“Joy and spirited musical communication” are what characterize the artistry of Alvester Garnett’s drumming. Singers such as late great legends Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter, to instrumentalists Wynton Marsalis, James Carter, Regina Carter, and Cyrus Chestnut have all called on Mr. Garnett for the energy and fire that he brings to the bandstand.

His first formal studies in the performing arts came at the age of four with tap dance lessons and from age 5 to 9 with the study of piano. Throughout middle school and into high school his most prominent musical studies came through his participation in various chamber choirs, madrigals and a show choir. He figured out the basic coordination of playing the drums from watching a music video of the pop band “The Police”, in which the drummer Stewart Copeland played a simple beat. After this, his mother heeded his requests to study percussion. At age 14, Mr. Garnett began the formal study of percussion.

Mr. Garnett’s first exposure to the true discipline of playing Jazz came at the age of 16. While still a junior in High School and participating in an All-County High School Jazz Band, Ellis Marsalis, introduced him to the names of Master Jazz Drummers. Mr. Marsalis advised him to obtain the recordings of Max Roach in particular and many others including “Papa” Jo Jones, “Philly” Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Billy Higgins, James Black, and Ed Blackwell

Cynthia Scott with Jeb Patton (Piano), Paul Beaudry (Bass), Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax (Drums), Patience Higgins (saxophone)

Cynthia Scott, an Arkansas-born vocalist, has spent three decades mesmerizing audiences worldwide with her versatile vocal artistry spanning jazz, blues, and beyond. Growing up as the daughter of a minister, she developed a keen ear for a good sermon, a quality that deeply informs her emotive singing style.

Her career took flight when Ray Charles handpicked her as a Raelette, marking the beginning of a transformative musical journey. Cynthia’s collaborations extended beyond Charles to include luminaries like David “Fathead” Newman, Harry Connick Jr., Randy Weston, Wynton Marsalis, Norman Simmons, Houston Person, and many others. This illustrious roster of collaborators cemented her status as a jazz luminary. Critics, including Howard Reich of The Washington Post, have hailed her as a “mesmerizing vocalist.”

In the late ’80s, Cynthia moved to New York City, feeling an immediate connection to the vibrant music scene. She has headlined renowned venues like Birdland, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, and Smoke Jazz Club, and embarked on numerous international tours. Her versatility shines through her performances at prestigious festivals in Europe, Japan, Russia, and Ukraine. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine deeply saddens her, as it denies people the solace and joy that music brings.

Joe Locke Trio with Pat Bianchi (organ), Byron Landham (drums)

Joe Locke is widely considered to be one of the major voices of his instrument. He has performed and recorded with a diverse range of notable musicians, including Grover Washington Jr, Raul Mido?n, Kenny Barron, Eddie Henderson, Cecil Taylor, Dianne Reeves, Eddie Palmieri, Ron Carter, The Beastie Boys, the Mu?nster Symphony Orchestra, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the Orchestra da Camera della Sardegna and the Lincoln, Nebraska Symphony.

Long known to be a soloist capable of stunning physical power and broad emotional range, it was not until the last decades that he emerged as the composer, bandleader and conceptualist that he is considered today. This is in no small part due to his solo projects since the beginning of the 2000s. Four Walls of Freedom, a six-movement suite based on the writing of the monk Thomas Merton, which he composed as a vehicle for tenor saxophonist Bob Berg, garnered high praise from the critical community as a major work and won several international polls. Live in Seattle, by The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group, won the 2006 EarShot award for “Concert of the Year”. This group is well loved and emulated by younger musicians looking for direction and inspiration. The overwhelming success of the quartet, Force of Four, can be attributed to the talents of his young cohorts and to the leader’s musical philosophy, which is to honour tradition while keeping both feet planted in the present and future. His 2011 album, the captivating, immersive album VIA, is the result of a reunion of Storms/Nocturnes, the transatlantic trio with Geoffrey Keezer and Tim Garland, about which Chick Corea said “This trio is unique, a chamber jazz form that truly sizzles with virtuosity and creativity. Tim, Geoff and Joe make an amazing trio”.