Claudia Acuña’s passionate, soaring singing has made her a favorite of audiences worldwide. Acuña immersed herself in the Chilean music community and early on, joined a movement of Latin American musicians shaping the jazz scene. During this time, she collaborated with Danilo Pérez, Guillermo Klein, Avishai Cohen, Branford Marsalis and George Benson among others. Acuña has released five albums of her own including Turning Pages, which earned a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Album. She tours and appears at festivals and renowned jazz venues, and recently performed for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. Whether putting her unique stamp on popular Latin American ballads or reimagining jazz standards from a South American perspective, Acuña stands out for her deeply personal style.

Internationally acclaimed trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire is one of the most vital musicians of his generation and a true leader in creative music. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music and won the Institute’s International Trumpet Competition. A graduate of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance, Akinmusire now serves as the program’s Artistic Director. His album, When the Heart Emerges Glistening, earned him the Grand Prix from France’s l’Academie du Jazz. A Doris Duke Artist and former Blue Note recording artist, Akinmusire has released seven albums of his own and appeared on dozens more, earning two GRAMMY nominations. His latest release, Owl Song, is a trio recording with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Herlin Riley.

Pianist, composer and music director John Beasley is a musical chameleon with an amazing track record. He has performed and recorded with a wide range of legendary artists including Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Dianne Reeves, Steely Dan, Queen Latifah, and Chaka Khan. Beasley has released 20 albums, garnering two GRAMMY awards and 13 nominations. As a first-call session musician and composer, Beasley can be heard in films and tv shows including Skyfall, Spectre, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Since International Jazz Day’s inauguration, Beasley has served as music director for the global gala concerts in cities around the world and at the White House concert hosted by President Obama, which earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Musical Direction for “Jazz at the White House.”

Saxophonist, arranger, composer and educator Lakecia Benjamin is an exciting artist who melds her love of earthy jazz and soulful R&B to create a unique and personal musical statement. Benjamin attended New York City’s LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and Performing Arts before studying at the New School for Jazz Contemporary Music with Reggie Workman, Buster Williams and Gary Bartz. She has performed with a wide array of artists including Missy Elliott, Clark Terry’s Young Titans of Jazz, Alicia Keys and David Murray. As an educator, she has worked with Jazz at Lincoln Center and Jazz House Kids. She has released three albums featuring guests including Regina Carter, Jazzmeia Horn, Me’Shell Ndegeocello and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Benjamin’s latest release, Phoenix, earned her three GRAMMY nominations.

Saxophonist, flautist, composer, arranger and educator TK Blue has appeared on more than 85 recordings and performed with such varied artists as Don Cherry, Abdullah Ibrahim, Miriam Makeba, Randy Weston, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Dewey Redman, Bobby McFerrin, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Arturo O’Farrill. Born Talib Kibwe, Blue grew up in the Bronx and studied trumpet at a young age. He participated in the Jazzmobile program, studying with Jimmy Heath, Thad Jones and Billy Taylor while also learning from neighborhood elders about avant-garde music. Blue has toured and recorded across a wide range of jazz and African styles and has released 11 albums of his own. As an educator, he has held positions at Montclair State University and Long Island College.

Richard Bona is a poignant singer and extraordinary bassist with a unique style situated at the crossroads of jazz, bossa nova, pop, Afrobeat, traditional song and funk. Growing up in Minta, Cameroon, Bona made his own reed flutes, balafon percussion instruments and 12-string guitars. He practiced up to 12 hours a day while also performing as a singer and multi-instrumentalist. An in-demand musical collaborator, he has worked with a remarkable array of artists including George Benson, Harry Connick, Jr., Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Romero Lubambo, Bobby McFerrin, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and Chucho Valdés. Bona’s most recent release, Heritage, explores the West African roots of Afro-Cuban music with his stellar Mandekan Cubano ensemble.

