James Zollar Sextet
Smalls183 West 10th Street, New York 10014
James Zollar brings a sextet to Smalls, led from the trumpet and featuring vocalist Nabuko Kiryu, tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard, pianist Steve Hudson, bassist Kyle Colina and drummer Daniel Prim. The evening presents this six-piece group in the club’s two-set format, with the music also streamed live from Smalls.
Zollar began his career in Kansas City, Missouri, before moving through San Francisco to New York. A jazz trumpeter, he has played with Cecil McBee and recorded with Tom Harrell, Weldon Erving and Sam Rivers. His credits also include Jon Faddis and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Don Byron. All About Jazz calls Zollar “a genuine renaissance man of the horn” and “a singular voice,” a useful frame for a bandstand appearance led by a player with deep connections across New York 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.