Among the many things you’ll come across in New York City (NYC) are its extremely talented Jazz artists. Over the years, these artists have formed the most sought-after jazz bands in NYC. With several pioneering clubs such as the Lenox Lounge and Cotton Club, jazz certainly has a rich history here.
Today, the presence of these bands have taken the local jazz scene to greater heights. Here, we’ve made a list of a few such jazz bands you’ll get to see in New York City:
1. The Jazzlanders Band
The Jazzlanders Band specializes in several forms of jazz music, such as bossa nova, swing, and samba. It was founded by the professors and alumni from the Berklee College of Music. This band has given some fabulous performances and recorded with the greats of the music industry.
Some of the prominent musicians the band has recorded with include Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, and Cassandra Wilson. The Jazzlanders Band can be found performing at some of the major venues across the United States. The band is originally from Boston, but they have now made Brooklyn their home.
2. Avalon Jazz Band
This band was formed by Tatiana Eva-Marie and Adrien Chevalier. These two musicians formed Avalon Jazz Band with the aim of sharing their love of French jazz with the Americans. Their music is largely inspired by the Parisian jazz scene of the 1940s.
Those were the days when Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt had popularized jazz in Paris. Today, you can find them performing at most popular venues in New York City. Some of the famous venues where they’ve performed are The Rum House and Le Cirque Cafe.
3. Oh La La!
The name of this band sounds quite interesting. They’re a traveling band, which features Marie Michele who has a sultry voice. She is one of the key members of this retro jazz and French band. While listening to their music, you’ll feel as if you’ve gone back in time.
Oh La La! has been entertaining the jazz lovers in this city for many years. They can give some delightful performances in multiple genres, such as Blues, jazz, and Soul.
4. Unidos Latin Jazz
This is yet another band that can play music of multiple genres. However Unidos Latin Jazz specializes in reproducing and infusing music from some of the famous jazz icons. The band has reproduced the music of legends like Mongo Santamaria, Horace Silver, Tito Puente, and Cal Tjader.
A collaboration of professional musicians, Unidos Latin Jazz combines jazz standards with Latin rhythms. This provides some unique musical experiences for their listeners.
5. Ted Hefko and The Thousandaires
You’ll find Ted Hefko and The Thousandaires playing regularly at Brooklyn’s The Way Stations. They’re a jazz and blues band with a New Orleans funk. The lead performer of this band, Ted Hefko, is originally from Wisconsin. At the age of 18, he took a Greyhound bus to New Orleans to pursue his passion.
After a string of successes in the Big Easy, he made his way to New York City in 2003. This was the year when he formed the Ted Hefko and The Thousandaires band.