HotSpots - This Weekend

Weekend Jazz Hang (Curated by Hot House Jazz Magazine)

October 24, 2025

Nduduzo Makhathini & The Music of Bheki Mseleku | Jazz at Lincoln Center | Oct 24–25

South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini brings the spirit of the ancestors to Jazz at Lincoln Center in a transcendent tribute to the late Bheki Mseleku (1955–2008), one of South Africa’s most beloved and enigmatic jazz visionaries. A self-taught pianist, saxophonist, and composer, Mseleku emerged in the 1980s and ’90s with albums like Celebration and Home at Last, earning acclaim for his luminous fusion of Zulu spirituality, modal harmony, and Coltrane-inspired transcendence. Guided by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Makhathini reimagines Mseleku’s searching sound as both homage and evolution—an act of restoration and reverence. His performance transforms jazz into ceremony: a dialogue between Africa and America, between freedom songs and sacred invocation. The result is both meditative and volcanic, a reminder that the deepest improvisation is prayer—and that Mseleku’s legacy still burns bright. MORE INFO

🚀 Boundary-Pushers

Artists experimenting, innovating, and stretching jazz forward

Boundary Pushers — This week’s forward-thinkers stretch the limits of sound, form, and feeling. At the Blue Note, Robert Glasper continues his late-set residency, fusing jazz, hip-hop, and spirit into one pulse of modern improvisation. At The Jazz Gallery, Matana Roberts and Joel Ross channel new languages of expression—one through sonic storytelling, the other through crystalline vibraphone interplay. Brooklyn’s Jerome Sabbagh Quartet celebrates the release of Stand Up! at Bar Bayeux, while Santi Debriano’s Bembé Arktet ignites Zinc Bar with Afro-Caribbean fire. The Django hosts two nights of modern swing and funk with AC Lincoln and Nick Hempton, and across coasts, Brandee Younger and Amaro Freitas illuminate L.A. and NYC with harplines and rhythmic poetry.

Robert Glasper – Blue Note Jazz Club (Oct 24 – 26)

Glasper remains the movement’s lodestar for 21st-century improvisation — the point where hip-hop, gospel, and post-bop fuse into a living, breathing groove. His late-night Blue Note residency is more than a concert; it’s an ongoing dialogue about freedom, rhythm, and the Black musical continuum. Every set feels like a masterclass in what jazz can become when it stops asking permission. MORE INFO

Matana Roberts – The Jazz Gallery (Oct 24 – 25)

Composer, saxophonist, and sonic historian Matana Roberts transforms jazz into memoir, ritual, and revolution. Their Coin Coin series has redefined the art of narrative improvisation, blending field recordings, poetry, and ancestral memory. At The Jazz Gallery, Roberts lineup include: Matana Roberts - horns/voice/wordspeak Chris Ryan Williams - trumpet Lester St. Louis - cello Adi Myerson - bass Ryan Sawyer - drums. MORE INFO

Amaro Freitas – Drom NYC (Oct 29) | Blue Note LA (Oct 27)

The Brazilian pianist Amaro Freitas turns the keyboard into a percussion instrument of liberation, marrying Afro-Brazilian rhythms with fearless harmonic invention. His playing surges between meditative introspection and volcanic urgency, re-centering jazz within the African diaspora’s rhythmic heart. Whether in New York or Los Angeles, Freitas proves that modern jazz speaks fluent Portuguese — and universal truth. MORE INFO

Santi Debriano’s Bembé Arktet – Zinc Bar Oct 24 8 PM

Ac Lincoln Quintet – The Django Oct 24 7:30 PM

Nick Hempton Band – The Django Oct 25 7:30 PM

Brandee Younger Trio – Sam First (LA) Oct 26 7:30 PM

🎷 Keepers of the Flame

Masters and modern torchbearers carrying the jazz tradition forward

This week’s masters remind us that jazz’s deepest roots are still alive and evolving. Ron Carter, ever the innovator even within tradition, leads his Foursight Quartet at Birdland with the same architectural precision that has defined modern bass playing for decades. Carole J. Bufford brings classic cabaret energy to the Birdland Theater, while at Dizzy’s Club, Mike LeDonne and Carlos Henriquez uphold the groove-driven lineage of hard bop and Latin swing. Uptown, Goldings/Bernstein/Stewart anchor Smoke with their seamless organ-trio interplay, mirrored downtown by the lyrical poise of Fred Hersch at the Vanguard. From Winard Harper & Jeli Posse at Smalls to Joe Locke & Phil Markowitz at Mezzrow, the city’s small rooms pulse with virtuosity and warmth. Across Harlem and Brooklyn, Kevin Blancq, Danny Mixon, and Tyshawn Sorey connect the generations—each a bridge between legacy and experimentation—while Javon Jackson and Matthew Whitaker carry the tradition forward beyond city lines. These artists don’t merely keep the flame; they reshape its light.

