Composer Keyboardist Mark Stephens’s American Unity Anthem is For Consideration in Four GRAMMY® Categories #jazz #music

Composer‑keyboardist Mark Stephens released a powerfully unifying single, “E Pluribus Unum,” on July 4th to mark America’s 250th anniversary. The track is now under consideration in four GRAMMY® categories.

 

“E Pluribus Unum” is a soul-stirring rally cry to unite all Americans written, produced, and arranged by Stephens. Latin for “out of many, we are one,” the song’s message and lyric foundation anchor its eligibility for Song of the Year. “E Pluribus Unum” is also eligible for Best Americana Performance, Best Arrangement with Instruments and Vocals, and Best Music Video.

 

Mixing R&B, gospel, and traditional pop, “E Pluribus Unum” is lavish, sweeping, and dramatic, featuring Stephens, vocalists Amin El and Tata Vega, a rhythm section, an 8-piece horn section, and a 5-person choir. Orchestrally rich, the sound of the single is as inspiring as the song’s message.

 

“The lyric that captures the song’s ethos is ‘with every color under the sun, out of many, we are one,’” said Stephens. "I wrote and recorded this song as a celebration of America’s enduring ideals – freedom, opportunity, and justice for all. This song champions our national motto, E Pluribus Unum.”

 

Adding emotional magnitude to the arrangement, Stephens introduces the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the midpoint to recite a portion of his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech, which becomes the emotional apex of the arrangement.

 

Stephens’s intention for his single and video is not to politicize.

 

Via inspirational and empowering music along with a montage of uniquely American images tracing the nation’s ideals across landmarks, civic rituals, historical moments, and everyday citizens, “E Pluribus Unum” reminds Americans of our shared ideals, the freedoms that bind us, and the diverse thread that makes America strong, rich, and united.  

 

E Pluribus Unum has been America’s motto since 1776 when it was included on the Great Seal proposed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.

 

Stephens recently released the first single, “Golden Hour,” from his forthcoming It’s A Great Day album, which is slated to drop in November. He collaborates on the collection of jazz and R&B tunes with Larry Carlton, Vinnie Colaiuta, Everette Harp, Allen Hinds, Sekou Bunch, Melvin Lee Davis, and Kaz Rodriguez.

 

Stephens performed on GRAMMY®-nominated projects by Boney James, Chris Botti, Josh Groban, and George Howard. He contributed to James’s Billboard No. 1 single “Powerhouse” and Alanis Morissette’s Billboard No. 1 album Under Rug Swept. His diverse résumé includes work with Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, James Ingram, David Sanborn, Stanley Clarke, Take 6, and George Duke.

 

Listen to and watch “E Pluribus Unum” at https://www.markstephensmusic.com/for-your-consideration.

  

Jazz Crooner Ori Dagan Swings Into The Moment On 'Live In The Market' #jazz #music

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One listen to Ella Fitzgerald's "Mack the Knife" and Ori Dagan was hooked for life. Now the award-winning Toronto jazz singer has made the kind of record that first inspired him. 'Live in the Market,' his fifth album and first live recording, arrives October 23 on G-THREE Records, and he celebrates the next night with a release concert at Toronto's Heliconian Hall on October 24.

Recorded in front of an audience at Kensington Sound, in the heart of Toronto's Kensington Market, the album captures Dagan's rich bass baritone, inventive phrasing and joyful improvisational spirit. An all-star trio backs him: Stu Harrison on piano, Brandi Disterheft on bass and Ben Wittman on drums. Together they reimagine eight jazz standards with warmth, wit and effortless swing, inspired by classic live recordings from Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington.

"Releasing this album feels like a milestone for me. Of all the recordings I've made, I think this one comes closest to capturing who I am as a musician," says Dagan. "Ever since the fateful day I got hooked on Ella Fitzgerald's 'Mack the Knife' and 'How High the Moon,' I've believed that jazz - a music built on spontaneity, risk and discovery - is at its best when there's an audience sharing in the moment."

That's the magic of the room. "There's something magical about a live recording. It captures an experience that can never happen the same way again but somehow allows that moment to live on forever. Most of the songs on this album I have sung hundreds of times, but I have never performed them exactly this way. To me, that makes this album the most honest and authentic representation of who I am as a jazz artist."

