Charlie Ballantine Quartet
Smalls183 West 10th Street, New York 10014
Charlie Ballantine brings his quartet to Smalls for two early-evening sets. The guitarist is joined by Zach Lapidus on piano, Quinn Sternberg on bass, and Paul Wells on drums, giving the group a four-piece format built around guitar, piano, bass, and drums. The performance will also be streamed live from the club.
There is no additional biographical or critical information about Ballantine in the supplied material. What the listing does establish is a working quartet of named players, with Ballantine leading on guitar alongside Lapidus, Sternberg, and Wells. At Smalls, a basement room with the band positioned close to listeners, that lineup puts the focus on the interaction among the four musicians across the evening’s two sets.
Smalls is a basement jazz club where the music feels immediate and unfiltered, with the stage just a few feet from the audience. The room is compact, with simple seating that encourages close listening, and a bar that serves drinks but no full kitchen, so the focus stays on the performances. Shows typically feature multiple sets, often extending late into the night with jam sessions that invite spontaneous creativity. The club’s walls are adorned with photos and memorabilia that reflect its deep roots in New York’s jazz scene. The audience is there to listen intently, creating a shared experience where every note can be savored. Expect an evening where the energy of live jazz is palpable and the musicians’ passion fills the intimate space.