The Django Announces January Line-Up featuring Pat Martino Tributes, CD Release Concerts, French Jazz Festival, and More

 

pat martino tribute: on film and stage featuring documentary screening, rick germanson concert followed by peter bernstein, dave stryker, paul bollenback, mark whitfield, and more (jan 6)

 

cd release concerts: evan sherman (jan 7) & alexander claffy trio featuring michael stephenson (jan 26)

 

french quarter jazz fest (jan 18)

 

ehud asherie trio featuring kenny washington (jan 20)

 

New York City, NY — THE DJANGO, downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, begins 2022 by opening its doors another day—now, patrons can enjoy jazz in the cellar six days a week Monday-Saturday. On January 6^th, The Django stage humbly hosts an evening dedicated to the great guitarist Pat Martino comprising a documentary screening, and tribute concerts by Rick Germanson, four all-star guitarists Peter Bernstein, Dave Stryker, Paul Bollenback and Mark Whitfield, and special guests. The Django plays host to two CD release concerts: drummer Evan Sherman Sidewalkin’ 1/07, and Michael Stephenson Meets the Alexander Caffy Trio 1/26. The Django’s weekly residency with the Mingus Big Band switches from Tuesdays to Mondays appearing 1/10, 1/24, and Mingus Dynasty 1/31. The Ken Fowser Quintet returns for its weekly Friday night show 1/07, 1/14, 1/21, and 1/28, guitarist Mark Whitfield hosts his monthly Django gig 1/13, and vocalist Sachal Vasandani returns 1/19 for his monthly concert series featuring young, emerging singers. Be­low is a com­plete sched­ule of January per­form­ances at The Django.

 

When: Monday-Saturday (times vary nightly) Closed 1/1-4 1/17 Where: The Django, 2 Avenue of the Americas (Cellar Level at The Roxy Hotel), New York City, NY, Trains: A/C/N/Q/R/W to Canal, 2/3 to Franklin, 1 to Chambers Tickets: $25 Cover Charge per person (not including two-drink minimum). To reserve, visit TheDjangoNYC.com or call 212.519.6649. Health Safety Protocols: The Django regularly updates its COVID protocols and procedures based on CDC, federal, state, city and other scientific data. At this time, COVID vaccination cards are required.   Artists and schedules are subject to change

 

JANUARY SCHEDULE:

 

1/01-4 CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS

 

1/05 BRANDI DISTERHEFT

Brandi Disterheft - Bass and Vocals
TBA - Piano
TBA - Drums

Jazz bassist Brandi Disterheft relocated to NYC to begin an apprenticeship under Miles Davis's bassist Ron Carter. It’s not only her fiery bass playing that make audiences stand-up and holler, but also her innovative live shows showcasing her up-tempo, swinging originals and ambient voice. Winning a JUNO (Canadian Grammy) for her “Debut” album, Brandi had the honor to be the bassist for the legendary Hank Jones on the album “Pleased to Meet You” and has since captivated international audiences at jazz festivals in Japan, Haiti, Canada, Europe, USA and at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, and the Vienna Opera House. Recordings and performances include collaborations with top drawer musicians such as Anita O'day, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Vincent Herring and Renee Rosnes to name a few.

“She is quite the bass player, and I appreciate her expertise and talent. It was a great pleasure making an album together.” -George Coleman

Brandi’s fifth album, Surfboard is her most accomplished yet. Joined by two iconic octogenarian masters — virtuoso tenor saxophonist George Coleman and the definitive Brazilian drummer Portinho — and world-class pianist Klaus Mueller, Disterheft authoritatively and organically guides the flow on a varied program that reflects her capacious interests. 

 

1/05 JENNIFER JADE LEDESNA

10:00PM

Jennifer Jade Ledesna - Vocals
TBA - Piano
TBA - Bass
TBA - Drums

Bronx native Jennifer Jade Ledesna is an alumna of the New School Jazz Conservatory & the “Famed” LaGuardia Arts. A Montreux Jazz Voice Competition Finalist, Equity actress, & "Betty Carter Jazz Ahead" composer, Ms. Jade often performs at "Aux Trois Mailletz" in Paris. She's sung at Carnegie Hall with Bobby McFerrin in INSTANT OPERA!, in the world premiere tour of CHAPEL/CHAPTER w the Bill T. Jones / Arnie Zane Dance Company. She has graced the stages of the CHORUS Jazz Club in Lausanne, Norway's International “Silda Jazz Fest” with her group "RAJAFRO", Saint Croix's “Take Five” fest, Santiago de Chile's "Teatro Municipal de Las Condes", & Austria's Porgy & Bess. She's also shared the stage with Elew, Dave Valentin, Wycliffe Gordon, Junior Mance, Benny Powell, Candido Camero, & Wynton Marsalis, among others. Jenn Jade recently starred as “Tinima” in HATUEY: MEMORY OF FIRE! at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) & just returned from her Summer Tour in North East Brasil.

