Artist Profiles

[Photo credit: Michael Friedman] Pianist Aidan Francia Cotter grew up in Harlem in a home filled with music – his mother, grandmother, and great aunt were all pianists, and his grandfather was a jazz pianist. Not too surprisingly, young Francia Cotter followed in their footsteps, starting with classical music and then adding jazz around age 13 – just about the time his grandfather died. | Read more>> Read More

Back in late February during a Todd Marcus Orchestra concert at Eubie Blake Center, I was blown away after the rousing set opener, “Horus.” I immediately turned to my left to share my elation, where saxophonist and composer Andrew Kreitner happened to be sitting – he seemed just as mesmerized. | Read more>> Read More

Maysa Leak (born August 16, 1966) is an American jazz singer and songwriter, celebrated for her versatile vocal style combining jazz, R&B, and soul influences. After graduating from Milford Mill High School and Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maysa launched her professional career performing with Stevie Wonder’s Wonderlove, later gaining international fame as the lead vocalist for Incognito. | Read more>> Read More

The formative years of musicians are shaped by many common themes: artistic hunger, spiritual awakening, self-expression, and escapism, to name a few. Recently, a new unifying theme has emerged: the challenges and opportunities brought on by the pandemic and its aftermath. | Read more>> Read More

On an overcast November afternoon, I met with Aleko Lionikis, a senior in the jazz program at Peabody Institute, at Soup’s On, one of Baltimore’s funkiest little eateries. This tall, slender young musician with a mop of black hair and thick black eyebrows is a man of few words, but as we shared lunch, he told me his story. | Read more>> Read More