Guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli has been hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” Established as one of the prime contemporary interpreters of the Great American Songbook, Pizzarelli has expanded that repertoire by including the music of Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Antônio Carlos Jobim and the Beatles. In addition to being a bandleader and solo performer, Pizzarelli has been a special guest on recordings for major pop names such as Natalie Cole, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Wopat, Rickie Lee Jones and Dave Van Ronk, as well as leading jazz artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Ruby Braff, Johnny Frigo, Buddy DeFranco, Harry Allen and, of course, his father Bucky Pizzarelli. He won a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category as co-producer of James Taylor’s American Standard in 2021. A radio personality who got his start in the medium in 1984, Pizzarelli is co-host, alongside wife Jessica Molaskey, of Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli. He has performed on America’s most popular national television shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan, and Great Performances, as well as the talk shows of Jay Leno, David Letterman, Regis Philbin and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“Cole is redefining smooth jazz” – All About Jazz

 

Saxophonist Steve Cole is one of the most celebrated players in contemporary jazz. The Chicago native exploded onto the scene in 1998 with the album Stay Awhile produced by fellow Chicagoan Brian Culbertson. The disc scored multiple #1 hits and earned Cole the Oasis Smooth Jazz Award for best new artist shortly before his sophomore set, Between Us, was released in 2000. His catchy singles made him an instant radio favorite, and he regularly cranked them out.

Invigorating and groove-filled, funky and fun, soulful and smooth, rollicking and sweet – Steve Cole’s latest album, 2023’s Without a Doubt, goes down smooth, but is jam-packed with indelible hooks and rhythms that will propel listeners from their seats. Cole felt free to let his passions run rampant with nothing to prove – Without a Doubt. The album is chock full of memorable melodies that could be easily retooled as hits for the likes of the Commodores or Earth, Wind & Fire.

In addition to his work as a solo artist, Steve has performed/recorded, with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, Larry Carlton, Jeff Lorber, Jim Peterik, Freddie Cole, Cyrus Chestnut, and KMFDM, and has been a featured soloist with the City of Prague Orchestra, and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Steve is also a founding member of The Sax Pack, a stellar sax trio completed by Kim Waters and Jeff Kashiwa.

When he’s not touring, Dr. Cole teaches music industry entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota where he is a Clinical Professor and Teaching Fellow.

Multi GRAMMY® and Multi LATIN GRAMMY® Award winning internationally acclaimed recording artist, pianist/singer/composer/arranger Eliane Elias’ distinctive musical style is one of the most unique and immediately recognizable sounds in jazz and Brazilian music. She blends her Brazilian roots and alluring voice with her virtuosic instrumental jazz, her classical and compositional skills, while she consistently displays her pianistic mastery and ability to integrate the many artistic roles she takes on.

Her 2021 album MIRROR MIRROR won the GRAMMY Award and the Latin GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz Album/Jazz Album in 2022.  Her 2022 album Quietude debuted as #1 on Billboard, iTunes, Amazon Jazz Charts and received a LIBERA Award Nomination for Best Latin Record in 2023.

Mirror Mirror is an extraordinary piano duet recording of Eliane Elias with the late legendary jazz great Chick Corea, and famed Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés. While her highly successful recordings have predominantly featured her alluring voice and piano mastery, the piano has always been her first love and working with these two incredible icons of jazz was a rare opportunity to record in a two-piano setting, something she hasn’t done in many years, since her piano duet recordings with Herbie Hancock.

With 31 albums and over 2.4 million albums sold to date, Eliane Elias has so far, toured in 74 countries, she is a four-time Gold Disc Award recipient, a three-time Best Vocal Album winner in Japan and winner of the 2018 Edison Lifetime Achievement Award in Holland to name a few accolades.  Her 2019 and 2021 albums (Love Stories and Mirror Mirror) were both voted “Downbeat’s Best Album of the Year – Masterpiece” and as most of her previous releases, her recordings hit #1 on the jazz charts worldwide. Eliane Elias received two LIBERA Award nominations for Best Latin Record (2017 and 2023) and has been nominated 10 times by the Grammys and Latin Grammys, receiving nominations in 5 different categories and won two GRAMMYS and two LATIN GRAMMYS to date,

Multi GRAMMY® and Multi LATIN GRAMMY® Award winning internationally acclaimed recording artist, pianist/singer/composer/arranger Eliane Elias’ distinctive musical style is one of the most unique and immediately recognizable sounds in jazz and Brazilian music. She blends her Brazilian roots and alluring voice with her virtuosic instrumental jazz, her classical and compositional skills, while she consistently displays her pianistic mastery and ability to integrate the many artistic roles she takes on.