 

1/06 PAT MARTINO TRIBUTE: ON FILM AND STAGE

The Django is honored to provide a platform to celebrate one of the most influential guitarists of all time: Pat Martino (1944-2021). Martino's legacy is all the more remarkable after the comeback he made following a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1980.  It left him with amnesia and no recollection of being able to play, or knowledge of his career. He relearned how to play from scratch and his slow recovery accounts for a near-decade gap in his discography that also represents one of the most remarkable comebacks in guitar history. This special evening includes a Martino documentary screening in the movie theater adjacent to The Django, The Roxy Cinema. This coupled with the unique opportunity to hear Martino’s past bandmates and collaborators perform both his works and pieces inspired by him make for an unforgettable night.

 

PAT MARTINO TRIBUTE: RICK GERMANSON

7:00PM

Rick Germanson - Piano
Gerald Cannon - Bass
TBA - Drums

Jazz pianist Rick Germanson has been highly in-demand on the New York City jazz scene for two decades. He toured with Pat Martino 2003-2008. Rick won the Grand Prize at The American Pianists’ Association Jazz Piano Competition in 1996. Rick has toured around the world appearing at major concert halls, festivals and clubs with: Elvin Jones; Louis Hayes; Joe Chambers; Will Calhoun; Pat Martino; Russell Malone; Slide Hampton; Curtis Fuller; Papo Vazquez; Steve Davis; Frank Morgan; Gary Bartz; Charles McPherson; James Spaulding; Donald Harrison; Jeremy Pelt; George Coleman; Regina Carter; Marlena Shaw; Ray Mantilla; Cecil Payne; Charles Davis and Steve Nelson. Rick is documented on over 50 recordings as a sideman and has released five as a leader. His latest is Turquoise Twice on WJ3 Records.

 

PAT MARTINO TRIBUTE: DOCUMENTARY SCREENING

9:00PM

Screening in the theater next door to The Django is Martino Unstrung – A Brain Mystery, a documentary film released in 2008 (Sixteen Films). Director Ian Knox and neuropsychologist Paul Broks traveled from coast to coast to search for the soul of Martino, whose memories and personal artistic achievements were literally wiped clean from his mind following a life-saving surgery. “By tracing his unique story, the filmmakers not only reflect on the power of determination in overcoming incredible odds, but also explore the nature of creativity, self, memory, and the remarkable brain mechanisms that contribute to the construction of our personal identity.” (TV Guide) Tickets: $15.

 

PAT MARTINO TRIBUTE: PETER BERNSTEIN, PAUL BOLLENBACK, MARK WHITFIELD, ERIC ALEXANDER, PAT BIANCHI, AND CARMEN INTORRE

10:00PM

Peter Bernstein - Guitar
Dave Stryker - Guitar
Mark Whitfield - Guitar
Paul Bollenback - Guitar
Eric Alexander - Saxophone
Pat Bianchi - Organ
Carmen Intorre - Drums

A quartet of some of today’s leading guitarists join forces for a shared purpose: to honor one of their musical heroes and mentors.

 

1/07 KEN FOWSER QUINTET

7:00PM

Ken Fowser - Saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – Trumpet

Rick Germanson - Piano
TBA - Bass
TBA - Drums

Ken Fowser is the Music Director of The Django, and performs every Friday night on our stage with special guests each week. Since his arrival on the New York scene in 2005, Ken Fowser has continued to steer traditional harmony in uncharted directions. His lyrical approach to line construction and depth of harmonic sensibility allows him to record and play all over the world. A prolific composer, Fowser has celebrated four cooperative releases on Posi-tone Records, co-led with vibraphone virtuoso, Behn Gillece. His debut release as a leader, Standing Tall earned him the #1 spot on Jazz Week Radio Chart seven weeks in a row. Fowser enjoyed both downtown and uptown residencies at iconic New York venues, hosting the session at Smalls Jazz Club every Tuesday for four years and playing the late set at Smoke Jazz and Supper Club every Friday for two years. 

 

1/07 EVAN SHERMAN QUINTET “SIDEWALKIN” CD RELEASE

10:00PM

Evan Sherman – Drums

TBA - Tenor Sax
Joe Magnarelli - Trumpet
TBA - Piano
Tyler Mitchell - Bass

Born into a musical family in New Jersey, Evan Sherman (b. 1993) began playing the drums at age five and had his first professional gigs at 13. Since then, Evan performed, recorded and toured with Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Roy Hargrove, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Cyrus Chestnut, Branford Marsalis, and more. ? He has performed at the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Jazz Standard, London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, New Morning in Paris, Lincoln Center's Rose Hall, JALC Doha & Shanghai, and Washington's Kennedy Center as well as the Newport, Detroit, and Jerusalem jazz festivals. His latest album Sidewalkin’ (released September 2021) was born during the COVID shutdown. “Last year, when NYC was completely shut down, this particular cast of my musical heroes got together to play on the streets of the #upperwestside. Mr. Wonsey called them “sparring” sessions that kept us in shape while the clubs were closed. After a couple months and winter setting in, we all got Covid tests and made a pilgrimage across the GW bridge to spend the afternoon recording at Rudy Van Gelder Studio.” - Sherman

