Christian Sands Quartet: Christmas Stories
Dizzy's Club102 Columbus Circle, New York 10107
Christian Sands brings his quartet to Dizzy’s Club for Christmas Stories, a program tied to his holiday project of the same name. The bill identifies a quartet but does not announce the personnel for this performance. Expect Sands’s compositions and arrangements to frame the evening, with the seasonal theme giving the set its through line rather than reducing it to a standard holiday-song recital.
New Haven, Connecticut pianist Christian Sands came to wider attention through Christian McBride’s Trio and Inside Straight, and has also shared stages with Gregory Porter, Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves and Jason Moran. His work moves through stride, swing, bebop, progressive music, fusion, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban influences. For the Christmas Stories album, the working quartet included guitarist Marvin Sewell, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Ryan Sands, Christian’s brother, though that recording lineup is not confirmed for this date. DownBeat called him “one of the most profoundly rhythmic young pianists in jazz today,” while The New York Times heard “a restrained touch and a rolling command across the entire keyboard.”
Dizzy's Club offers a refined jazz experience with a seating capacity of about 140, where guests enjoy live performances from world-class musicians in a room that frames sweeping views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. The venue features a full bar and a seasonal menu with sophisticated soul food, enhancing the evening beyond just the music. Shows are ticketed and typically run two sets per night, with late-night sessions available without reservation. The seating is generally first-come, first-served, encouraging early arrival for the best vantage points. The club’s location within Jazz at Lincoln Center places it in a lively cultural hub, making it ideal for a night that blends attentive listening with the pleasure of fine dining and cityscape views.