Kyle Nasser Quintet
Smalls183 West 10th Street, New York 10014
At Smalls, saxophonist Kyle Nasser leads a quintet with Rich Perry on tenor saxophone, Leo Genovese on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, and Colin Stranahan on drums. The band is billed for two sets, putting two tenor voices alongside piano, bass, and drums in the club’s late-evening program.
Kyle Nasser is a Massachusetts native and New York-based saxophonist who studied at Harvard and Berklee. He describes his music as blending “classical forms and techniques with jazz language and phrasing,” a frame for the sophisticated, complex modern-jazz originals heard on his debut album, Restive Soul. The album features his quintet in a program of original music. Nasser has played venues including the Blue Note, Smalls, Iridium, 55 Bar, and Jazz Gallery, and has toured in the United States and South America. All About Jazz’s Hrayr Attarian commended his “superlative musicianship as a performer, writer and a bandleader,” as well as his “ardent creativity and urbane artistic composure.” Jazz Weekly called the album’s originals “sophisticated and complex modern jazz.”
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.