Born Denise White in Chester, Pennsylvania, Avery*Sunshine’s roots are firmly grounded in the church. Avery, along with her Grammy award winning, creative life partner, Dana “BigDane” Johnson; the singer, pianist and composer has created a remarkable and unforgettable sound. The Atlanta based singer’s no holds barred signature soulful R&B appeal has garnered praise from the […]

A regular panel member on Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, The Smooth Jazz Cruise comic and event host Alonzo Bodden has been making audiences around the country laugh for more than 20 years.  Alonzo’s first big comedy break came when he was on the “New Faces of Comedy” showcase at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal. However, it was as […]

Grammy Award winning jazz pianist Brad Mehldau has recorded and performed extensively since the early 1990s, most often in the trio format. Starting in 1996, his group released a series of five records entitled The Art of the Trio. Mehldau also released a solo piano recording entitled “Elegiac Cycle” and a record called “Places” that […]

Sheila Escovedo picked up the drumsticks and started making music at the precocious age of 3. Sheila delivered her first solo performance to a live audience two years later and has since established herself as one of the most talented percussionist/drummers and performers in the world.  Best known to music fans as Sheila E., she […]

The world first learned of the incredible vocal artistry of Cécile McLorin Salvant when she won the prestigious 2010 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. In just under a decade, she has evolved from a darling of jazz critics and fans, to a multi-Grammy Award winner, to a prescient and fearless voice in music today. McLorin […]

A 7-time Grammy Award winning bassist/composer, Christian McBride’s music career took off shortly after moving to New York in 1989 to pursue classical studies at the Juilliard School. There, he was promptly recruited to the road by saxophonist Bobby Watson. In 2000, the lessons of the road came together in the formation of what would […]

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed album, When I Fall In Love, Chris Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop muisc and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and […]

One of the most significant and sought-after producers in contemporary music, Blue Note at Sea host Don Was has won multiple Grammy Awards and numerous other accolades for his work with a diverse array of artists, including The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison & Kurt Elling.  A native of Detroit, Was first […]

Robert Glasper is the leader of a new sonic paradigm with a career that bridges musical and artistic genres. To date, the Blue Note at Sea headliner and host boasts 4 Grammy wins and 9 nominations across 8 categories, and an Emmy Award for his song for Ava Duvernay’s critically hailed documentary “13th” with Common […]

Marcus Miller, winner of two Grammy Awards, the 2013 Edison Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz (Holland), the 2010 Victoire du Jazz (France) and appointed UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2013, is not only an exceptional musician but also a highly gifted composer and producer who we are proud to call a host and headliner […]