“I was 17 years old when this group started, wow that was 46 years ago and it’s still fun,” said Claude V. McKnight III., founder and member of Take 6. For four decades, the iconic Take 6 has toured the world multiple times and on June 19-21, they return to the Blue Note (131 West 3rd Street) with their mesmerizing harmonies that have pleasantly kept America musically hostage for all these years.
The sextet includes Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea, and Khristian Dentley. The performances will celebrate the completion of “RHAPSODY,” a collection of jazz standards that showcases the group’s signature harmonies.
“Rhapsody,” their upcoming album expected early 2027, gives them space to dive deep into the jazz pool with such classics as “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Blue Skies,” “A Night in Tunisia,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing.” — all well-traveled jazz compositions that found their way into America’s cultural soundtrack. “This project was the idea of our manager, who felt this was a collection of songs that needed to be revitalized by Take 6,” said McKnight. The sextet’s vocal arrangements will take on new directions with such special guests as Belgium’s Dirty Loops, Snarky Puppy, trumpeter Chris Botti, and drummer JR Robinson.
After 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, Soul Train Award, 16 albums, and three Gold albums, the iconic acapella group Take 6 is scurrying about as if they were still college students at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. “Our longevity is based on the fact that we still like each other, we have love, we’re spiritually based and we take everything through prayer,” said McKnight. “We’ve been doing the same music with different genres. We are a gospel group singing chords that can be jazz but church and R&B people all like the sound. In these times we need to do what we can do — spreading love is what people need to lift them up!” For reservations visit bluenotejazz.com
On June 16, just three days before America celebrates Juneteenth, South Africa celebrates the 50th anniversary of Youth Day, in remembrance of protests during the Soweto uprisings in 1976, led by Black schoolchildren, which renewed opposition against apartheid in South Africa — both domestically and internationally. The estimated 20,000 students, who took part in the protests, were met with vicious police brutality leaving 176 children dead.
Dizzy’s will offer a powerful one-night-only salute featuring South African pianist and composer Bokani Dyer. He shares his originals and South African standards rooted in resilience and artistic expression. He will be joined by bassist Tim Norton and drummer Lumanyano Mzi, a Cape Town-born composer, producer and band leader based in New York. Visit jazz.org for tickets and info.
The Polish are coming, the Polish are coming, featuring special collaborations between Polish and American artists and premiere compositions written especially for this 10th edition of Jazztopad Festival NYC. This year’s festival, running from June 17-21, expands beyond Lincoln Center, adding Close Up (Lower East Side) to its usual footprint at Dizzy’s Club and the David Rubenstein Atrium.
Curated by Piotr Turkiewicz, the festival opens on June 17 at Dizzy’s (10 Columbus Circle) with four distinct voices from today’s improvised music scene. This cross-cultural collaborative affair marks a world premiere for the Tomasz Dabrowski Quartet led by the Polish trumpeter Dabrowski (influenced by avant-garde and Eastern European folklore), pianist Marta Sanchez (well known for creative mastery), Luke Stewart (bandleader and mainstay with David Murray), and Kweku Sumbry (multi-percussionist, in tradition of the Djembe Orchestra). Two sets at 7pm and 9pm. Visit jazz.org for tickets and info.
“During the 2013 edition in Wrocław, producer Jason Olaine from Jazz at Lincoln Center visited us. We had a Turkish focus and he loved the festival vibe — and asked us to bring some Polish artists to Dizzy’s. That’s how it started,” said Turkiewicz. “It’s between trying to fit into what they do and also take them out of it for a couple of days.”
The finale on June 21 at Rizzoli Bookstore (1133 Broadway) features composer and one of the best percussionists in creative jazz, Hamid Drake & River Sisters. Later at Close Up (154 Orchard Street), a quintet led by trumpeter Dabroski (two sets), and at 10:30pm pianist Yvonne Rogers & bassist Solomon Gottfried with special guests. For a complete Jazztopad Festival schedule visit nfm.wroclaw.pl/jazztopad-festival and europejazz.net.
