“Connecting older generations of musicians to younger musicians and audiences is one of Cohen’s major projects, and it has come to fruition on his Master Legacy Series Albums — the first of which was a collaboration with Jimmy Cobb, who played drums on Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue,” and the second with Ron Carter, the most recorded jazz bassist in history. ”

“The group has a bedrock relationship with groove, but also a genius for permutation: Mr. Guiliana chops up the beat in deft, destabilizing ways, and Mr. Lindner, favoring a Wurlitzer electric piano with pedal effects, brings welcome grit and woozy atmosphere.

Mr. McCaslin seems to have direct access to emotional expression in his playing, as if it were a valve he could open at will. He’s exceptionally sure-footed with his phrasing, almost never caught off balance, but he knows how to convey risk or fury through the compressed force of his tone.”

“One of the leading drummers of his generation, Billy Hart continues to make jazz history with his quartet. Working with the phenomenally creative and talented pianist Ethan Iverson, saxophonist Mark Turner, and bassist Ben Street, Hart constantly seeks new territory, pushing the boundaries of post-bop and straight-ahead, of free jazz and composition, all the while embracing beauty and soulful communication. Turner’s rich, gorgeous tenor and Iverson’s exquisite technique combine to create a nearly infinite variety of textures and colors. Street and Hart have an uncanny connection that enables them to move effortlessly between swinging, tight grooves and sonic landscapes.

Hart made an indelible mark on the jazz world in the ’60s and ’70s with his work with such jazz legends as Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Eddie Harris, Marian McPartland, Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock, and Miles Davis. Less known is his earlier work with soul artists Otis Redding and Sam and Dave.”

“In the 1970s and ‘80s, George Cables was the pianist of choice for saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper; Pepper called him his favorite pianist. Cables also recorded a lot with jazz stars Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson and Frank Morgan. He can swing and sound lost in reverie at the same time. He’s a terrific pianist, but short on flashy gestures and long on tuneful refinement. It reminds us that great jazz can be about restraint as well as abandon, about freedom within established forms.”

“The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is a multiple Grammy Award-winning 16-piece jazz orchestra, comprised of a Who’s Who of New York City’s finest musicians.

The ensemble began its life as the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in 1966. They are celebrating their 53rd year performing at the Village Vanguard with this special week long residency!”

“Saxophonist Dayna Stephens is refreshing in his resistance to flash and fanciness. He often plays slowly, preferring to tread a reflective and soberly considered path rather than shoot helter-skelter through the chord changes and more oblique scale choices in order to impress...Stephens’ tone on tenor is a thing of beauty, relatively free of vibrato, and with lovely moulding of notes. ”

“With over twenty-years of experience performing on the world stage of jazz, there’s little doubt that Terell Stafford is a master...A trumpeter who wields the instrument with versatility and power!”

“Thrillingly high-end level fun...”

“[Zenón] has carved out a unique path for himself as an interpreter of the music of his native Puerto Rico through the lens of cutting-edge, acoustic jazz. This isn’t the kind of jazz that is influenced by Afro-Cuban music and percussion. The compositions he writes for his long-standing quartet bristles and pops with the excitement of vision of his peers, a generation that is challenging and changing the aesthetic of jazz. ”

“The Bad Plus came together at the end of the 20th century and has avoided easy categorization ever since, winning critical hosannas and a legion of fans worldwide with their creativity, unique sound and flair for live performance. The intensely collaborative trio has constantly searched for rules to break and boundaries to cross, bridging genres and techniques while exploring the infinite possibilities of three exceptional musicians working in perfect sync.

The band consists of founding members Reid Anderson (bass) and Dave King (drums) and new member Orrin Evans (piano) — a group of passionate collaborators with no single “leader.” Never Stop II is the first full-length release from this lineup, comprised entirely of original music with each member contributing fresh compositions. The New York Times calls it “an exhilarating document” that sparks an exciting new chapter for the iconic group. ”

“Named for one of Ornette Coleman’s most evocative compositions, this all-star project honors the Coleman legacy along with the music of Coleman’s fellow Fort Worth native reed players Dewey Redman and Julius Hemphill, featuring the wildly inventive saxophonists Tim Berne and Chris Speed, and the Bad Plus rhythm section of bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King.”