Tenor Titans! The Wayne Escoffery & Jimmy Greeen Quintet featuring Buster Williams & Lenny White
Smoke Jazz Club2751 Broadway, New York 10025
Tenor Titans! brings tenor saxophonists Wayne Escoffery and Jimmy Greene together at Smoke Jazz Club in a quintet built around two distinct modern-jazz voices. They are joined by pianist David Kikoski, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White. The program puts Escoffery and Greene's shared history, beginning with their studies under Jackie McLean, into a working band setting, with the rhythm section and piano framing their hard-swinging tenor playing.
Escoffery and Greene have each developed individual approaches while carrying forward that tenor tradition. Jazzwise calls Escoffery's sound “a contemporary mix of Coltrane, Shorter, and Henderson influences,” adding that it is “already personal” and that “his technique is superb.” His performing and recording credits include Tom Harrell, the Mingus Big Band, Eric Reed and Herbie Hancock. Harrell describes Greene as “phenomenal,” praising his “really creative imagination and beautiful feeling” and a tone that is “big and warm and beautiful.” Greene has worked with Ron Carter, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Harrell and Kenny Barron, among others.
Smoke Jazz Club offers a refined evening where jazz takes center stage in a space defined by its candlelit tables, plush red velvet curtains, exposed brick walls, and antique chandeliers. The club spans two connected rooms: one designed for focused listening with impeccable acoustics and iconic jazz photography, and a second lounge featuring a historic full-length bar and café seating. Guests can enjoy classic American cuisine during the first set, which begins at 7pm, creating a supper club experience that blends dining with world-class performances. The venue showcases a mix of legendary artists, contemporary masters, and emerging talents, making each night a unique encounter with jazz artistry. The recent expansion has enhanced comfort without losing the close proximity to the stage that defines the club’s appeal.