Free Performances In Varied Districts Presented In Collaboration With The Columbus College Of Art And Design April-September 2024
A Tribe for Jazz, the Columbus, Ohio–based nonprofit, marches forward in working with jazz musicians to build public profiles that elevate and represent the quality of their work at the highest level; AND spearheading cultural rejuvenation of downtown Columbus by bringing live jazz to places where it’s long been absent. Beginning this April and running through September, A Tribe for Jazz is thrilled to present the 2024 Columbus International Jazz Series featuring young jazz artists on the rise, in such venues as the Columbus College of Art and Design (ATFJ’s collaborative partner in the series), Columbus Dance Theatre, Capital University Conservatory of Music, and Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge (located in Columbus’s Short North district).
Our esteemed Artists-in-Residence for this series are Tyrone Allen II and George DeLancey, two brilliant and sought-after bassists with fresh musical perspectives and a broad network of musicians they’re excited to bring before Columbus audiences. “I’m absolutely ecstatic to be a part of this program,” says Allen. “A Tribe for Jazz has been wonderful to work with—I can only dream of where we’ll go from here!” DeLancey, a native of Cambridge, Ohio, declares: “I’m very honored to have the opportunity to work with A Tribe for Jazz, and I’m excited to introduce new, high-caliber players and their music to Columbus and the greater area.”
Kicking off during Jazz Appreciation Month, the series opens April 6 with an artist dear to our heart: Filipino-American saxophonist Jon Irabagon, whose unique concert film LEGACY: Jon Irabagon, A Solo Tenor Odyssey was A Tribe for Jazz’s first project, in 2021. Jon is performing at Ginger Rabbit as a guest with a trio led by guitarist and educator Zakk Jones followed by the acclaimed Spanish pianist and composer Marta Sanchez at CCAD on April 13, George DeLancey’s sextet on April 18 and Israeli harmonica virtuoso Roni Eytan on April 27 both at Columbus Dance Theatre, and a very special International Jazz Day (April 30) with British trumpeter Alexandra Ridout at Capital University Conservatory of Music.
The ATFJ series continues May through September with inspired visits from Taiwanese vibraphonists Yuhan Su and Chien Chien Lu, Canadian guitarist Jocelyn Gould, Japanese pianist Miki Yamanaka, and Harvard educated saxophonist of Caribbean decent Kaz George. (See full calendar below.) These are authoritative emerging talents, brought to us via Allen and DeLancey, who’ll be appearing in their bands as sidemen when they’re not leading their own projects.
“We firmly believe jazz is a catalyst for transformative experiences and community cohesion,” says Stephanie Matthews, Executive Director of A Tribe for Jazz. “Our collaboration with esteemed institutions like Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) demonstrates our commitment to revitalizing downtown Columbus by infusing the jazz scene with fresh energy and fostering inclusivity. Our free series aims to ignite curiosity, create connections, and nurture diverse communities, ensuring equitable accessibility for all. Featuring top-tier national and international talent, our programming showcases the remarkable caliber of musicians dedicated to advancing the jazz genre. Music possesses the remarkable ability to effect change and cultivate unity. Hosting performances at venues such as CCAD’s Canzani Center, The Columbus Dance Theatre, and Capital University represents just one facet of our vision for the future of jazz—a vision that involves presenting this genre in venues where young minds hunger for intellectually stimulating and artistically rich experiences. Through our endeavors, we aspire to attract individuals to the jazz experience in ways previously unexplored, thereby redefining the boundaries of engagement with this timeless art form.”
ABOUT TYRONE ALLEN II
In addition to his appearances on recordings by Miki Yamanaka, Kaz George and others, Tyrone Allen II leads the Tyrone Allen II Quartet (TAIIQ), a jazz group with an avant-pop mentality. The quartet will be playing Allen’s original songs as well as a selection of new and old songs he loves. Allen will also appear with his brainchild TY.000 (pronounced Ty-Thousand), which combines the nuances of 20th-century Black American music with the aesthetic and intention of 21st-century dance music to create an inclusive sonic experience relevant to today. Whether you are a musician or not, the music is meant to make your body move while broadening your expectations as a listener.
ABOUT GEORGE DELANCEY
George DeLancey was a student in such prestigious programs as the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Michigan State University Jazz Studies Program, where he studied under Rodney Whitaker. He toured internationally with the Larry Fuller Trio from 2017 to 2019, and has worked with bandleaders including Wessell Anderson, Peter Bernstein, Bobby Broom, Tia Fuller, Philip and Winard Harper, Christian Howes, Willie Jones III, Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Tomoko Omura, Johnny O’Neal, Houston Person, Ben Paterson, Jeremy Pelt, Bria Skonberg, and many others in New York and throughout the United States. George is director of the Midwest arts initiative Appalachian Muse and is active nationally as a bandleader and educator.
A Tribe for Jazz: 2024 Columbus International Jazz Series – All Events Free unless Noted.
April (Jazz Appreciation Month)
6 Jon Irabagon (Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge w/Zakk Jones Trio) *
13 Marta Sanchez (CCAD)
18 George DeLancey (Columbus Dance Theatre)
27 Roni Eytan (Columbus Dance Theatre)
30 (International Jazz Day) Alexandra Ridout (Capital University Conservatory of Music)
* Paid event hosted by Ginger Rabbit
May
31 Jocelyn Gould (CCAD)
June
22 Yuhan Su (CCAD)
July
18 George DeLancey (Columbus Dance Theatre)
20 Chien Chien Lu (CCAD)
August
24 Tyrone Allen Quartet (Columbus Dance Theatre)
29 Miki Yamanaka (CCAD)
September
7 Kaz George (Columbus Dance Theatre)
14 Tyrone Allen Solo (Columbus Dance Theatre)
About A Tribe for Jazz
The mission of A Tribe for Jazz is to preserve the legacy and advance the future of jazz through visual storytelling, live and virtual performances, education, and community engagement. A Tribe for Jazz positions jazz artists to break through to a wider audience by harnessing the power and universal human appeal of their own stories that elevate and transform the encounter between artist and listener. Such is the holistic, interdisciplinary magic that A Tribe for Jazz brings about with its creative and technical teams. The goal is to tell these artists’ stories in a way that reflects their excellence and authentic humanity, and to explore how their lives and creative processes are shaped by relationships. For more information, visit www.atribeforjazz.org. IG: @atribeforjazz_ and FB: A Tribe for Jazz.