Ron Carter’s Foursight Quartet – Birdland (Midtown) Oct 24–25

Even after more than six decades, Ron Carter remains one of jazz’s most fearless architects. His Foursight Quartet balances precision and freedom, turning Birdland into a living laboratory of melody and logic. Ron Carter's Foursight with Renee Rosnes, Jimmy Greene & Payton Crossley. MORE INFO

Fred Hersch Trio – Village Vanguard (Greenwich Village) Oct 24–26

At the Vanguard, Fred Hersch continues to refine the art of the jazz piano trio. Every phrase feels hand-carved, balancing vulnerability and command. With his intuitive interplay and emotional clarity, Hersch shows that intimacy can be as explosive as virtuosity, making small gestures sound monumental. MORE INFO

Mike LeDonne & The Heavy Hitters | Dizzy’s Club (Columbus Circle) Oct 24–26

Organist Mike LeDonne brings the hard-swinging soul of Harlem straight to the skyline. Lineup: Mike LeDonne, piano Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone Randy Brecker, trumpet Vincent Herring, alto saxophone John Webber, bass Kenny Washington, drums. MORE INFO

Goldings / Bernstein / Stewart – Smoke Jazz Club (Uptown) Oct 24–26

Few trios define musical telepathy like Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, and Bill Stewart. Their long-running collaboration transforms standards into fresh compositions through subtle humor, rhythmic risk, and unspoken understanding. At Smoke, they prove that the language of swing—when spoken fluently—never goes out of style. MORE INFO

Ann Hampton Callaway | Jazz Forum Arts (Tarrytown) | Oct 24–25

With her velvet tone and impeccable phrasing, Ann Hampton Callaway brings the elegance of the Great American Songbook into the present tense. Whether interpreting Cole Porter or her own compositions, Callaway blends Broadway flair with jazz sophistication, reminding audiences that storytelling is still the heartbeat of song. MORE INFO

Carole J. Bufford – Birdland Theater (Midtown) Oct 24 – 26

Carlos Henriquez Nonet – Dizzy’s Club Oct 28 – 29

Winard Harper & Jeli Posse – Smalls Jazz Club Oct 24 – 25

Joe Locke & Phil Markowitz – Mezzrow Oct 24 – 25

Kevin Blancq – Harlem Jazz Series, Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church Oct 24 7 PM ($25)

Kevin Blancq – Swing 46 (Big Band Night) Oct 29 9 PM

Danny Mixon Quintet – Sista’s Place (Brooklyn) Oct 25 8 PM ($35 cash)

Tyshawn Sorey Quartet – Williamsburg Music Center (Brooklyn) Oct 26 3 PM | William Paterson University (NJ) Oct 26 3 PM

Javon Jackson Band – The Side Door (Old Lyme CT) Oct 24 – 25 ($33.27)

Matthew Whitaker Organ Trio – Jazz House Kids (Montclair NJ) Oct 27 1 PM

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✊ Voices of Resistance

Artists channeling jazz’s spirit of resilience, protest, and community

This week’s lineup channels the fire of liberation and the poetry of spirit. At Jazz at Lincoln Center, Nduduzo Makhathini honors South African visionary Bheki Mseleku, his music intertwined with the sacred intensity of Wynton Marsalis and the JLCO. In Baltimore, Cindy Blackman Santana turns the drum kit into a sermon of rhythm and resolve, while the Sun Ra Arkestra transforms Halloween into a cosmic ritual of freedom. In D.C., Paul Carr joins Delfeayo Marsalis at Blues Alley for a message-driven set steeped in swing and purpose, and Kevin Blancq and the Harlem Jazz Boxx Ensemble keep Harlem’s community tradition of resistance alive. Out West, Kenny Garrett ignites the Blue Note LA stage with the spiritual fire and modal intensity that have defined his sound for decades. And next week, Queens’ Dada Literary Café blurs the line between verse and revolution with The Most Hated Poets. Together, these artists remind us that jazz—at its core—is protest made beautiful.

Kevin Blancq & the Harlem Jazz Boxx Ensemble – Harlem Jazz Boxx, Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church (Oct 24, 7 PM)

Trumpeter Kevin Blancq, a Juilliard-trained musician and longtime figure on the New York jazz scene, leads the Harlem Jazz Boxx Ensemble as part of the weekly Harlem Jazz Series. Known for his work with the Lionel Hampton and Duke Ellington Orchestras, Blancq bridges classic swing and modern expression with a clear, lyrical style. His ensemble brings together Harlem regulars and emerging players in a program that blends straight-ahead and spiritual jazz — a grounded, community-centered performance that reflects Harlem’s ongoing role in shaping the sound and soul of the music. MORE INFO

Gustavo Casenave Trio – Jazz on Main (Mt Kisco) Oct 25 7 PM

Uruguayan pianist Gustavo Casenave channels both Chopin and candombe in a dynamic fusion of classical precision and South American soul. His trio’s rhythmic counterpoint and harmonic daring dissolve borders, reminding us that resistance often means re-imagining identity itself. MORE INFO

