ammons, Al Jarreau, Stevie Wonder, Minnie Ripperton and others provides impetus for Carter’s Elektrik Outlet to sizzle, slide, and pop. Adding energy to the group are fellow Detroit artists, Gerard Gibbs on electronic keyboards, Ralphe Armstrong on electric bass and Alex White on drums.

Tim Horner is a native of Roanoke, Virgina. He has spent hte last five decades performing with jazz greats and has recorded over 250 recordings as a sideman with our of his own personal projects. He has sailed with The Jazz Cruise in the past as a member of Ann Hampton Callaway’s group and as an All-Star.

Gerard Gibbs, has loved jazz since his father introduced him at the age of three to the music of jazz organist, Richard “Groove” Holmes. At the age of seven, when he later had the opportunity to meet Holmes, Gerard grew to idolize Holmes. He knew then that one day, he would play jazz just like his idol.

Native of Detroit, Michigan, began training in classical piano at the age of nine. Although he enjoyed this music style, he wanted to perform jazz. In the summer of 1981, Gerard received a visit from “Groove” Holmes. Holmes took Gerard under his wing and showed him the “tricks of the trade.” Until Holmes’ death in 1991, Gerard had a unique relationship with this international jazz organist that he deeply treasures.

Since 2002, Gerard has performed worldwide with saxophonist James Carter. He also performs around Detroit and its surrounding areas as the bandleader of either his contemporary jazz quartet: RYZ, or his organ trio: Gerard Gibbs & ORGANized Crime. Gibbs also lends his talents to bassist extraordinaire, Ralphe Armstrong; as well as flautist Alexander Zonjic. While at home, Gerard remains busy as a dedicated husband to his wife, Tira and father of two sons, Tyler and Alexander.

Ryan Shaw is a Jazz drummer in Los Angeles who has worked with Michael Bublé, Laufey, Seth MacFarlane, Jeff Goldblum, James Morrison, Joel Frahm, Bob Reynolds, Tamir Hendelman, Graham Dechter and many more. He has recorded on Laufey’s last 3 albums and tours with Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, and his work has taken him to stages from Walt Disney Concert Hall to London’s Royal Albert Hall. In addition to playing live, he can be heard on TV and film, including the Charlie Brown shows and specials streaming on Apple TV+.

Ryan began his musical pursuits at age 5 on piano. By age 8 he was studying percussion, and he got his first drum set at 10, which eventually led him to the USC Thornton School of Music and a Bachelor’s in Jazz Studies. He has studied with Jeff Hamilton, Peter Erskine, Roy McCurdy and many others. Today Ryan lives in Los Angeles, where he hosts Sessions With Shaw, his live Jazz show.

Outside of music he spends his time on electric cars, baseball and classic movies.

Vincent Ector hails from the musical city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he attended the University of Pennsylvania.

Most recently, Vincent produced his fourth CD as a leader entitled Theme For Ms. P, which is receiving rave reviews and was recently featured as “Jazz Album of the Week” on WRTI-FM in Philadelphia. His third CD Organatomy features GRAMMY®-nominated Brazilian jazz great Claudio Roditi on one of his original compositions. His second CD as a leader entitled Renewal of the Spirit features Bobby Watson on Saxophones and four of Vincent’s original compositions. His first CD, Rhythm Master, features the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet.

Mr. Ector is the Founder, President and Executive Director of Arts For Kids Inc., a not-for-profit Arts-in-Education company providing workshops, performances and professional development in Music, Dance, Drama, Visual Art and Technology for schools and community-based organizations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. (www.artsforkidsinc.org).

Joe Farnsworth, as chronicled on more than 400 recordings and witnessed within historical venues across New York City and the world, has indelibly penned his legacy within the history of jazz drumming. Concisely put, Joe has studied the past so that he might show us the future of music rooted within the jazz tradition.

