HotSpots June 27

June 27, 2025

🎷 Boundary-Pushers | June 20–22 | Artists redefining jazz through innovation, experimentation, or bold cross-genre expression.

Nat Adderley Jr | JUN 27 | Sugar Bar | Carrying the Adderley legacy forward with his own voice, pianist Nat Adderley Jr leads a hard-swinging band through soulful originals and classic forms, balancing deep harmony with sharp ensemble command. MORE INFO

Branford Marsalis Quartet + Charles Lloyd Sky Quartet | JUN 28 | Town Hall | Two legendary quartets share the stage—Marsalis’ intensity meets Lloyd’s spiritual lyricism in a night of generational dialogue. MORE INFO

Joshua Redman | JUN 28 | Keystone Korner - Baltimore, MD | Saxophonist Joshua Redman continues his East Coast run with a stop in Baltimore, bringing lyrical clarity and rhythmic fluidity to the bandstand. MORE INFO

Linda May Han Oh w/ Ambrose Akinmusire & Tyshawn Sorey | JUN 27-29 | Village Vanguard | A commanding bassist and composer, Linda May Han Oh returns to the Vanguard with music that’s architecturally layered, rhythmically agile, and emotionally grounded—anchored by a band that listens as deeply as it plays. MORE INFO

Ravi Coltrane Quartet | JUN 27 & 28 | Birdland | Ravi brings deep lineage and his own voice to Birdland, offering meditative tenor work and elegant group dynamics. MORE INFO

🎙️ Voices of Resistance:  Jazz that speaks truth to power—from spirituals to spoken word, these artists carry the torch

✊ Craig Harris & Harlem Nightsongs – Night Rhythms of Resistance | Mount Morris Ascension Church - Harlem NYC | Every Thursday | Trombonist-composer Craig Harris returns with a spiritual suite blending African-American folk forms, jazz, and ritual performance in tribute to resilience. MORE INFO

Donald Harrison | JUN 27 | Keystone Korner - Baltimore, MD | The master of “Nouveau Swing” returns to Baltimore, blending modern bop with soul, funk, and New Orleans fire. MORE INFO

Gregory Porter | JUN 29 | NJPAC | Porter’s rich baritone and storytelling soul take center stage in Newark’s premier concert hall—an evening of elegance and uplift. MORE INFO

Savion Glover featuring PROjECt 9 | JUN 27-29 | Blue Note - NYC | The legendary artist transforms rhythm into language—expect percussive storytelling with jazz soul. MORE INFO

Eric Scott Reed Quintet | JUN 27-29 | Smoke Jazz | Reed brings deep swing, church roots, and modern edges to his latest quintet sessions—classic with a twist. MORE INFO

Ekep Nkwelle | JUN 27 & 28 | Jazz Forum Arts - Westchester | Rooted in heritage and conviction, vocalist Ekep Nkwelle brings a powerful clarity to the jazz tradition—reframing standards and spirituals with emotional depth, urgency, and a voice that carries both memory and defiance. MORE INFO

🔥 Keepers of the Flame | June 20–22 | These artists uphold the core traditions of jazz — bebop, swing, Great American Songbook, and hard bop — with mastery and reverence:

Michael Garin | JUN 27 & 28 | Roxy Bar | The piano man of downtown, Garin blends Tin Pan Alley, jazz, and cabaret with wit and charm in the Roxy’s lounge scene. MORE INFO

Matt Munisteri Quartet | JUN 27–29 | Birdland Theatre | Guitarist Matt Munisteri crafts songs that move between Americana, swing, and sly jazz storytelling. MORE INFO

Carl Allen Quintet | JUN 27 & 28 | The Side Door - Old Lyme, CT | Drummer Carl Allen swings hard and leads tight—straight-ahead jazz in a room built for listening. MORE INFO

Charlie Sepulveda & The Turnaround | JUN 27 & 28 | Dizzy's Club | A trumpet-forward Latin jazz powerhouse, Sepulveda brings Afro-Caribbean fire and tight ensemble energy. MORE INFO

Acoustic Alchemy | JUN 27 & 28 | Iridium | British smooth jazz veterans return with acoustic-electric textures, blending global grooves with radio-ready polish. MORE INFO

Carrie Jackson & Her Jazzin’ All Star Band | JUN 28, 5-7pm | Clement’s Place – North to Shore Festival Vocalist Carrie Jackson brings swing, soul, and classic jazz flair to Newark’s North to Shore Festival, joined by a top-shelf ensemble featuring Radam Schwartz (piano), Takashi Otsuka (bass), and more. Presented by NJPAC in the historic Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall at Rutgers-Newark. MORE INFO

FESTIVALS

June 27-29, 2025 | Curated by Hot House Jazz Magazine

🌍 Blue Note Jazz Festival Blue Note NYC + Sony Hall | Now Through July 2, 2025 | NYC A month-long celebration across multiple venues around the city. MORE INFO

SUMMERSTAGE

Jun 25 | Rhiannon Giddens / Lido Pimienta / SLOWSPIN / DJ Alisa Ali| 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Central Park Rumsey Playfield, Manhattan MORE INFO

Rochester International Jazz Festival June 20–28, 2025 | Rochester, NY Nine days of jazz across 20+ venues, featuring top-tier artists and free outdoor performances.

NEWS

The 14th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition is open for registration as part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival. Solo vocalists worldwide, aged 18+, and unsigned by major labels can apply by September 2, 2025, at SarahVaughanCompetition.com. Finalists will perform live at NJPAC on November 23, 2025, judged by jazz icons including Christian McBride and Nnenna Freelon, with prizes up to $5,000. Inspired by jazz legend Sarah Vaughan’s 1942 Apollo Theater win, The SASSY Awards spotlight tomorrow’s stars. Presented by NJPAC and TD Bank, it’s a premier platform for jazz excellence.

MISC

JAZZ ANECDOTES … The last time I heard Marian McPartland in concert was in Huntsville, Alabama in February 2004. I ran into her at the hotel before the show and went over with her to the hall for the pre-concert soundcheck. She was dismayed to find a Baldwin baby grand on stage, given that it was the Von Braun Center-Concert Hall and she had long been a Baldwin artist. Marian remarked, “That’s it? A baby grand?” Marian sat down at the piano and played a little, then scowled and exclaimed, “This piano doesn’t have any BALLS!” During the encore, she was playing an uptempo Charlie Parker tune ("Au Privave") and one bass string audibly lost its tension and sounded awful. There was no second encore piece after that. (~ Ken Dryden)