Dee Dee Bridgewater’s exuberance, creativity, undeniable confidence and joyous spirit have earned her a place as one of the premier vocalists in jazz. Early in her career, Bridgewater spent two years as lead vocalist for the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, followed by two years as Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway production of The Wiz, for which she received a Tony Award. Her subsequent portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Day won her a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress. Bridgewater received Horace Silver’s blessing to record an album of his music with vocals. The resulting Peace and Love brought her worldwide attention. A Doris Duke Artist, Bridgewater won her third GRAMMY for Eleanora Fagan (1917-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee.

Billy Childs is a six-time GRAMMY Award-winning pianist and composer whose music seamlessly blends his influences of jazz, neoclassical Western music and progressive rock. Childs began his career touring with Freddie Hubbard before recording as a solo artist. As his career as a jazz pianist blossomed, he started receiving offers to compose for classical ensembles. Childs has been commissioned to write music for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Kronos Quartet, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and The Dorian Wind Quintet. The Winds of Change, his recent release featuring Ambrose Akinmusire, Scott Colley and Brian Blade, received a GRAMMY for Best Jazz Instrumental album. A Doris Duke Artist, Childs serves as Composition Artist-in-Residence at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA.

Renowned Mozambican jazz artist Moreira Chonguiça is celebrated globally for his innovative compositions and performances. Recently honored as a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Government, his eight award-winning albums showcase his East African roots merged with international influences. Inspired by jazz legends like Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, Hugh Masekela and Manu Dibango, Chonguiça’s dynamic saxophone skills and passionate stage presence have captivated audiences worldwide. Beyond music, he dedicates himself to enriching and promoting Mozambican culture through initiatives like the Morejazz Series jazz festival and the Moreira Chonguiça Foundation. His latest release, Sounds of Peace, melds traditional Mozambican music with jazz and has earned him accolades around the world.

Shemekia Copeland is an award-winning vocalist who has grown to become one of the most talented and passionately candid artists on today’s roots music scene. Born in Harlem, Copeland gave her first public performance at age 10. By 18, she had released her first album. Copeland has performed worldwide at clubs, festivals, concert halls and the White House. She has also been featured in films, on national television and on National Public Radio. Copeland has shared the stage with renowned artists including Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana and Dr. John and has opened for The Rolling Stones. Her latest album, Done Come Too Far, cements her place as one of the greatest blues singers in the world today.

Dar Gnawa is a cultural center in Tangier created to celebrate Gnawa music and encourage intercultural collaborations and is also synonymous with the Dar Gnawa musical group. The musicians of Dar Gnawa are considered healer musicians who perform ceremonial events and have also toured the world representing Gnawa culture. They have collaborated with artists including Randy Weston, Archie Shepp, Johnny “Clyde” Copeland and Les Barbarins Fourchus. The group received a GRAMMY Award for Best World Music Album for their debut, The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco, a recorded that brought together the old Gnawa masters, known as M’Alems. Their latest album is a collaboration with Shepp entitled Kindred Spirits, Volume 1 (Live).

Mandisi Dyantyis is versatile composer, arranger and producer who unites the jazz idiom with Western classical and African indigenous music. Born and raised in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Dyantyis grew up singing in church and began playing the trumpet at age 8. He attended the University of Cape Town, where he joined the school’s big band. Since that time, Dyantyis has performed with some of South Africa’s top musicians, including Jimmy Dludlu, the Abdullah Ibrahim Big Band, Robbie Jansen, Max Vidima and Moreira Chonguiça. Dyantyis serves as Musical Director for the theatre company Isango Ensemble. With his latest release, Cwaka, he continues his unique journey to unite musical and cultural styles.

Abdellah El Gourd is a world-renowned master of Gnawa music. He was born in Tangier and grew up studying Gnawa music, eventually mastering the 243 Gnawa songs of the local repertoire along with the ritual practice that accompanies each piece. El Gourd has collaborated throughout the years with jazz artists including Randy Weston and Archie Shepp, along with German avant-garde rock group Dissidenten. El Gourd and Weston worked together for many years to develop, record and tour new ways to combine jazz with traditional African rhythms. He is also the founder of Dar Gnawa, a cultural center in Tangier that celebrates Gnawa music and encourages intercultural collaborations.

