Jazz Is Dead is proud to come together with the legendary Blue Note Records to celebrate the label’s 85th Anniversary! The Finest in Jazz Since 1939, Blue Note Records is the most respected and longest-running jazz label in the world.

Jazz Is Dead will be hosting The Blue Note Quintet, a group brought together to honor the label’s rich history, on this west-coast tour. Gerald Clayton leads the band as Musical Director and Pianist: “Gerald Clayton is one of the most accomplished, distinctive, and innovative pianists performing today” says Don Was, the label’s President. Rounding out the group is vibraphonist Joel Ross, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer.

Pianist and band leader Gerald Clayton is a six-time Grammy Award nominee. Collaborating over the years with such distinctive artists as Diana Krall, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Terence Blanchard, John Scofield, Terri Lyne Carrington, and legendary band leader Charles Lloyd. Clayton currently serves as Director of Next Generation Jazz Orchestra following service as Musical Director for Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour.

Joel Ross, vibraphonist-composer, continues refining an expression that’s true to his sound and his generation. In 2019, he issued his anticipated Blue Note debut, Edison Award-winning record KingMaker, to eruptive critical acclaim.

The music of saxophonist-composer Immanuel Wilkins is filled with empathy and conviction, bonding arcs of melody and lamentation to pluming gestures of space and breath. Listeners were introduced to this riveting sound with his acclaimed debut album Omega, which was named the #1 Jazz Album of 2020 by The New York Times. s.

Drummer Kendrick Scott has toured with Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, The Crusaders, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Elling, and Terence Blanchard.

Bassist Matt Brewer has traveled the world playing in the bands of Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Greg Osby, Steve Coleman, Dave Binney, Ben Wendel, Aaron Parks, Vijay Iyer among many others.