Charles McPherson Quintet featuring Terell Stafford
Smoke Jazz Club2751 Broadway, New York 10025
Charles McPherson leads his hard-swinging quintet at Smoke, with trumpeter Terell Stafford featured alongside pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Billy Drummond. The late set brings together an alto saxophonist identified with bebop's continuing language and a trumpeter whose work ranges across major bandstands, in a five-piece setting built for McPherson's music.
Born in Joplin, Missouri, raised in Detroit and later based in New York, McPherson has spent six decades drawing on “the blues and bebop.” He played with Charles Mingus from 1960 to 1972 and has also worked with Barry Harris, Wynton Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie and James Moody. Jazziz says that no jazz musician of the past 60 years has “more palpably channelled the sound of Charlie Parker”; DownBeat hears “the traditional weight of bebop and swing” in his writing, alongside “an inventive, contemporary spark.” Stafford, who is based in Philadelphia, has performed with Bobby Watson’s Horizon, McCoy Tyner, Benny Golson, Kenny Barron, Jimmy Heath and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. The group’s Reverence is said to capture its “unique chemistry,” while Todd Barkan calls it “one of the best working bands on the scene today.”
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.