Much of who he has become as a musician and teacher can be traced to his upbringing in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and his early years in New York City. Joe’s father, Roger Farnsworth, was a celebrated music teacher for more than 60-years, storied for inviting local music students into a repurposed dining room filled with vinyl recordings and an upright piano to challenge their ears with drop-the-needle quizzes and impromptu solfège lessons. The youngest-of-five sons (to a saint of a mother), Joe learned from two older brothers who forged careers in music before him. James, who toured as Ray Charles’ baritone saxophonist for nearly a decade and John, who has balanced stints with Slide Hampton and the World of Trombones, elementary music teaching, and later in life, as a saxophonist.

As a teenager, Joe studied with the acclaimed Boston-based drummer and pedagogue Alan Dawson, whom Joe credits, “having taught me to get my hands together and how, through rigorous study of rudiments, this can open possibilities for developing your sound.” He studied with Arthur Taylor, who, in Joe’s words, “taught me how to use that sound to develop a fluency of language and readied me to collaborate with jazz greats, like Benny Golson.” When speaking about the lessons learned while living (for 8-years) with the great drummer Jimmy Lovelace, Joe says, “Jimmy showed me how to control the drums.”

In 1990, Joe moved to New York City where he began sitting-in at Augie’s (now Smoke Jazz and Supper Club). Here, he was mentored by Junior Cook with whom he recorded his first album, You Leave Me Breathless (SteepleChase, 1992) and developed careerlong collaborations (and friendships) with George Coleman, and Eric Alexander (with whom he co-founded the band One for All).

Joe’s encyclopedic knowledge of jazz can be attributed to his tireless study of the masters and traces back to his teens when he would hop a bus to catch a masterclass by Max Roach, sneak into local college dances to hear Buddy Rich (yes, dances back-in-the-day had live jazz), and hitch-a-ride to hear Clifford Jordan, Frank Strozier, and Slide Hampton play at Hartford’s 880 Club. It continued during his years at William Paterson University where he studied with Rufus Reid and Harold Mabern (with whom Joe performed until his passing).

Joe’s reverence for jazz’s heroes is witnessed in his own approach, as he places ego aside so that he might speak music’s truth. Joe’s humility is captured within jazz legend Benny Golson’s praise, “The interests of music will always prosper in the hands and tutelage of Joe Farnsworth. He has the unique and remarkable ability to lay his talented and obedient drum sticks aside, and mercifully share his intellect and his motivational heart with the awaiting world. This is the way of all geniuses.”

Twice nominated for a Grammy Award, jazz elites seek Joe’s artistry, including engagements with vocalist, Diana Krall; pianists, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, and Barry Harris; trombonist, Curtis Fuller; and saxophonist Lou Donaldson and sustained collaborations with Pharoah Sanders Quartet (16-years), Benny Golson Quartet (8-years), and Cedar Walton Trio (10-years).

Carl Allen grew up on gospel, R&B, and funk, music but later turned to jazz after hearing a recording by the legendary saxophonist Benny Carter.

With over 240 recordings to his credit, the gifted Milwaukee-born, New York/Kansas City based drummer, sideman, bandleader, entrepreneur, and educator, Carl Allen’s profound and propulsive percolations provided soulful and syncopated support for over four decades. Allen have performed or recorded with Freddie Hubbard, Michael Brecker, Dizzy Gillespie, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Christian McBride, Jennifer Holliday, J.J. Johnson, Rickie Lee Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Branford Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, Lena Horne, Ruth Brown, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Mike Stern, Nellie McKay, Terence Blanchard, Phil Woods, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Joe Henderson, Billy Childs and many others. . His new recording (released in January 2025) is titled “Tippin’” on Cellar Music, featuring Christian McBride and Chris Potter.

Carl holds the positiion of Director of Communicative & Creative Arts at SUNY Old Westbury. He is the former William D. and Mary Grant/Missouri Endowed Professor of Jazz Studies at UMKC Conservatory at the University of Missouri – Kansas City.

In May of 2012 Allen received an honorary doctorate from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah in Humane Letters. Carl served a 6 year tenure serving as the Artistic Director of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School in New York City.

Carl was awarded the Ellis Maralis, Jr. Jazz Educator of The Year from Jazz Educators Network in 2025.

