Lauren Lee’s Trio

With effervescent charm and talent, trailblazing vocalist Lauren Lee is a creative voice worth exploring. Her work as a vocalist and composer is evolutionary and fresh, with a commitment to both honor and expand jazz traditions: a playground for experimentation of textures, colors, and use of the voice in a more 'instrumental' fashion with cinematic, artistic music that is listenable, intricate, and emotional. Lauren has created her own voice in the modern jazz vocal sphere by  infusing post-bop jazz harmony and sensibilities with contemporary classical, Latin, and folk/pop flavors to create something inspired and unique.

"{Lee's music is a} fascinating journey, adult music that makes one sit up and listen.  As much as one would love it, we all have troubles and desires – Lauren Lee approaches life as the opportunity to learn every day, creating music that stands out for its honesty and sonic clarity" - Richard Kamins, Steptempest

Experience a night of music and inspiration as we celebrate Black History Month in an unforgettable way. Great Music, Delicious Food and Wonderful People!!

We are now Vegan and Kosher! Come at celebrate with us.

February 6, the next day, is the International Day for Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. This is a problem that exists in our community, especially as "vacation cutting" of young girls. If you are personally affected in some way by this practice, whether as a survivor, someone who escaped it, a mother concerned about her daughters, or have othewise experience with this phenomenon, we invite you to join us for an in depth discussion of the topic. We also may discuss other important female health issues: the increased maternal mortality among Black and Brown people is very concerning. Again, if you have experiences and opinions to share, we would love to hear from you. Come prepared to introduce yourself in a minute or two. Feel free to bring a friend, but please sign up everyone under their own name and email address.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-dinner-topic-eliminating-fgmc-and-maternal-mortality-tickets-809393817697

Tomoko(T'Moco)

T'Moco released her first album "Creatures" in 2012.  Around the same time, she moved to New York, and there, she has performed in various bars and clubs 

with Yuto Kanazawa, Nobuki Takamen, Lawrence Clark, Will Terrill, Gonjo Yasushi, Jeremy Stratton, and others, as well as given lessons and workshops with Marion Cowings, Janet Lawson, Alexis Cole, Barry Harris, Billy Harper, Jay Clayton, Judy Niemack.

She released her second album "PASSION" in 2016. "PASSION" was well received by critics and media due to her ability to use the jazz sound in a unique and modern way. 

She has also been performing around Tokyo with Japan based musicians. All gigs of  her Japan tour in 2018 were packed.  

The latest album "The light" was recorded in New York with NY based musicians, and released in 2020 all over the world. 

She moved to Chicago in 2021, then started going over what is beauty of music.

NOBUKI TAKAMEN:

Originally from Hiroshima, Japan, guitarist/composer Nobuki Takamen has been developing a reputation as ‘’the best jazz guitarist Japan has ever produced’’ as lauded in AllAboutJazz since he relocated to New York in 2004.

Described by Jazz: ‘’…Jim Hall meets Wes Montgomery on their way to a Kenny Burrell show…’’, his music draws influence from the jazz greats and other musicians such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and melts them into something distinctively his own.

Nobuki has toured with his group in North America and Europe, performing at many of the best international jazz clubs and festivals including Iridium Jazz Club, Blue Note NY, Blues Alley, Smalls Jazz Club, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and the Nisville Jazz Festival, where he opened for the original Blues Brothers Band. He has also toured annually throughout Japan since 2004.

Nobuki has four albums released on What’s New Records and Summit Records, and four albums on his own label, including his first solo album, ”Solo Guitar”, his two-disc 6th album, ”Live in Japan”, his eponymous 7th album, ”The Nobuki Takamen Trio”, and his 8th album, ”Life is Now”, which was released in October 2020.

His playing and music have been featured in publications worldwide, including DownBeat, Guitar World, Vintage Guitar Magazine, Just Jazz Guitar, AllAboutJazz, Jazz Podium (Germany), Jazz’n’more (Switzerland), Jazz Special (Denmark), Musica Jazz (Italy), Jazzwise (UK), Swing Journal (Japan), Jazz Life Magazine (Japan).

Nobuki is currently working on promoting his brand new album and booking tours to support the release of this album.

Michael Howell began playing guitar in Kansas City Mo., a  city where great jazz and blues was a way of life. He has performed and recorded with musicians such as Bobby Hutcherson, Art Blakey, George Duke, Woody Shaw, Jimmy Owens, Joe Pass and Jim Hall. Michael also worked five years with the great bebop innovator, John "Dizzy" Gillespie.

Michael taught at the JazzMobile Workshop for over 20 years. He currently works with his own group, freelances, and also works with the Jimmy Owens Group. Michael was also a member of the house band at Minton's night club. 

Michael recorded three solo albums: "Looking Glass", & "In The Silence" on Milestone Records, "Alone" on Catalyst Records. He recorded a CD to be released, "Live at El Taller”.