 

1/08 ISAIAH J. THOMPSON

7:00PM

Isaiah J. Thompson - Piano
Julian Lee - Saxophone
Felix Moseholm - Bass
Domo Branch – Drums

Isaiah J. Thompson is a jazz pianist, bandleader and composer from West Orange, New Jersey. He began studying at The Calderone School of Music at an early age, and soon after continued his studies with Jazz House Kids and NJPAC Jazz For Teens. He was later admitted to The Juilliard School at the age of 18, and graduated with his B.M. in 2019 and his M.M. in 2020. Isaiah has performed with major artists, including Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Steve Turre and Buster Williams. His recording debut was featured on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Blue Engine Records’ Handful of Keys album with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and his debut album as a leader, Isaiah J. Thompson Plays the Music of Buddy Montgomery, was released in 2020.

 

1/08 JOE SAYLOR AND “THE KINGDOM”

10:00PM

Joe Saylor - Drums
Tivon Pennicott - Saxophone
Julius Rodriguez - Piano
TBA - Bass

Joe Saylor is a percussionist, educator, and jazz artist based in New York City. Saylor plays percussion in Jon Batiste's Stay Human, the house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He also performs at various jazz clubs, festivals, and venues around the world. He has conducted jazz workshops at various educational institutions including Stanford University. He has performed at such places as the Howard Theater, the White House, Lincoln Center, Rockwood Music Hall, Webster Hall, and the Great GoogaMooga. He has performed or recorded with Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis, Dwayne Dolphin, Steve Wilson, Joe Lovano, Jon Faddis, Slide Hampton, and Ellis Marsalis.

 

1/10 MINGUS MONDAYS: MINGUS BIG BAND

7:30 9:30PM

 

The Django welcomes the Grammy award-winning Mingus Big Band to its stage every Monday night. The “city’s hardest big band (Time Out New York),” celebrates the music of composer/bassist Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. Under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, this 14-piece band performed Thursday nights from 1991 to 2004 at Fez under Time Cafe in New York City. It maintained weekly performances in the city from May 2004 until October 2008, when it began "Mingus Mondays" at Jazz Standard where it alternated with the Mingus Orchestra and Mingus Dynasty. Mingus Mondays became a NYC institution and Monday night stronghold for over 12 years, halted only by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mingus Big Band tours extensively in the United States and abroad, and has 11 recordings to its credit, six of which have been nominated for Grammys.

 

1/10 JAM SESSION featuring ALEXANDER CLAFFY

10:00PM

Alexander Claffy – Bass

TBA – Piano

TBA – Drums

 

Post-Mingus Mondays, The Django keeps the music rolling with a weekly Jam Session. This month it is led by bassist Alexander Claffy. Since moving from Philadelphia to New York City in 2011, he has had the honor of working with many of his living heroes, including Jimmy Cobb, Louis Hayes, Harold Mabern, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Christian Scott, Joey Alexander, Wallace Roney and many more.  In the past three years he has recorded for the Verve, HighNote, Positone, RopeADope and LaReserve record labels.

 

1/11 MARTES LATINOS

The Django brings back its popular Tuesday Latin jazz concert series each month.

 

MANUEL VALERA CUBAN JAZZ QUARTET

7:00PM

Manuel Valera – Piano

TBA – Band

 

Born? ?and? ?raised? ?in? ?Havana, Cuba, ?Grammy? ?nominated? ?pianist? ?and? ?composer? ?Manuel? ?Valera? is a Guggenheim Fellow who has? ?recorded? ?13? ?CDs ?as? a? ??bandleader? ?with? ?touring? ?projects ranging? ?from? ?his? ?Grammy? ?nominated? ?group? ?New? ?Cuban? ?Express? ?to? ??modern? ?contemporary jazz trio? ?to? ?solo? ?piano. “He leaves no doubt that he’s destined to play a role in the future of jazz. Valera shows a keen jazz vocabulary, a gift for creating grooves that invite stellar solo flights from his collaborators and the nerve to romance a melody when it suits him.” (Billboard)

 

LOS HACHEROS

10:00PM

TBA  - Band

 

Brooklyn’s Los Hacheros, modern-day torchbearers of the Golden Age of Latin music, is a band of only five musicians, yet can sound like a conjunto of 12. Los Hacheros revives folkloric styles like son montuno, guaracha and salsa, and often combine them with Bomba, a fiery rhythm from the mountains of Puerto Rico. 