Her 2021 album MIRROR MIRROR won the GRAMMY Award and the Latin GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz Album/Jazz Album in 2022.  Her 2022 album Quietude debuted as #1 on Billboard, iTunes, Amazon Jazz Charts and received a LIBERA Award Nomination for Best Latin Record in 2023.

Mirror Mirror is an extraordinary piano duet recording of Eliane Elias with the late legendary jazz great Chick Corea, and famed Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés. While her highly successful recordings have predominantly featured her alluring voice and piano mastery, the piano has always been her first love and working with these two incredible icons of jazz was a rare opportunity to record in a two-piano setting, something she hasn’t done in many years, since her piano duet recordings with Herbie Hancock.

With 31 albums and over 2.4 million albums sold to date, Eliane Elias has so far, toured in 74 countries, she is a four-time Gold Disc Award recipient, a three-time Best Vocal Album winner in Japan and winner of the 2018 Edison Lifetime Achievement Award in Holland to name a few accolades.  Her 2019 and 2021 albums (Love Stories and Mirror Mirror) were both voted “Downbeat’s Best Album of the Year – Masterpiece” and as most of her previous releases, her recordings hit #1 on the jazz charts worldwide. Eliane Elias received two LIBERA Award nominations for Best Latin Record (2017 and 2023) and has been nominated 10 times by the Grammys and Latin Grammys, receiving nominations in 5 different categories and won two GRAMMYS and two LATIN GRAMMYS to date,

Walter Beasley is considered to be the Highest selling full-time Professor/Recording Artist in modern history. He is an award winning soprano saxophonist and singer, composer and producer, founder and CEO of Affable Publishing and Affable Records and was a professor at Berklee for several years.

Walter has been in the top 10 best-selling African American saxophonists in the world since 1998. Also, he released 12 educational DVD's, a book and 8 APPs. Later this year, Walter will be releasing a new album. After many years of his career, he continues to be an inspiration and role model for many people, including people from the new generations.

"Walter Beasley is an anomaly: a successful performing musician who possesses the rare skill of understanding the musical process beyond the intuitive. This special ability enables Walter to communicate with aspiring musicians in a way that removes the sense of mystery that sometimes enshrouds our profession."  - Branford Marsalis

Walter Beasley is considered to be the Highest selling full-time Professor/Recording Artist in modern history. He is an award winning soprano saxophonist and singer, composer and producer, founder and CEO of Affable Publishing and Affable Records and was a professor at Berklee for several years.

Walter has been in the top 10 best-selling African American saxophonists in the world since 1998. Also, he released 12 educational DVD's, a book and 8 APPs. Later this year, Walter will be releasing a new album. After many years of his career, he continues to be an inspiration and role model for many people, including people from the new generations.

"Walter Beasley is an anomaly: a successful performing musician who possesses the rare skill of understanding the musical process beyond the intuitive. This special ability enables Walter to communicate with aspiring musicians in a way that removes the sense of mystery that sometimes enshrouds our profession."  - Branford Marsalis

Marion Meadows brings his soulful, smooth and funky music back to Scullers Jazz Club! 

Mike Flanagan - saxophone
Lauren Scales - vocals
Chris Grasso-piano
John Lockwood-bass
Richie Barshay-drums

'Many Rivers' Album Preview Concert 

 

ABOUT UNISPHERE 

Unisphere is a Jazz SuperGroup conceived in 2016 at a rooftop party in Rio De Janeiro Brazil lead by Bassist Dave Zinno and Saxophonist Mike Tucker. The group has released three albums of original music and arrangements that draw from each member's diverse influences and musical experiences. 

 Personnel 

Dave Zinno- Leader/ Bass(performances w John Madeski/Diane Schur/Jimmy Cob)

Mike Tucker Leader/ Saxophone (Grammy Nominated Saxophonist w Arturo Sandoval) 

Eric "Benny" Bloom - (2x Grammy Award Winning Trumpeter and Member of Lettuce) 

Leo Genovese - Piano(Grammy Award 2022 Best Improvised Solo w Wayne Shorter) 

Mark Walker- Drums (2x Grammy Award Winning Drummer and 4X Latin Grammy Award Winner) 

 Michelle Stories Told 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfSVVkjrHlM

 Critical Acclaim

"Fetish is an exceptional album, memorable mostly for some very distinguished solos, and the emergence of Mike Tucker as an amazing soloist who, with proper exposure, could become a major voice in the jazz world"  - All About Jazz 

 Fetish will be played more often than many of its contemporary albums as it is that good. And so, it goes without saying that Zinno has assembled a fine ensemble to give these twelve tracks life. This is a musical remedy for generic jazz from end to end and will continue to shape Zinno’s impressive career. - The Jazz Word

 

"The enjoyment is perceptible, as is the abundance of energy and talent that permeates the Unisphere" - All About Jazz 