Kurt Elling combines his extraordinary vocal talents with his bandleading, composing and arranging to produce a sound that has been thrilling audiences for more than two decades. Elling developed his idiosyncratic scat style in the clubs of Chicago, sharing the stage with the renowned Von Freeman and Ed Peterson. He signed with Blue Note in 1995 and went on to release six Blue Note albums, all of which have been GRAMMY nominated and critically acclaimed. He won the 2010 GRAMMY Award for Best Vocal Jazz Album for his Concord release Dedicated to You. Elling was named top male vocalist in the DownBeat Critics Poll for 13 consecutive years. His most recent effort is Secrets are the Best Stories, a duet album featuring Danilo Pérez.

Antonio Faraò of Rome, Italy is a pianist of uncommon skill and unbridled creativity. With a career extending over 35 years, Faraò has established himself as one of the most respected jazz pianists on the international scene. His style is unique, displaying flawless technical proficiency and remarkable rhythmic skills. Faraò received the first-place award in the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition in Paris and has collaborated with world-class musicians including Joe Lovano, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Marcus Miller, Charles Tolliver, Toots Thielemans and Christian McBride. Faraò is currently part of the “McCoy Tyner Legends” project, where he pays a tribute to the legendary pianist and shares the stage with world-class jazz musicians including Chico Freeman, Steve Turre, Avery Sharpe and Ronnie Burrage.

Melody Gardot is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has gained international recognition for her unique blend of jazz, blues, and pop music. In 2006, she released her debut album, Worrisome Heart, which received critical acclaim and helped establish her as a rising talent in the jazz world. Gardot’s music is characterized by her sultry vocals, introspective lyrics, and emotive performances. In addition to her music, Gardot is an advocate for social causes including disability rights and environmental conservation. She has been recognized for her work with numerous awards and honors, and remains one of the most innovative and compelling voices in contemporary jazz. Gardot’s latest release is a duet album with Brazilian pianist Philipe Powell titled Entre Eux Deux.

James Genus is one of the top bass players on the jazz scene and one of the rare few who can apply his masterful artistry to both the upright and the electric bass. Born in Hampton, Virginia, Genus began playing guitar at age six and switched to bass at age 13. His first professional experience was with the Blue Note band, Out of the Blue. Since then, Genus has performed and recorded with dozens of major jazz artists including Herbie Hancock, Anita Baker, Chick Corea, Horace Silver, Branford Marsalis, Greg Osby and Vanessa Williams. Genus presents bass clinics around the world and is a member of the Saturday Night Live Band. He can be heard on the GRAMMY Award-winning Daft Punk album Random Access Memories.

GRAMMY-winning drummer Terreon Gully is widely recognized for his creativity, versatility and authenticity. His innovative and distinct sound has made him the drummer of choice for such artists as Dianne Reeves, Sting, Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lauryn Hill, Stefon Harris and John Beasley’s Monk’estra. Gully is also known for his exceptional work in the studio, producing and recording for films and commercials. Committed to education and inspiring the next generation of musicians, Gully served as a Professor of Music at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada and has presented clinics and master classes all over the world. His latest release, Tanktified, is his debut solo recording and highlights his unique compositional and bandleading prowess.

World-renowned pianist and composer Herbie Hancock is one of the most innovative and influential musicians of our time. A modern music icon, he has shaped the direction of jazz, fusion, funk and hip-hop for more than six decades. From his recordings with the legendary Miles Davis Quintet to his solo jazz albums and pioneering music incorporating multiple genres, Hancock has always been on the cutting edge. He has earned 14 GRAMMY Awards including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters, and an Academy Award for his score for the film Round Midnight. A Kennedy Center honoree, Hancock serves as Creative Director for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue. He is the Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and a Distinguished Professor at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA.

