Live Jazz in New York

Yayoi Ikawa (pianist/keyboardist/composer/arranger/educator) “Yayoi is a wonder that comes along very rarely in each generation. A big intellect, with a big emotional spectrum, and totally unique sound... She can do anything she thinks or feels" — Gil Goldstein (arranger/pianist) I cry in music so that people don't have to cry alone. Born in Tokyo but raised musically in New York, Yayoi Ikawa is an experience in ingenuity and compassion. The open-minded attitude that New York City nurtured in her has brought her music to the world — not only touring with her New York colleagues, but creating collaboration projects with local musicians across five continents. As a pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger, educator and bandleader, Yayoi has worked with legendary artists including Reggie Workman, Michael Carvin, Howard Johnson, Craig Harris, Lonnie Plaxico, Emeline Michel, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Tyshawn Sorey, Carla Cook, Ansel Cridland of The Meditations and interdisciplinary artist Carrie Mae Weems. After recording her straight ahead jazz piano trio Angel Eyes (Nippon Crown, 2004) and self-producing Color of Dreams (2005) — featuring Tyshawn Sorey on drums — Yayoi toured with the album in Japan and Italy. In 2008, Yayoi launched The Bridge Project to create musical dialogue between New York and international musicians in experimental environments. The project has since toured Costa Rica (2009, U.S. Embassy sponsorship), Martinique (2018, Piano Kon Sa Ka Ekri festival), and Guadeloupe (Première Rencontre Autour du Piano). In 2019, her ensemble featuring Haitian vocalist Emeline Michel performed at Sakura Matsuri in Brooklyn Botanical Garden. During 2020–21, she served as assistant producer and host for "Love Letter from NY," a streaming concert series featuring New York's finest jazz pianists that aired in the USA and Japan. In 2021, Yayoi appeared on the soundtrack of the acclaimed film Judas and the Black Messiah, alongside Craig Harris and composer Mark Isham. In 2023, Yayoi performed at the KZN International Jazz Festival in Durban, South Africa, sharing the stage with Richard Bona, which led to a successful nationwide trio tour with South African musicians. That same year, she was featured at the UNESCO International Jazz Day concert in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. She was also invited to the International Women's Day celebration in Cotonou, Benin, where she performed and mentored young female artists from Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, and South Africa alongside her collaborator and master percussionist Jah Baba. Her current Bridge Project is in Cuba, where she made many friends during research trips in 2024. Her ensembles have performed at Romerías de Mayo in Holguín, Festival Caribe in Santiago de Cuba, and Casa Vitier García Marruz in Havana. In 2024, Yayoi appeared on Radiance, the critically acclaimed album by master bassist Lonnie Plaxico. As a composer and arranger, Yayoi has received commissions from the Modern Music Society of Tokyo and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. While pursuing her master's degree at NYU, her orchestral work for film premiered at Lincoln Center in 2007. As a leader and sideman, Yayoi has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Kennedy Center, Blue Note New York, and has appeared at international festivals including the Montreal Jazz Festival and the KZN International Jazz Festival in South Africa. Yayoi studied piano with Gerald D'Angelo, LeeAnn Ledgerwood, and Geri Allen at The New School University, graduating with a scholarship. At New York University, she studied piano with Vijay Iyer and Jean-Michel Pilc, and composition with Gil Goldstein and Ira Newborn. She also holds a bachelor's degree in International Studies from International Christian University in Tokyo. Yayoi has served as Music Director at First Baptist Church in Piscataway, NJ, and has taught jazz piano at City College of New York and Brooklyn College. www.yayoiikawa.net

Adam Birnbaum is emerging as one of the top young voices in jazz piano. Since receiving a graduate Artist’s Diploma in jazz studies from The Julliard School in 2003, he has become a presence on the New York City scene as a leader and sideman, performing in such venues as the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Jazz Standard and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. He has also performed on many national and world stages, including the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Montreal Jazz Festival, The Spoleto Festival, The Red Sea Jazz Festival, The Rockport Chamber Festival, NPR Jazz Christmas, and the Capetown Jazz Festival. As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from Swing Journal as one of the top albums of 2006. Adam’s U.S. debut Travels, released in 2009 under the Smalls record label, received enthusiastic reviews in Allmusic.com, All About Jazz and JazzTimes. Birnbaum’s recent release Three of A Mind, featuring bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Al Foster, was hailed as “an eloquent dispatch from the heart of the contemporary piano trio tradition” by the New York Times, and received an Editor’s Pick and four star review in Downbeat magazine.

