Tenor Titans! The Wayne Escoffery & Jimmy Greeen Quintet featuring Buster Williams & Lenny White
Smoke Jazz Club2751 Broadway, New York 10025
Tenor Titans! brings saxophonists Wayne Escoffery and Jimmy Greene together at Smoke Jazz Club for a quintet set built around two tenor voices. They are joined by David Kikoski on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Lenny White on drums. The program pairs two players with a shared history of study under Jackie McLean, each carrying the hard-swinging tenor tradition into a distinct modern voice.
Escoffery has performed and recorded with Tom Harrell, the Mingus Big Band, Eric Reed, and Herbie Hancock. Jazzwise hears in his playing “a contemporary mix of Coltrane, Shorter, and Henderson influences,” while stressing that the sound is already personal and that “his technique is superb.” Greene's collaborators include Ron Carter, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell, and Kenny Barron. Harrell has called him “phenomenal,” praising his “really creative imagination and beautiful feeling” as well as a tone that is “big and warm and beautiful.” Together, the two saxophonists lead a band of seasoned players whose personnel gives the night a clear focus: tenor dialogue, piano harmony, and a rhythm section led by Williams and White.
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.