Vocalist Jazzmeia Horn is defining a new wave of jazz. Her singing and songwriting are infused with socially-conscious themes and musical adventure. Growing up in Dallas, Horn attended the famed Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts before moving to New York to study at the New School for Jazz Contemporary Music. Soon after, she began performing with Winard Harper, Junior Mance, Delfeayo Marsalis and Frank Wess. Horn won first place honors in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Vocal Competition. Her debut album, A Social Call, received a GRAMMY nomination, and she earned a second GRAMMY nomination for her follow-up album, Love & Liberation. Horn’s latest release, Dear Love, includes her big band, Noble Force.

Jeremy Irons is one of the most celebrated actors of our time and one of the few to have earned an Academy Award, a Tony Award, three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Throughout his career, Irons has appeared in hundreds of film, television and theatre productions. As a film actor, he starred in Reversal of Fortune, for which he received an Academy Award, along with M. Butterfly, Merchant of Venice and numerous other now classic films. Among his dozens of television appearances, Irons has been featured in Brideshead Revisited, Elizabeth I, The Mission, The Borgias and Watchmen. His theatre performances include Never So Good, The Gods Weep and The Real Thing, for which he received a Tony Award. In addition to his acting work, Irons previously served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist, arranger, composer, orchestrator and multi-instrumentalist Johnaye Kendrick possesses a warm and inviting tone that brings listeners into her own unique musical realm. A graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, Kendrick is an artist who performs her own dynamic original compositions as well as providing fresh interpretations of beloved jazz and contemporary works. She founded the johnygirl record label and released two albums of her own, HERE and FLYING. Throughout the course of her career, she has received two GRAMMY nominations and a GRAMMY award in the category of Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for her arrangement of “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” written alongside her vocal group säje and Jacob Collier. Kendrick is also an educator who serves as Professor of Music at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

Jongkuk Kim is a drummer, composer and electronic musician from Incheon, Republic of Korea who has become an integral voice in the contemporary jazz and improvised music scene in his home city and a rising star in the worldwide jazz community. Equally virtuosic playing acoustic jazz, boundary-stretching electronic music or forward-thinking rock, he has collaborated with such original sonic thinkers as Aaron Parks, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dayna Stephens, Eric Nam, So!YoON!, megastar K-pop band BTS, and RM of BTS. Kim’s innovative approach to music – combining influences from different cultures, including Korean culture, with a deep knowledge of wide-ranging musical genres – has led him to become one of the leading voices of his generation.

Rhani Krija is a percussionist whose vast knowledge of music from around the world has made him a highly sought-after collaborator for some of the biggest names in music. Born in Essaouira, Morocco, the heart of the Gnawa culture, Krija grew up listening to traditional musical styles from North Africa. He is known for his ability to play authentic Andalusian, Arabic, African and Latin rhythms. Krija has toured and performed with internationally celebrated artists including Sting, Herbie Hancock, Placido Domingo, Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox and Prince. Additionally, he has appeared with the WDR Orchestra and the Royal Symphony Orchestra of London. Krija is also an educator and has released online workshops for aspiring percussionists.

Acclaimed saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Femi Kuti is dedicated to raising awareness of critical social and political issues through his music. The son of famed Afro-beat pioneer Fela Kuti, he grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. At age 15, Kuti began playing saxophone in his father’s band, Egypt 80. He went on to form his own band, Positive Force, and in 1995 released his first self-titled album, which showcased his percussive blend of jazz and funk. Kuti’s second album, Shoki Shoki, garnered widespread acclaim and won him legions of fans worldwide. Kuti has collaborated with Common and Mos Def, and toured Europe with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His 10 solo releases have garnered six GRAMMY nominations. Kuti’s latest release is Stop the Hate, a double album with his son, Made Kuti.

Guitarist, banjo player, tresero and composer Román Lajara is a unique and exciting voice in the modern music world. Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Lajara grew up with a passion for all genres of music but a special love for jazz and Latin music. After broadening his musical horizons studying in France and Brazil, he traveled to New York where he began playing with Richard Bona, Luisito Quintero, Paquito D’Rivera and John Benitez among others. His skill on guitar, banjo and tres, a Cuban folk instrument with three strings, have made him an in-demand musicians for artists in many genres. He received a Grammy and Latin Grammy nomination for his performances on Doug Beavers’ Titanes Del Trombon.

