Born in Los Angeles, contemporary jazz saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Gerald Albright is known for chart-topping solo albums and extensive session work with top R&B and hip-hop artists. He earned Grammy nominations for New Beginnings and Summer Horns.
Formed in Baltimore in 1992, American R&B group Dru Hill rose to fame with hits like Tell Me and In My Bed from their 1996 debut. Known for soulful harmonies, they released Enter the Dru in 1998. Member Sisqó also achieved multi-platinum solo success with Thong Song.
Chris Botti is a Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter and composer born in Portland, Oregon. Known for his romantic sound blending jazz and pop, he gained early acclaim touring with Paul Simon and Sting. Botti has released multiple chart-topping albums, including Impressions and When I Fall in Love.
Grammy-winning bassist, composer, and producer Marcus Miller is known for his contemporary jazz, funk, and R&B. Emerging as a prolific session musician, he gained acclaim playing with Miles Davis in the 1980s. Miller has released numerous acclaimed solo albums and composed film scores.
Born in New York, saxophonist and flautist Najee is a prominent crossover jazz and R&B artist. Known for his Grammy-nominated 1986 debut Najee's Theme, he has released numerous chart-topping albums and collaborated with Prince, Chaka Khan, and Stevie Wonder.
Formed in Oakland by producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, Grammy-nominated R&B vocal group En Vogue debuted in 1990 with Born to Sing. Known for hits like Hold On and My Lovin, the multi-platinum quartet earned widespread acclaim for blending diverse musical styles.
Philadelphia native Bilal is a progressive R&B singer and songwriter known for his versatile voice and defying neo-soul categorization. He debuted with 1st Born Second and earned Grammy recognition for works with Kendrick Lamar and Robert Glasper.
Formed in the 1980s at Alabama's Oakwood College, the a cappella group Take 6 blends gospel, doo wop, and jazz. Their 1988 platinum debut won Grammy and Dove awards, sparking collaborations with Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, and George Benson across a celebrated career.
Harlem-born R&B singer and producer Keith Sweat pioneered the new jack swing movement. He launched his career with his 1987 triple-platinum debut album, Make It Last Forever, featuring the hit I Want Her. Known for iconic slow jams like Twisted and Nobody, he also formed the supergroup LSG.
Grammy-winning composer, pianist, and producer Bob James is a co-creator of smooth jazz, blending bop, pop, classical, and R&B. Best known for his 1978 hit album Touchdown featuring Angela, the theme for the TV show Taxi, he also co-founded the jazz supergroup Fourplay.
Formed in 1987 in Indianapolis, contemporary R&B vocal group After 7 is best known for hits like the Grammy-nominated Can't Stop, Ready or Not, and Heat of the Moment. Collaborating closely with Babyface and L.A. Reid, the platinum-selling group landed four straight Top Ten R&B albums.
Multi-gold album artist Tom Browne is best known for hits like Funkin For Jamaica and Thighs High on GRP Records. With over twenty solo projects, the acclaimed musician has collaborated with industry luminaries including Bob James, Roy Ayers, and George Benson, maintaining an active international touring schedule.
Grammy-winning R&B singer and songwriter Avery*Sunshine, born Denise White in Chester, Pennsylvania, studied piano at Spelman College. Known for her chart-topping hit Call My Name, she has earned multiple awards, four top 20 Billboard hits, and international acclaim.
Born Antonio Hardy in Brooklyn, hip-hop artist Big Daddy Kane joined the Juice Crew and released his acclaimed debut album, Long Live the Kane, in 1988. Known for his rapid rhyming and smooth persona, he scored hits like Smooth Operator and collaborated with Barry White.
Four-time GRAMMY-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Eric Benét is known for his signature falsetto and hits like Spend My Life With You featuring Tamia and Sometimes I Cry. Spanning over three decades, his career includes leading JBR Creative Group as President and co-founder.
Will Downing is an R&B artist known for his distinctive baritone voice and a career spanning over 30 years and 21 albums. Dubbed The Prince of Sophisticated Soul, his hits include A Million Ways and the duet Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This with Rachelle Ferrell.
Harlem-born producer Teddy Riley pioneered New Jack Swing and co-founded the groups Guy and Blackstreet. He produced numerous platinum hits and chart-toppers like Joe's Stutter and Blackstreet's No Diggity, and collaborated with Michael Jackson and Mary J. Blige.
Bronx native Samara Joy won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in college. She released her debut album in 2021, followed by Linger Awhile and Portrait, earning Grammy and NAACP Image Awards for her acclaimed vocal jazz work.
Grammy-winning bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding is known for her cross-pollinated contemporary jazz approach. Born in Portland, Oregon, she became Berklee College of Music's youngest faculty member at age 20. She has released acclaimed albums like Esperanza and Radio Music Society.
Minnesota-born vocalist José James blends jazz, soul, hip-hop, and R&B. A finalist in the 2004 Thelonious Monk competition, he debuted with The Dreamer in 2008. His releases include the chart-topping No Beginning No End and tribute albums to Billie Holiday and Bill Withers. He later founded the Rainbow Blonde label.
Formed in 1973 by Donald Byrd at Howard University, the jazz-funk band the Blackbyrds achieved crossover success with hits like Walking in Rhythm and Happy Music. They earned three consecutive gold albums in the 1970s, including City Life, and a Grammy nomination for Unfinished Business.
Atlanta R&B/pop trio TLC (Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas) became one of the biggest-selling female groups ever, winning Grammys for CrazySexyCool and FanMail with hits “Waterfalls” and “No Scrubs.”
Formed 1976 in White Plains, NY, Atlantic Starr are smooth R&B/pop masters of harmonies and ballads; hits “Secret Lovers” and #1 “Always” made them 80s icons.
Formed 1973, The Headhunters are jazz-funk pioneers known for best-selling ’70s classics “Chameleon,” “Watermelon Man,” “Palm Grease”; led by Mike Clark & Bill Summers.
Frank McComb, born in Cleveland, Ohio, is a soul and jazz vocalist, keyboardist, and producer. Renowned for his authentic artistry and powerful vocals, often compared to Donny Hathaway, he has collaborated with Prince, Chaka Khan, and Branford Marsalis. His album "Straight From The Vault" won a SoulTracks Readers Choice Award. He received an Indie Soul Award for "We Were Made For Us" and was honored with an Indie Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026.
Brownstone, signed to Michael Jackson’s MJJ Epic in 1993, is best known for “If You Love Me” (Nicci Gilbert-Daniels), sampled by Tory Lanez, Future & Metro Boomin.
Merriweather Post Pavilion
