SMOKE Jazz Club Announces July Line-Up Including Miguel Zenon, Ron Carter, Tierney Sutton And More

Rated the #1 Jazz Club in New York City (Secret NYC), Smoke Jazz Club welcomes some of today's leading artists to the stage during the month of July. Making their Smoke Jazz Club debuts are alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón, trumpeter Tony Glausi, and vocalist Tierney Sutton. Many jazz legends return to the Smoke stage including Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Billy Harper, and more. For the most updated schedule, please visit SMOKEjazz.com.
 

July 2023 Concert Schedule (subject to change):

 
Thu-Sun Jun 29-Jul 2 Russell Malone Quartet featuring special guest George Coleman
Russell Malone – guitar
Michael Weiss – piano
Vincent Dupont – bass
Willie Jones III – drums 
featuring special guest
George Coleman – tenor saxophone 
  
Guitar master Russell Malone features special guest and legendary saxophonist George Coleman with his exceptional quartet of pianist Michael Weiss, bassist Vincent Dupont and drummer Willie Jones III. Malone is a musician deeply rooted in the blues and bebop and his soulfully swinging approach is just one of many reasons why he is so popular. Chicago Tribune states, “Though he spikes his solos with occasional running lines, it's gently rolled chords and lush sequences of harmonies that ultimately define his work,” and Jazz Times describes him as “an uncommonly sensitive interpreter of ballads.”

Wed Jul 5 Closed for the Holiday

Thu-Sun Jul 6-9 Miguel Zenón Quartet
Miguel Zenón – alto saxophone

Luis Perdomo – piano
Hans Glawischnig – bass
Henry Cole – drums
 
Alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón makes his SMOKE debut leading his acclaimed quartet featuring pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, and drummer Henry Cole. Zenón, originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a master at blending innovation and tradition. Widely considered as one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists and composers of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice and has perfected a fine mix between jazz and his many musical influences. Some musicians Zenón has performed with includes Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Perez, Kurt Elling, and Bobby Hutcherson. He was chosen as alto saxophonist of the year and jazz artist of the year by the JazzTimes Critic's Poll and is the recipient of multiple GRAMMY nominations and is a Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow in 2008. On his selection by the MacArthur Foundation wrote, “This young musician and composer is at once reestablishing the artistic, cultural, and social tradition of jazz while creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st century.”

Wed Jul 12 Lezlie Harrison Quintet
Lezlie Harrison – vocals
Antoine Drye – trumpet
John DiMartino – piano
Yoshi Waki – bass
Russell Carter – drums

Vocalist Lezlie Harrison, whose burnished, soulful alto strikingly illuminates a distinctive blend ofstandards, classic '70s soul, and her original music, leads a quintet with trumpeter Antoine Drye, pianist John DiMartino, bassist Yoshi Waki, and drummer Russell Carter. Drawing her diverse repertoire from foundational sources like the soul music of her childhood, the gospel she sang in her grandfather's church, and the omnipresent traditional jazz standards throughout her life, Harrison creates captivating and personal music that listeners love. 
 
Thu-Sun Jul 13-16 Billy Harper Quintet
Freddie Hendrix – trumpet
Billy Harper – tenor saxophone
Francesca Tanksley – piano 
Hwansu Kang – bass
Aaron Scott – drums
 
 
Tenor saxophonist Billy Harper leads his celebrated quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, pianist Francesca Tanksley, bassist Hwansu Kang, and drummer Aaron Scott. One of the indispensable saxophonists of the past 50 years stylistically indebted to Trane, Harper has a distinctive sound and approach that is purely his own. Over the years, he's worked with Art Blakey, Max Roach, Gil Evans, Elvin Jones, Lee Morgan, and, most recently, the Cookers. The San Francisco Chronicle says, “He is a soul of sensitivity and intelligence, as well as of explosive, majestic passion.” “His viscous, chocolaty tone and depth-charge bursts from the bottom of his range [are] a stark contrast to the current trend for a post-bop homogeneity of tone in the newer generation of saxophone sounds,” reports JazzWise.
 
