Venezuelan pianist Gabriel Chakarji and Italian saxophonist Nicola Caminiti join forces to present a special evening of modern jazz featuring compositions by all band members.

Band Members:
Nicola Caminiti - Saxophone
Gabriel Chakarji - Piano
Miguel Russell - Drums
Hamish Smith - Bass

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Nicola Caminiti is a New York-based Italian saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator. Praised as “clearly a name to watch” by All About Jazz, Caminiti is considered one of the leading musical figures of his generation for intensely creative modern concepts based on interplay and rhythmic mastery, still embracing a sense of musical tradition. As a leader, sideman, or guest, he has played in several of the most acclaimed international jazz festivals and venues in the world, including Birdland, Dizzy’s Club, LunÀtico, Jamboree, the Umbria Jazz Festival, Vicenza Jazz, Piacenza Jazz, and Veneto Jazz. In 2024, he received The Jazz Gallery Residency Commission.

Caminiti has shared the stage and recorded with famed musicians such as Seamus Blake, Dayna Stephens, Pedrito Martinez, Jon Cowherd, Gilad Hekselman, the Manuel Valera New Cuban Express Big Band, and the Bobby Sanabria & Multiverse Big Band. In the United States, he is part of Dayna Stephens’ Custom Deluxe, the world-inspired collective Immigrantet, and many other working ensembles.

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Gabriel Chakarji is a Grammy Award–winning pianist and composer known for his unique blend of Venezuelan and New York City jazz music. Growing up in Caracas, Chakarji was exposed to a rich variety of musical styles, including Afro-Venezuelan folk, Caribbean music, Brazilian music, jazz, and gospel hymns. He eventually moved to New York City to explore new musical frontiers and has since performed at some of the city’s most iconic venues, including Carnegie Hall, Blue Note, and Dizzy’s Club. Chakarji has released two critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader: “Vida” and “New Beginning.” His composition “Enredadera” was nominated for best jazz single at the 20th edition of the Independent Music Awards in New York City. In 2022, Chakarji was awarded the prestigious Jazz Gallery Residency Commission and the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award.

In addition to his successful career as a bandleader, Chakarji has collaborated with a diverse range of artists and companies around the world, including Disney’s “Encanto Sing-Along Show,” Jeremy Bosh, Luis Enrique, Ari Hoenig, Luisito Quintero, and Dayna Stephens. His compositions and playing reflect his passion for social justice and multiculturalism, embodying the diverse rhythms, harmonies, and influences that make up his unique musical identity.

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Miguel Marcel Russell has quickly emerged as one of jazz’s most sought-after young drummers. Born in New York and raised in Miami, Russell moved back to New York to attend the Manhattan School of Music under the mentorship of John Riley and Kendrick Scott. While in college, Russell started working consistently with bandleaders including Theo Croker, Dayna Stephens, Rotem Sivan, Zoh Amba, and Lex Korten. He now maintains a very active tour schedule with these bandleaders; composes his own music; and leads his own projects.

Hamish Smith is an award-winning jazz bassist and composer from New Zealand, now based in New York City. With a reputation for rhythmic inventiveness, groove-driven feel, and lyrical sensibility, he has quickly established himself as one of the most in-demand bassists on the international jazz scene. Smith has worked with a remarkable roster of artists, including Paquito D’Rivera, Miguel Zenón, Jonathan Kreisberg, Yosvany Terry, Alex Sipiagin, Henry Hey, Zach Brock, Magos Herrera, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan has described him as “a modern marvel—one of the great young bassists in the world.”