NVJS is honored to have been included in a limited tour made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Sullivan Fortner has been lauded as one of the top jazz pianists of his generation. His virtuosic technique as a highly sought improviser has won him international praise, including a Grammy. Mr. Fortner’s music embodies the essence of the blues and jazz across all eras. He has performed across the country and throughout the world at such cultural institutions as the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, Sweet Lorraine’s and The Jazz Playhouse in New Orleans, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Smalls Jazz Club in New York City. Fortner has appeared at celebrated festivals, including Newport, Monterey and Gillmore Keyboard, among others. In 2019, he brought his band to the historic Village Vanguard for a weeklong engagement reprised in 2020 as a virtual performance during the COVID lockdown.

Sullivan’s works and his insights have been featured in culturally iconic publications, from The New York Times to The Root. Accolades include the 2015 Cole Porter Fellowship awarded by the American Pianists Association, Leonore Annenberg Arts Fellowship, the 2016 Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists and, in 2020, the prestigious Shifting Foundation Grant for artistic career development.

The Trio:
Sullivan Fortner, piano
Tyrone Allen, bass
Kayvon Gordon, drums

Thursday, February 22nd, 7:00 p.m.

At Blue Note Napa, 1030 Main Street, Napa
Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

This program is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts via the Western Jazz Presenters Network.