The album is also a love letter to his heroes, famous and hidden alike. "This album is in many ways a tribute to the voices who inspired me to sing in the first place. In addition to household names Fitzgerald and Holiday, I wanted to give a nod to some hidden gems. The vocalese lyrics of 'All of Me' were written by King Pleasure (born Clarence Beeks) who penned them to a 1951 saxophone solo by Illinois Jacquet. 'Autumn Leaves' is equally inspired by Sarah Vaughan and Mark Murphy, both astounding improvisers who constantly tested the boundaries of their instruments."

One track honours a personal hero. "'It Don't Mean a Thing,' recorded in duo with Brandi Disterheft is directly inspired by the originator of the bass & voice duo, the late bebop legend Sheila Jordan, with whom I was fortunate to record a duet in 2017. Sheila, who dedicated her life to this music as a musician, educator and ambassador, is one of the greatest inspirations in my life."

Dagan also calls it his gayest album to date, and he means it with pride. "I fell in love with jazz in my late teens, around the same time I was coming to understand that I was gay. Back then, I dreamed that one day I would be able to stand onstage and sing songs like 'Fine and Mellow,' but it took me years to feel truly comfortable doing so. In many ways, jazz has given me the courage to embrace my story, to sing it in my own voice, and to share it with others."

Vezi Tayyeb recorded and mixed the album, Mariana Hutten mastered it, and Leonardo Dell'Anno produced it, with Greg Gooding as executive producer.

Dagan is a Grand Prize Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and placed in the 2023 DownBeat Critics Poll as a Rising Male Vocalist. He has performed across Canada and in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, Macedonia, Israel and Germany. His catalogue includes 'S'Cat Got My Tongue' (2009), 'Less Than Three <3' (2012), 'Nathaniel: A Tribute to Nat King Cole' (2017) and 'Click Right Here' (2022), his first all-original album. Offstage, he's a producer, curator and passionate champion of Toronto's live music scene through his work with JazzInToronto.

At Heliconian Hall, Dagan will be joined by Harrison on piano, Michael Herring on bass and Norbert Botos on drums. Vinyl and CDs will be available, autographed after the show. Seating is limited, and advance tickets are $30 plus fees.

Years after Ella first lit the spark, Ori Dagan has captured his own once in a lifetime moment, and on October 24 he's inviting Toronto to share the next one.

'Live in the Market' Track Listing:
Why Don't You Do Right?
All of Me
Fine and Mellow
Take the "A" Train
It Don't Mean a Thing
Autumn Leaves
Yardbird Suite
Wave

Tour Dates:
October 24 Toronto, ON @ Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Avenue (Album Release Concert, 8 p.m.)

 

Keyboardist Charles A. Kelly Accelerates His Visionary Trilogy with the Electrifying New Single “Move It” #jazz #music

A Latin‑jazz powered call to break through barriers, the track previews Kelly’s forthcoming double album Transformation.

 

 

Transformation demands momentum — and with his new single “Move It,” R&B/jazz keyboardist Charles A. Kelly delivers a vibrant, Latin‑infused push toward progress. Out now via Innervision Records, the track that earned most added status in its debut week offers another glimpse into Transformation, the ambitious double album arriving next year as the closing chapter in Kelly’s genre‑expanding trilogy.

 

Written and produced by Kelly, “Move It” erupts with festive Latin rhythms, jubilant jazz flourishes, and an exhilarating soul‑driven pulse. Earlier this year, Kelly’s single “Focus on Purpose” spent a couple months on the charts; “Move It” takes a bold stylistic turn, setting Kelly’s piano and keyboards loose inside an exotic Latin‑jazz soundscape that feels both celebratory and catalytic.

 

The single features Kelly backed by a powerhouse ensemble: 9‑time Billboard chart‑topping guitarist Blake Aaron, Stevie Wonder’s legendary bassist and musical director Nate Watts (played on Songs in the Key of Life), Cuban percussion master Luis Conte, drummer Tony Moore, and saxophonists Andrew Neu (tenor) and Jason E. Kelly (soprano). Their interplay creates a buoyant, irresistible groove. Conte’s percussion and Moore’s drums drive the momentum while Kelly’s elegant piano lines, Aaron’s lilting nylon‑string guitar, and the sax duo’s sultry blend add color, swagger, and lift.

