Continuing the Legacy of WUSF Jazz
Celebrating Florida Jazz
JAZZ ON ARTS AXIS FLORIDA celebrates Florida's rich jazz history and the large community of musicians and venues that make live performances possible by continuing WUSF Jazz's 56-year legacy: showcasing the best of live, local jazz through providing digital resources and advertising opportunities to jazz musicians, organizations, and venues throughout Florida.
Latest Jazz Updates
Travis Van Bumble and Stephanie Ruscito are The House Cats: a husband and wife, guitar and vocals duo, playing straight ahead-jazz, bebop, and swing. Travis and Stephanie grew up near Clearwater, and have been playing music together for over ten years. Travis’ walking baselines and chord melodies give The House Cats a big, swinging sound, but as soon as they play a ballad you’ll feel the mood shift, and see the two’s chemistry shine. The House Cats pull inspiration from many of the greatest names in American jazz including Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Sarah Vaughan. Their repertoire consists of timeless tunes from The Great American song book; the pair hopes to breathe new life into these songs with original and inspired arrangements.
Daniela Soledade is a rising star among legends in the Brazilian music scene. Downbeat Magazine calls Daniela a “master of classic samba and bossa nova.” An heir to the Bossa Nova legacy, Soledade is highly acclaimed for her poignantly expressive vocal style and intimate aesthetic.. With a tremendous talent for paying tribute to her musical heritage while staying true to her own artistry, Soledade is a mix of authentic bossa nova, samba, MPB, and American Popular Song.
Make no mistake, Carlos Henriquez’s album A Nuyorican Tale is heavily influenced by its Latin music roots. However, there are threads of Straight Ahead Jazz, Afro-Jazz and even some Big-Band winding through the 9 songs that help broaden its appeal to a wider audience.
Recent Studio Performances
Daniela Soledade is a rising star among legends in the Brazilian music scene. Downbeat Magazine calls Daniela a “master of classic samba and bossa nova.” An heir to the Bossa Nova legacy, Soledade is highly acclaimed for her poignantly expressive vocal style and intimate aesthetic.. With a tremendous talent for paying tribute to her musical heritage while staying true to her own artistry, Soledade is a mix of authentic bossa nova, samba, MPB, and American Popular Song.
Tha Banned is a 6 piece jazz band consisting of Alejandro “Chach” Coronado (Trumpet), Malachi Elmore-Davis (Trombone), Kingsleyiii (Bass), Jeremiah "Yogi" Warren (Drums), Lincee St. Amand (Vocals) and Johnny Champagne (Keyboard). As a collective of Tampa based musicians and songwriters that started as a jam band in an auto shop, they are committed to spreading the spirit of live music and community.
The Ayrias Pedigo Trio (AP3) is a jazz trio located in St Petersburg Florida featuring members Ayrias Pedigo, Cole Hazlitt, and Cooper Madden. They play a combination of originals by Ayrias Pedigo and classic jazz standards and are inspired heavily by bebop and ECM era jazz.
Travis Van Bumble and Stephanie Ruscito are The House Cats: a husband and wife, guitar and vocals duo, playing straight ahead-jazz, bebop, and swing. Travis and Stephanie grew up near Clearwater, and have been playing music together for over ten years. Travis’ walking baselines and chord melodies give The House Cats a big, swinging sound, but as soon as they play a ballad you’ll feel the mood shift, and see the two’s chemistry shine. The House Cats pull inspiration from many of the greatest names in American jazz including Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Sarah Vaughan. Their repertoire consists of timeless tunes from The Great American song book; the pair hopes to breathe new life into these songs with original and inspired arrangements.
Amigo the Devil is a musician and songwriter who channels a voice of unsettling beauty and raw truth. He's a master at murderfolk, the genre that combines Americana, dark folk, and metal with themes of the macabre. His songs are greatly influenced by the honesty of Leonard Cohen, the creativity of Tom Waits and the ruthlessness of Chavela Vargas. He's currently touring and will be performing his solo show at the Floridian Social in St. Pete, Florida on May 1.
Meet Daniela and Nate, a Bossa Nova duo dedicated to sharing authentic Brazilian jazz with audiences across the globe. They’ve travelled and performed hundreds of shows from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. They’re currently touring their latest show, Love and Bossa Nova, which began in the pandemic on Zoom and quickly transformed into a live concert series. They’re performing on April 23 at the Palladium. I got to sit down with them in the WUSF Loraine Rubis and Neil Frankel studio, to talk more about their show.
Jazz Album Reviews
Make no mistake, Carlos Henriquez’s album A Nuyorican Tale is heavily influenced by its Latin music roots. However, there are threads of Straight Ahead Jazz, Afro-Jazz and even some Big-Band winding through the 9 songs that help broaden its appeal to a wider audience.
“Smokin’ Guitar Cat” is a beautiful single from vocalist Julie Black, which features Julie’s classic raspy, mellifluous bluesy voice. Dave Eichenberger's acoustic guitar and synth structure compliment Julie’s vocals, which makes you feel like you’re roaming the rainy streets of Ybor City. The song’s Cuban noir influences showcase lyrics like “soon everybody’s dancing to this smokin’ guitar cat on the rainy streets of Tampa where they roll the cigars at.”
GRAMMY award winning artist Samara Joy crafts a stunning soundscape of vivid hues and complex harmonies with her aptly-titled second studio album, Portrait. Each track is seamlessly woven together through some of the most impressive composing and arranging I’ve heard from any recent jazz release. Each track serves as a carefully brushed stroke on a massive canvas. With brilliant vocal control and an impressively dynamic range, Joy has no problem covering this canvas from top to bottom.
Spoken Word Poetry Performances
New Performances coming in 2025
Nicole has always had a love for writing and especially poetry, one she has only expanded on through high school and college. Inspired by lyricists, other poets, and the natural world, she commonly writes about internal and external struggles and how language shapes our understanding of ourselves. For more of her work, check local literary magazines and community poetry events in the St. Pete area, where she appears regularly.
Ty Scott King is an award-winning, multi-Billboard charting poet and hip hop artist and a best-selling author. Ty has successfully showcased her poetic talent on the National Poetry Slam level and hosted both an internationally aired TV show and her own radio show. Learn more at tyscottking.com.
Dorrian Tyrell Bridges (born April 2nd, 1997) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Bridges gained distinction and acclaim for his hybrid style that combined his unique spoken word delivery, pained lyrics, and dark classical production. As an entrepreneur, Dorrian Bridges and his Wife founded The Lindsay School of the Arts, a private performing arts school dedicated to providing high-quality arts education programming at no cost, ensuring complete accessibility to children and families.
Poetry Written and Performed By Grentry Burkes. Artwork Referenced: “swansong” by Caroline Colby and "Juicebox of Desire” by Andrew King.