Open Mic featuring spoken word artists, story tellers, singer songwriters, comedians, and free form creatives. Hosted by…
Ken Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and author. He has become a fixture in the New York open mic scene preforming his original, soulful, socially conscious songs and poetry with a funky old school R&B edge. He is also a published poet and author and a retired bus operator for the city of New York.

Born in Michigan and raised in Chennai, India, Harlem-based jazz vocalist Kaushik is known for a soulful baritenor voice that brings a unique interpretation to the jazz canon. Drawing on his years of training in Indian classical music, and having studied under great contemporary jazz singers like Fay Victor, Kaushik brings a fresh perspective to classic tunes, adding original lyrics to instrumental standards and bringing a raga-inflected approach to jazz harmonies. He has performed with his group at various New York area venues like Brvsh Culture, The Porch, Hermana, Swing 46, and Kismat among others, and recently performed at the 2nd Annual John Coltrane Festival in Harlem.

“When Kaushik takes the mic, expect the unexpected!”
— Gordon Polatnick, Big Apple Jazz

Josh Goodman’s Trio

Drummer Takashi Inoue, a professionally trained architect, arrived in New York City over 10 years ago

and is developing his craft as he finds a deep love for the music. Takashi met Lauren Hendrix, our bassist,

years ago and has since done many gigs working through the Great American Songbook. Before the

pandemic our pianist, leader Josh Goodman, met Lauren at clubs in New York City and began doing

sessions together. Our Japanese, American and American Canadian backgrounds come to the fore as we

bring together this wonderful music of jazz. We will feature some original songs by the band as well.

PoliticalSoulFood Forum Panel Discussion

What Does Black Progress Look Like?

The dialogue is open to the public.

The panelists are: Dr. Arthur Whaley (Morgan State University), Dr. Sharon Williams (Iona University), and Rev. Dr. Glen Bembry (First Baptist Peddie Memorial Church of Newark).

Aris Dolce Jr. is a saxophonist, composer and arranger.

The band will perform a mix of fresh takes of pop songs and jazz standards, as well originals. As a band mixed with different cultures and backgrounds, like his native country of Haiti, Cuba and others.

The Cinema Soul Artist

Often referred to as “Mr. Maestro,” JoDavi fuses his soulful roots with his passion and schooling in orchestration to create what many call “Cinema-Soul;” a sound that likens to Earth Wind and Fire, the 5th Dimension, your favorite movie soundtrack, and his background in gospel, RnB, reggae, and funk.

JoDavi has opened for grammy award winning artists India Arie, and Anthony Hamilton. He has also backed renowned singer Alex Isley, and has shared stages with Jeremy Passion. As far as his own work goes, JoDavi has released over a dozen albums and singles, including his latest full length album, Zion. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jodavi-in-harlem-a-night-of-symphonic-soul-tickets-531132911837

Sandcatchers is a Middle Eastern-Americana mashup that grew out of a weekly residency at Cheryl’s Global Soul restaurant in Brooklyn. The name Sandcatchers – “catching sand” - references something of an impossibility. “I like the idea that this band is always searching, never satisfied. The quartet – experimental guitarist, oud player and composer Yoshie Fruchter (John Zorn’s Tzadik records), Michael Bates, an accomplished jazz bassist with a punk rock background, Myk Freedman, a pioneer of modern lap steel music, and Israeli drummer/percussionist Shai Wetzer – explores the unprecedented combination of the oud, an instrument with centuries of history beginning in pre-Islamic Persia and Turkey, and the lap steel, a more recent invention with roots in the American South. Together with guest cellist Erik Friedlander, these musicians bring their varying backgrounds, specialties, and improvisational voices together to

Come and celebrate with us our 8 year anniversary!!!

Come join us to listen and dance to the beautiful music of JoDavi! Also known as Mr. Maestro, JoDavi fuses his soulful roots with his passion and schooling in orchestration to create what many call “Cinema-Soul;” a sound that likens to the Motown greats, your favorite movie soundtrack, and his background in gospel, RnB, and funk. Check out his latest full length album, ‘Zion,’ available on all Spotify and all other streaming platforms.

Author Dawud Eddings is visiting Tsion Café to share a fascinating journey of self discovery through the ‘Reincarnation of Tutankaten’.

“This is not a work of Science Fiction (Sci-Fi), but of Science Reality (Sci-Real). For those who wonder about what happens after death, the story of TutemRa's many lives puts all the debates to rest. We do come back after death and some of you have been here before. This book is not a road guide to finding a previous life. Instead it is a road map to self improvement and by improving ones self you can open doors to secret places and experiences that most people think are only regulated to fantasy. By reading this book it will help you to read the patterns in your life leading to your divine purpose in life.”

Purchase his book here.