Greg Abate jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer continues as an International Jazz/Recording Artist with 225 days a year touring the globe. In the mid 70’s after finishing a four year program at Berklee College Of Music, Greg played lead alto for the Ray Charles Orchestra for 2 years. In 1978 Greg formed his group Channel One which was a favorite in the New England area and from there had the opportunity to play tenor sax with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra under leadership of Dick Johnson from 1986 to ’87. Following this experience Greg ventured out as post hard bop soloist playing Jazz Festivals, Jazz Societies and Jazz Clubs throughout the U.S. Canada and abroad, including most of Europe, UK, and Moscow and Georgia Russia. Greg’s newest release Gratitude, with the Tim Ray Trio has received glowing reviews and a lot of international airplay. Also, check out Greg's other recordings including special guests Phil Woods and other notable artists. Greg is currently a Whaling City Sound recording artist. Greg recorded his first CD Live At Birdland NYC in 1991 on the Candid Jazz Label with the trio of James Williams, Rufus Reid and Kenny Washington. To this date Greg has recorded over 17 other recordings as leader. Greg is also an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College and is also a very active jazz clinician with co. sponsorship from the Conn-Selmer Instrument Co., conducting workshops and master classes through the U.S and abroad. Greg has been inducted into the RI MUSIC HALL OF FAME 2016

About Erena Terakubo is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, flutist, composer, and educator from Sapporo, Japan. Known for her expressive artistry and technical mastery, she has performed worldwide with leading jazz artists including Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Jon Faddis, and Christian McBride. She launched her career in high school with her debut album North Bird, which topped the Japanese jazz charts and earned a Gold Disc award from Swing Journal. Since then, she has released multiple albums and performed at premier venues including Blue Note New York and Kennedy Center. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and Manhattan School of Music, she joined Michigan State University in 2025 as Assistant Professor of Jazz Saxophone.

SCOTT WENDHOLT Born in the mid sixties and nurtured in the Mile High City (Denver), this young veteran left for Indiana University and subsequently moved on to Cincinnati, Ohio. Still feeling a pull from farther East, he, like so many other musicians, migrated to New York City and has remained ever since. Mr. Wendholt is a much in demand artist and has found himself in a variety of settings. He has recorded and/or worked extensively with artists including Kenny Garrett, Cyrus Chestnut, Christian McBride, Don Braden and Bruce Barth. For nearly 7 years, Scott found a home with Vincent Herring's quintet. This highly acclaimedband has recorded three albums, including Folklore-Live At The Village Vanguard. He has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Africa and Japan with these bands as well as others. To his credit, Scott has been recorded on more than 120 CD's. However, he is recognized as a leader as well. His second recording for the Doubletime Jazz labelwas released in the spring of 2000, following three successful Scott Wendholt offerings on Criss Cross. This CD has received much favorable press including a 4 star review in Downbeat. Look for his most recent release with a new quartet he co leads with Adam Kolker on tenor saxophone. The recording features Victor Lewis ondrums and Ugonna Okegwo on bass in a "chord-less" quartet setting with all new music. (Fresh Sound) The "Big Band Scene" has also sought out this trumpeter for his versatility and formidable abilities. His list of credits include: The Carnegie Hall Big Band (led by Jon Faddis), Maria Schneider’s Big Band, the Bob Mintzer Big Band and Toshiko Akiyoshi’s big and. He currently has the honor of being included in the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (formerly Thad Jones/Mel Lewis) where he has been a featured soloist for more than 20 years. Mr. Wendholt continues to be in demand on the playing scene as well as in the educational arena. Scott is currently on the faculty at Manhattan School of Music andthe Jamey Aebersold summer jazz camps and is in demand as a player/clinician in many colleges and various other learning institutions around the world. ADAM KOLKER Adam Kolker is a multi-talented performer, composer and arranger. He performed and recorded with latin-jazz artist Ray Barretto from 1994 through 2002 (with whom he received two GRAMMY nominations). He also appears in New York City with groups including the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Fred Hersch’s “My Coma Dreams,” the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Bruce Barth, Judi Silvano, Lucia Pulido, and his own groups with John Abercombie and Billy Hart. He has recorded with Bruce Barth, John Hébert, Marty Ehrlich, The Story, Allan Chase, Bobby Previte, Gunther Schuller, Bruce Saunders, Frank Carlberg, among others. Upcoming releases include a CD with a cooperatively-led quartet with Scott Wendholt, Ugonna Okegwo and Victor Lewis, and with Yard Byard, a quintet dedicated to performing the music of Jaki Byard. Adam is also a member of the Brooklyn Jazz Underground, and was a full time Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst from 1999-2008. Kolker’s first release as a leader, “Crazybird”, on A Records (with Tim Hagans, Kevin Hays, Jeff Ballard and Doug Weiss), reached the Top Ten on the CMJ Charts, and received critical acclaim from such publications as Jazz Times, JazzIz and the Village Voice. Other CDs include “Sultanic Verses” (Satchmo Jazz Records) with Bruce Barth, Billy Hart, Ray Barretto and John Hébert, “Change Of Time” (OmniTone Records) a trio with Russ Lossing and John Hébert, and “Mikrokosmos” (OmniTone Records) based on music by Bela Bartok on which received 4 1/2 stars in Downbeat Magazine and was voted one of the Top CD’s of the Decade. “Meditacions” (Satchmo Jazz Records) co-led with Catalan drummer Xavi Maureta, received the award for “Best Modern Jazz CD” from the Catalan Jazz Society in 2002, and Kolker’s “Flag Day,” (Sunnyside) with John Abercrombie, John Hébert and Paul Motian, received critical acclaim from media including including New York Times, Jazz Times, Stereophile, and Downbeat. In May 2011, Kolker released “Reflections” (Sunnyside), with John Abercrombie, John Hébert, Russ Lossing, Billy Mintz, Judi Silvano and Kay Matsukawa.

