Featuring an expansive and acclaimed roster of artists, the Attucks Jazz Club monthly series kicks off on Saturday and is curated by jazz pianist John Toomey.
A favorite among local jazz fans, Toomey and his trio will perform with each featured guest; Toomey will also play with jazz bassist Jimmy Masters at each performance, held in the Attucks' top-floor ballroom.
Here's the lineup:
Saturday, Sept. 26. Mike Rodriguez (trumpet)
Michael Rodriguez is a Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and composer who has recorded with some of the most influential names in the genre, including Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Saturday, Oct. 24. Dani Assis (vocals)
A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory, Assis is an award-winning vocalist and rising star in jazz and Brazilian music. He won the 2024 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition, hosted by the Blues Alley Jazz Society in Washington, D.C.
Saturday, Nov. 14. Gabriela Allemana (vocals)
Gabi Allemana is a Brazilian-American vocalist from Chicago, completing her bachelor of music in Jazz Voice at Oberlin Conservatory. She is a 2022 YoungArts Silver Award recipient in Jazz Voice and has developed a following for infusing her composing and arranging with her Brazilian roots.
Saturday, Jan. 16. Sherman Irby (saxophone)
Sherman Irby is a composer and educator born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, who began playing saxophone at age 12. He has performed and recorded with noted jazz names, including Roy Hargrove, Marcus Roberts and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
Saturday, Feb. 6. Jason Palmer (trumpet)
Jason Palmer is recognized as one of the leading voices in contemporary jazz. In addition to his international career, Palmer serves on the faculty of Berklee College of Music, the New England Conservatory and previously taught at Harvard University.
Saturday, March 13. Tom Beckham (vibraphone)
Tom Beckham is a New York-based vibraphonist, composer and educator whose career spans more than three decades. He has released four albums. Beckham teaches vibraphone and improvisation at The New School and has presented masterclasses and clinics throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Jazz Club performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 per performance; visit vafest.org for tickets and more information.