The Des Moines Big Band, a storied ensemble that goes back to the 1950s, has played with some of the greatest names in jazz, from legends like Clark Terry to some of the more local household names such as Scott Smith. --- The band often invites high school & college groups in to play during the set break. The first Wednesday of every month, though, the band plays their own full night highlighting the work of a different iconic jazz artist or composer. 

Enjoy the music of this up-and-coming jazz pianist and his trio. Carson Parker is lighting up the state's music scene, and Noce is proud to host him for this special performance. --- Born and raised in Des Moines, IA, Carson Parker discovered his passion for piano at the early age of 6, setting the stage for a lifelong musical journey. His genre-defying sound effortlessly blends jazz, blues, and funk engaging audiences with every performance. His music has been shaped by a combination of tradition and innovation, drawing inspiration from legendary jazz pianists including Cedar Walton, Oscar Peterson, and Duke Ellington. Carson has performed at prestigious venues across Iowa such as Hancher Auditorium, Noce Jazz Club, and the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Including collaborations with musicians including Benny Green, Sean Jones, Benny Benack III, Max Wellman, and Jerome Gillespie. In 2023, Carson distinguished himself as the sole pianist selected for the esteemed National Jazz Band of America. Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in jazz performance and marketing at the University of Iowa, he continues to captivate audiences across Iowa with his own ensemble, and as a sideman, showcasing his passion for music. Carson will be joined by some of Iowa City’s finest musicians including bassist Blake Shaw, and drummer Christopher Jensen 

Join Max Wellman for a night full of standards featuring a rotating cast of musicians & other singers. Similar to Wellman's Last Call series, but just a little bit earlier in the evening. --- Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners. ​Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Noce presents a late night show hosted by a rotation of musicians every Friday night following the conclusion of the prime time show. No cover & happy hour prices at the bar! 

Noce is proud to present a new show starring Domita Sanchez, with music arranged & directed by Paul Lichty. Domita has performed across the country & with great artists everywhere, from the Saddle Gurls to Chappel Roan & more. The Domita Sanchez Show will feature some drag, yes, but also live, dynamic vocals alongside a 10 piece big band. Expect everything from Louis Jordan to Beyonce & beyond. This is a cabaret unlike any other. 

Noce presents a late night show hosted by a rotation of musicians every Friday night following the conclusion of the prime time show. No cover & happy hour prices at the bar! 

Noce is proud to present Nate Sparks along with his big band in an ongoing residency as the premier pianist & composer continues to establish one of the top-level big bands in the region. Nate Sparks is a composer/arranger/performer who grew up in Runnells, Iowa. Nate began playing the piano at age 7, trumpet at 11, and pursued jazz throughout his middle school and high school years. His acceptance into several national high school honor bands and music festivals led him to a post-secondary study of jazz at the Juilliard School, where he also began his career as a writer. ​ Since then he has been commissioned to write music for Lucky Chops, the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Sanabria and the Multiverse Big Band, the MSM Afro-Cuban Orchestra, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, among many others. In 2018 he made arranging contributions to a Grammy Nominated album, West Side Story Reimagined, by Bobby Sanabria and the Multiverse Big Band. While he regularly takes commissions for freelance work, his main outlet as a writer is with his own band, the Nate Sparks Big Band, a New York/Des Moines-based 18-piece jazz orchestra. Playing exclusively his own compositions, arrangements, and transcriptions, the Nate Sparks Big Band performed regularly at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York City in 2016-2019, and now takes root in Des Moines Iowa where he currently Resides. In May of 2017, Nate graduated from Juilliard with a Bachelor's degree in performance, and now in addition to writing and performing, actively pursues a career as a jazz educator. Since then, Nate has been a faculty member of the Lafayette Summer Music Jazz Workshop, the Sitka Jazz and the Simpson College Jazz Workshop. In 2020, he founded and continues to direct the Des Moines Youth Jazz Orchestra, an elite high school ensemble in Central Iowa. He has also been a guest clinician for the New York Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra (New York, NY), The University of Scranton (Scranton, PA), Drake University (Des Moines, IA), Delaware Valley High School (Milford, PA), and Southeast Polk High School (Des Moines, IA). Nate also teaches private lessons in Jazz Piano, Piano Fundamentals, Theory, Jazz Improvisation, Composition and Arranging, and Trumpet. 