Carl Allen’s multifaceted career provides the perfect template for what a modern musician should be. As Sid Gribetz of Jazz Times wrote, “more than just another fine drummer, Carl Allen has it all together as a bandleader, businessman, and producer, becoming a force in today’s jazz world.”

Carl’s endorsement credits include DW Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, Vater Sticks and mallets. Humes & Berg Cases, Prologix Pads, Zoom Corp., Eathworks Mics and Apogee Digital.

Coming Soon!

Described as an “exceptional player nestled in the NYC scene loaded with talent, purpose and poignancy”, (Julian Joseph OBE, BBC Radio 3), British pianist Wilfie Williams is a fresh voice in New York. He performs with Stacy Dillard, Josh Evans, Tyreek McDole and many more, as well as leading his own groups at venues across the country.

He fell in love with music as a young child, distinctly remembering the sounds of Steely Dan, Wes Montgomery and Miles Davis. Playing the piano turned from a hobby to a passion at age 13, when Wilfie began traveling to London to learn from master musicians Julian Joseph, Trevor Watkis, Byron Wallen and Tony Kofi at the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy.

After performing at the London Jazz Festival aged only 16, Wilfie was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston. There he had the opportunity to study with more world class artists; NEA Jazz Master JoAnne Brackeen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson Jr, Tia Fuller and Billy Kilson, among others.

As a Memphis native and Nashville resident, Marcus Finnie has toured with Kirk Whalum, Keb Mo, Taj Mahal, Lady Antebellum, Billy Preston, Earl Klugh and many others. Marcus has also recorded with Grammy and Stellar Award nominated and winning artists Kirk Whalum, Keb Mo & Taj Mahal, India Arie, Michael McDonald, Lalo Hathaway, Smokie Norful, Donnie McClurkin and others.

Domo Branch is a highly accomplished drummer, composer and bandleader known for his innovative contributions to the modern jazz scene. Splitting time both in NYC and his hometown Portland, Oregon, Branch has quickly risen as a leading voice in contemporary music, blending rhythmic sophistication with an emotional depth that resonates deeply with audiences.

Branch’s artistry is showcased in his groundbreaking album, We Are Made featuring Vibraphonist, and educator Stefon Harris, which weaves intricate rhythms and rich melodies into a tapestry that explores identity, community, and the human experience. The album has been celebrated for its singable melodies, bold arrangements and poignant storytelling, establishing Branch as a dynamic creative force.

Whether on stage, or in the studio, Branch exemplifies a commitment to pushing boundaries while staying rooted in the integrity of the soul of jazz tradition.

Dennis Mackrel began playing the drums when he was two; and became a professional musician at the age of ten when he performed in the Anchorage Community Theater’s production of  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Developing his craft in various playing situations, Dennis received numerous awards such as “Who’s Who in Music”, 1979;  National Endowment for the Arts grant for composition in 1983; and in 1992; “Outstanding Alumni” from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While attending UNLV, he was a member of the acclaimed UNLV Jazz Ensemble where his drumming and arranging skills caught the attention of legendary jazz vocalist Joe Williams. In 1981, at 19 years of age, Dennis moved to New York City and landed a gig as a drummer on Broadway. His Broadway credits include “The First” and “A Chorus Line” and in January of 1983, Dennis joined the Count Basie Orchestra on the personal recommendation of Mr. Williams.

Dennis traveled extensively and worked alongside Mr. Basie until his death in April 1984. He continued with the orchestra under the direction of interim leader Eric Dixon followed by Thad Jones. In 1985 under Mr. Jones’s leadership, the Count Basie Orchestra recorded one of Dennis’s compositions entitled And That’s That.

Dennis stayed with the band, when Frank Foster took over as leader, until December of 1987. Dennis’s composition Bus Dust was included on the CD “Long Live The Chief” which was recorded during Mr. Foster’s tenure as leader. After leaving the Orchestra, he returned to New York and would soon become the drummer of choice for a number of large ensembles including the American Jazz Orchestra, the Carla Bley Big Band, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Buck Clayton’s Swing Band, and the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band.