 

“‘Move It’ is about removing obstacles in our lives that keep us from moving forward into happiness, success, and wellbeing,” said Kelly, a Philadelphia native who is a longtime Los Angeles-area resident. “Fear, depression, addiction, hate, and loneliness are issues that can build walls around us. ‘Move It’ provides the energy and encouragement to break through those barriers. Life is meant to be lived freely and joyfully.”

 

Due in the fourth quarter of 2027, Transformation completes the trilogy Kelly launched in 2022 with You’re Not Alone, an album designed to capture the present moment in contemporary jazz. Its follow‑up, last year’s Phase II, pushed the boundaries of the genre with experimentation and redefinition. With Transformation, Kelly aims to deliver a visionary, evolutionary statement — a culmination of the sonic, spiritual, and conceptual arc he has been building. One additional single is planned ahead of the album’s release.

 

A gold‑record‑winning musician, songwriter, producer, music director, and film composer, Kelly has recorded and/or performed with icons including Wonder, Neil Diamond, Elton John, Nile Rodgers, and Contemporary Christian music luminaries CeCe Winans, Mary Mary, Jeremy Camp, and Israel Houghton. A multimedia talent, Kelly also starred as a series regular on the landmark television series Fame.

 

For more information, visit www.charlesakelly.com 

 

 

Ronny Smith Expands Velvet Vibe With Two New Tracks as Deluxe Edition Arrives November 6 #jazz #music

The contemporary jazz guitarist accelerates his creative pace with a 12‑song collection and a Blues Alley release concert.

 

Contemporary jazz guitarist Ronny Smith continues the most prolific period of his career, and he’s marking the moment with Velvet Vibe Deluxe Edition, arriving November 6 from Pacific Coast Jazz. The expanded release adds two new tracks to the album he dropped this summer, transforming the project into a 12‑song showcase of Smith’s warm electric tone, groove‑driven compositions, and instrumental storytelling. The deluxe edition marks the first physical CD release of Velvet Vibe, while also being available digitally.

 

Smith builds his compositions around warm melodies and grooves, leaving room for listeners to find their own stories. He said, “I’ve always believed that an instrumental song should be able to tell a story even when there aren’t any lyrics. There’s also a visual quality to my music, and I like leaving enough space for listeners to create their own images and stories.”

 

The focal point of Smith’s recordings is his cool electric jazz guitar voice, inspired by Wes Montgomery, George Benson, and Chuck Loeb. His astute fretwork and phrasing exhibit lyrical, emotionally expressive, and rhythmic qualities displayed on diverse musical canvases.

 

“When I started writing this album, I wanted each composition to have its own personality while still sounding like it belonged on the same record. There are elements of jazz, soul, funk, blues, and gospel throughout, but the common thread is melody and groove,” said Smith, who has a November 9 album release concert at Washington, DC’s legendary Blues Alley.

 

“My guitar tone has always been a very personal part of my music. With Velvet Vibe, I wanted the guitar to be warm and melodic but still have enough presence to sit on top of these grooves. The album title reflects some of that—the idea of having a smooth, almost velvet-like tone without losing the rhythmic edge.”

 

In addition to playing guitar on Velvet Vibe, Smith plays bass, keyboards, and programming. He’s accompanied by his core trio: bassist Jose Juvinao, keyboardist Dennis Fortune, and drummer Erik Tulissio. Pianist Asaf Finkelstein augments a pair of tunes, while the four-piece Heartbeat Brass Band adds energy and lushness to three tracks.

 

The album opens with “Breeze.” Smith says, “‘Breeze’ is about that effortless feeling when everything is flowing naturally. Musically, I wanted it to breathe. There’s space in the arrangement, but there’s still a groove underneath it. It’s one of those compositions where I didn’t want to overplay. Sometimes the notes you leave out are just as important as the ones you play.”

 

Up next is the funky energizer “Feel The Groove.” “I wanted something that immediately made you move. Groove has always been a major part of my music. Even when I’m playing something melodic or harmonically sophisticated, I still want that pocket underneath it.”

 

“Night Wave” keeps the groove going with this wave of rhythm and horns that illuminate the choruses. Smith takes listeners on a downtempo ride aboard “Late Train Home” followed by the title track, which was the first single from the collection. “Velvet Vibe” was added to the SiriusXM Watercolors playlist in its debut week.

 

According to Smith, “Bringing the Heartbeat Brass Band horns into the title track was especially fun because they gave the song another layer of energy. The guitar and groove establish one atmosphere, and then the horns come in and give it punch and personality. That helped make ‘Velvet Vibe’ feel like the right centerpiece for the album.”

