Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

“One of those relatively few jazz figures who has inexorably accumulated a wholly singular body of work – like Duke and Monk and Miles and Trane…All of Mingus’ music is a symphony fused from the parts of his life, like a book.” – Nat Hentoff, from his liner notes to The Art of Charles Mingus: The Atlantic Years (Atlantic SD 2–302).

“A knockout band, full of players who combine ensemble spirit and instrumental mastery with the quirky roughness and individualistic timbres needed for Mingus’ turbulent scores. It is thrilling to hear such big music in a small room: the audience immerses itself in this complex, highly emotional music to a degree that is impossible in a concert hall or festival stadium.” (The London Guardian)

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

Winner of a 2016 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award and a “Rising Star” in three consecutive Down Beat critics’ polls, saxophonist Roxy Coss has used her academic and sideman credentials as a springboard to an auspicious career as a bandleader, composer, and recording artist. Fresh from performing with her group at the prestigious 2016 Newport Jazz Festival, Roxy has also performed at clubs and theaters across the U.S., – as a leader, with the Mingus Big Band, and with the Diva Jazz Orchestra, and in the groups of Jeremy Pelt, who joins her onstage for this engagement. “As a player, on tenor and soprano saxophones, she possesses a poise and maturity beyond her years,” wrote Josef Woodward in his Down Beat review of her latest album Restless Idealism, which she releases tonight at Jazz Standard. “She’s also a composer of diverse instincts and a strong bandleader.”

Roxy Coss – tenor & soprano saxophones

Jeremy Pelt – special guest trumpet

Alex Wintz – guitar 

Chris Pattishall – piano

Rick Rosato – bass

Jimmy Macbride – drums

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

Beginning with his 1970 debut LP Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, the music of Gil Scott–Heron (1949–2011) blended elements of soul, jazz, blues, and funk, years before hip–hop came into existence. On her 2015 CD Offering: The Music of Gil Scott–Heron & Brian Jackson (Motéma Music), singer/composer Charenee Wade paid tribute to this revolutionary artist, accompanied by such luminaries as Christian McBride, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Lakecia Benjamin, Stefon Harris, and Marcus Miller. Ms. Wade has performed at top clubs and major festivals across the country; in addition, she serves on the faculty of the Aaron Copland School of Music at the City College of New York. “Charenee Wade,” wrote John Fordham in The Guardian (7.2.2015), “…has made herself the first woman to devote an entire album to the work of Gil Scott–Heron – and turned this tough call into a triumph of emotional empathy, intelligence and assured technique.”

Charenee Wade – vocals

Nikara Warren – vibraphone

Bruce Williams – alto saxophone

Oscar Perez – piano

Lonnie Plaxico – bass

Darrell Green – drums

The Mingus Big Band “is a wonder and an anomaly,” wrote Victor Schermer at AllAbout¬Jazz.com. “The band has taken a musical legacy and transformed it into a creative force that generates a contemporary originality and vitality all its own. They are an important part of the current jazz scene and a constant re-minder that jazz—big band jazz, at that—is not merely entertainment but a powerful art form and means of expression.”

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

Hailed by Down Beat magazine for his “quick–witted harmonic reflexes, fluid command of line and cut– to–the–chase sense of narrative logic,” Aaron Goldberg has made his name as one of jazz’s most compelling pianists, both as a bandleader and frequent collaborator with Joshua Redman, Wynton Marsalis, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Guillermo Klein and many more. A founding member of Betty Carter’s famed and indispensable Jazz Ahead program, Aaron continued his ascent performing in bands led by Al Foster, Freddie Hubbard, Nicholas Payton, Stefon Harris, and Mark Turner among others. By the late 1990s, he was garnering wider attention, and an incessant touring schedule found him both inspired by music from around the world yet appreciative of the Zen creativity that only jazz demands. As leader, the pianist has released five albums including his latest The Now (Sunnyside, 2015). This much–anticipated engagement features the great drummer Leon Parker, making his first major NYC club appearance since his move to France nearly fifteen years ago – make your reservations now!

