Marcus Gilmore with Wadada Leo Smith and Midori Takada

Marcus Gilmore, a renowned jazz drummer from New York, is celebrated for his unique blend of global percussion traditions and improvisation. Influenced by Tony Williams and Milford Graves, Gilmore honed his craft at prestigious schools like LaGuardia High. He played with legends like Chick Corea, with whom he won a Latin Grammy. His other collaborations include Vijay Iyer, Ravi Coltrane, and Kris Davis. As a bandleader, he released works like "Refract" with Jason Moran and "For Loved Ones" with Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. Acclaimed by DownBeat and chosen for the Rolex Arts Initiative, Gilmore’s impact on jazz is profound.

Wadada Leo Smith, born in Mississippi, is a groundbreaking jazz trumpeter and composer known for his Ankhrasmation musical language. A pioneer in avant-garde jazz since the ’60s, he’s worked with Anthony Braxton, John Zorn, and Vijay Iyer. His major works include Pulitzer-nominated *Ten Freedom Summers* and Grammy-winning *America’s National Parks*.