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🎶 Celia Cruz | A Centennial Celebration

Jazz at Lincoln Center — Oct 17–18

The Queen of Salsa lives on in rhythm and spirit. Born in Havana in 1925, Celia Cruz rose from singing in neighborhood competitions to fronting Cuba’s legendary Sonora Matancera, later igniting stages with Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, and the Fania All-Stars. Her voice—bright, commanding, and joyous—helped define the sound of Latin music across the globe.

This centennial tribute, led by Carlos Henriquez, brings together Aymée Nuviola, Alain Pérez, and Ariacne Trujillo Durán in a vibrant salute to Celia’s indomitable legacy. Expect an evening of rumba, son, and salsa fused with jazz fire—a celebration of freedom, faith, and that immortal cry: ¡Azúcar! MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CELIA

🚀 Boundary-Pushers

Artists experimenting, innovating, and stretching jazz forward

This week’s innovators blur the lines between tradition and tomorrow. Ron Carter’s New Jazz Trio keeps Birdland simmering with fearless interplay, while Robert Glasper continues to bend the modern songbook at the Blue Note. Marcus Gilmore brings percussive imagination to the Vanguard, and Julian Lage turns The Town Hall into a canvas of harmonic daring. From Dida Pelled’s genre-mixing soul at BRIC JazzFest to Winard Harper’s rhythm-charged set in Metuchen, each artist pushes jazz forward without losing its center. Cindy Blackman Santana ignites SOPAC with cosmic fire, Carrie Jackson swings through Tio’s with raw power, and the Cuban Jazz Series at Blues Alley—featuring Chuchito Valdés, Alfredo Rodríguez, and Pedrito Martínez—reminds us that innovation and ancestry dance on the same clave. Add Adam O’Farrill & Patricia Brennan, Nazir Ebo, Organ Monk (Greg Lewis), Bill Mays Trio, and Nicola Caminiti’s up-and-coming quintet, and you have the restless pulse of jazz in motion.

🎷 Keepers of the Flame

Masters and modern torchbearers carrying the jazz tradition forward

This week’s masters remind us that swing never fades—it evolves with devotion. Ravi Coltrane brings a fierce lyricism and spiritual depth to Keystone Korner, echoing his father’s intensity while defining his own sound of truth. Pianist Ted Rosenthal revisits Gershwin at William Paterson University with the elegance of a scholar and the heart of a storyteller, showing why the American songbook remains jazz’s eternal canvas. Champian Fulton, joined by Sweden’s Klas Lindquist Nonet, keeps Birdland glowing with a classic feel—her phrasing pure swing, her tone unmistakably golden-age. In the intimacy of Mezzrow, Bill Charlap and bassist Noriko Ueda weave standards with grace and restraint, a duet that breathes quiet fire. And at Cellar Dog, Harry Allen proves that a tenor’s warmth still lights the room—steady, unhurried, and honest. Together, these artists carry the lineage forward, one note at a time.

✊ Voices of Resistance

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

The pulse of resistance runs deep in this week’s lineup—where rhythm becomes testimony and melody becomes movement. Ronnie Burrage brings his politically charged artistry to Harlem Jazz Boxx, blending fire, funk, and freedom in equal measure. At BRIC JazzFest, Endea Owens & The Cookout deliver their fierce, community-rooted groove, while OKAN, the Afro-Cuban duo, raise harmonies that celebrate womanhood and ancestral strength. Bass legend Reggie Workman mentors the next wave with his New Stars on the Horizon project, linking past and present through spiritual tone and uncompromising truth. And at Dizzy’s Club, Adonis Rose & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, featuring Andromeda Turre, bring resistance home to its joyful center—proving that defiance can still dance. These artists don’t just perform—they affirm that jazz remains the sound of liberation, ever-evolving and unafraid.

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FESTIVALS

🎪 This weekend pulses with festival energy. Over in Harlem, the Harlem Jazz Club Revival (Oct 10–19) sweeps across more than 15 historic venues, with over 200 musicians converging in late-night jams, ambassador concerts, and communal performances that reawaken the neighborhood’s sonic heartbeat. Harlem One Stop +1 Meanwhile, inGardens Festival (Oct 11–13) transforms East Village’s First Street Green Park into a living laboratory of sound, gathering experimental improvisers, cross-genre collaborations, and downtown voices in one open-air ecstasy. And for a more intimate Sunday experience, Jazz in the Park at Ralph Ellison Plaza holds its October edition on Oct 12, 2:00–5:00 PM, featuring local vocalists and jazz artists in a free performance by Riverside Park / Berta Indeed.

🎷 Jazz Festival & Special Event Listings (This Weekend)

Thelonious Monk Festival — Smoke Jazz Club (Oct 16–19) A powerhouse tribute to Monk’s genius featuring Kevin Hays, Joe Lovano, Miguel Zenón, Rick Rosato, and Obed Calvaire—inventive, intimate, and unmistakably Monk.

BRIC JazzFest 2025 — BRIC Arts Media, Brooklyn (Oct 17–19) Brooklyn’s annual jazz summit celebrates boundary-breaking voices like Dida Pelled, Endea Owens & The Cookout, and OKAN, blending groove, identity, and innovation.