Magnus Lindgren is a highly respected multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer and conductor. He performs on tenor saxophone, flute and clarinet, and has written countless arrangements and compositions for big band and symphonic orchestras. At age 18, Lindgren performed with his role model, Herbie Hancock, at the Stockholm Jazz Festival. Soon after, he received the Jazz in Sweden Award, a Swedish music prize that enabled him to record his debut album, Way Out. Lindgren’s has toured internationally with his quartet, winning first prize at the Getxo International Jazz Festival. He performed as a soloist and with his quartet at the 2003 Nobel Prize Banquet and conducted the Stockholm Sinfonietta. This prestigious event, the first to feature a jazz musician, was broadcast live to millions of viewers worldwide.

Guitarist Romero Lubambo has been called “the best practitioner of his craft in the world today.” A gifted soloist and musical improviser, his playing unites styles and rhythms of his native Brazil with the American jazz tradition to form a distinctive sound. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Lubambo quickly established himself as a leading session and touring guitarist. He has performed and recorded with Michael Brecker, Paquito D’Rivera, Diana Krall, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Luciana Souza and Billie Eilish. Lubambo is an unpredictably creative composer and performer on his own critically-acclaimed recording projects and on those of Trio da Paz, a Brazilian jazz trio he formed with Nilson Matta and Duduka da Fonseca.

Marcus Miller is one of the most influential artists of our time, appearing on more than 500 albums during his decades on the scene as a performer, composer, producer, arranger and humanitarian. A virtuoso on multiple instruments, Miller is best known for his unmistakable style on the electric bass. He has brought his distinctive sound to collaborations with Herbie Hancock, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, LL Cool J and Frank Sinatra, among many others. As a member of the Miles Davis group following the jazz legend’s return from retirement, Miller’s contributions as a bassist, composer and producer defined Davis’ style throughout the 1980s. A two-time GRAMMY Award winner, Miller works tirelessly as a UNESCO Artist for Peace to raise awareness of global impacts of the transatlantic slave trade.

Yasushi Nakamura is a charismatic bassist whose guitar-like precision and gut-level blues have earned him praise from some of today’s leading artists. With his energetic stage presence and artful, hard-swinging melodic touch, he has captivated fans around the world. Born in Tokyo, he received his bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from the Berklee College of Music and was later awarded a full scholarship to The Juilliard School for his Artist Diploma. Since then, he has performed and recorded with an incredible array of artists including Wynton Marsalis, Hank Jones, Dave Douglas, Carl Allen, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Joe Lovano and Cécile McLorin Salvant. Nakamura’s latest release, Hometown, received JazzLife’s Album of the Year award.

Philippe Powell is an exciting pianist and composer who blends Brazilian and European influences to create a highly personal and heartfelt musical statement. Powell began playing piano at age seven under the tutelage of his father, legendary Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell. He developed an early love for Brazilian music as well as poetry, which would later serve as an inspiration for his songwriting. Powell studied at the Conservatorio Brasileiro de Musica in Rio de Janeiro and the Ecole Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot in Paris. He was a finalist in the 2005 Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition. Powell has released eight albums, including collaborations with Argentinian guitarist Cecilia Zabala and the Brazilian group Ludere. His latest release, Entre Eux Deux, is a critically-acclaimed duo recording with vocalist Melody Gardot.

Sharp Radway is an in-demand pianist, composer and arranger who has lent his talents to an incredible array of jazz artists. Radway grew up playing saxophone, drums and piano in church. He has performed and recorded with Benny Golson, Yusef Lateef, Red Holloway, Slide Hampton, Nicholas Payton, Fred Wesley, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Winard Harper among other and was a protégé of pianist Randy Weston. He served as the music director, pianist and arranger for the Celebration of Lionel Hampton Big Band. Radway also performed in the film “Cadillac Records” and in the off-Browadway play “The Connection.” He has presented lectures and seminars based on his book “Musicianship 101 (What They Don’t Tell You In School).” His latest release is entitled Black Woman (A Conversation).

