Caffe Vivace's Upcoming Shows

James Gaiters — drums Rob Dixon — saxophones Christopher Hoyte — saxophones Marlin McKay — trumpet George DeLancey — bass Alex Nicodemus — piano Join drummer James Gaiters and an all-star sextet for an evening celebrating the soulful, hard-swinging legacy of the Cannonball Adderley Sextet. From timeless classics to fresh, modern arrangements, this band brings energy, depth, and a deep respect for the tradition—capturing the spirit of one of jazz’s most joyful and electrifying groups. Important Notices: If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resale your seats with no refund. Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.

Mathis Picard – piano Parker McAllister –bass Jonathan Pinson – drums Mathis Picard is an internationally recognized pianist, composer, and producer based in New York City, with roots in France and Madagascar. Blending diverse musical and cultural influences, he has emerged as a compelling voice on the piano. A Juilliard alumnus and mentee of Kenny Barron, Picard is an ASCAP Next Generation of Songwriters recipient and a member of the Montreux Jazz Foundation. He has performed globally and has been praised as “a knockout… as dynamic as he is virtuosic” (What’s On Stage), and “one to watch” (Jazzwise). As a bandleader, Picard leads The Sound Orchestra, whose debut EP World Unity (2020, Outside In Music) established him as “a fascinating name to follow” (All About Jazz). His solo release Live at the Museum (2022), recorded at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, highlighted his “brilliant classical technique and vivid imagination” (DownBeat). A prodigious talent from a young age, Picard was a finalist at the Montreux Jazz Piano Competition at age 10 and studied across the U.S., France, and the U.K., including Chetham’s School of Music. He has since toured extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with appearances at major venues and festivals including Umbria Jazz. His recent album Heat of the Moment received a 5-star review from The Times, and he continues to perform internationally with his trio. In 2025, he toured Asia, premiered Preludes & Fugues: Book 1 in New York and Paris, and was named Musical Director and Arranger for the Broadway revival of Ain’t Misbehavin’. If the total amount of beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum, a $20 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set. Important Notices: If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resale your seats with no refund. Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance. Picard has performed with artists including Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and more.

Kosta Brunson - trombone Chris Caporale - piano Peter Gemus - bass Kiko Sebrian - drums The Kosta Brunson Quartet is a group that aims to explore and pay homage to the sounds of the jazz greats while also pushing the music further with original and modern compositions to create a new but traditional sound. If the total amount of beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum, a $15 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set. Important Notices: If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resale your seats with no refund. Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.

Jeremy Long — alto saxophone Jamie Walkenhauer — alto saxophone Brent Gallaher — tenor saxophone Dan Drees — tenor saxophone Larry Dickson — baritone saxophone Jeff Owen — trombone Clarence Pawn — trombone Brian Stevens — trombone Gary Langhorst — bass trombone Jeff Folkens — trumpet Hank Mautner — trumpet John Zappa — trumpet Kim Pensyl — trumpet Steve Schmidt — piano Mike Sharfe — bass Jim Leslie — drums Cincinnati's legendary Blue Wisp Big Band celebrates its 46th year of swingin' Big Band music at Caffe Vivace. Founded in January 1980 by drummer John Von Ohlen and trumpeter Don Johnson, the Blue Wisp Big Band got its start in and its name from the late Blue Wisp Jazz Club. Von Ohlen, a native of Indianapolis, moved to the Cincinnati area after many years on the road playing with world-class jazz orchestras, most notably those of Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. After hearing all of the fine musicians in the area, he felt there was a need to form a group because most of them “weren’t playing any jazz, which is the reason they started playing in the first place.” He felt the desire to start a “world-class big band and wanted to put it in a tavern, a beer joint.” Don Johnson, who had been on the Cincinnati scene for years, suggested which instrumentalists should play in the band. Von Ohlen states, “Don was the horn connection.” Pianist Steve Schmidt and bassist Michael Sharfe were already playing with Von Ohlen at the Blue Wisp in the Steve Schmidt Trio, Wednesday through Saturday nights, so the rhythm section was easily formed. Von Ohlen remembers approaching Paul and Marjean Wisby, the original owners of the Blue Wisp, with the idea, “Wednesday is a slow night. Why don’t we bring in a big band and blow the roof off the place? It worked real good.”Since its inception, the Blue Wisp Big Band has been the top jazz orchestra in Cincinnati. The hard bop-oriented big band started recording in 1981: first, an LP sponsored by the Cincinnati television station WKRC, and then four for the Mopro label, founded by Fred and Helen Morr, in the 1980s. The Mopro LPs were reissued in the mid -’90s on two CDs on the California label Sea Breeze, with one of the sets recorded in Los Angeles during a West Coast tour in 1984. Through the devoted and hard work of Helen Morr, the LPs were distributed around the country and Europe, garnering notice, good reviews, and airplay around the world. Among the group’s more notable members were trumpeter Tim Hagans and bassist Lynn Seaton. The band continued to perform at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati on Wednesday nights until its closure in the summer of 2014. After a six-month tenure at Japp’s Annex in downtown Cincinnati, a short stint at Pirate’s Den in Westwood, and three years at the Urban Artifact in Northside, the band has a new home at Caffè Vivace in Walnut Hills. A $15 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set, if the total for beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum. Important Notices: If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resell your seats with no refund. Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future Blue Wisp Big Band show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.