The Joey Curreri Quartet graces the Five Spot stage on June 18 (8pm-10pm). This is a tight-knit unit of rising musicians to watch: trumpeter Curreri received a Downbeat Student Award for Outstanding Improvised Solo, pianist Yvonne Rogers has been described as a “fresh, new voice on piano” (The Free Jazz Collective), and bassist Rafael Enciso, along with drummer Miguel Russell are both in demand.
The storied Five Spot jazz club (1956-1962) where artists and enthusiasts living on the verge of tomorrow flocked to witness jazz notes flying in the sky. It was a regular performance space for such jazz instigators as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and Cecil Taylor.
Restaurateur and jazz enthusiast Bon Yagi has adopted the Five Spot name for his dream jazz club located once again in the East Village at 232 East 9th Street. “In Japan I grew up on jazz. During the 1940s, jazz and baseball came to Japan,” said Yagi. “We had an opportunity to see many famous American jazz musicians when they were touring Japan. My goal with the Five Spot is to connect cultures East meets West, the influence of western jazz culture and modern Japanese jazz styles — to always introduce Japanese and American jazz musicians to help bridge the musical and cultural gap.”
Like the character Superman, the club has two distinct identities: By day, the intimate room is the chic Japanese restaurant Hi-Collar. By night, musicians instill an invigorating taste of jazz, a beat of hipness to an already engaging atmosphere where jazz is king and spirits come alive in a renewed Five Spot. A space that allows everyone to be inside the jazz core, feeling every note up close with the band like the original club. Unlike other jazz clubs, the menu boosts Japanese cuisine and sake.
Yagi’s Five Spot came together with the help of bandleader, composer, and first call alto saxophonist Vincent Herring. “I’m an advisor to Bon which seems natural like suggesting a grand piano and other details as it relates to developing a good room for jazz and trying to make sure we are musician friendly,” said Herring.
Characteristic of its neighborhood, that East Village inventiveness, the Five Spot is introducing a variety of musicians not on the regular jazz club circuit — giving patrons an opportunity to witness new stars on the horizon, neglected musicians who deserve a space, and established artists with a lot more to play. In the heart of all the happenings, the Five Spot remains low-key and the drinks and food are reasonable. Quite a few aspiring musicians and young fans were in attendance the night I stopped by. Yagi noted he is interested in attracting a well-rounded audience and music students from the various schools.
The Five Spot is open seven days per week. Monday nights (8-11pm) reserved jam session only, no music charge, allowing musicians of all ages to come out, try out new material, or just show off. The remaining days, two sets each night 8-10pm.
“I am trying to respect the history, extend the culture of the Five Spot, and keep jazz alive,” said Yagi. For tickets visit fivespotjazz.com.
On June 28, the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium (CBJC) will induct master percussionist Chief Baba Neil Clarke into the Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame at Janes United Methodist Church (660 Monroe Street at Malcolm X Blvd.). A centennial tribute to NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston will feature longtime alumni from his African Rhythms band: saxophones, flute, and kalimba T.K. Blue, bassist Alex Blake, Chief Baba Neil Clarke on percussion, trombonist Kuumba Frank Lacy, and guest pianist Arturo O’Farrill. The program starts at 3pm with a reception to follow.
Since its founding in 1999, CBJC continues to nurture and support live jazz within Bedford-Stuyvesant and surrounding neighborhoods. Bed-Stuy has fertile jazz roots dating back to the 1940s and 1960s when it became a national jazz stop — the streets were alive with vibrant jazz clubs that included Dickie Habersham-Bey’s popular Blue Coronet. Brooklyn natives Randy Weston, Max Roach, and Dewey Redman were early contributors to their community’s blossoming jazz scene. That led to Bed-Stuy’s jewel, The East cultural center (community education and arts center), founded by Jitu Weusi, hosting Betty Carter, McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, and Roy Ayers.
“It’s such an exhilarating experience to work with people so committed to this music we love so much,” said board member Ulysses Kilgore. We are giving praise and love to the musicians while they are alive and well and making [sure] we bring more young people into the organization to keep it moving forward with fresh ideas.” Tickets are $25.00 and must be purchased on Eventbrite at: Buy Tickets.
