Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet

 ambrose 

“...an album that is filled with nothing short of thirteen tracks of genius...one of the most captivating jazz albums in recent times.”

-Brent Faulkner

“I've been following Ambrose for a while, and I believe he is the kind of musician that jazz needs more of." 

-Bruce Lundvall, President, Blue Note Records

 

In 2007, Oakland native Ambrose Akinmusire won the Thelonious Monk competition for trumpet with a panel of judges including among others Herbie Hancock, Herb Alpert, Terence Blanchard and Wayne Shorter.  Ambrose has performed with influential jazz musicians Steve Coleman, Walter Smith III, Vijay Iyer, Esperanza Spalding, Gretchen Parlato, and numerous others.  Ambrose was signed to Blue Note records in 2010 and was named one of the Los Angeles Times’ “Faces to Watch" for 2011.  Ambrose was featured in an April 2011 New York Times article. 

In a rave four-star review, DownBeat exclaimed that “Akinmusire’s forceful outing is as noteworthy for the strength of the overall concept as for the individual accomplishments of its leader, head-turning as they are,” adding that “the music and the band vibe are wonderfully original and current. Clearly something very special and personal is at work here, a vision of jazz that’s bigger than camps, broader and more intellectually restless than blowing sessions.”

Akinmusire’s touring quintet will feature tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Sam Harris, bassist Burniss Travis, and drummer Justin Brown.

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