 

1/12 GABRIELLE STRAVELLI

7:00PM

Gabrielle Stravelli - Vocals
Michael Stravelli - Piano
Pat O’Leary – Bass

Billy Mintz - Drums

“Ms. Stravelli’s emotional intelligence coincides with a phenomenal voice that she wielded with an easygoing confidence and impeccable taste.” - The New York Times

 

Gabrielle Stravelli’s pairing of a jazz artist’s musicianship with an ability to interpret lyrics and connect with an audience has led to a richly varied career. She premiered pianist Fred Hersch’s song cycle “Rooms of Light” and toured the U.S. premiering Wynton Marsalis’s “Abyssinian Mass.” She regularly leads her quartet in performances at the country’s finest jazz clubs and performing arts centers and has headlined domestic and international jazz festivals including the 2021 & 2018 WBGO Jazz on the Mountain Festival in New Paltz, NY, the 2019 Providencia Jazz Festival in Santiago, Chile, the 2016 All That Jazz Festival in Eleuthera, Bahamas and the 2014 Maree Sonore Festival in Venice, Italy. As a US State Department “Jazz Ambassador” she has performed and taught throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America. The rhythmic swing of jazz frames her original compositions while as an actor and storyteller she reinterprets the Great American Songbook as well as works by contemporary artists. Unexpected, highly individual choices are her trademark.

 

1/12 ASHLEY PEZZOTTI

10:00PM

Ashley Pezzotti - Voice
Sean Mason - Piano
Jason Clotter - Bass
TJ Reddick - Drums

Ashley Pezzotti is a young jazz vocalist rapidly making a name for herself. She began taking voice lessons at only four years old, and in 2018 she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music with a full tuition scholarship. In 2019 Pezzotti moved to New York City to further her career, and since then she has performed and/or toured with jazz giants such as Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Arturo Sandoval.

 

1/13 LEANDRO PELLEGRINO QUARTET

7:00PM

Leandro Pellegrino - Guitar
TBA - Piano
Peter Slavov - Bass
TBA - Drums

Leandro Pellegrino is an internationally acclaimed guitarist who has been steadily developing his reputation as one of the finest guitarists of his generation. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Leandro studied music composition and Jazz improvisations during his teenage years. After earning his Bachelor's degree, Leandro auditioned for the prestigious Berklee College of Music and was awarded a full-ride scholarship to pursue his studies in Jazz and improvised music. In the Fall of 2011, Leandro moved to the U.S to live his dream of being immersed in the country’s fertile musical environment. Since then he has gained an impressive reputation among his peers and had the chance to work with many of the greatest Jazz musicians on the scene. He has already performed with Dave Liebman, Danilo Perez, Christian McBride, John Pattittuci, Bob Cranshaw, Terri Lyne Carrington, Eric Harland, Donny McCaslin, Gerald Clayton, among others. He is also part of the Grammy-award winning album “Beautiful Life” by the exceptional jazz singer Dianne Reeves. Back in 2013, Leandro entered the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition and was awarded the 1st prize by the hands of the legendary Lee Ritenour. He was also the first South American guitarist to ever win this Competition. In the following year, Leandro performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival as the opening act for Lee Ritenour. Since then Leandro has been performing and teaching all over the world.

 

1/13 MARK WHITFIELD QUINTET

10:00PM

Mark Whitfield - Guitar
Davis Whitfield - Piano
Russell Hall - Bass
Kush Abadey - Drums

The Django is thrilled to welcome back Mark Whitfield as part of a monthly residency. Whitfield graduated from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, the world’s foremost institution for the study of Jazz and modern American music in the spring of 1987. Shortly thereafter, he returned to his to his native New York to embark on a career as a Jazz Guitarist that afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with legendary artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Carmen McRae, Gladys Knight, Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Smith, Clark Terry, Shirley Horn, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Joe Williams, Stanley Turrentine and his greatest teacher and mentor George Benson. 

In 1990 The New York Times dubbed Whitfield “The Best Young Guitarist in the Business”. Later that year, Warner Bros. released his debut album The Marksman. The success of his debut release led to a recording career that has produced a total of 14 solo recordings and a myriad of collaborative efforts with some of the most important artists in recent years; Sting, Steven Tyler, D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige, John Mayer, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott, Diana Krall, Christian McBride, Chris Botti, Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton.

 

1/14 KEN FOWSER QUINTET

7:00PM

Ken Fowser - Saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – Trumpet

Rick Germanson - Piano
TBA - Bass
TBA - Drums

Ken Fowser is the Music Director of The Django, and performs every Friday night on our stage with special guests each week. Since his arrival on the New York scene in 2005, Ken Fowser has continued to steer traditional harmony in uncharted directions. His lyrical approach to line construction and depth of harmonic sensibility allows him to record and play all over the world. A prolific composer, Fowser has celebrated four cooperative releases on Posi-tone Records, co-led with vibraphone virtuoso, Behn Gillece. His debut release as a leader, Standing Tall earned him the #1 spot on Jazz Week Radio Chart seven weeks in a row. Fowser enjoyed both downtown and uptown residencies at iconic New York venues, hosting the session at Smalls Jazz Club every Tuesday for four years and playing the late set at Smoke Jazz and Supper Club every Friday for two years. 