Vocalist/pianist Max Wellman along with local jazz musicians play standards from the end of Saturday night's primetime show (9:30 or 10:30) until 11:30 or midnight. --- Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners. Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Vocalist, Lauren Vilmain is a graduate of Drake University where she majored in vocal performance with a minor in musical theatre. In her studies she fell in love with both the thrill of live performance and the beauty of self-expression. While being classically trained, Lauren also dove into musical theater repertoire. After her studies she found a challenging and deep love for American Jazz music. Her repertoire ranges widely from Nina Simone, Melody Gardot and Madeleine Peyroux to blues artists like Lizz Wright, Tracy Chapman, and Eva Cassidy. She performs locally with NOLA Jazz Band as well as her Quintet and is proud to regular the Noce Jazz Club in Downtown Des Moines. Lauren is privileged to work with some of the best musicians in the state and to collaborate with them for her personal projects. 

Vocalist Max Wellman brings back his wildly popular Home for the Holidays show to Noce, featuring the great work of music director & trumpeter Dave Rezek. This show has sold out runs at The Des Moines Playhouse, the Des Moines Social Club, The Turner Jazz Center, & more. Designed after the classic holiday variety shows of yore, you'll hear all of your favorite songs (It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride) brought to you by stellar jazz musicians in a beautiful room. –––––––––– Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners.Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Join the Des Moines Big Band for a monthlong series of favorite holiday classics put through a Big Band filter. From Duke Ellington's "Sugar Rum Cherry" spin on the Sugarplum Fairy and a Zydeco groove "Joy to the World" to Carols of yore, this holiday tradition is a favorite at Noce year after year. –––––––––– The Des Moines Big Band, a storied ensemble that goes back to the 1950s, has played with some of the greatest names in jazz, from legends like Clark Terry to some of the more local household names such as Scott Smith. 

Vocalist Max Wellman brings back his wildly popular Home for the Holidays show to Noce, featuring the great work of music director & trumpeter Dave Rezek. This show has sold out runs at The Des Moines Playhouse, the Des Moines Social Club, The Turner Jazz Center, & more. Designed after the classic holiday variety shows of yore, you'll hear all of your favorite songs (It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride) brought to you by stellar jazz musicians in a beautiful room. –––––––––– Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners.Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Join renowned singer and actress Gina Gedler and her combo of musicians for an evening of some of her favorite warm and toasty Holiday songs by Ella Fitzgerald, Karen Carpenter, Eartha Kitt, Diana Krall, and many more! --- A Note From Gina: Hi! I'm Gina Gedler and I am a regular to the Des Moines entertainment scene and have been performing for many years. I was born in Newton, Iowa and my family moved to Arizona shortly after I was born. Ever since I was a little girl, I always loved to sing and act up! (My mom and dad always said that I entered this world screaming! Come to think of it, that may have been my first singing debut!) Because I had no opportunity for lessons; I grew up listening to records, watching old movies, teaching myself the different styles of music, and the ins and outs of singing and acting. In Arizona I became very involved, during my academic years, in Theater and Music. I returned to Des Moines, Iowa during the spring break of my Junior year of High School. That was tough! But I immediately became involved in the music and theater department to meet new people. And that I did! After meeting the love of my life Mike, in my senior year of High School, we married a year after graduating High School and within our first 5 years of marriage we were blessed with our wonderful son, Brandon! In Des Moines I have been heavily involved in music scene and performing in theater as well. With hard work I have had the privilege and honor of appearing in numerous musicals on stage and many various professional acts and music performances throughout the state and outside of the state as well. For years, I have been enjoying singing in Des Moines as well as outside of the metro area, with my combo of musicians and big bands, for company and personal parties/celebrations, and in various restaurant and lounge venues. I am a current resident performer at the unique and swanky NOCE Jazz and Cabaret Club since its inception in 2015. I am also the lead vocalist with the Ballyhoo Foxtrot Combo and the Soya Vista Jazz Orchestra as well as a guest lead vocalist for several other local bands. I am a singer as well as an entertainer. I pride myself on truly enjoying and delivering what I am singing. I am very versatile with my music styling and offerings. I think a combination of those things is what helps make me unique. One minute I could be singing a standard, or something soft and jazzy, and then break into an upbeat number from the 70's! You just never know what will happen. I love the excitement and emotion that comes from performing all kinds music. Helping people smile, laugh, and feel through music, is what I LOVE! It makes my heart feel good! 

