12:30pm Workshop
Bassist Hamish Smith, pianist Gabriel Chakarji, and drummer Miguel Marcel Russell will lead a free 90-minute workshop at Berlin on Saturday, May 9. This session offers valuable insights for musicians of all skill levels. Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot early. Coffee and sodas will be provided courtesy of Blue Fox Arts.
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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.”
After making a significant impact on the New Zealand jazz community, Smith was awarded a full tuition scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, prompting his move to New York in 2018. Following his first year of study, he was recruited by 15-time Grammy Award winner Paquito D’Rivera to join his touring quintet on acoustic bass at 21 years of age. Since then, Smith has performed widely with ensembles including D’Rivera’s quintet, the Manuel Valera Trio, the Jochen Rueckert Quartet, and Dayna Stephens’s Custom Deluxe. Smith is now the leader of his own ensemble and a founding member of the collaborative quartet Immigrantet, a group committed to exploring themes of migration, identity, and intercultural dialogue through contemporary jazz.
In addition to performing, Smith is an active educator and author. He has served as a guest clinician in the United States, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, and New Zealand. His e-book Notes on the Move offers practical guidance for aspiring jazz musicians navigating the transition to the U.S. scene. He is an endorsing artist for Aguilar Amplification.
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.
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.
This event is made possible by support from Blue Fox Arts.