 

1/14 ENDEA OWENS & THE COOKOUT

10:00PM

Endea Owens - bass
TBA - Vocals
TBA - Trumpet
TBA - Piano
TBA - Drums

Lincoln Center’s emerging artist of 2019 and Detroit native Endea Owens is a vibrant up and coming bassist. She has been mentored by the likes of Marcus Belgrave, Rodney Whitaker, and Ron Carter. She has toured and performed with Jennifer Holliday, Rhonda and Diana Ross, Jazzmeia Horn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Steve Turre, and Lea Delaria from the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black. Endea is the bassist for Jon Batiste’s Stay Human and the house bassist for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

 

1/15 WAYNE ESCOFFERY

7:00PM

Wayne Escoffery - Saxophone
TBA - Guitar
TBA - Organ
TBA - Drums

Grammy Award-winning tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is one of the jazz world’s most talented rising stars and in-demand sidemen. For over a decade, Escoffery was mostly associated with trumpet master Tom Harrell’s working quintet, recording seven CDs and touring the world. He has also been a member of the Mingus Dynasty, Big Band, and Orchestra since 2000. You can catch him at The Django every Monday night performing with the Mingus Big Band. Over the years he has recorded and performed with Ron Carter, Ben Riley, Eric Reed, Carl Allen, Al Foster, and Billy Hart to name just a few.

 

1/15 JERRY WELDON SEXTET

10:00PM

Jerry Weldon - Saxophone
Alonzo Demetrius - Trumpet
Peter Lin - Trombone
Miki Yamanaka - Piano
Jason Clotter - Bass
Hank Allen Barfield - Drums

Internationally renowned veteran sax man Jerry Weldon, has been a player on the jazz scene for more than 35 years. With eight CDs as a leader and more sideman sides than even he can count... or remember, this native New Yorker's performance/recording resume' reflects his venerable tenor tenure and reads like a virtual "Who's Who of Jazz". In 1990, Jerry became a charter member and featured soloist with Harry Connick Jr.'s newly formed big band. Since then Jerry has toured the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia with Harry and was also part of Connick's Broadway musical production, "Thou Shalt Not" and appeared on stage as well as in the orchestra.  Thanks to his talent, and long association with Connick, Jerry was part of the “house band” on HARRY, Connick’s daytime television variety show for its two-year run.

 

1/17 CLOSED FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY

 

1/18 FRENCH QUARTER JAZZ FEST

7:00PM-12:00AM

TBA – Bands

 

Six bands featuring some of the finest French and NYC Jazz musicians come together for one night!

 

1/19 THE PETE MALINVERNI TRIO featuring ANAIS RENO

7:00PM

Pete Malinverni - Piano
Anais Reno - Vocals
Ugonna Okegwo - Bass
Aaron Seeber - Drums

Pete Malinverni has been a mainstay on the NYC jazz scene since the early 1980s, his 15 recordings as a leader having received excellent notices and heavy airplay. Originally from Niagara Falls, NY, Pete has shared club bandstands and stages with the likes of Mel Lewis, Vernel Fournier, Joe Lovano, Charles Davis, Gary Smulyan and so many others, adding, in each instance, his own inimitable style, rooted firmly in the tradition yet always reaching for the new thing. Guest vocalist Anais Reno has been hailed for her “grace, gravitas, serenity, and prodigious skills—one can proclaim that the work of Anaïs is impressive without any added qualifier/caveat like "...for someone her age…”’ (Talkin’ Broadway). After winning the 2016 Forte International Competition’s Platinum Award at Carnegie Hall, Anaïs won Second Place at Michael Feinstein’s Great American Song Book Academy competition in the summer of 2018 being the youngest contestant ever, First Place at the Mabel Mercer Foundation competition, in New York, in March of 2019. In 2020, she won the Julie Wilson award and in November 2021, was just announced as one of the finalists for Young Arts in jazz voice.

 

1/19 SACHAL VASANDANI PRESENTS…VANISHA GOULD AND APRIL VARNER

9:00PM

Sachal Vasandani - Vocals
Vanisha Gould - Vocals
April Varner - Vocals
Victor Gould - Piano
Alex Claffy - Bass
Domo Branch - Drums

It was has quickly become a monthly engagement at The Django, Sachal Vasandani returns to our stage with surprise guest vocalists. This new series features Sachal sharing the stage with different emerging singers each month exploring, improvising, and celebrating each other. Sachal is recognized for his singular voice, with a tone and unique phrasing that mark him as one of the most compelling artists on the scene today. Thoroughly rooted in jazz, Sachal has the swagger to front the most swinging big bands and the vulnerability to present definitive takes of classic ballads. His deeply creative approach to improvisation across lyrics, melodic changes and time signatures is always soulful, and he has come to be regarded as one of the eminent vocal improvisers of his generation. Sachal’s 2018 release, Shadow Train (GSI), celebrates twin themes of romance and respect with an open spirit. Songs like Abbey Lincoln’s “Throw it Away” highlight this: Sachal’s performance is equal parts virility and empathy. The Nat “King” Cole classic, “Unforgettable,” is honored with a spare, haunting style, and is revered by listeners with nearly a million streams across platforms since its release in 2019.