The Ari and Cecil Alexander Quartet Ari and Cecil Alexander’s decade long musical collaboration has been brought to stages across the world such as the Lincoln Center and the Copenhagen jazz festival. A finalist in the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition, Cecil has been hailed by Jazz Guitar Today as “carrying the torch into the future,” and by Jazzwise as “a superb guitarist in the bop tradition, with bags of taste, swing and chops.” Holding a Scandinavian sensitivity to an American tradition, Danish-American Ari Alexander is as equally a jazz musician as she is a singer-songwriter. She was inspired to pursue jazz by her vibrant musical family, including her grandmother and great-aunt, jazz vocalist Teddi King. Aarhus Jazz Festival described her 2025 performance as following: "Ari treats every note with great imagination, and especially her mastery and playful use of scat singing sets her apart from other jazz vocalists. Together, Ari and Cecil anchor a quartet and duo sound that is intimate, dynamic, and rhythmically alive. Their forthcoming album Kaleidoscope is set for release in June 2026, and it features acrobatic, energetic originals penned by Ari and Cecil as well as reconstructions of the Great American Songbook.

Austin Ford is a Jazz trumpet player from Portland, Oregon currently based in New York City. In 2017, he moved to Denton, Texas where he got his undergrad from the University of North Texas. While there, he was a two-year member, arranger, and composer for the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. He has had the opportunity to perform with world-renowned artists such as Maria Schneider, Gary Smulyan, Regina Carter, Tom Harrell, and Jason “JT” Thomas of Snarky Puppy. In Texas, Austin also recorded his debut album “Launchpad”. It is available on all streaming platforms as well as here on this website. Austin now holds a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music where he studied under the tutelage of Ingrid Jensen, Jon Faddis, Scott Wendholt, and others. He regularly performs around the city at various venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, and on Broadway at the musical “Just in Time”. In the past few years, Austin has received several prestigious accolades. Most notably, he is the winner of the 2025 ITG Carmine Caruso International Trumpet Competition. He also placed second in the 2021 ITG Ryan Anthony Memorial Trumpet Competition, and won the 2021 U.S. Army Blues solo competition.

Alex Pastrana is a Colombian pianist, composer, and producer based in New York City, whose music intertwines the intricate rhythms and melodies of rajaleña, one of Colombia’s most ancestral traditions, with the expressive language of jazz. With a deep reverence for both heritage and innovation, his artistry creates a mesmerizing dialogue between jazz and the rich cultural identity of Latin America. With performances at some of the world’s most prestigious venues and festivals, Alex Pastrana has established himself as a distinctive presence in modern jazz. His artistry, marked by originality, virtuosity, and a profound musical sensitivity, resonates with audiences across cultures, solidifying his place in the global jazz scene. He was invited to give a residency at Dizzy’s Club, performing for three nights at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, and held an exclusive solo piano residency at the legendary Waldorf Astoria, performing on Cole Porter’s piano. He has been nominated for a Latin Grammy and has appeared on prestigious and iconic stages including Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Blue Note, David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, Lehman Center, Casa de Nariño for the President of Colombia, the Waldorf Astoria New York, Times Square, Bryant Park, Central Park, Montclair Jazz Festival, Pier Fest, Hartford Jazz Festival, Café Bohemia, Bar Lunático, Terraza 7, Bronx Music Hall, IX Cartagena International Music Festival, Mompox Jazz Festival, Ajazzgo, Jazz al Parque Bogotá, Movistar Arena, Teatro Colón, Teatro Libre International Jazz Festival, Veracruz Salsa Fest 2025, among others. Alex Pastrana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music with an Emphasis in Jazz, graduating with honors for his thesis, from Universidad Javeriana. He then completed a Master’s degree in Music with an Emphasis in Performance, graduating Summa Cum Laude, from the same university. Additionally, he earned a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance from New Jersey City University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Jazz Performance at Stony Brook University in New York, where he also serves as a Jazz Piano Teaching Assistant.