Tamir Hendelman 6/27-7/3
Pianist Tamir Hendelman and vocalist Tierney Sutton’s CD Spring honors the season that Tierney views as a metaphor for hope and renewal, a perfect focus for our unsettling times.
Tamir and Tierney have enjoyed a long musical partnership, and creating Spring was an opportunity to celebrate their collaboration and enjoy the creative freedom and flexibility a duo affords.
I talked to Tamir Hendelman from Tierney’s alma mater, Wesleyan University, before their teaching activities that day and their performance that night.
Thomas Manuel 7/4-10
Jazz historian, music educator, and trumpet player Thomas Manuel is a man with a mission, or more accurately, a man with many missions. In this day when raising funds for sophisticated art is more challenging than ever, when jazz is often misunderstood, and when those who present music often hire tribute acts as an easy way to name-recognition, instead of investing in great musicians and helping them build an audience, Thomas not only plays the music, he’s created multiple outlets to hire others to do the same and works tirelessly to create programs that educate and entice others to love jazz and appreciate its place in American culture.
Thomas opened The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook, NY, in 2016 as a museum and performance space, bringing together Thomas’ passion for jazz performance, jazz preservation and jazz education in celebration of the past, present, and future
Tom Gold 7/11-17
I first experienced the artistry of ballet dancer/choreographer, Tom Gold at the premiere of his French Cinema-inspired piece, Le Voyage in April 2025 in Manhattan. Although Tom was a twenty-one year member of New York City Ballet and the founder/director of his own company since 2008, I was new to his work. Imagine my delight when the music accompanying the dancing was jazz performed by vocalist Olivia Chindamo, pianist Matthew Sheens with bassist Marty Jaffe.
Tom Gold is a life-long jazz lover and feels the improvisational aspect and rhythmic feel of jazz have always touched something deep inside him and influenced his approach to dance and life.
Allegra Levy 7/18-24
I discovered jazz singer/songwriter Allegra Levy through her delightful, very hip, children’s CD, Songs for You and Me and went on to learn what others had known for years about this award-winning vocalist: that she is one of the most interesting, swinging, heartfelt young talents on the scene today. Allegra was named a Top 10 Rising Star among jazz vocalists in DownBeat’s 2021 Critics’ Poll.
After banishing her husband, dog and two-year-old from the room, Allegra discussed the joys and challenges of a jazz life with me from her home in Manhattan in May 2023.