Right from the start, upon arriving in New York City, the singer, songwriter, playwright, and actress Somi made her mark as a nonconformist in the tradition of Miriam Makeba and Abbey Lincoln. She refers to her sound as “new African jazz.” The American singer, a descendant of Rwandan and Ugandan parents, has her music deeply rooted in the cultural community of Africa and Harlem. On her CD “Petite Afrique” [Little Africa] 2017, she was inspired by the hustle and bustle of the city and a section of Harlem appropriately named “Little Africa” where West African immigrants continue to make their mark on this historical community with their own rich culture.
From September 18 through the 20, Jazz at Lincoln Center will host “Somi Presents: The Mother Africa Salon,” a season-long residency that reflects her ongoing creative journey exploring the sonic legacies of African music and its longstanding connection to the jazz idiom. Known for her lyrical storytelling and vibrant live performances, Somi leads an enthralling evening of song and migration. Blending original compositions with reimagined classics and occasional special guests, these performances offer a meditation on continental, transatlantic, and diasporic belonging.
Somi Kakoma will be joined by a unique configuration featuring Pianist Toru Dodo, Drummer Otis Brown III (both longtime bandmembers), Violinist Mazz Swift, Cellist Dara Hankins, and Youba Cissokho, on kora (21-stringed instrument similar to a harp). This first salon sets the tone for a three-part musical conversation that continues from Mar. 6–8, 2026, and concludes Jun. 18–21, 2026.
Somi, the first African woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award in a Jazz category, made her Jazz at Lincoln Center debut in 2018, at the Appel Room for her illuminating performance “Miriam Makeba & Nina Simone: Singing Protest & Memory with Somi.” Her first original play, “Dreaming Zenzile,” was a musical based on the life of Miriam Makeba. During the 2021-2022 season, the play premiered at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, ArtsEmerson in Boston, and Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop. She also released a tribute album dedicated to Makeba, Zenzile: “The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba” (2022). For more information and tickets, visit jazz.org.
James Carter, one of the most adventurous multi-reed artists of his generation, takes to the landmarked Sista’s Place stage (456 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn) for one night only on September 20 with two sets at 8pm and 9:30pm. Performing with his Quartet, he will be armed with an arsenal of his favorite instruments, including saxophones, flute, and clarinets.
The Detroit native encompasses all elements of jazz history, from Dixieland and straight-ahead to fusion and avant-gardism. He is one of the few prominent players of his generation to do so, incorporating these different influences in his compositions, live performances, and album recordings.
Early on, when the tenor Saxophonist and Composer Carter was establishing his career on the national jazz scene, he, as he called it, “practiced” every Monday night at the then jazz mecca, St. Nick’s Pub. He quickly became the talk of Harlem, who in one night could jam on tenor, baritone, alto, soprano saxophones, and just for a change effortlessly switch to bass clarinet. What he did on those Monday nights was spectacular. With extreme proficiency on every instrument, it was pure genius.
He is an authority on vintage saxophones, and he owns an extensive collection of such instruments, including one formerly played by Don Byas. Tickets are $50 for this special opening show. Reservations are a must—call (718) 398-1766.
As the White House deliberately continues its insanity of dividing Americans and dismantling diplomatic ties with our international allies, the expressive sound of jazz, as it has done for decades, delivers its rhythmic voice of compassion, peace, and change.
The vessel of creative truth breathes life into comradery as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2025–26 season begins with the world premiere of “Afro!,” Wynton Marsalis’ new composition shaped by a lifetime of reflection on the African continent. Marsalis leads the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) with Ghanaian djembe virtuoso Weedie Braimah and acclaimed Vocalist Shenel Johns. Together, they celebrate jazz’s enduring roots in African music and its boundless spirit of creation.
“I don’t play percussion, I play djembe, I must be intentional. I am a torch for the instrument. It has a voice in jazz in different forms of straight-ahead vernacular,” said Weedie during our phone interview. “It is creating a dialogue between the diaspora that already existed from the resilience of our ancestors, it’s a vernacular that has been able to maintain itself. I can use it in a melodic voice and other new concepts that come alive with Wynton [Marsalis].” The djembe master comes from a musical family: his father, Oscar Sulley Braimah, was a master drummer and composer who led the Uhuru Big Band in Ghana, his mother, Ann Morris, also a drummer, played briefly with James Brown’s Band, and his uncle is the innovative drummer, Idris Muhammad. “This upcoming African tour is something I am doing for my family, it’s like a special homecoming, to actually perform in my country [Ghana] will be a full circle moment for me,” said Weedie.
JLCO’s special guest, Vocalist Shenel Johns, fuses gospel, jazz, and idioms of the diaspora, showcasing her dynamic range and emotional depth. As a graduate of the University of Hartford Hartt School, she was mentored by Jackie McLean’s legacies: Rene McLean, Jimmy Greene, and Steve Davis. In a brief conversation with Marsalis following an all-day rehearsal of “Afro,” Marsalis noted, “This tour is about spreading the music and sharing dialogue.” The horns, drums, Weedie’s djembe, and the versatile vocals of Johns will make for a very exciting evening, as demonstrated by the Saturday rehearsal I attended.
Following the three-night debut of Marsalis’ “Afro!” in Rose Theater, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is off to Africa, where they will perform in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana. For more information on “Afro!” at the Rose Theater, visit jazz.org.