Aaron Goldberg – piano

Matt Penman – bass

Leon Parker – drums

Across the span of fifteen albums as a leader and years of performance on national and international stages with people like Chris Potter, Joshua Redman, and Nicholas Payton, Kevin Hays has become recognized as one of the premier jazz pianists of his generation. “There are plenty of talented pianists,” declared The New York Times, “but few have Hays’s melodic charms and sense of style.” Trumpeter Nicholas Payton stated: “I’ve never met a musician who is as perfect in their approach to improvisation.” This Jazz Standard one–nighter heralds the release of North, the New Day Trio’s new album and the successor to the acclaimed New Day (Sunnyside, 2015), with its imaginative treatments of songs by Henryk Gorecki and Bob Dylan, among others.

Kevin Hays – piano

Rob Jost – bass

Greg Joseph – drums

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

Georgia–born Tivon Pennicott was still in college when Kenny Burrell invited the saxophonist to join his quintet; with the jazz guitar legend, Pennicott performed at many of the world’s most prestigious jazz venues and festivals, and also appeared on Burrell’s 2008 live CD Be Yourself. After moving to New York in 2009, Tivon won second place in the Thelonious Monk Competition. He performed and recorded with GRAMMY Award winners Gregory Porter (on his albums Be Good and Liquid Spirit) and Esperanza Spalding (on her crossover success Radio Music Society). Other touring credits include master drummer Al Foster, trumpeter Roy Hargrove's RH Factor and Big Band, and jazz songstress Nellie McKay. Tivon Pennicott’s debut album, Lover Of Nature (2014, New Phrase Records) captures his tasteful melodic improvisations and unfailing grasp of the groove, showcasing a player whose musical maturity extends far beyond his years. Catch this rising star of tomorrow – tonight, live at Jazz Standard!

Tivon Pennicott – tenor saxophone

Sullivan Fortner – piano

Bass – Russell Hall

Drums – Joe Saylor

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

For one night only, Jazz Standard is proud to present Edward Simon and his trio in a showcase performance heralding the release of his outstanding new Sunnyside album Latin American Songbook. It’s the fourteenth album as a leader for the Venezuelan native who over decades has made his name as a jazz pianist, bandleader and composer/arranger, along with being a Guggenheim Fellow and member of the hit SFJAZZ Collective. The trio’s subtly virtuosic performances brim with lyricism, color and groove, giving instrumental voice to songs originally made famous by such singers as Caetano Veloso, Mercedes Sosa, and Carlos Gardel. The New York Times has praised Simon’s “light, warm touch” as a pianist, while the Jazz Journal International singled out “his deep emotional statements.” JazzTimes said: “Simon is less talked about than many other important jazz pianists from the Caribbean and South America, but he may be the most complete creative artist among them.” Make your reservations now!

Edward Simon – piano

Joe Martin – bass

Adam Cruz – drums

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

A recently signed Blue Note artist and two-time Downbeat Award winner for composition and arranging Francies has performed with Jeff "Tain" Watts, The Roots, Robert Glasper, Stefon Harris, Eric Harland, Chris Dave and elder statesmen Joe Lovano, Albert “Tootie Heath & Arturo Sandoval. He has recorded with Jasmine Sullivan and Kendrick Lamar, appearing at such prestigious venues as The Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival and The Kennedy Center – not bad for a 21 year old pianist from Houston – and tonight, pianist and composer James Francies makes his Jazz Standard debut as a leader. James Francies, says his fellow pianist and GRAMMY Award nominee Taylor Egisti, “is poised to become a major voice on the instrument. He has the passion, creativity and ability to be a real leader amongst his generation.”

James Francies – piano

Mike Moreno – guitar

Ben Williams – bass

Jeremy Dutton – drums

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

“A spirited blend of the lush harmonies and boisterous blues sections, interwoven ensemble passages and sudden tempo shifts that made the late bassist Charles Mingus one of the most challenging and celebrated artists in jazz.” (Don Snowden, The Los Angeles Times)

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

Sachal Vasandani has been acclaimed by critics and cheered by audiences for the pure tone and unique phrasing that mark him as one of the most compelling voices on the jazz scene today. His fourth and lat­est album, Slow Motion Miracles (Sony/OKeh, 2015), showcases his original music – memorable melodies framing poetic lyrics – in a flawless production by Michael Leonhart of the Steely Dan touring band. When not leading his own groups, Vasandani has performed as a special guest alongside greats like Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, and Michael Feinstein, to name but a few. A frequent collaborator with musicians of all styles, the singer/composer saw two of his original songs recorded by pianist Gerald Clayton on the latter’s GRAMMY Award–nominated 2013 album Life Forum.