Vocalist Max Wellman brings back his wildly popular Home for the Holidays show to Noce, featuring the great work of music director & trumpeter Dave Rezek. This show has sold out runs at The Des Moines Playhouse, the Des Moines Social Club, The Turner Jazz Center, & more. Designed after the classic holiday variety shows of yore, you'll hear all of your favorite songs (It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride) brought to you by stellar jazz musicians in a beautiful room. –––––––––– Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners.Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Join renowned singer and actress Gina Gedler and her combo of musicians for an evening of some of her favorite warm and toasty Holiday songs by Ella Fitzgerald, Karen Carpenter, Eartha Kitt, Diana Krall, and many more! --- A Note From Gina: Hi! I'm Gina Gedler and I am a regular to the Des Moines entertainment scene and have been performing for many years. I was born in Newton, Iowa and my family moved to Arizona shortly after I was born. Ever since I was a little girl, I always loved to sing and act up! (My mom and dad always said that I entered this world screaming! Come to think of it, that may have been my first singing debut!) Because I had no opportunity for lessons; I grew up listening to records, watching old movies, teaching myself the different styles of music, and the ins and outs of singing and acting. In Arizona I became very involved, during my academic years, in Theater and Music. I returned to Des Moines, Iowa during the spring break of my Junior year of High School. That was tough! But I immediately became involved in the music and theater department to meet new people. And that I did! After meeting the love of my life Mike, in my senior year of High School, we married a year after graduating High School and within our first 5 years of marriage we were blessed with our wonderful son, Brandon! In Des Moines I have been heavily involved in music scene and performing in theater as well. With hard work I have had the privilege and honor of appearing in numerous musicals on stage and many various professional acts and music performances throughout the state and outside of the state as well. For years, I have been enjoying singing in Des Moines as well as outside of the metro area, with my combo of musicians and big bands, for company and personal parties/celebrations, and in various restaurant and lounge venues. I am a current resident performer at the unique and swanky NOCE Jazz and Cabaret Club since its inception in 2015. I am also the lead vocalist with the Ballyhoo Foxtrot Combo and the Soya Vista Jazz Orchestra as well as a guest lead vocalist for several other local bands. I am a singer as well as an entertainer. I pride myself on truly enjoying and delivering what I am singing. I am very versatile with my music styling and offerings. I think a combination of those things is what helps make me unique. One minute I could be singing a standard, or something soft and jazzy, and then break into an upbeat number from the 70's! You just never know what will happen. I love the excitement and emotion that comes from performing all kinds music. Helping people smile, laugh, and feel through music, is what I LOVE! It makes my heart feel good! 

Hear the classic score from composer Vince Guaraldi, brought to you by one of the great piano trios in the region. --- Tanner Taylor studied under Jack Oatts and Manhattan School of Music’s Garry Dial. Taylor is an in-demand pianist throughout the Midwest, actively performing in the Omaha, Minneapolis, Des Moines, and Kansas City music scenes. Taylor has performed with jazz notables such as Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Lew Tabackin, David “Fathead” Newman, Steve Turre, Wycliffe Gordon, Wes “Warm Daddy” Anderson, Dick Oatts, Eric Alexander, Bobby Shew, Steve Smith, Jaleel Shaw, Delfeayo Marsalis, Barbara Morrison, Connie Evingson,and Randy Brecker. as well as performing on "A Praire Home Companion" with Garrison Keilor. Taylor was inducted into the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame in October, 2022. 

In only a few short years The NOLA Jazz Bands “gutsy and heartfelt” blues and jazz stylings has earned them a nationwide fan base. This 5 generation, 8 member group led by clarinetist Jeff Kane has played with some of the biggest movers and shakers in the New Orleans, Hot Jazz, and NYC Traditional Jazz scenes including: Bria Skonberg, Marla Dixon and Shotgun Jazz Band, Paul Mehling and Hot Club of San Francisco, Davina & the Vagabonds, and many others. Band members have also played in Europe and at well-known clubs in New Orleans and New York including the Spotted Cat, Bamboula’s, Iridium, and Smalls Jazz Club. 

Hear the classic score from composer Vince Guaraldi, brought to you by one of the great piano trios in the region. --- Tanner Taylor studied under Jack Oatts and Manhattan School of Music’s Garry Dial. Taylor is an in-demand pianist throughout the Midwest, actively performing in the Omaha, Minneapolis, Des Moines, and Kansas City music scenes. Taylor has performed with jazz notables such as Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Lew Tabackin, David “Fathead” Newman, Steve Turre, Wycliffe Gordon, Wes “Warm Daddy” Anderson, Dick Oatts, Eric Alexander, Bobby Shew, Steve Smith, Jaleel Shaw, Delfeayo Marsalis, Barbara Morrison, Connie Evingson,and Randy Brecker. as well as performing on "A Praire Home Companion" with Garrison Keilor. Taylor was inducted into the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame in October, 2022. 

