Caffe Vivace's Upcoming Shows

Mandy Gaines — vocalist Steve Schmidt — piano Mandy Gaines began singing at an early age in school and church. She holds a B.A. from the College of Wooster in Speech/Arts. She has continued her studies through private vocal instruction and workshops emphasizing oral interpretation, jazz improvisation, vocal technique, theatre, and broadcasting/media studies. Pianist Steve Schmidt was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He took two years of basic piano lessons in grade school but spent more time playing baseball and basketball. An attraction to the guitar - to blues and blues-oriented rock bands - drew Steve into pursuing music. Throughout high school, he spent much of his free time playing guitar along with records and jamming with others around the city. Blues led to jazz, and he switched to piano the summer after high school to teach himself the chords and melodies of jazz. 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. 

Walter Smith III — tenor saxophone Vincente Archer — bass Kendrick Scott — drums From an early age, Walter began taking music very seriously. “My first gig was playing at a McDonalds in Houston with another saxophone player. I took a solo on “Blue Bossa.” It was terrible. People clapped, and I figured if I could get away with that and get applause, how could I fail?” Although it may appear Smith is a new voice on the scene, he is widely recognized as an adept performer, accomplished composer, and inspired educator. Smith’s recent release, In Common III, has been described as “boundary pushing”, and features some of the most important and talked about musicians in the world – Matt Stevens, Kris Davis, Dave Holland and Terri Lyne Carrington. In April of 2023, Smith released his debut album for Blue Note records,“return to casual”, to critical acclaim. Smith has developed under the wings of many of the music’s greats. Walter is/has been a member of several legendary groups (recording and/or touring) including the Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band, Terence Blanchard Quintet, Eric Harland’s “Voyager”, Bill Stewart Trio, Jason Moran’s In My Mind:Monk at Town Hall, Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, the Christian McBride “Situation”, Marquis Hill “New Gospel Revisited”, Gerald Clayton Quintet, Christian Scott group and the Sean Jones Quintet to name a few. Smith has performed all over the world participating in virtually every international festival as well as famed venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Village Vanguard, and the Kennedy Center. In addition, he has shared the stage and/or appeared on recordings with many important artists including Mulgrew Miller, Billy Childs, Joe Lovano, Herbie Hancock, Maria Schneider, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ralph Peterson, and a host of others. To date, Walter has appeared on over 100 recordings that are released worldwide. Originally from Houston, TX, Smith now resides in Boston, MA and is Chair of Woodwinds at Berklee College of Music helping to prepare the next generation of young artists. 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 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. 

Kathy Wade is a 2026 Inductee into the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame, a two-time Regional EMMY® Award-winning Executive Producer, internationally celebrated jazz vocalist, and lifelong arts activist whose career spans more than five decades. Her voice—both musical and civic—has helped shape the cultural fabric of Cincinnati and beyond. Named the #1 Jazz and Blues Vocalist on MP3.com, her recording “Time to Say Good-bye” was featured on the Sci-Fi Network’s First Wave soundtrack and highlighted in Essence Magazine for her innovative arts education work. She has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and North Africa, and has shared the stage with legends including Eartha Kitt, Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, Anita Baker, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Whitney Houston, and Ramsey Lewis. She has also appeared as a featured soloist with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and other regional ensembles. A graduate of Withrow High School, Xavier University/Edgecliff College, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Wade combines artistic excellence with educational leadership. In 1992, she co-founded Learning Through Art, Inc., which has served more than 1.1 million participants nationwide through award-winning programs such as Books Alive! For Kids®. The recipient of the Ohio Governor’s Award for the Arts and numerous civic honors, Kathy remains committed to one guiding belief: artists must give back to the communities that sustain them. 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 show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance. 

The Original Farm League Big Band is a 17-piece Jazz Orchestra dedicated to expanding the modern big band repertoire while featuring the work of local arrangers/composers. Formed in 2015, the ensemble comprises many of the Cincinnati/Dayton area's most exciting up-and-coming Jazz players and performs entirely original material. 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 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. 

The Studio Big Band has been the home for Cincinnati’s finest musicians ever since drummer and leader Carmon DeLeone formed it back in 1967. Jazz greats like Jimmy McGary, Michael Moore, Tim Hagans, Steve Schmidt, Gordon Brisker, Lynn Seaton, Wilbert Longmire, and many more have been a part of the Studio Big Band, along with countless other Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame inductees. The band has performed with world-class jazz soloists like Clark Terry, Joe Williams, and Nancy Wilson. Its exceptional library of music features the compositions and arrangements of David Matthews, conductor and arranger for James Brown, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Julian Lennon, Nina Simone, Bonnie Raitt, and Paul McCartney. Carmon DeLeone, known as “Cincinnati’s Resident Conductor” and host of his long-running popular radio program “Sunday Morning Music Hall,” has not only conducted orchestras at New York’s Carnegie Hall and all over the world, but has been a drummer on recordings with James Brown, and in concerts with Phil Woods, Jack Sheldon, “Blue” Lou Marini, Dakota Staton, and Cal Collins. He has also toured with Henry Mancini, Alan Sherman, Juliet Prowse, and the New York State Theatre of Lincoln Center. 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 show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance. 

Marlin McKay - Trumpet and Flugelhorn Bryson Dunsmore - Piano / Keyboard Brian Vinson - Bass James Gaiters - Drums Celebrating the Music of Freddie Hubbard, jazz trumpeter Marlin McKay returns to Caffe Vivace to pay homage to one of his early influences during Freddie's birth month. 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 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. 

Michael Mavridoglou — trumpet Dan Drees — tenor saxophone Jordan Pollard — piano Aaron Jacobs — bass Jim Leslie — drums Join Michael Mavridoglou and and all-star cast of the area’s best musicians as they dive into the music and styles of one of the most important voices in jazz history, Miles Davis.  The group will select from a wide range of Miles Davis’ distinct eras to bring you a night of incredible music.  A $15 food/drink 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 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.