Celia Cruz | A Centennial Celebration — Jazz at Lincoln Center (Oct 17–18) Led by Carlos Henriquez with Aymée Nuviola, Alain Pérez, and Ariacne Trujillo Durán, this dazzling centennial honors the Queen of Salsa with irresistible Afro-Cuban swing.

ArtsWestchester / ArtsFest 2025 — White Plains (Oct 17–19) A vibrant weekend of music and art across Westchester, featuring Brian Carter Quintet on Friday and Rod MacDonald w/ Mark Dann on Sunday’s Walkabout Clearwater Coffeehouse.

Allan Harris – Harlem After Dark: An Uptown Jazz Party — South Jazz Club, Philadelphia (Oct 19) Velvet-voiced vocalist Allan Harris brings Harlem sophistication to Philly for a night of timeless swing and storytelling.

Jazz in the Park @ Ralph Ellison Park — NYC Parks, Harlem (Oct 19) Free outdoor concert blending Harlem’s local talent and neighborhood pride—where jazz meets community under autumn skies.

Maplewood Village Art Walk & Music Fest 2025 — Clement’s Place @ Rutgers, Newark (Oct 19) An art-and-music celebration uniting local creators and festival bands—proof that New Jersey’s jazz heartbeat still swings strong.

🌟 Special

Claire Daly Lives! — National Jazz Museum in Harlem (Oct 18) A heartfelt celebration of the late baritone saxophonist and beloved NYC fixture, presented by Jazz Power Initiative—a tribute to her soul, swing, and humor.

Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame – Celebrating Abbey Lincoln — Dizzy’s Club @ Jazz at Lincoln Center (Oct 21, 9 PM) Vocalist, poet, and activist Abbey Lincoln is honored through song and story, recognizing her fearless artistry and enduring influence on jazz and social justice.

Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame – Celebrating Thad Jones — Dizzy’s Club @ Jazz at Lincoln Center (Oct 22, 7 PM) A big-band visionary remembered for his joyful arrangements and brilliance as both composer and trumpeter—swing and sophistication in perfect balance.

Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame – Celebrating Melba Liston — Dizzy’s Club @ Jazz at Lincoln Center (Oct 22, 9 PM) Trailblazing trombonist, arranger, and composer Melba Liston gets long-overdue spotlight—her music still radiant with courage and craft.

Celia Cruz | A Centennial Celebration — Jazz at Lincoln Center (Oct 17–18) Marking the 100th birthday of the Queen of Salsa, this joyous concert led by Carlos Henriquez unites Afro-Cuban rhythm and jazz reverence in a global salute.

🔮 Must See Next Week

Isaiah Collier Plays Coltrane — Blue Note Jazz Club (Oct 20–21); Champian Fulton — Zinc Bar (Oct 20); Laura Anglade Quartet — Zinc Bar (Oct 21); Erik Charlston & JazzBrasil — Zinc Bar (Oct 22); Fred Hersch Trio — Village Vanguard (Oct 21–22); Ron Carter’s Foursight Quartet — Birdland (Oct 22); Goldings / Bernstein / Stewart — Smoke Jazz Club (Oct 22); Noriko Ueda Trio — Cellar Dog (Oct 21); Kelly Green Quartet — Mezzrow (Oct 21); Sarah Jane Cion Trio — Mezzrow (Oct 22); Joe Farnsworth Quartet — Smalls Jazz Club (Oct 20); Spike Wilner & Charles Owens Quartet — Smalls Jazz Club (Oct 22); William Hill III Trio — The Django (Oct 20); Amanda Monaco Trio — The Django (Oct 22); Charlie Roman Hot Club — The Rum House (Oct 22); Gotham Jazz Wednesday ft. Hot Toddies Jazz Band — Somewhere Nowhere NYC (Oct 22); Lezlie Harrison ft. Wine & Jazz Trio — 333 Lounge Brooklyn (Oct 22); Anne Phillips – “Survivor of the Music Business” — Pangea (Oct 22); Branford Marsalis — Blue Note LA (Oct 21–22); Ann Hampton Callaway — Jazz Forum Arts (Oct 24–25); Ravi Coltrane — Village Vanguard (Oct 28–Nov 2).

MORE SPOTLIGHTS

DIRECTORY OF JAZZ BRUNCHES AROUND TOWN

🎺 Opportunity in Jazz Journalism

The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) is seeking a new Executive Director to guide its programs, including the annual Jazz Awards, educational initiatives, and community engagement. This leadership role is a rare chance to shape the future of jazz journalism and advocacy.

👉 Learn more and apply at jazzjournalists.org

📢 Join the Hot House Team

Hot House Jazz is expanding its voice across North America — and we’re looking for writers, content producers, and social media creatives to cover the jazz, spoken word, and arts scenes in:

• Boston / Northeast

• Chicago

• Detroit

• Los Angeles

• New Orleans

• New York

• Toronto

If you’ve got a voice for storytelling or a vision for digital content, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Send inquiries to [email protected]