Join up-and-coming pianist & composer Carson Parker in a brand new Christmas show with his full band, featuring Iowa native (now Chicago-based) singer & multi-instrumentalist Aviana Gedler. --- Carson Parker, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, has emerged as one of the Midwest's most captivating young jazz pianists, blending a mix of jazz, blues, and funk into his distinctive style. Carson's musical journey began at the age of six, when he first played the piano, setting a foundation for a lifelong dedication to the craft. His music, marked by passion and precision, shows a deep appreciation for jazz greats like Cedar Walton, Oscar Peterson, and Benny Green who have significantly shaped his sound. Carson’s talent has taken him to some of the region’s greatest venues, including Chicago's Fulton Street Collective, Clara Chicago, Opus Concert Cafe, Des Moines’ Noce Jazz Club, and the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Carson is grateful to be influenced by many teachers and mentors including Nate Sparks, Nick Ruckert, and Dr. William Menefield. His versatility as both a solo artist and collaborator has allowed him to work with musicians including trumpeter Sean Jones, drummer Isaiah Spencer, trumpeter Benny Bennack III, vocalist Max Wellman, drummer Jerome Gillespie II, and singer-songwriter James Tutson. In 2023, Carson achieved the honor as the sole pianist of the National Jazz Band of America. Now an established professional, he continues to play for audiences across the Midwest, both with his ensemble and as a sought-after sideman, consistently showcasing his passion and commitment to the music. Carson’s journey is only just beginning as he pushes forward, leaving a mark on the jazz world 

Vocalist Max Wellman brings back his wildly popular Home for the Holidays show to Noce, featuring the great work of music director & trumpeter Dave Rezek. This show has sold out runs at The Des Moines Playhouse, the Des Moines Social Club, The Turner Jazz Center, & more. Designed after the classic holiday variety shows of yore, you'll hear all of your favorite songs (It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride) brought to you by stellar jazz musicians in a beautiful room. –––––––––– Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners.Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Vocalist Max Wellman brings back his wildly popular Home for the Holidays show to Noce, featuring the great work of music director & trumpeter Dave Rezek. This show has sold out runs at The Des Moines Playhouse, the Des Moines Social Club, The Turner Jazz Center, & more. Designed after the classic holiday variety shows of yore, you'll hear all of your favorite songs (It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride) brought to you by stellar jazz musicians in a beautiful room. –––––––––– Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners.Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Vocalist Max Wellman brings back his wildly popular Home for the Holidays show to Noce, featuring the great work of music director & trumpeter Dave Rezek. This show has sold out runs at The Des Moines Playhouse, the Des Moines Social Club, The Turner Jazz Center, & more. Designed after the classic holiday variety shows of yore, you'll hear all of your favorite songs (It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride) brought to you by stellar jazz musicians in a beautiful room. –––––––––– Vocalist Max Wellman is enticing music lovers throughout the region. With a sound evoking the likes of Sinatra and Connick, Wellman’s recordings & performances promise that the Great American Songbook is alive & well for a new generation of listeners.Wellman co-founded Noce, a state-of-the-art jazz club in the Western Gateway neighborhood of downtown Des Moines. Additionally, Wellman has appeared at some of the great clubs throughout the country, from Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago to Dazzle in Denver & many in between. 

Hear the classic score from composer Vince Guaraldi, brought to you by one of the great piano trios in the region. --- Tanner Taylor studied under Jack Oatts and Manhattan School of Music’s Garry Dial. Taylor is an in-demand pianist throughout the Midwest, actively performing in the Omaha, Minneapolis, Des Moines, and Kansas City music scenes. Taylor has performed with jazz notables such as Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Lew Tabackin, David “Fathead” Newman, Steve Turre, Wycliffe Gordon, Wes “Warm Daddy” Anderson, Dick Oatts, Eric Alexander, Bobby Shew, Steve Smith, Jaleel Shaw, Delfeayo Marsalis, Barbara Morrison, Connie Evingson,and Randy Brecker. as well as performing on "A Praire Home Companion" with Garrison Keilor. Taylor was inducted into the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame in October, 2022. 