Sachal Vasandani – vocals

Dayna Stephens – tenor sax

Grace Kelly – alto and bari sax

Taylor Eigsti – piano

Joshua Crumbly – bass

Kendrick Scott – drums

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

“For sheer range of expression, Mingus’ work has few equals in post–war American music: furious and tender, joyous and melancholy, grave and mischievous, ecstatic and introspective. It moves from the rap­ture of the church to the euphoria of the ballroom, from accusation to seduction, from a whisper to a growl, often by way of startling jump cuts and sudden changes in tempo.” (Adam Shatz, “An Argument With Instruments: On Charles Mingus” – The Nation, 9.17.2013)

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

“Though its name suggests a link to the Black Arts Movement, spearheaded by the poet Amiri Baraka, this ensemble is bound by less contentious aims. The group upholds a vision of jazz derived partly from the racial heritage of its all–star roster [including] the trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, the tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, the trombonist James Burton…and the drummer Johnathan Blake. (The New York Times) This appearance by the hard-driving collaborative ensemble comprised of the finest rising stars on the New York scene heralds the release of BAJC’s debut CD, featuring such memorable original compositions as “Double Consciousness” by Wayne Escoffery and “The Essence of Beauty” by Jeremy Pelt.

Wayne Escoffery – Tenor Sax
Jeremy Pelt – Trumpet
James Burton III – Trombone
Victor Gould – Piano
Vicente Archer – Bass
Johnathan Blake – Drums

Shows at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

On Limitless - their second album for Capri Records, released 2013 - the collective of drummer Colin Stranahan, pianist Glenn Zaleski, and bassist Rick Rosato achieved a new level of musicality and sophistication. Separately the band members have been turning heads in the jazz world as the first calls for such great musicians as Ravi Coltrane, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and others, but when all three are together, the special connection between them is readily apparent. Joined by special guest guitarist Mike Moreno, Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato will make their debut as a collective on the Jazz Standard Stage. Come see these three rising stars of the New York jazz scene! "Helps set the standard high for not only jazz 20-somethings, but for musicians of all ages." - The Ottawa Citizen, review of Anticipation (Capri, 2011) by Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato.        

Glenn Zaleski – piano

Mike Moreno – guitar

Rick Rosato – bass

Colin Stranahan – drums

Sets at 7:30pm and 9:30pm nightly

“Charles Mingus was a pre–Bird musician...in his love of pure emotion as exemplified in the blues, the church, and the polyphony of New Orleans; in his willingness to embrace the full panoply of jazz styles; in his absorption of the colors, styles, subtleties, and charms of Ellington and Tatum. He brought all of that into the modern era with individuality and a startling magnanimity of expression.” (Gary Giddins, Riding On A Blue Note: Jazz and American Pop)

Jake Owen has had five No. 1 singles to date – the 2X PLATINUM anthem “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” PLATINUM-certified hits “Beachin’,” “Anywhere with You,” “Alone with You” and “The One That Got Away.” The RCA Nashville recording artist will release his fifth studio album on July 29, 2016, produced by award-winning songwriters/producers Shane McAnally and Ross Copperman plus Owen co-produced three tracks, which marks his first time as a co-producer with Lukas Bracewell. The Vero Beach, FL native is well known for his high-energy performances and laid-back style.

So much has happened so quickly for 21-year-old Canadian singer /songwriter Ruth B. The beautifully rendered viral hit “Lost Boy” takes flight under Ruth’s stunning vocal command. Note the organic way she went about posting the first staggered snippets of “Lost Boy” on the short-form video sharing service Vine – looping snatches of the song in haunting, six second reveals.  Such patient handling reflected the quiet confidence in her own muse – a crucial indicator as to how a complete unknown could go on to garner two million followers on Vine, blaze a self-propelled sales-trail on iTunes, and ink a major label record contract all in a six month window. Since then, “Lost Boy” is now Certified Platinum in the US, Canada, Sweden (x2) and The Netherlands and streamed more than 100 million times on Spotify around the globe. In November of 2015, Ruth released her debut EP, The Intro, which includes “Lost Boy” and three new original tracks: “Superficial Love,” “Golden” and “Two Poor Kids.”

Mad. Sq. Music presented by Sony Music returns to Madison Square Park on Thursday, June 30 at 7pm, with British singing sensation Tom Odell.

Odell will be performing songs from his recently released album, debuting at #1 in the UK Wrong Crowd, including his current single, Magnetised.