In 2010, he returned to the Count Basie Orchestra where he served as its leader and chief conductor until 2013 and in 2015, he was named chief conductor of the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw” in Amsterdam, Holland. In 2019, the orchestra was awarded the prestigious “Edison Award” for their double CD Crossroads.

Dennis toured extensively with the orchestra including performances in Europe, China, Russia, Indonesia and the United States until the global pandemic of 2020.

As an educator, he continues to conduct master classes, seminars, and workshops throughout Europe, Asia, Canada and the USA.

In addition to being a member of the jazz faculty at the Birch Creek Summer Music Academy in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin and the Skidmore Jazz Institute in Saratoga Springs, NY., He is currently the director of jazz studies at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in Flushing, NY.

Growing up in Akron, Ohio, Dan Wilson spent the majority of his youth within the church community, where his musical path began. Traces of his major guitar influences – including Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, Joe Pass and George Benson to name a few – can be discerned through his playing, but his musical identity has been shaped by everything from gospel and blues to traditional jazz, hip-hop and horn players like Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson. Wilson’s career took him on an exploratory journey into foundations laid down by the guitar/organ tradition, eventually leading to an invitation to perform with jazz great Joey DeFrancesco’s trio quartet, with which Wilson went on to earn a GRAMMY® Award nomination with for DeFrancesco’s Project Freedom album (Mack Avenue Records, 2017). This collaboration allowed the guitarist to insert his own dialect into the musical prowess and respect that DeFrancesco had earned throughout his journey. Wilson had been playing with DeFrancesco for a few years when he met bassist, composer, arranger, Christian McBride. From there, Wilson went on to tour with McBride’s trio Tip City, eventually leading McBride to serve as producer on Vessels of Wood and Earth and release the album on his newly formed imprint Brother Mister Productions through Mack Avenue Music Group.

As the sparkling guitarist on several chart-topping jazz CDs, a critically lauded songwriter and nimble lyricist Matt Munisteri is an urban banjo-warrior and a sometime session musician, a selfless and devoted sideman, a wry-yet-honest singer, an engaging and winning front-man and an arranger whose ear-pulling re-inventions of well-traveled songs have contributed to GRAMMY® winning CDs.

After leaving his post as the guitarist and principal songwriter for The Flying Neutrinos in the late ’90’s, Matt quietly self-released his debut CD Love Story in 2003. Word-of-mouth saw to it that it wound on several critic’s “Best Of” lists, and garnered the number two slot on Amazon’s Top Ten Jazz CDs of The Year. A formidable lyricist, his literate songs have been compared to Randy Newman, Mose Allison and Bob Dorough.

Matt’s CD Still Runnin’ Round In The Wilderness, is the first volume of two planned CDs to explore the “lost” compositions of the under-recognized, but truly prototypical, American singer-songwriter Willard Robison. Matt is partial to big ideas and prefers projects with challenges and substance, and tackling Robison’s music met all of these criteria.

Niki Haris is a multi-talented singer, dancer, actress and choreographer. Daughter of GRAMMY® Award-nominated jazz pianist Gene Harris, Niki may be best known as “The BIG VOICE” behind Madonna for over 18 years. Her vocal collaborations read like a “Who’s Who” of the music business. Niki has been a musician on The Jazz Cruise for many years.

After 30 years in comedy and over 30 Signature Jazz Cruises, Alonzo Bodden has been able to marry his two passions: comedy and jazz. “There is nothing like the cool and creativity of the jazz world, I love it,” says Alonzo. His big break was New Faces of Comedy at the Just for Laughs Festival (Canada). He credits winning Season 3 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, as his introduction to America. With four comedy specials, sitcoms, The Tonight Show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and The Nightly Show to his credit, he has done it all. His comedy CD, Man Overboard, was recorded on The Smooth Jazz Cruise. His latest comedy special Stupid Don’t Get Tired is available on YouTube. “The highest compliment I get is when I’m riffing onstage during a cruise and one of these brilliant musicians says “that’s jazz.” What could be cooler than that?”