Wed Jul 19 Tony Glausi Quartet
Tony Glausi – trumpet
Sean Mason – piano 
Russell Hall – bass
Domo Branch – drums
 
Trumpeter Tony Glausi makes his SMOKE debut leading an energetic quartet with pianist Sean Mason, bassist Russell Hall, and drummer Domo Branch. Glausi, originally from Portland, Oregon, and now based in New York, is a rising star and highly regarded trumpeter winning awards, getting critical praise, and growing a legion of fans of all ages. He performs frequently with Peter Cincotti, Nana Mendoza, hip-hop legend Big Daddy Kane, and pianist Sean Mason who joins him in this quartet. Some of his accomplishments include winning first prize in the jazz division of the 2014 National Trumpet Competition, first prize in the jazz division of the 2017 ITG International Trumpet Competition, and first prize in the 2017 Carmine Caruso International Jazz Solo Competition.

Thu-Sun Jul 20-23 Louis Hayes Quartet
Abraham Burton –saxophone
David Hazeltine – piano
Santi Debriano – bass
Louis Hayes– drums
 
 
NEA Jazz Master Louis Hayes leads a quartet of well-known associates with saxophonist Abraham Burton, pianist David Hazeltine, and bassist Santi Debriano. Hayes is a treasure of American music whose impeccable feel and propulsive swing have defined the art of jazz drumming. He established himself while still in Detroit as a teenager before historic tenures with Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson, and Cannonball Adderley while recording masterpieces with John Coltrane, Grant Green, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, and many more. NPR reports, “[Hayes] has spent over 70 years keeping time with some of the most soulful artists in the music's history. All About Jazz adds, “Today, Louis is one of the last men drumming from jazz's galloping hard-bop era. Best of all, the 85-year-old (now 86!) artist hasn't lost an ounce of energy or style.”
 
Wed Jul 26 Mike LeDonne Trio featuring very special guest Ron Carter
Mike LeDonne – piano
Ron Carter – bass
Carl Allen – drums
 

Mike LeDonne leads a very special piano trio with legendary bassist Ron Carter and renowned drum master Carl Allen. LeDonne's sterling reputation was first established in the 1980s with everyone from Benny Goodman and Benny Golson to Milt Jackson and Sonny Rollins. Jazz Journal (UK) writes, “LeDonne has killer chops, swings you to the ground and tells the hell out of a story.” LeDonne is also well known for his work on organ in addition to being one of the great pianists. Downbeat says he delivers “red-hot piano lines that match the fiery intensity of his work on the Hammond B-3.” Joining his trio as a special guest is Ron Carter, who NPR simply says, “is one of the most prolific and influential bassists in jazz history,” which still somehow seems like an understatement. The trio is completed by the great Carl Allen, who The New Yorker reports “has built a long and sturdy career providing uplifting rhythm for any number of illustrious jazz artists.”

Thu-Sun Jul 27-30 Tierney Sutton
Tierney Sutton – vocals
Tamir Hendelman – piano
Ricky Rodriguez – bass
EJ Strickland – drums 
  
Tierney Sutton, the nine-time GRAMMY-nominated jazz vocalist, makes her SMOKE debut backed by a sublime trio. One of the most acclaimed jazz vocalists, Sutton is renowned for her impeccable voice and imaginative treatments of standards, and she has received GRAMMY nominations for every project she has released in the last decade. JazzTimes describes her recent recordings as marking her transition “from great to iconic.” The New York Times adds, “Ms. Sutton is a pure jazz spirit who respects a song. Even when going out on an improvisatory limb, she never lets its essence slip away.”
 
Located on Manhattan's Upper West Side at the junction of Broadway and 106th Street (aka Duke Ellington Boulevard), Smoke Jazz Club is one of New York City's premier live music venues. Renowned for offering top-notch programming of accessible, timeless jazz featuring legendary performers, modern masters and rising stars, Smoke stands apart with its candlelit dining room, stellar acoustics, and classic American cuisine. Founded in 1999, SMOKE also boasts a GRAMMY-nominated label, Smoke Sessions Records, and a celebrated streaming concert series, Smoke Screens. For everything else, visit SMOKEjazz.com.