Embracing his love for a vast variety of stylistic genres, two-time GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist Troy Roberts is quickly becoming one of the most widely recorded touring artists in jazz today. Born in Perth, Australia, Roberts attended the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and graduated with a bachelor’s degree at age 19. He later attended the University of Miami, where he received a master’s degree and continued on to join the faculty. Roberts has since performed with artists including Van Morrison, Joey DeFrancesco, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Kurt Elling and Veronica Swift. He has released 16 albums of his own and with his fusion group Nu-Jive. Roberts’ latest album, Green Lights, features guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Jimmy Macbride.

Antonio Serrano of Madrid is a virtuoso considered one of the greatest harmonica players of all time. At age 13, he performed a concert at the United Nations alongside his teacher, master harmonica player Larry Adler. As his career advanced, Serrano performed harmonica in jazz, classical and flamenco settings. He has performed with orchestras around the world and with Wynton Marsalis, Toots Thielemans, Chaka Khan and Placido Domingo. Serrano has also performed extensively with Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía. His latest album is a collaboration with pianist Daniel Oyarzabal and bassist Pablo Martin Caminero titled Bach & BACH, in which Serrano performs Bach compositions using the harmonica in place of the violin and brings jazz improvisation into a classical music context.

Jaleel Shaw is an alto and soprano saxophonist and composer who is a powerful voice in jazz. He has performed with many of the world’s greatest jazz artists, including Roy Haynes, Dave Holland, Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Shaw received his bachelor’s degree from the Berklee College of Music and his master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he now serves as a professor. He has been named Rising Star on Alto Saxophone by DownBeat magazine, appeared on dozens of recordings by major jazz artists, and released four albums of his own. Shaw’s latest release is Echoes, a solo saxophone recording made during the pandemic. Echoes was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress collection of pandemic-related art. Recently, Shaw was featured in the “60 Minutes” segment on Gnawa music.

Jahari Stampley is a Chicago-born pianist who began playing the piano at age 14. Within two years of exploring the instrument, he began winning competitions including Best High School Jazz Soloist Award and the National YoungArts Competition. Stampley has toured with Stanley Clarke and is featured on Derrick Hodge’s Color of Noise album. He is also the band leader and featured pianist playing the part of Bill Withers’ keyboardist in the feature film Spinning Gold. Stampley won first place in the 2023 Herbie Hancock Institute International Competition. He was named 2023 Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz and won the 2023 Chicago Youth Symphony Alumni Award, becoming the first non-classical musician to receive this honor. Stampley also received the 2023 Luminarts Fellowship for his debut album, Still Listening.

One of the most heralded blues musicians in the world today, Joe Louis Walker is a brilliantly lyrical guitarist, soulful singer and prolific songwriter. A Blues Hall of Fame inductee and six-time Blues Music Award winner, he has been described by NPR as “a legendary, boundary-pushing icon of modern blues.” Walker’s release, Everyone Wants a Piece, was nominated for the Contemporary Blues GRAMMY. He performed a duet with B.B. King on King’s GRAMMY Award-winning album Blues Summit and played guitar on James Cotton’s GRAMMY-winning Deep in the Blues. Walker has toured extensively throughout his career, appeared on “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” and the UK’s “Later With Jools Holland” and earned a legion of dedicated fans along the way.

Beirut-born Tarek Yamani is a pianist, composer and educator who taught himself jazz at age 19. He received the grand prize at the 2010 Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Composers Competition and has performed in venues worldwide including the Smithsonian Institution, Lincoln Center, Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, and United Nations General Assembly Hall. His work explores the relationships between African-American jazz and classical Arabic music. This is most evident in his second album, Lisan Al Tarab: Jazz Conceptions in Classical Arabic, and his latest release, Peninsular, which fuses jazz with quarter-tones and rhythms of the Arabian Peninsula. Yamani’s work combining, adapting and transforming jazz and Khaleeji musics has been called “trailblazing” by CNN. TSF Jazz describes his output as “a world-jazz heard nowhere else.”