 

1/20 EHUD ASHERIE TRIO featuring KENNY WASHINGTON

7:00PM

Ehud Asherie - Piano
David Wong - Bass
Kenny Washington - Drums

Largely self-taught, or rather, "old-schooled," Asherie learned the ropes at Smalls, spending much of his early teens becoming a fixture of the late-night jam sessions held at this now legendary Greenwich Village club in New York City. Mentored by the late Frank Hewitt, Asherie began to develop "his virtuosity and his ear for clean, crisp lines" (The Star Ledger). Later, an admiration for earlier piano styles took hold; soon enough Asherie had absorbed them into his playing becoming, in the words of The New Yorker, "a master of swing and stride." His present style combines this broad tradition, merging idioms into a distinctly personalized approach. He is joined by legendary jazz drummer Kenny Washington. A Brooklyn born, Staten Island-bread drummer, Kenny has played behind Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Ahmad Jamal and a never-ending list of amazing players.  He teaches jazz drumming at the New School in New York City.

 

1/20 IAN HENDRICKSON-SMITH

10:00PM

Ian Hendrickson-Smith - Saxophone
TBA - Piano
TBA - Bass
TBA - Drums

New York City-based saxophonist and flutist Ian Hendrickson-Smith returns to The Django this month leading his own quartet. He is mostly noted for his remarkable tone, soulful approach and blues-driven melodies. Equally adept on all the saxophones, Ian stays very busy doing what he loves and loves staying busy! Currently, you can find Ian playing on the road with The Roots or on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Hendrickson-Smith’s extensive recording experience includes the release of 12 jazz records as a leader. His most recent, The Lowdown (Cellar Music 2020) is currently charting at #18 on the national jazz charts.

 

1/21 KEN FOWSER QUINTET

7:00PM

Ken Fowser - Saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – Trumpet

Rick Germanson - Piano
TBA - Bass
TBA - Drums

Ken Fowser is the Music Director of The Django, and performs every Friday night on our stage with special guests each week. Since his arrival on the New York scene in 2005, Ken Fowser has continued to steer traditional harmony in uncharted directions. His lyrical approach to line construction and depth of harmonic sensibility allows him to record and play all over the world. A prolific composer, Fowser has celebrated four cooperative releases on Posi-tone Records, co-led with vibraphone virtuoso, Behn Gillece. His debut release as a leader, Standing Tall earned him the #1 spot on Jazz Week Radio Chart seven weeks in a row. Fowser enjoyed both downtown and uptown residencies at iconic New York venues, hosting the session at Smalls Jazz Club every Tuesday for four years and playing the late set at Smoke Jazz and Supper Club every Friday for two years. 

 

1/21 CRAIG HANDY & 2^ND LINE SMITH

10:00PM

Craig Handy -Tenor Saxophone
Kyle Koehler-Organ
Clark Gayton- Sousaphone
Jerome Jennings-Drums

Saxophonist Craig Handy began his career performing with jazz masters such as Art Blakey, Roy Haynes, Abdullah Ibrahim, and the Mingus Dynasty Band. By his late 20s, Handy was already known for his technical mastery and prodigious post-bop talent, as well as the versatility demonstrated by performing with vocalists like Betty Carter and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Handy has since toured and performed with numerous jazz masters, including Herbie Hancock, Cedar Walton, Wynton Marsalis, and The Cookers. Handy now leads a new project entitled Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith, drawing on New Orleans music and the groove-filled re-imaginings of originals and standards by the late, great organist Jimmy Smith.

 

1/22 BRUCE WILLIAMS

7:00PM

Bruce Williams - Saxophone
Tyler Henderson - Piano
Chris Berger - Bass
Chris Beck - Drums

Bruce is currently Adjunct Professor at Julliard School of Music. He hails from Washington, D.C., and has performed, toured, and recorded with a long roster of jazz legends such as: Little Jimmy Scott, Frank Foster, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Stanley Cowell, Louis Smith, Cecil Brooks III, The Count Basie Orchestra, The World Saxophone Quartet, Russell Gunn, Curtis Fuller, and Roy Hargrove to just name a few. Bruce is a versatile saxophonist who is currently the newest and youngest member, of the internationally recognized jazz group, “The World Saxophone Quartet” as well as a member of a newly founded group by legendary drummer Ben Riley, the “Thelonious Monk Legacy Septet”.

 

1/22 JOE FARNSWORTH

10:00PM

Joe Farnsworth - Drums
TBA - Vocals
TBA - Saxophone
TBA - Piano
TBA - Bass

One of the most highly regarded jazz drummers on the scene today, Joe is known for his blazing speed, precision, musical, and melodic playing. Upon moving to New York City, he led the weekend jazz combos at Augie’s (now Smoke Jazz & Supper Club). He performed with Junior Cook, Cecil Payne, John Ore, Big John Patton, Harold Mabern, Eddie Henderson, John Jenkins and his brothers, John and James. Joseph’s career includes recording over 100 CDs as leader and side-man, jazz festivals and world tours with Pharaoh Sanders, Horace Silver, Harold Mabern, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Diana Krall, Benny Golson, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Lou Donaldson, Benny Green, Harold Mabern, Barry Harris, Curtis Fuller, to name a few.