 

Smith adds layered vocal textures to the chorus of “Heavens’ Angel,” creating a gospel-influenced warmth to the track.

 

The two new songs added to Velvet Vibe are “Uptown Nights” and “Easy Flow.” The first bounces to the rubbery basslines dispensed by Juvinao while the second is bolstered by the firepower of the Heartbeat Brass Band horns.

 

Smith says, “‘Familiar Faces’ has a sense of recognition and connection to it. There are people who pass through your life, and sometimes just seeing a familiar face can bring back an entire period of memories.”

 

The mood chills on “Quiet Moment,” followed by “Horizon Lights,” a hybrid contemporary jazz/straight-ahead jazz outing set ablaze by Smith’s gregarious guitar parlance and Finkelstein’s elegant piano. The two musicians go all in on the straight-ahead style on the mellow closer “Once Upon A Dream,” taking the tempo down a notch via Juvinao’s walking acoustic basslines.

 

“‘Once Upon a Dream’ shows another side of me musically. I didn’t want Velvet Vibe to be confined to one narrow definition of jazz. My background and influences are broader than that, and I wanted the record to leave room for that part of my playing and writing,” explained the Baltimore-based Smith.

 

Since releasing his debut album Laid Back in 2002, Smith has built his brand upon the quality of his 12‑album catalog along with dynamic concert performances, international airplay, and worldwide streams. He’s also licensed music for placement in film and television. His pace of new releases, which used to span as long as four years between albums, accelerated after the pandemic; Velvet Vibe Deluxe Edition is his seventh set to drop in six years.

 

“I hope people can put on Velvet Vibe and find their own story in it. One person might hear a song and think about driving at night, another might think about someone they love, and somebody else might simply connect with the groove. That’s one of the things I love about instrumental music. I can give the listener the emotion and the atmosphere, but I don’t have to tell them exactly what the story is. They get to complete it themselves.”

 

Velvet Vibe Deluxe Edition contains the following songs:

 

“Breeze”

“Feel The Groove”

“Night Wave”

“Late Train Home”

“Velvet Vibe”

“Heavens’ Angel”

“Uptown Nights”

“Easy Flow”

“Familiar Faces”

“Quiet Moment”

“Horizon Lights”

“Once Upon A Dream”

 

 

Pre-save Velvet Vibe Deluxe Edition: Velvet Vibe in stores November 6 2026

 

For more information: https://ronnysmith.com

 

Rumba Flamenco Guitarist Jesse Cook Reveals New Album 'past the breakwater,' Launches Extensive 'Forever Live' Tour #jazz #music

Rumba flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook releases his new album, 'past the breakwater,' on September 18 through Coach House Music, distributed by Believe. The 10-track record follows two singles already circulating, "forever" and "you were looking north," out now, and lands alongside the Forever Live Tour, an extensive run of North American dates that carries Cook and his band well into 2027, with a marquee stop at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario this November.

Known for his singular fusion of flamenco, jazz, classical and world music, Cook leans further into his jazz roots on this project than ever before. He describes the intentions he carried into writing and recording the album: “As a music lover, there’s a category of music I have always listened to on rainy days, or late nights with friends. Albums like Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue and Round Midnight, Getz/Gilberto (Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto), Keith Jarrett’s Koln Concert. Albums you can put on and live in. Quiet albums. Albums that breathe.” Cook set out to build something from that same tradition, an album meant to be lived in rather than simply heard.

That instinct shaped the recordings themselves. “I wanted to leave more space in these recordings,” Cook explains. “So, some of these songs are just Spanish guitar and double bass. I wanted to be able to hear every note, every articulation.” The result strips his arrangements down to their essentials, giving each phrase room to resonate and each pause its own presence.

To find that kind of quiet, Cook recorded much of 'past the breakwater' in a cabin on a small, remote island in the lake country of the Canadian Shield, accessible only by boat. “The stillness there is protected by rows of ancient shoals,” he says. “Like prehistoric sentinels, a breakwater against the storms that lay beyond. Sometimes I need to get away from everything, so I can just get lost in the music.” The island retreat gives the album both its title and its unhurried, breathing quality.

