Rodney Jones / Didier Conchon Quartet
Smalls183 West 10th Street, New York 10014
Rodney Jones and Didier Conchon lead a guitar-forward quartet at Smalls, with Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Connor Parks on drums. The pairing brings Jones, a New Haven, Connecticut jazz guitarist, together with Paris-based guitarist and composer Conchon.
Jones has performed and recorded with artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Lena Horne, Quincy Jones, Elvin Jones and Stan Getz, and is noted for his use of modern quartal harmony. Conchon draws on bebop, hard bop, jazz manouche and blues, and has worked with Wayne Dockery, Alain Jean-Marie, Christian Escoudé and Diego Imbert.
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.