Here, the three jazz sidemen come together as a trio. Their format isn't earth-shatteringly new, but after nearly 25 years as a band, their rapport is. Listen to a live concert.
Peter Bernstein, Larry Goldings, Bill Stewart: Live At The Village Vanguard
Ravi Coltrane.
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After releasing his latest album, last year's Spirit Fiction, the saxophonist put his decade-old quartet on hiatus. He now takes a new group into a venue haunted by the ghosts of his parents.
Ravi Coltrane Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard
Dave King.
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Known for experimentation, The Bad Plus' drummer performs conventional modern jazz on the side. With two underground rhythm-section guys, he travels to one of New York City's most prestigious clubs.
Dave King Trio: Live At The Village Vanguard
Jimmy Cobb.
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The drummer is 84 — he's been around the jazz scene for a while. He was the drummer on Miles Davis' late-'50s and early-'60s masterpieces. These days, he's still touring the world and leading bands.
Jimmy Cobb: Live At The Village Vanguard
Kenny Barron.
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For jazz musicians, Barron is considered an institution. So it's fitting that the pianist gets to celebrate his 70th birthday at another jazz institution. Here, he demonstrates his ebullient clarity.
Kenny Barron Quintet: Live At The Village Vanguard
Miguel Zenón.
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As one of the best alto saxophone players in the world, Zenón has drawn from his upbringing in Puerto Rico. But he lives in New York — where his quartet has finally been invited to play the Vanguard.
Miguel Zenón Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard
Jeff Ballard.
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With his ever-changing Fairgrounds band, the drummer gets to mix and match his favorite musicians. Ballard and a multi-generational band play live in New York.
Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds: Live At The Village Vanguard
Tom Harrell at the Village Vanguard.
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At 66, the jazz trumpeter is as busy as ever: His current band has released five excellent albums since 2007 alone. His new, project provides further testament to his prolific composing.
Tom Harrell's 'Colors Of A Dream': Live At The Village Vanguard
Chris Potter (center) performs live at the Village Vanguard.
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The history of jazz is often told as a sequence of epic heroes. Coincidentally, an admired saxophonist has been reading Homer lately. Potter presents his new Odyssey-inspired suite The Sirens.
Chris Potter Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard
David Virelles.
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Following in a long line of Cuban-born pianists, Virelles has quickly become an elite New York jazz player. But his vision is mysterious — a back-to-the-future refraction of Afro-Cuban ritual.
David Virelles Continuum: Live At The Village Vanguard
Steve Wilson (saxophone), Renee Rosnes (piano) and Peter Washington (bass).
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A saxophonist, a pianist and a bass player walk into a bar. But the bar happens to be one of the world's preeminent jazz clubs. And they're working as a collective band: no drummer, no hierarchy.
Wilson, Rosnes, Washington: Live At The Village Vanguard
The Sound Prints Quintet is (L-R): Lawrence Fields, Dave Douglas, Joe Lovano, Linda Oh, Joey Baron.
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Few jazz bandleaders are as active — and as actively acclaimed — as saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas. They've launched a band with friends new and old. Hear a live performance.
Sound Prints Quintet: Live At The Village Vanguard
Matt Wilson.
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Wilson is always a colorful drummer — a timekeeper who exploits all the timbres a snare drum can give him. He's also a colorful personality, a bandleader who wears his goofy joy on his sleeve.
Matt Wilson's Arts And Crafts: Live At The Village Vanguard
L-R: Ethan Iverson, Ben Street, Albert "Tootie" Heath.
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Albert "Tootie" Heath was on John Coltrane's first album and would go on to play with every other major name in hard bop. He reunites with the pianist of The Bad Plus and an in-demand bassist.
Ethan Iverson, Ben Street, Tootie Heath: Live At The Village Vanguard
From left, Marc Ribot (guitar), Chad Taylor (drums) and Henry Grimes (bass) performed at the Village Vanguard in New York City on Wednesday, June 27, 2012.
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The guitarist has played in just about every conceivable setting. For this live concert, his trio takes on Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, dirty blues, punk energy and fully liberated improvisation.
Marc Ribot Trio In Concert
Audio from this concert is not currently available.
The pianist once estimated that he was a member of "15 to 20" working bands — which says something about how much (and how many) fellow musicians value his playing. Hear him perform with his own band.
Listen Now: Craig Taborn Trio In Concert
Audio is no longer available
Al Foster.
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The great drummer made his debut at the club with Sonny Rollins in the late '60s. Foster has been a sideman to the stars ever since, and now he leads his own band of young guns.
Al Foster Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra at soundcheck.
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There's a tradition in many New York City jazz clubs: Monday nights are reserved for big bands. The Village Vanguard, the most storied of clubs, has observed this practice since 1966.
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra: Live At The Village Vanguard
A tenor saxophonist who makes uncommon, beautiful music performs with a new lineup, including the great drummer Andrew Cyrille. Watch the band explore his slow, penetrating tunes.
Bill McHenry Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard
He's a film composer, a Cuban-American musician and a modern jazzman. It's all on display when the 27-year-old pianist performs with his jazz trio and string quartet. Hear a live concert recording.
It's hard to think of anyone who embodies the dual challenges of tradition and innovation better than composer and pianist Geri Allen. She brought a trio to the club for a live video webcast.
The violinist is one of the most versatile musicians working today — she collaborates with Bill Frisell, Norah Jones and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, among others. Her newest band is in this live recording.
Jenny Scheinman's Mischief And Mayhem: Live At The Village Vanguard
The Heath Brothers quartet: (L-R) Jeb Patton, Jimmy Heath, David Wong, Albert "Tootie" Heath.
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In a family band made up of jazz legends, saxophonist Jimmy and drummer Tootie Heath carry on the sophisticated and swinging quartet that once featured their late brother. Hear a live recording.
