Jazz on the Plaza: Wayne Tucker and The Bad Mothas

New York City’s favorite community-based jazz festival — proudly welcomes:

Wayne Tucker and The Bad Mothas

Wayne Tucker (trumpet/voice)

David Linard (keys)

Addisoin Frei (keys)

Tamir Shmerling (bass)

Diego Ramirez (drums)

About Wayne Tucker:

Wayne Tucker is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, college professor, violinist, vocalist, author, actor and model based in New York City. He has released 5 albums under his name and performs regularly with his band, The Bad Mothas in New York City.

Wayne has toured and recorded with a diverse array of notables such as jazz musicians Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Cyrille Aimée; pop acts Taylor Swift, David Crosby, Elvis Costello; r&b singers Ne-Yo and Gabriel Garzon-Montano; hip hop artists Jidenna and Ryan Leslie; and with the rock band Brass Against, and house music stars; Crystal Waters and CeCe Peniston.

This diversity is represented in The Bad Mothas energetic sound where the American Songbook gets a welcome update, including selections by Michael Jackson or Earth Wind & Fire.  Tenor saxophonist Miles Tucker (Wayne's brother) holds a lean mean counterpoint to Wayne's gentle affability on trumpet. Drummer Diego Joaquin Ramirez and bassist Tamir Shmerling provide solid underpinning which accommodates a varied cast of pianists, most notably the gospel-influenced Willerm Delisfort.  The group was featured in the New York Times for its steady schedule of street performances during the 2020 shutdown, representatives of New York City's infamous grit.

Wayne continues to maintain a dedicated presence in the small clubs of New York City alongside a career which makes occasional forays into venues like Madison Square Garden, The Hollywood Bowl, and The Tonight Show, to name a few. As an actor/model he has been featured in ads and commercials for companies like Dove, Mastercard, Bonobos and GMC, and appeared on television shows like Succession and Blacklist. He is also a publisher author of the inspirational book “100 Musical Thoughts” Tucker wrote the soundtrack and co-stars in the short film Hotel Bleu.

About Jazz on the Plaza:

For over 20 years, Jazz on the Plaza has been held in the public outdoor plaza at 601 Lexington Avenue. These midday concerts are free of charge and open to the general public. Many people bring a lunch or purchase it from one of the several area vendors. While every effort is made to host Jazz on the Plaza outdoors, in the event of inclement weather the concert may be moved indoors to the Sanctuary of Saint Peter’s Church, where guests are asked not to bring food or opened beverages.

Concerts begin at 12:30 P.M. and run for about an hour. During the month of September, jazz groups from area colleges are featured as a way to support the ongoing development of young jazz musicians. Through the months of July and August, the festival features some of the best professional jazz musicians in the city. Care is made to present a diversity of ensembles and styles ranging from small trios to large big bands.

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED, IN PART, BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

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Host or Publisher Arts and Architecture Conservancy at Saint Peter's