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Jazzmeia Horn stands at the crossroads of tradition and daring innovation. With a six-octave range and phrasing that recalls Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln, she transforms every song into an act of fearless honesty. A Grammy-nominated vocalist, composer, and storyteller, Jazzmeia honors the jazz lineage while boldly reshaping it for today. Her latest album Messages strips back instrumentation, centering her voice in a striking mix of original compositions and reimagined standards. Infused with gospel fervor, bebop fire, and spoken-word cadences, her performances are experiences of empowerment and connection, leaving audiences both spellbound and uplifted. Beyond her artistry, she sees her role as a messenger: singing not just for herself but for those who need to feel seen, heard, and encouraged. As she headlines the Montclair Jazz Festival and the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival this month, Jazzmeia reminds us that the future of jazz is fearless, authentic, and deeply human. [READ MORE]

🚀 Boundary-Pushers

Artists experimenting, innovating, and stretching jazz forward

Boundary-Pushers this weekend spotlight the artists who stretch jazz forward with fearless creativity and bold invention. At Smoke Jazz Club, pianist Kris Davis leads her probing trio in sets that balance intensity and space, while drummer Jonathan Barber brings his groove-driven band Vision Ahead to Smalls, fusing gospel, funk, and swing. Genre-bending drummer and MC Kassa Overall takes both the Jazz Gallery and Keystone Korner Baltimore with his signature mix of hip-hop flow and improvisational fire. At Nublu, trumpeter Seiki Yukimoto’s Soulbleed channels the spirit of Don Cherry in a cross-cultural experiment, and saxophone titan Kenny Garrett ignites Blue Note Los Angeles (available for streaming) with soaring improvisations. Brooklyn gets the avant-garde edge of Tony Malaby’s Apparitions at Bar Bayeux, while Stephane Wrembel reinvents Gypsy jazz traditions at Barbès and in SOPAC New Jersey. The Falcon hosts rising vocalist Tatiana Eva-Marie, and Firehouse 12 continues its forward-looking series with exploratory sets from Dena Derose and guests.

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🎷 Keepers of the Flame

Masters and modern torchbearers carrying the jazz tradition forward

Keepers of the Flame spotlight the masters and torchbearers who carry swing, bop, and the American songbook into the present with timeless artistry. At the Village Vanguard, pianist Bill Charlap keeps the city’s straight-ahead tradition alive, while vocalist Roberta Gambarini graces Dizzy’s with her radiant interpretations. The Yellowjackets bring decades of groove and fusion energy to Birdland, and pianist Geoffrey Keezer showcases his inventive touch at the Birdland Theater. Elsewhere, the flame burns bright in intimate rooms: Ted Rosenthal at Mezzrow, Christian Sands at Jazz Forum, and saxophonist Steve Wilson at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar. Trumpeter Philip Harper swings hard at Cellar Dog, while the Anderson twins bring classic clarinet-and-sax charm to Symphony Space. Across the region, legends and rising stars — from Houston Person in Mount Vernon to / — prove that jazz tradition is alive, swinging, and endlessly renewed.

✊ Voices of Resistance

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

This week’s Voices of Resistance - In Harlem, Jorge Sylvester lights up Harlem Jazz Box’s Series @ Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church with fiery alto lines steeped in Afro-Caribbean roots, while trumpeter Terell Stafford brings hard-swinging urgency to Jersey City’s Statuary. In Philadelphia, Christian McBride & Ursa Major deliver groove-driven activism at City Winery, and bassist Russel Hall leads a fearless quintet at Close Up with music steeped in swing and social commentary. The duo SOAR (April May Webb and Randall Haywood) fuse voice and trumpet into stories of joy and resistance at South Jazz Club in Philly, while percussion master Luisito Quintero electrifies the Montclair Jazz Festival with Afro-Latin power. Together, these artists remind us that jazz has always been more than music — it’s a living voice for freedom, community, and renewal.

FESTIVALS

🎪 Festivals turn neighborhoods, plazas, and parks into jazz stages this weekend, with two major anchors leading the charge.