Tyreek McDole – The Club Room at SoHo Grand (Oct 24 9 PM)

Vocalist Tyreek McDole brings a millennial spirit to the jazz tradition, weaving protest and romance into one narrative. His smooth tone and fearless improvisation transform familiar standards into conversations about love, justice, and belonging — resistance sung in velvet. MORE INFO

Danny Mixon Quintet – Sista’s Place (Brooklyn) Oct 25 8 PM

At Sista’s Place, pianist Danny Mixon continues Harlem’s lineage of community-driven artistry. His quintet blends gospel warmth with defiant swing, turning each set into a ritual of resilience. The Quintet features Antoinette Montague (Vocals), Gene Ghee (Sax), Bryce Sebastien (Bass), Earl Grice (Drums), and Danny Mixon (Bandleader and Piano). MORE INFO

Cindy Blackman Santana – Keystone Korner (Baltimore) Oct 24

Kayla René Phoenix EP Launch & Whitney Houston Tribute – Keystone Korner Oct 26

Paul Carr Quartet ft. Delfeayo Marsalis – Blues Alley (DC) Oct 24

🎵 More Shows/ Events

George Gee Swing Orchestra – Swing 46 Oct 26 9 PM

Bill Malchow Band – Swing 46 Oct 24 9 PM

Michelle Collier Swingtet – Swing 46 Oct 25 9 PM

Richard Cortez – Arthur’s Tavern Oct 27 10 PM

Mariel Bildsten Quartet – Cellar Dog Oct 24 7 PM

Malika Zarra Quartet – Jazz Forum Oct 26 7 PM

Jazz Vespers ft. Kevin Burke – St. Peter’s Church Oct 26 5 PM

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🎉 FESTIVALS & SPECIALS

Tributes, pop-ups & seasonal celebrations.

  • Celebrating 20 Years of Yarn/Wire – Miller Theatre (Columbia Univ.) Oct 27 – 29

  • Brownstone Jazz Fest Concert Series – Brooklyn Oct 24 7:30 PM

  • Let the Ghoul Times Roll Halloween Bash – Maureen’s Jazz Cellar (Nyack) Oct 25

  • Sun Ra Arkestra Halloween Freakout – Keystone Korner (Baltimore) Oct 29

🌟 Special

Jazz Memorial for Dave Gibson – St. Peter’s Church Oct 28 5 PM | St. Peter’s Church hosts a memorial celebrating the life and music of Dave Gibson, the respected drummer, composer, and educator whose career spanned decades on the New York jazz scene. A mainstay in ensembles led by Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, and Etta Jones, Gibson was known for his dynamic touch and deep sense of swing. The gathering brings together colleagues, students, and friends in a musical tribute that honors his lasting impact as both performer and mentor within the city’s jazz community. MORE INFO

🔮 Must See Next Week (Oct 27 - Nov 1)

Brandee Younger Trio – Sam First (LA) Oct 26 (one night) Harp innovator closes her West Coast run with shimmering originals and fearless groove.

Amaro Freitas – Blue Note LA Oct 27 | Drom NYC Oct 29

Brazilian piano firebrand merges Afro-Brazilian rhythm and modal jazz intensity across both coasts.

Diana Ross – NJPAC (Newark) Oct 27 The icon brings six decades of hits to Newark for an evening of timeless soul and elegance.

Matthew Whitaker Organ Trio – Jazz House Kids (Montclair NJ) Oct 27 1 PM The young Hammond virtuoso returns home for a high-energy afternoon with students and pros.

Carlos Henriquez Nonet – Dizzy’s Club Oct 28 – 29 Latin-jazz powerhouse blends Bronx swing and Afro-Cuban fire above Columbus Circle.

Ravi Coltrane Sextet – Village Vanguard Oct 28 – 29 Modern post-bop lines meet spiritual search in Coltrane’s two-night residency.

Steve Davis All-Star Sextet – Smoke Jazz Club Oct 29 – Nov 1 Trombonist Davis leads an all-pro lineup through straight-ahead swing and modern hard-bop.

Jerome Sabbagh Quartet (Album Release Stand Up!) – Bar Bayeux (Brooklyn) Oct 29 (one night) Sabbagh debuts new compositions with understated intensity and tight ensemble cohesion.

Kevin Blancq Big Band Night – Swing 46 (Midtown) Oct 29 9 PM Blancq’s ensemble anchors Midtown’s big-band circuit with crisp charts and classic drive.

Joel Ross – The Jazz Gallery Oct 29 (one night) Vibraphonist Ross brings crystalline tone and rhythmic daring to the Gallery stage.

Sun Ra Arkestra Halloween Freakout – Keystone Korner (Baltimore) Oct 29 (Halloween show) Marshall Allen and company light up Halloween with cosmic costumes and interplanetary swing.

Dada Literary Café: The Most Hated Poets – Dada Bar (Queens) Oct 28 9 PM Poets and musicians share new work in Queens’ boldest word-and-sound experiment.