Laufey and the Virginia Symphony at the Chartway Arena

by Mark Robbins
August 17, 2025

Laufey (pronounced LAY-vay) first appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 31, 2022. She shyly stood at the mic, she wore a simple white summer dress, guitar held in front of her like armor offering protection from the hundreds of people sitting in the audience. Soft spoken, she talked about her Chinese-Islandic heritage then she ...

BEATrio at the Perry Pavilion

by Mark Robbins
July 16, 2025

Béla Fleck is a trailblazing banjo player whose genre-defying approach has redefined the possibilities of the instrument. Born in New York City in 1958 and named after the Hungarian composer B��la Bart��k, he's spent his career weaving bluegrass, jazz, classical, and world music into dazzling sonic tapestries. Whether leading his groundbreaking group B��la Fleck and the ...

Lena Seikaly and the Jimmy Masters' Trio at The Sandler Center for the Arts

by Mark Robbins
June 11, 2025

Washington D.C. vocalist Lena Seikaly made a return visit to the Tidewater area to perform with the Jimmy Masters' Trio (Masters on bass, John Toomey on piano and drummer Frank Russo. Singing to a nearly sold out room it was evident from the audience reaction she would be welcomed back as often as she liked.

Hampton Roads Jazz at the Ferguson Center for the Arts

by Mark Robbins
May 30, 2025

Hampton Roads Jazz (HR Jazz) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and presenting jazz in both performance and educational settings. Based in the Hampton Roads (Norfollk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach), the organization aims to enrich the local cultural landscape by bringing world-class jazz musicians to perform, teach, and inspire aspiring artists. Founded by ...

Walter Blanding, Jr. with the John Toomey Trio at the Attucks Jazz Club

by Mark Robbins
April 21, 2025

Educator, composer, musician, Walter Blanding, Jr is a man for all seasons. Born into a musical family in Cleveland, OH, his parents moved the family to New York in the early '80s where his parents became part of the house band at the Village Gate jazz club. Blanding began playing the saxophone at the age of ...

Stephanie Nakasian at the Attucks Jazz Club and Congregation Beth El

by Mark Robbins
March 29, 2025

Stephanie Nakasian did not start out as a vocalist. Majoring in economics at Northwestern University, she received her BA and MBA, then entered the world of financial consulting for major banks in New York City and Chicago. Growing more and more dissatisfied with her career, she decided in 1981 to leap into the world of music, ...

The Attucks Jazz Club: Fall 2024

by Mark Robbins
February 23, 2025

In 2008, under the auspices of the Virginia Arts Festival and the leadership of professor/pianist John Toomey, the Attucks Jazz Series was born in the historic Attucks Theater. Before becoming a full-time jazz professor at Old Dominion University, Toomey spent time on the road with jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, singers Mark Murphy, Rene Marie, and others. ...

Nate Najar and Daniela Soledade with the Jimmy Masters Trio at the Sandler Center

by Mark Robbins
January 13, 2025

Since the introduction of Brazilian music to the United States in 1962 by Charlie Byrd, artists such as Antônio Carlos Jobim, Jõao Gilberto, Gal Costa, Astrud Gilberto, Gilberto Gil, Claudia Acuña, to name a few, have continued to have a great influence on the American audience. Add to that roster guitarist Nate Naja and vocalist (also ...

Gary Miller

Born: December 6, 1947

Jazz vibraphonist Gary Miller, playing a combination of original compositions, jazz standards, and contemporary jazz, created his musical niche in the region of western Massachusetts. He built his style on a lifelong relationship with music of many genres from classical, rock, country, to Broadway shows, film, and “international” music, as well as his focus on jazz.

Along the way he has made music on several instruments in addition to the vibes, including many years as a professional drummer in a variety of musical settings (The Evergreen Tea Room Electric Band, Wild Country Band, Jazmin, Big Six Jazz Band, Berkshire Big Band, Back Bay Bones, et al). Additionally, he has made music on brass instruments (Williams Brass Ensemble, et al), electric bass, guitar, and keyboard.

Jae Sinnett Quintet Featuring Randy Brecker and Ada Rovatti at the Attucks Theater

by Mark Robbins
November 24, 2024

Since the mid-'70s, when he came to this part of Southeastern Virginia to serve in the Navy, Jae Sinnett's name has become synonymous with excellent jazz drumming nationally and internationally. His first album as a leader, Obsession (Self Produced), was released in 1986 and featured Frank Foster, John Hicks, Wallace Roney, Steve Wilson and Clarence Seay. ...