Nat Reeves Quartet (outdoors)

Nat Reeves, one of the top bassists in jazz, will perform at Elizabeth Park alongside Sarah Hanahan (alto sax), Caelan Cardello (piano), and Hank Allen-Barfield (drums)—three rising stars on the jazz scene.

For more than 40 years, Nat Reeves has been one of the top bassists in jazz. His supportive and stimulating playing has uplifted countless sessions and recording dates (most notably with the great altoists Jackie McLean and Kenny Garrett) and has led his own recordings State of Emergency and Blue Ridge. Both as a performer and an educator, he has made a strong impact on the jazz world.

Nat Reeves first toured with Sonny Stitt in 1982 in Japan during what would be the great saxophonist’s last tour. The same year he met Jackie McLean, who became his mentor. Soon after, he began teaching at the University of Hartford and touring the world with Jackie McLean and other Jazz masters, including Kenny Garrett, Harold Mabern, Eddie Henderson, Steve Davis, Eric Alexander, Rene McLean, and most recently Pharoah Sanders.

In 2001 Nat began a full-time teaching career at The Hartt School, Jackie McLean Institute. Although Nat retired from the University in 2021, he continues to perform and teach. Nat’s performance career is supercharged: “I’m excited for what is ahead.”

Sarah Hanahan is an up-and-coming jazz saxophonist in New York City. Sarah is a graduate of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School of Music where she received her bachelor’s degree in 2019. In 2022, she received her master’s degree from The Juilliard School in 2022. Sarah has had the privilege of studying with some of the greats of our time including Abraham Burton, Nat Reeves, Steve Davis, Billy Drummond, and Marc Cary.

Recently, Sarah has been working with many renowned musicians including Jeff “Tain” Watts, Nat Reeves, Peter Martin, Steve Davis, Billy Hart, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jason Moran, Marc Cary, and many others. Sarah plays regularly with her own band in venues around NYC such as Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, Smoke Jazz Club, Birdland Jazz Club, The Django, and more. She also recently had the opportunity to play for the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert at the Kennedy Center honoring Sue Mingus with the Mingus Dynasty Band. Sarah tours both nationwide and internationally with Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y, Sherrie Miracle and the Diva Orchestra, Joe Farnsworth, and the Grammy award-winning Mingus Big Band.

Sarah was recently featured in the first-ever class of NPR Jazz Night in America’s Youngbloods. The series features “five up-and-coming jazz geniuses who are revolutionizing their genre”— all of whom are under the age of 30.

Born into a musical household in Teaneck, NJ, Caelan Cardello practically had music infused in his DNA from the start. He started playing the piano at the age of five and within two years had begun formal training in both classical and jazz piano with jazz pianist/arranger Allen Farnham and Juilliard alum Steve Masi. Caelan’s consistent musical growth enabled him to secure mentorships with some of the most sought-after jazz giants of our time, most notably Fred Hersch, Frank Kimbrough, and Dave Kikoski.

Caelan’s involvement in the renowned Jazz House Kids arts program, developed by jazz vocalist Melissa Walker and husband, bassist Christian McBride offered him opportunities to play and study with some of the most prominent figures in jazz today including Jimmy Cobb, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jack DeJohnette, and Christian McBride to name a few. Caelan graduated from William Paterson University with a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance. He studied with many venerable jazz masters, including Bill Charlap and the late great Harold Mabern. He has performed at Dizzy’s Club, Minton’s Playhouse, and the Jazz Standard, among others.

Currently, Caelan is performing in New York City, around the tri-state area, and tours throughout the US. He began his master’s program in Jazz Performance at the Juilliard School on 2023.

Hank Allen-Barfield is a young, up-and-coming jazz drummer in New York City. Born and raised in Sacramento, California, Hank picked up the drums at age 10 after being influenced by his father, John Allen, who was a successful professional musician in the nineties.

Hank finished his undergraduate studies in 2021 at the prestigious William Paterson University where he had the opportunity to study with Joe Farnsworth, Bill Goodwin, Bill Charlap, Mike LeDonne, Harold Mabern, and many others. Since moving to New York City, Hank’s reputation of being a hard-hitting and swinging drummer spread quickly and has since been a regular performer at clubs such as Smalls Jazz Club, Smoke Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, Mezzrow Jazz Club, Cafe Bohemia, The Jazz Forum, and The Django among others.

Hank regularly leads his own band at Cafe Bohemia, Smalls Jazz Club, and the Django, and recently has been a part of groups led by 2-time Grammy Award Winner Samara Joy, Vincent Herring, Jerry Weldon, Bruce Harris, Erena Terakubo, Mike LeDonne, Julius Rodriguez, Jeb Patton, Ray Gallon, James Morrison and a multitude of others. On top of being a full-time musician, Hank is currently pursuing his master’s degree and graduate studies at The Juilliard School.

All concerts are FREE and take place on the John G. Martin Foundation Stage, located on the Helen S Kaman Rose Garden Lawn.

Raindate is Thursday, August 15 at 6:30.