Cohen To Make Art Of Jazz Series Debut!
The jazz community in Buffalo is buzzing as acclaimed pianist Emmet Cohen makes his official debut in the Art of Jazz Series at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. For those who witnessed Emmet Cohen live at the Northwest Jazz Festival in Lewiston, NY or at a memorable concert in 2019 with Veronica Seift at the Flickinger Perfroming Arts Center, they are anticipating Cohen bringing a warm, deeply swinging energy to this already sold-out performance.
Jazz fans have followed him for years as he’s gained a reputation as a leading light of modern jazz – All About Jazz even calls Cohen “in the vanguard of his generation’s advancement of music and the related arts.” With a friendly smile, he communicates “the deepest levels of humanity” through music, and the Art of Jazz Series audience is eager to witness his signature touch live on stage.
Rising Star and Award-Winning Pianist
Emmet Cohen’s rise has been rapid and well-earned. He made headlines by winning the 2019 American Pianists Awards (as the Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association), a prestigious competition sometimes called the “Olympics” of piano contests. In the years since, he’s been in constant demand as a leader and sideman. Cohen has even been tapped by jazz royalty – he’s a member of bassist Christian McBride’s trio Tip City, which includes noted jazz guitarist Dan Wilson. On record and in concert, critics, like All About Jazz, note that Cohen performs with an “unabashed, heart-on-sleeve exuberance.”
Community Impact: Live From Emmet’s Place and Beyond
In recent years, Cohen has extended jazz’s reach far beyond concert halls. In 2020 he launched Live From Emmet’s Place, a weekly livestream concert from his living room (a modern take on the old Harlem rent party). These free online shows became a national sensation: as one profile notes, the series “received millions of internet views worldwide” and set a new standard for virtual jazz performance. During the lockdown, Emmet’s roommates and houseplants became a staging ground for joyous music and community connection, helping fans around the world feel close again. This inventive spirit is part of Cohen’s legacy: he doesn’t just keep jazz history alive, he brings it into the present in ways that inspire both musicians and listeners alike.
Collaborations and Impressive Recordings
Emmet Cohen’s recordings have earned top honors as well. His Mack Avenue debut album, Future Stride (2021), was widely praised for blending old-school jazz roots with fresh inventiveness. The record features guest appearances from young stars like trumpeter Marquis Hill and saxophonist Melissa Aldana, and reviewers loved it. As Mike Jurkovic wrote in All About Jazz, Future Stride is “both a wildly entertaining modern affair and history lesson all rolled into one.” In every chart on the album, Cohen channels the joy of classic swing and stride piano with a contemporary twist. Whether he’s honoring a swinging Duke Ellington tune or exploring his own composition, he plays with an infectious enthusiasm that earned him a DownBeat Rising Star award and accolades from critics nationwide.
Emmet followed this album with his impressive 2024 release, Vibe Provider—a vibrant blend of original compositions and inventive arrangements of classic tunes. The album serves as a heartfelt dedication to his friend and former Jazz at Lincoln Center programming director for Dizzy’s, Funmi Ononaiye, capturing the spirit, joy, and creative energy he brought to the jazz center.
A Special Event In Buffalo
All of this makes Emmet Cohen’s Buffalo debut at the Art of Jazz Series a special occasion. Our city gets a chance to see and experience a musician, according to All About Jazz, who is “invigorating the contemporary arts world both at home and abroad.”
For local fans who caught his festival performances or tuned into Emmet’s Place, this is a homecoming of sorts. We’ll be gathering at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum to hear every swing, stride, and intimate ballad straight from the pianist’s heart.
I searched for a ticket but found your sold out for Emmett but could be on a waiting list but could not find a reply place . Is this possible ?
Hi Michael, thanks for the interest. I will put you on the waitlist. Which, at this point, is very long but you never know!