 

1/24 MINGUS MONDAYS: MINGUS BIG BAND

7:30 9:30PM

 

The Django welcomes the Grammy award-winning Mingus Big Band to its stage every Monday night. The “city’s hardest big band (Time Out New York),” celebrates the music of composer/bassist Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. Under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, this 14-piece band performed Thursday nights from 1991 to 2004 at Fez under Time Cafe in New York City. It maintained weekly performances in the city from May 2004 until October 2008, when it began "Mingus Mondays" at Jazz Standard where it alternated with the Mingus Orchestra and Mingus Dynasty. Mingus Mondays became a NYC institution and Monday night stronghold for over 12 years, halted only by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mingus Big Band tours extensively in the United States and abroad, and has 11 recordings to its credit, six of which have been nominated for Grammys.

 

1/24 JAM SESSION featuring ALEXANDER CLAFFY

10:00PM

Alexander Claffy – Bass

TBA – Piano

TBA – Drums

 

Post-Mingus Mondays, The Django keeps the music rolling with a weekly Jam Session. This month it is led by bassist Alexander Claffy. Since moving from Philadelphia to New York City in 2011, he has had the honor of working with many of his living heroes, including Jimmy Cobb, Louis Hayes, Harold Mabern, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Christian Scott, Joey Alexander, Wallace Roney and many more.  In the past three years he has recorded for the Verve, HighNote, Positone, RopeADope and LaReserve record labels.

 

1/25 TBA

 

1/26 PHILIP HARPER AND ILYA LUSHTAK “CELEBRATING SONG”

7:00PM

Philip Harper - Vocals and Trumpet
Ilya Lushtak - Vocals and Guitar
Mike Karn - Bass
Curtis Nowasad - Drums

 

Trumpeter Philip Harper can often be found on The Django stage performing with the Mingus Big Band every Monday night. He returns for this special one-nighter with vocalist/guitarist Ilya Lushtak. Lushtak is a Russian-born, seasoned New York jazz musician who has played with such greats as Hank Jones, Barry Harris, Cedar Walton, Jimmy Cobb, Frank Wess and numerous others.

 

1/26 ALEXANDER CLAFFY TRIO featuring MICHAEL STEPHENSON CD RELEASE

10:00PM

Michael Stephenson - Saxophone and Vocals
Alexander Claffy - Bass
Sean Mason - Piano
Itay Morchi - Drums

Bassist Alexander Claffy and vocalist Michael Stephenson debut their new release, Michael Stephenson Meets The Alexander Claffy Trio at The Django. This jubilant new project marks the first recorded collaboration between celebrated musicians capturing a deep friendship that spans two decades. “I’ve welcomed the challenge of arranging an album that I believe supports and showcases Michael’s superb talents”, Claffy indicates, adding: “Michael and I have been dear friends since the age of 13, and this record encapsulates our many experiences growing together, while bringing our Philly soul to the hallowed grounds of the Rudy Van Gelder Studio.” The musical potency of Michael Stephenson Meets the Alexander Claffy Trio can be in-part attributed to the support of the album’s producer Jeremy Pelt.

 

1/27 ED CHERRY TRIO

7:00PM

Ed Cherry - Guitar
Kyle Koehler - Organ
Anwar Marshall - Drums

Ed Cherry is an American jazz guitarist and studio musician. Cherry is perhaps best known for his long association with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, with whom he performed from 1978 until shortly before Gillespie's death in 1993. Since that time, he has worked with Paquito Rivera, Jon Faddis, John Patton, Hamiet Bluiett, Henry Threadgill, and Paula West. He has recorded a number of albums as a leader, his most recent Soul Treeand It’s All Good for Posi-tone Records.

 

1/27 DJANGO ALL STARS

10:00PM

Bruce Harris - Trumpet
Ken Fowser - Saxophone
Mark Whitfield - Guitar
Anthony Wonsey - Piano
Alexander Claffy - Bass
Joe Farnsworth - Drums

The Django Allstars is a collective unit comprised of some of the best musicians in NYC. All of them have led multiple gigs at The Django, and have performed throughout the world. This super group represents straight ahead and modern jazz at its finest.

 

1/28 KEN FOWSER QUINTET

7:00PM

Ken Fowser - Saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – Trumpet

Rick Germanson - Piano
TBA - Bass
TBA - Drums

Ken Fowser is the Music Director of The Django, and performs every Friday night on our stage with special guests each week. Since his arrival on the New York scene in 2005, Ken Fowser has continued to steer traditional harmony in uncharted directions. His lyrical approach to line construction and depth of harmonic sensibility allows him to record and play all over the world. A prolific composer, Fowser has celebrated four cooperative releases on Posi-tone Records, co-led with vibraphone virtuoso, Behn Gillece. His debut release as a leader, Standing Tall earned him the #1 spot on Jazz Week Radio Chart seven weeks in a row. Fowser enjoyed both downtown and uptown residencies at iconic New York venues, hosting the session at Smalls Jazz Club every Tuesday for four years and playing the late set at Smoke Jazz and Supper Club every Friday for two years. 