The Cookers Craig Handy, tenor saxophone, Donald Harrison-alto saxophone, David Weiss and Dr. Eddie Henderson-trumpets, Cecil McBee-bass, George Cables-piano

Experience counts, especially in jazz. The more time musicians spend interpreting tunes and interacting with others, the more articulation an audience can expect. You can hear the fruits of such work in the expressive language The Cookers bring to the bandstand and to their six critically acclaimed recordings, Warriors, Cast the First Stone, Believe, Time and Time Again (which was the iTunes Jazz CD of the year in 2014), The Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart and Look Out!. This exciting all-star septet summons up an aggressive mid ‘60s spirit with a potent collection of expansive post-bop originals marked by all the requisite killer instincts and pyrotechnic playing expected of some of the heaviest hitters on the scene today. Craig Handy,  Cecil McBee, George Cables, Eddie Henderson, and Billy Hart all came up in the heady era of the mid ‘60s. It was a period that found the dimensions of hard bop morphing from their original designs, and each of these guys helped facilitate the process as members of some of the most important bands of the era. Hart and Henderson were members of Herbie Hancock’s groundbreaking Mwandishi group; Cecil McBee anchored Charles Lloyd’s great ’60s quartet alongside Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette;  while George Cables held down the piano chair in numerous bands including groups led by Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper

All GA sections (Main Floor GA & Miles Davis Mezzanine) will be seated by host and are first come, first served (other than where a reserved sign is posted to table).  If you require special seating, please call the venue for accommodations no later than 48 hours prior to show date.

Ann Hampton Callaway - Finding Beauty: Inspired Classics and Originals
Don’t miss Tony nominee, Ann Hampton Callaway, in her new show “Finding Beauty: Inspired Classics and Originals”.  Ann’s show is comprised of classics from her songwriting inspirations- Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and many more. Also, the recent inductee into The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame shares songs from her new CD “Finding Beauty: Originals Vol. 1.”  Expect AHC hits like Streisand's “At the Same Time” as well as new songs she's co-written with Oscar winner Alan Bergman, Grammy winner Melissa Manchester, and Grammy nominee, Amanda McBroom. Spoil yourself with a spellbinding show of rousing showstoppers and exquisite ballads, as we follow the arc of Ann’s musical inspiration!

“For sheer vocal beauty, no contemporary singer matches Ms. Callaway.” – Stephen Holden, The New York Times

“…superbly intelligent, singularly creative pop-jazz stylist who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Streisand, Ronstadt, Shirley Horn and Dianne Reeves…” – Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes

"Just as Ella Fitzgerald was the greatest jazz singer of her era, so too is the magnificent Ann Hampton Callaway of hers." - Musical Theatre Review

 

A distinctive trait of internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Kevin Harris is his desire to constantly grow, evolve, improve, and advance. His interest to interweave traditional and contemporary music styles, visual arts, electronic media, science, and language, is what distinguishes his music and what renders his performances unique experiences, meant to activate the audience’s senses and personal curiosity. "Participation,” Harrissays, "is what keeps oursouls alive.” As a leader, Harris hasreleased six albums. Both live and recorded performances reflect Harris’s determination to capture his audience through explorative interactions that Terri Lyne Carrington describes as "an exciting commitment to quality."   Harris’ music education has its foundation in the degrees he has received, but equally importantly in Black Gospel and Afro? Caribbean styles of music. He possesses the unique ability to compose complex, uplifting, tempestuous, and deeply stimulating notes. One of the captivating elements of his ensembles, from duet to orchestra setting, is the level of comfort and understanding they have with one another. Harris is known for his diving into soulfully expressive conversations and playful exchanges of ideas with his musicians, while always providing the space to improvise in the moment. Fred Hersch talks of Harris as one who “plays and writes with flair and real soul" and DownBeat Magazine writes that “Harris' compositions deal with themes of strength, love, courage, and self? awareness. It's a heavy task he's set up for himself, and he meets the challenge gracefully.”   Harris' most innovative project as a composer is “Roots, Water and Sunlight: A Contemporary Octet Expedition through the Expressions of James Baldwin". He is presently completing a commissioned work entitled “Pulse”, a work for oboe, violins, cello, acoustic bass, and piano, to be released in 2023. Among his most notable collaborations are Dayna Stephens, Ralph Peterson, Ameen Saleem, Greg Hutchinson Greg Osby, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Curtis Lundy, Caroline Davis, Bill Pierce, Francisco Mela, Avishai Cohen, Eddie Gomez, Duane Eubanks, Richie Barshay, Ben Street, Jason Palmer, Rudy Royston, Frank Lacey, Eric McPherson, and Terri Lyne Carrington.