A global artist in every sense, Cook redefines what Spanish guitar music can sound like to audiences far beyond its traditional borders. Born in Paris and raised in Toronto, he has spent the last three decades building a devoted following for his rumba flamenco sound, routinely selling out performance halls from London to Los Angeles and Milan to Montreal. His catalogue has now surpassed a billion streams and views across platforms, with combined lifetime streams and views standing at 1.164 billion as of March 2026, led by 425 million streams on Pandora, 175 million views across Instagram user generated content, 155 million YouTube views and 145 million Spotify streams. His following spans 661,000 Instagram followers, 307,000 YouTube subscribers and 299,000 monthly Spotify listeners, numbers that place him among the most streamed instrumental guitarists in the world.

Cook composed, arranged, produced, recorded and mixed 'past the breakwater' entirely himself, with mastering by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound. He is joined throughout by longtime collaborators Marito Marques on drums and percussion, Will Lamoureux on strings and violin, and Ross MacIntyre on double bass, with cellist Jill Sauerteig featured on "forever."

'past the breakwater,' track listing:

forever

you were looking north

past the breakwater

life in e minor

easton revisited

the secret shape of things

eleven unnecessary turns

floating on the silence

my beautiful exile

long shadows and small mercies

The Forever Live Tour begins the day after the album’s release and keeps Cook on the road for months, opening with an extensive run through Quebec this fall before heading into the northeastern United States and Ontario in November, then the American Southwest and West Coast in January and February, with additional dates in Florida and Georgia to follow in the spring. Cook will keep the tour going further into 2027 with additional dates across Canada and Europe.

Forever Live Tour dates:

September 19, Théâtre de Lac-Brome, Lac-Brome, QC

September 21, Grand Théâtre de Québec, Quebec City, QC

September 22, Théâtre de la Ville, Longueuil, QC

September 24, Salle Pauline-Julien, Sainte-Geneviève, QC

September 25, Théâtre Lionel-Groulx, Sainte-Thérèse, QC

September 26, Théâtre Hector-Charland, L'Assomption, QC

September 27, Théâtre Granada, Sherbrooke, QC

September 30, Espace Théâtre Muni-Spec, Mont-Laurier, QC

October 1, Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne, Terrebonne, QC

October 2, Théâtre du Casino Lac-Leamy, Gatineau, QC

October 3, Centre des Arts Juliette-Lassonde, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC

November 5, City Winery Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

November 6, Groton Hill Music Center, Groton, MA

November 7, HOPE Center for the Arts, Springfield, MA

November 8, Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, MA

November 10, The Kate, Old Saybrook, CT

November 11, Infinity Hall, Norfolk, CT

November 12, Narrows, Fall River, MA

November 13, Alder Hall at NY Society for Ethical Culture, New York, NY

November 14, Victoria Theatre at NJPAC, Newark, NJ

November 15, Sellersville Theatre, Sellersville, PA

November 17, Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD

November 18, Attucks Theatre, Norfolk, VA

November 19, Birchmere, Alexandria, VA

November 20, Hart Theatre at The Egg, Albany, NY

November 21, The Temple at Tellus 360, Lancaster, PA

November 22, Beston Hall, Pittsford (Rochester), NY

November 27, Casino Rama, Orillia, ON

January 14, Tower Theatre, Bend, OR

January 15, Newmark Theatre, Portland, OR

January 16, The Shedd, Jaqua Concert Hall, Eugene, OR

January 17, Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA

January 19, McCallum Theatre, Palm Desert, CA

January 20, Crest Theatre, Sacramento, CA

January 21, Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz, CA

January 22, Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA

January 23, Saban Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

January 25 and 26, Smith Center, Las Vegas, NV

January 27, Irvine Barclay Theatre, Irvine, CA

January 28, Magnolia, San Diego, CA

January 29, Mesa Arts Center, Ikeda Theater, Mesa, AZ

January 30, Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson, AZ

January 31, KiMo Theatre, Albuquerque, NM

February 1, The Lensic, Santa Fe, NM

February 3, Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO

 

Christian McBride & Ursa Major “Points of Light” October 30th #jazz #music

11x GRAMMY® Award-Winning
Christian McBride Announces Highly Anticipated Debut Album
From Newest Ensemble
Christian McBride & Ursa Major

Points of Light out October 30 via Mack Avenue Records
Produced by 8x GRAMMY® Nominated Terrace Martin

Ursa Major Is:
Saxophonist Nicole Glover, Guitarist Ely Perlman,
Pianist Mike King, and Drummer Savannah Harris

11x GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader Christian McBride announced Points of Light, the debut album from his newest ensemble Ursa Major. The group features an extraordinary lineup of next-generation jazz musicians: saxophonist Nicole Glover, guitarist Ely Perlman, pianist Mike King, and drummer Savannah Harris. Produced by Terrace Martin (Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock), Points of Light will be released on October 30 via Mack Avenue Records. Alongside the announcement, McBride has released his rendition of George Duke’s “No Rhyme, No Reason,” with incredible soundscapes and vocoder from Terrace Martin.