In only a few short years The NOLA Jazz Bands “gutsy and heartfelt” blues and jazz stylings has earned them a nationwide fan base. This 5 generation, 8 member group led by clarinetist Jeff Kane has played with some of the biggest movers and shakers in the New Orleans, Hot Jazz, and NYC Traditional Jazz scenes including: Bria Skonberg, Marla Dixon and Shotgun Jazz Band, Paul Mehling and Hot Club of San Francisco, Davina & the Vagabonds, and many others. Band members have also played in Europe and at well-known clubs in New Orleans and New York including the Spotted Cat, Bamboula’s, Iridium, and Smalls Jazz Club. 

Join the Des Moines Big Band for a monthlong series of favorite holiday classics put through a Big Band filter. From Duke Ellington's "Sugar Rum Cherry" spin on the Sugarplum Fairy and a Zydeco groove "Joy to the World" to Carols of yore, this holiday tradition is a favorite at Noce year after year. –––––––––– The Des Moines Big Band, a storied ensemble that goes back to the 1950s, has played with some of the greatest names in jazz, from legends like Clark Terry to some of the more local household names such as Scott Smith. 

Few musicians embody the spontaneous energy of jazz quite like Matt Wilson, who was recently named 2018 Musician of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. The New York-based drummer combines buoyant zeal, idiosyncratic style, infectious humor, joyous swing and an indomitable spirit of surprise, making him one of the most in-demand players and educators on the modern jazz scene. He leads many distinctive ensembles: the Matt Wilson Quartet, Arts & Crafts, Honey and Salt, Big Happy Family, Topsy Turvy and the Christmas Tree-O. With his two most recent recordings, Wilson has achieved the very rare feat of receiving two consecutive 5-star (masterpiece) reviews from DownBeat magazine. His latest album, Honey and Salt (Music Inspired by the Poetry of Carl Sandburg), was chosen as the 2018 Record of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and also received 5-star reviews from three separate All About Jazz writers, Irish Times and Diariofolk. The recording, his thirteenth as a leader for Palmetto, has also been recognized on over thirty “Best Of “ lists, including The Top Ten Recordings of 2017 lists by NPR, JazzTimes, Boston Globe, DownBeat, Jazziz, Cadence, Irish Times, Just Jazz, Stem Tempest and numerous other publications. Wilson’s impressive discography numbers more than 400 CDs, including releases by his co-led trios Sifter and Trio M. He has performed with such luminaries as Dewey Redman, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Chris Potter, Paul Bley, Elvis Costello, Lee Konitz, Geri Allen, Andrew Hill, Jane Ira Bloom, Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, Marshall Allen, Joanne Brackeen, John Zorn, Cecil McBee, Paquito D’ Rivera, Ray Anderson, Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, Candido, Buster Williams, Sheila Jordan, Gary Peacock, Kenny Barron, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Hubert Laws, George Cables, Denny Zeitlin and many others. Matt has been featured on the covers of DownBeat, JazzTimes, Modern Drummer, JazzEd, JazzTimes Educational Supplement, Jazziz, The New York City Jazz Record, Hot House and Coda magazines. He was voted Drummer of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2003 and 2011 and he topped the “Rising Star Drummer” category in DownBeat’s Critics Poll for five consecutive years, among numerous other accolades, including a 2011 Grammy nomination. In demand as an educator, he’s led workshops and master classes around the world and is on faculty at the New School, SUNY Purchase, San Francisco Conservatory, Sarah Lawrence College and Prins Claus Conservatory in Groningen, Holland. “Any time you get a chance to hear Matt Wilson play drums—whether he’s a leader or sideman—take it, and be sure to sit front and center. He exemplifies the idea of the artist’s instrument and music being an extension of who they are as a human being. You can hear Wilson smiling behind the drum kit.” DownBeat Magazine “There are a few more emphatically dazzling drummers working today, but almost nobody in Wilson’s peer group with a broader sense of jazz history, or a more natural sense of time, or a stronger signature as a bandleader, or more goodwill among his fellow players.” Jazz Times “The drummer Matt Wilson is an ambassador of good feeling!”  New York Times “Drummer Matt Wilson is one of the friendliest guys in jazz, and his music, even at its most complex, reflects that. It's unpretentious and full of easygoing swing.” National Public Radio “As a body of work, Wilson’s Palmetto discs are among the most exciting in recent jazz. Conscious of history, exploratory, funny and mournful by turns, they keep the listener guessing and, better still, thirsty for more.”  Penguin Guide to Jazz