 

1/28 HUDSON HORNS

10:00PM

TBA - Artists

 

Hudson Horns, LLC was born from the famous underground Daybreaker parties five years ago and has grown into one of the most sought-after brass bands in NYC. Professional trained, fused with their love of music, the HH band members excel in sound, creativity and performance. Hudson Horns is comprised of professionally trained musicians from renowned programs such as The New School, University of Michigan, Julliard, Harvard, The University of The Arts, and Manhattan School of Music. Hudson Horns artists have collaborated with leading performers such as Rihanna, Solange, Ricky Martin, Joe Jonas, Shawn Mendes, Macklemore, Busta Rhymes, Dave Chapelle, The Legendary Johnny O'neal, Roy Hargrove, and The Skatelites.

 

1/29 MIKE LEDONNE TRIO

7:00PM

Mike LeDonne - Piano
TBA - Bass
TBA - Drums

Mike LeDonne is a world-renowned jazz pianist and Hammond organist. Oscar Peterson named him as one of his favorite pianists of this era. Since moving to New York City in 1978 he has worked with a wide spectrum of Jazz greats from Benny Goodman to Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson and many others. He spent 11 years as pianist and musical director for vibes legend Milt Jackson, and has been working with Benny Golson since 1997. He was nominated for “Best Keyboards” 2012 by the Jazz Journalists Association and won the Downbeat Critic’s Poll as “Rising Star” on organ that same year. Mike’s on over 150 recordings and has 22 out under his own name. He co-authored a piano comping book as part of Jim Snidero’s Jazz Conception series on Advance Music and spent four years at Juilliard and is presently on the faculty at William Patterson University.

 

1/29 LEZLIE HARRISON

10:00PM

Lezlie Harrison - Vocals
TBA - Guitar
TBA - Organ
TBA - Drums

Lezlie Harrison is her own personal renaissance. Her constant state of evolution and growth brings with it, gifts for those paying attention. As a vocalist both bold and subtle, her vulnerability attends to the fragile matters of our collective human affairs while her optimistic momentum inspires us to rise above any tribulation to rejoice. Be it Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Soul, The American Song Form, original compositions, or any song in ANY form, Lezlie will imbue it with her distinctive stamp and make a very personal delivery. On the planet's premier jazz radio station, WBGO, her voice as a regular curator and presenter reveals the love and pride with which she regards America's classical music. Hyper-active on the New York and global jazz scenes, Lezlie is also, along with the late Dale Fitzgerald and trumpeter Roy Hargrove, a member of the triumvirate responsible for launching New York's world-renowned Jazz Gallery club. On occasion Lezlie lends her regal presence to the stage as an actress, bringing to those endeavors, the same sense of organic elegance that she brought to the runways and photo studios of Paris some years ago. By way of her childhood in New York and North Carolina or her maturation in New York, Boston or on stages throughout Asia, Russia, Europe, and elsewhere, Lezlie shows aesthetic evidence that she is a recipient of the lessons of dignity, integrity, and grace bestowed upon her by her elders and fine-tuned by her own history.

 

1/31 MINGUS MONDAYS: MINGUS DYNASTY

7:30PM 9:30PM

 

The Django continues its weekly “Mingus Mondays” concert series with a rare appearance by the Mingus Dynasty — the original Charles Mingus legacy group, formed by Sue Mingus from among his most valuable sidemen shortly after their leader’s death in 1979. Although lineups are still being confirmed, recent editions of Mingus Dynasty have included saxophonists Craig Handy, Seamus Blake, and Jaleel Shaw; trombonists Conrad Herwig and Ku-umba Frank Lacy; and pianists Orrin Evans and David Kikoski, with the redoubtable Boris Kozlov (bass) and Adam Cruz (drums) holding down the rhythm section.

 

1/31 JAM SESSION featuring ALEXANDER CLAFFY

10:00PM

Alexander Claffy – Bass

TBA – Piano

TBA – Drums

 

Post-Mingus Mondays, The Django keeps the music rolling with a weekly Jam Session. This month it is led by bassist Alexander Claffy. Since moving from Philadelphia to New York City in 2011, he has had the honor of working with many of his living heroes, including Jimmy Cobb, Louis Hayes, Harold Mabern, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Christian Scott, Joey Alexander, Wallace Roney and many more.  In the past three years he has recorded for the Verve, HighNote, Positone, RopeADope and LaReserve record labels.

 

About The Django

Located in the cellar of The Roxy Hotel, The Django is downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club. With its vaulted ceilings and exposed brick walls, it is a subterranean den for dinner, craft cocktails and live jazz in the heart of Tribeca. Created by GrandLife Hotel’s Tony Fant, The Django is modeled after the eponymous musician’s boites of Paris. The Django is home to the weekly Mingus Big Band residency, monthly Mark Whitfield residency, and some of today’s top jazz artists and emerging musicians. To learn more, visit TheDjangoNYC.com.

 

 

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