The Montclair Jazz Festival (Sep 13) — produced by Jazz House Kids — transforms downtown Montclair into a daylong celebration with the Jamboree in the afternoon and a massive Block Party at night. Highlights include fiery percussionist Luisito Quintero, alto sax star Lakecia Benjamin, and powerhouse vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, alongside community bands, food vendors, and an atmosphere that makes Montclair one of the Northeast’s premier jazz destinations. montclairjazzfestival.org

JazzFest White Plains (Sep 10–14), presented by ArtsWestchester, is a five-day citywide takeover blending free and ticketed shows. This weekend features Kurt Elling with Joey Calderazzo (Sep 12), Immanuel Wilkins Quartet (Sep 13), and the outdoor Sunday Jazz Alfresco (Sep 14) with Chembo Corniel, Sounds of A&R, and more — all part of an effort to bring jazz to every corner of downtown.

Beyond the anchors, the Atlantic City Jazz Fest (Sep 13, Hard Rock Hotel) brings big-stage energy to the Jersey Shore, Jazz in the Park at Ralph Ellison Park (Sep 14) celebrates Harlem’s legacy with a free family concert, and the New York Caribbean Jazz Festival (Sep 14, Brooklyn Children’s Museum) lights up with saxophonist Elan Trotman. Rounding out the week: the grassroots Bronx Rising! series (Sep 13) and the avant-garde inGardens Festival (Sep 13–14, LES) keep community and experimentation at the forefront.

Montclair Jazz Festival – Jamboree + Block Party (Sep 13) From Luisito Quintero to Lakecia Benjamin, Montclair erupts in community-wide celebration.

JazzFest White Plains – ArtsWestchester & White Plains Plaza (Sep 10–14) Featuring Kurt Elling (Sep 12), Immanuel Wilkins (Sep 13), and Sunday Jazz Alfresco (Sep 14).

Atlantic City Jazz Fest – Hard Rock Hotel (Sep 13) A powerhouse night of groove and big-stage energy on the Jersey Shore.

Jazz in the Park – Ralph Ellison Park, Harlem (Sep 14) A free community concert honoring Harlem’s deep jazz legacy.

New York Caribbean Jazz Festival – Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Sep 14) Featuring Elan Trotman & band, blending Caribbean roots with jazz fire.

More Listings: Bronx Rising! (Sep 13), inGardens Festival (LES, Sep 13–14).

🎯 MUST SEE NEXT WEEK

Next week brings a wave of artistry that’s both global and generational. At the Village Vanguard, alto sax innovator Miguel Zenón blends Puerto Rican roots with daring improvisation, while Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander swings into Birdland with his fiery trio. At Zinc Bar, pianist/vocalist Kelly Green crafts intimate storytelling in chamber-jazz textures, and at Dizzy’s, steel pan virtuoso Leon Foster Thomas fuses Caribbean lyricism with hard-driving jazz. The week culminates at Blue Note NY, where teenage prodigy Kojo Roney leads a quartet with explosive energy and youthful vision. With additional performances by Caelan Cardello, Briana Swann, Casey Abrams, Itai Kriss, Patrick Bartley, and Kirk Knuffke, next week promises to showcase the vitality and diversity of jazz as it moves boldly into the future. MORE SPOTLIGHTS

Miguel Zenón Quartet – Village Vanguard (Sep 16) Alto sax innovator brings his deeply Puerto Rican-infused jazz to the Vanguard.

Monty Alexander Trio – Birdland (Sep 16) Jamaican-born pianist with a trio that swings hard and soars high.

Kelly Green – Zinc Bar (Sep 16) Pianist/vocalist weaving storytelling and chamber-jazz textures into fresh soundscapes.

Leon Foster Thomas – Dizzy’s Club (Sep 15) Steel pan master blending Caribbean lyricism with straight-ahead jazz power.

Kojo Roney Quartet – Blue Note NY (Sep 19) Teenage drum prodigy, heir to the Roney family tradition, delivers explosive energy.

More Listings: Briana Swann (Aman NY, Sep 16), Casey Abrams (Philly, Sep 16), Itai Kriss (Django, Sep 16), Patrick Bartley (Smalls, Sep 16), Kirk Knuffke (Rochester, Sep 15 FRINGE).