Over the years, Christian McBride has led a number of vibrant bands, each with its own singular identity — from the vintage acoustic jazz of Inside Straight and the boisterous swing of the Christian McBride Big Band to the classic rhythm section sound of the Christian McBride Trio, the experimental audacity of New Jawn, and his sweeping Civil Rights opus The Movement Revisited. But McBride found himself missing the anything-and-everything-goes freedom of a band that could weave together those multifarious strands. So in 2022, he began assembling the quintet that came to be known as Ursa Major, with that expansive vision in mind. “I had been itching to put together a new band, what I like to call a ‘hybrid band,’ for some time,” McBride explains. “I didn’t know at first what form that band would take, but I knew that it had to be a young band.”

The resulting quintet brings together drummer Savannah Harris, saxophonist Nicole Glover, guitarist Ely Perlman, and pianist Mike King — four young musicians McBride selected for their flexibility, fearlessness and individuality. Harris was recommended by a number of colleagues as someone who could bring the swing, funk and freedom McBride was looking for, while Glover came to his attention through the musicians’ grapevine as “one of the most heralded voices in jazz.” Perlman caught McBride’s ear at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass summer program, where he serves as Artistic Director, and King emerged as the unanimous recommendation of Harris and Glover when McBride asked them to suggest potential pianists.

Ursa Major’s debut album, Points of Light, captures the boundless spirit that has defined the band from the beginning. The title reflects the luminous individuality McBride sees in his bandmates. “I have four young stars here,” he recalls thinking. For the album’s sonic direction, McBride called in multi-instrumentalist, singer, rapper, and producer Terrace Martin, whose boundary-stretching approach bridges the band’s jazz foundation with McBride’s deep history across funk, soul, hip-hop, and pop. Martin captured the band’s live feel in the studio before adding a layer of studio wizardry alongside GRAMMY-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist Quintin Gulledge, incorporating synths, keyboards and vocoder without interfering with the sound, vibe and camaraderie the group had forged onstage. The album consists of original contributions from every member of the band, with the sole cover — George Duke’s 1992 single “No Rhyme, No Reason” — arising spontaneously from conversations in the control room.

“This album is basically an extension of what we’ve been doing live for the last four years,” McBride concludes. “It’s been fun to watch a band develop and grow and progress when everything is so wide open. They don’t say no to anything, which is a wonderful thing.”

Photo Credit: Evelyn Freja

Christian McBride & Ursa Major Tour Dates:

Sep. 12-13: San Francisco, CA – SFJAZZ – Miner Auditorium
Sep. 16-18: Tokyo, Japan – Blue Note Tokyo
Sep. 19: Takasaki, Japan – Takasaki City Theatre
Sep. 21: Kanazawa, Japan – Kanazawa Jazz Street Festival @ Akabana Concert Hall
Sep. 22: Noto, Japan – Ishikawa Nanao Art Museum – Art Hall
Sep. 24: Osaka, Japan – Billboard Live
Sep. 28-29: Athens, Greece – Gazarte
Sep. 30: Istanbul, Turkey – AKM İstanbul
Oct. 1-2: London, UK – Ronnie Scott’s
Oct. 4: Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg
Oct. 5: Heidelberg, Germany – Enjoy Jazz Festival
Oct. 6: Zurich, Switzerland – Moods
Oct. 7: Nancy, France – Nancy Jazz Pulsations
Oct. 21: Boston, MA – Berklee PAC
Oct. 22: Amherst, MA – Bowker Auditorium @ UMASS
Oct. 23-25: Richmond, VA – Modlin Jazz Fest
Oct. 26: Greensboro, NC – UNCG School of Music
Oct. 29: Athens, GA – UGA
Oct. 30: Palm Beach, FL – Glazer Hall

Follow Christian McBride:
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube