Drummer

Pianist and composer Jason Moran has established himself as a risk-taker and trendsetter for new directions in jazz. Rolling Stone calls him “the most provocative thinker in current jazz.” It’s that incomparable talent and unyielding drive towards innovation that earned Moran a prestigious MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship and the title of Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz. Since 2000, Moran and his trio, The Bandwagon (Tarus Mateen and Nasheet Waits), have dazzled audiences at elite venues worldwide. Moran has also performed with many acclaimed artists such as Charles Lloyd and Dave Holland, he composed a ballet for Alzonzo King LINES Ballet, conceived a jazz and skateboarding collaboration, wrote the film score for Selma, and paid homage to two legendary pianists in his Blue Note album, All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller, and his multimedia program, In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall 1959.

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Jason Moran and The Bandwagon

Lafayette College

The three members of Tarbaby – pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Nasheet Waits – share a long history together. There, this dates to well before the formation of the trio. They share core beliefs about acknowledging the overarching tradition of the music while being true to one’s own story. Additionally, they’re an ensemble of serious intentions and riotous humor, intense spirit and fierce intellect, passion and purpose. Here, that all melds and collides in their provocative and risk-welcoming sound.

Tarbaby

Dakota

Join us at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for an unforgettable evening with Jason Moran & The Big Bandwagon, as they present "James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield." This special performance is scheduled for Friday, October 11, 2024, at 8:00 PM.

Celebrated by Rolling Stone as "the most provocative thinker in current jazz," Jason Moran pays homage to the iconic Black composer and ragtime pioneer, James Reese Europe. Europe, a World War I hero, along with his military ensemble, the Harlem Hellfighters, played a pivotal role in popularizing jazz in France during the war and significantly influenced African American music over the past century amidst cultural and political shifts.

Moran, alongside his Bandwagon bandmates—bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits—and a seven-piece horn section, will delve into the legacy of James Reese Europe. The performance will be enriched with contributions from artist/writer/director John Akomfrah and visuals from acclaimed cinematographer Bradford Young, offering a powerful examination of Europe's impact on music and culture.

This event is part of the Jazz JZ1 Series, which also features performances by Samara Joy on February 07, 2025, Herbie Hancock on March 30, 2025, Patrice Rushen on May 02, 2025, and more. Don't miss this extraordinary night of music that the Washington Post has described as a testament to Jason Moran's "stunningly and profoundly original" talent.

Tickets are available now but subject to change, and all sales are final. Ensure your spot in this journey through jazz history and its profound legacy.

Jason Moran & The Big Bandwagon

Walt Disney Concert Hall

"A fine and provocative post-bop unit,” says The New York Times, “TARBABY does what it wants.” The jazz combo earns its prerogative with an impeccable pedigree. Pianist Orrin Evans is a “poised artist with . . . ideas at his command” (NY Times). Drummer Nasheet Waits, son of jazz legend Freddie Waits, is a key member of Jason Moran’s Bandwagon. Bassist Eric Revis, a longtime Branford Marsalis collaborator, “stretches the jazz fabric without ripping it apart” (Jazz Times). Saxophonist Oliver Lake is an elder statesman of the jazz avant-garde.

Tarbaby feat. Orrin Evans, Eric Revis, Nasheet Waits

Monterey County Fairgrounds

Join us at the Allen Theatre on June 21, 2024, for an unforgettable evening with Jason Moran and the Bandwagon, as part of the Tri-C JazzFest. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, this groundbreaking trio, featuring bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits, has been at the forefront of jazz music, earning accolades from the MacArthur Foundation, US Artists, Doris Duke Foundation, and Ford Foundation. Jason Moran, a renowned pianist, composer, and artist from Houston, TX, has also made significant contributions to the world of film and literature, composing scores for Ava DuVernay’s "Selma" and "13th," as well as for Ta-Nehisi Coates’ staged version of "Between the World and Me."

As the Artistic Director for Jazz at The Kennedy Center, Moran's influence extends beyond performance, shaping the future of jazz education and curation. His teaching roles at New England Conservatory and Jazz Ahead, along with his curatorial work for the Artist’s Studio series at Park Avenue Armory in New York City, underscore his commitment to the development of jazz as a dynamic and evolving art form.

Tickets for this special performance are priced between $42.50 and $50, ensuring accessibility for all jazz enthusiasts. Please note, children under 2 are not permitted to ensure the enjoyment and safety of all attendees.

Don't miss your chance to be part of this milestone event in the jazz calendar. Secure your tickets now and experience the magic of Jason Moran and the Bandwagon live at the Allen Theatre. For those looking to immerse themselves fully in the festival, 45th Annual Tri-C JazzFest Passes are available, granting access to all 9 performances. Passes are on sale from February 28 to April 1 for $300 per pass, exclusively sold through the Tri-C JazzFest Website.

Prepare for an evening of exceptional music that celebrates the legacy and future of jazz.

Jason Moran and the Bandwagon

Cleveland Play House

The iconic bassist’s second night of residency features the Bay Area premiere of his new quartet of masters, each an established bandleader and composer, including alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, pianist Kris Davis, and drummer Nasheet Waits.

Known to SFJAZZ audiences through his standout 2022 performance with drummer Nate Smith’s KINFOLK, Philadelphia-born Shaw is the standard bearer for young altoists in the 21st century.

Davis was named Pianist of the Year in the 2020 DownBeat Critics Poll and has recorded 24 albums as leader or co-leader, winning a GRAMMY for her work on Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standard Vol. 1.

Dave Holland New Quartet

SFJAZZ Center

The guitar giant brings the latest version of his supercharged trio featuring bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Nasheet Waits.

In an extraordinary five-decade career marked by stylistic zigs and zags, Scofield has unquestionably earned his place in the pantheon of the greatest masters of the instrument. He has collaborated on era-defining recordings by Charles Mingus and Miles Davis and released over four-dozen albums that blend hard bop acuity with copious quantities of funk. As a bandleader, Scofield has often returned to the trio format as a perfect improvisational vehicle, establishing his first steady three-piece with bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Adam Nussbaum in the early 1980s. Loose-limbed virtuoso Bill Stewart replaced Nussbaum in the 1990s, recording the guitarist’s 1996 Verve debut Quiet and masterful 2004 live date EnRoute, culminating in 2020’s ECM release Swallow Tales.

John Scofield Trio

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Vijay Iyer & Friends Celebrate the Music of Andrew Hill at Harlem Stage. This sold-out event, taking place on Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, promises to be a remarkable tribute to the jazz piano legend Andrew Hill. Located at 150 Convent Avenue, New York, this performance is a must-attend for jazz enthusiasts and admirers of Andrew Hill's groundbreaking work.

Vijay Iyer, described by The New York Times as a "social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker, and multicultural gateway," returns to Harlem Stage to guest curate and perform. Iyer, a composer and pianist renowned for his innovative contributions to music, leads a stellar ensemble through his arrangements of compositions by his friend and hero, Andrew Hill. The ensemble includes notable musicians such as drummer Nasheet Waits, trumpet player Milena Casado, saxophonist Mark Shim, bassists Devon Gates and Reggie Workman, flutist Nicole Mitchell, and vibraphonist Yuhan Su, among others.

Andrew Hill's album "Black Fire," released in 1964, was a visionary work that has influenced generations of progressive pianists. Iyer's reflection on "Black Fire" highlights the album's unique and indescribable essence, which continues to inspire musicians and listeners alike.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, with additional support provided by the Diana King Memorial Fund presented by the Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the music of Andrew Hill, reimagined and celebrated by Vijay Iyer and his talented ensemble of friends. While the performance on March 2 is sold out, a waitlist is available, and a donation of $40 or more to Harlem Stage grants access to livestream this concert, allowing you to enjoy this extraordinary tribute from the comfort of your home.

Eternal Spirit: Vijay Iyer & Friends Celebrate The Music Of Andrew Hill

Harlem Stage

“One of the premier musicians of his generation” (DownBeat), eight-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride leads an all-star quartet that draws on the powerhouse connection between McBride and drummer Nasheet Waits. The frontline of Josh Evans (trumpet) and Marcus Strickland (sax) soar as they are propelled by one of the world’s greatest rhythm sections with no piano or guitar chords to ground them. One thing is guaranteed, this band will swing!

Christian McBride's New Jawn

The Royal Conservatory of Music

Beyond his incomparable reputation as the standard-bearing bassist in modern jazz, Christian McBride has always been a restless explorer, constantly immersing himself in different musical environments with stimulating collaborators. After seven years of SFJAZZ performances that have run the gamut from bass duo and classical sextet to big band and his funk-infused Situation band, McBride presents the long-awaited return of New Jawn, a quartet named in reference to that most Philadelphian of indefinable words. Echoing the two horns/no piano lineup of the classic Ornette Coleman quartet, New Jawn is comprised of some of the most forward-thinking jazz artists on today’s scene. First recorded on their 2018 eponymous debut, they return with music from their 2023 Mack Avenue follow-up Prime.



A mid-career master regarded by his peers as one of jazz’s very best trumpeters, Terell Stafford possesses a huge, lithesome sound, bountiful imagination and a full-spectrum emotional palette with infinite shades of tenderness, sorrow, aggression and awe. While he’s recorded about a dozen excellent albums as a leader, he’s been more visible as a dependably inspired sideman who adds a potent jolt of energy into setting. Over the past quarter century he’s been sought out by veteran masters such as saxophone legend Jimmy Heath, pianist Cedar Walton, altoist Bobby Watson (for both his quintet Horizon and Tailor Made Big Band), drummer Matt Wilson’s Arts and Crafts, and the Clayton Brothers and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.



Terell Stafford Quintet featuring Ralph Moore, Nasheet Waits, and Taylor Eigsti

Stanford University

Eight-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist Christian McBride fuses the fire and fury of a virtuoso with the depth and grounding of a seasoned journeyman. Powered by relentless energy and a boundless love of swing, McBride’s career is now blazing into its third decade and he is one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in music.

Drummer

Nasheet Waits

Events

Past events

Sep 26, 2025

Jason Moran and The Bandwagon · Williams Center for the Arts

Sep 9, 2025

Tarbaby · Dakota

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