“Lafayette Gilchrist has dug deep into [jazz piano] history… he's tapping into jazz's spiritual, historical and cultural roots. He's an old soul at ease in the modern world.”– Kevin Whitehead, NPR’s Fresh Air
Lafayette Gilchrist’s music draws on the span of jazz history from stride to free improvisation, along with inspiration from hip-hop, funk, and Washington D.C.’s unique go-go sound. His work thrives on making surprising connections between styles and influences, boldly veering from piledriver funk to piquant stride, vigorous swing to hip-hop swagger, contemplative abstraction to deep-bottom grooves. Gilchrist is the pianist in the Sun Ra Arkestra, has toured extensively with David Murray, and his compositions have graced the soundtracks of David Simon’s acclaimed series The Wire, The Deuce, and Treme.
"New Orleans barrelhouse piano, the Impressionism of Ravel and Duke Ellington’s jaggy
solo-piano sound form the bedrock of Lafayette Gilchrist’s style at the keyboard. But if
there’s one big influence on the way he thinks about rhythm, it’s the deeply swinging 'pocket' of a classic go-go beat." - Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times
$18 advance | $24 day-of | $12 student
(*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)
About Jazz Casual
The Dance Hall’s Jazz Casual is a series dedicated to the preservation of a distinctly American art form. We believe in and support the advancement of jazz and related improvised musics, showcasing artists who write original works and uniquely arrange traditional music in progressive and imaginative ways. Across the season you can expect an exciting lineup of local and national talent, which we believe is imperative to the health, and continued growth of an art form that has long been a pillar of this community’s live music ecosystem. Jazz Casual carries the torch.
Past seasons of Jazz Casual include performances by: Tony Malaby, Christine Correa, Frank Carlberg, Kim Cass, Ben Monder, Jeremy Udden, Alexa Tarantino, Steven Bernstein, Jason Palmer, Chet Doxas, Mike Effenberger, Taylor O’Donnell, Chris Klaxton, Ayan Imai-Hall, Clifford Cameron, Sharon Jenkins Jones, Maddoc Johnson, and more.