With her teal hair, vibrant outfits, and vocal stylings reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald, jazz vocalist Meryl Zimmerman is hard to miss. Like New Orleans, the city she’s called home for a decade, her performances are infused with spontaneity and color. She achieves this through her love of improvisation, her uncanny ability to scat, and her versatility- no song is sung the same way twice. Her repertoire is expansive, focused mainly on the Great American Songbook and jazz standards with occasional forays into 90s alternative, murder ballads, and bops from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Originally from Long Island, Meryl got her Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music where she studied with acclaimed vocalists Kate McGarry, Theo Bleckmann, and Peter Eldridge. Though her years of training are evident in her impeccable technique and impressive vocal range, her ability to affect her audiences through her emotional connection with the music is paramount. She “displays her vocal chops with relish,” according to Offbeat Magazine.

Meryl’s performed at venues across New Orleans including the city’s premier jazz club Snug Harbor, as well as Tipitina’s, The Spotted Cat, Three Muses, and Buffa’s, to name a few. She has performed at the French Quarter Festival and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. When the pandemic shuttered bars and clubs, Meryl transformed her front porch into a stage. Under a ceiling bedecked in twinkle lights and tinsel, she sang holiday songs out into the cold night for a crowd of smiling neighbors sitting in rows of camping chairs on the sidewalk. She has self-released two consecutive albums, Crystalline (2020) and A Very Meryl Christmas (2021). “…the more familiar ideas are dressed up in uncommon arrangements that take them into interesting places. Her bossa nova version of “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” was compelling…” writes music journalist Alex Rawls on his “Twelve Songs of Christmas” podcast. When she’s not performing, Meryl teaches at the University of New Orleans and Loyola University of New Orleans as a private voice instructor.

Victor Campbell Moíses is a young piano player hailing from Camagüey, Cuba. His compelling style combines virtuosity, whimsy, charisma and technical prowess. Campbell began playing piano at 5 years old and went on to train at Cuba’s National School of the Arts. Since his late teens he has played all over the United States and internationally. Victor first visited New Orleans in 2012 as part of an exchange program with the Louis Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp. That visit changed his life, and in 2019 Victor decided to move to New Orleans. He has been feverishly studying all styles of New Orleans music ever since, and incorporating it into his own musical language. He can effortlessly transition from a blues solo, to a Cuban timba montuno, and then right into a classical piano selection. In a 2019 interview, the great Chucho Valdés predicted that "Victor will revolutionize Cuban jazz piano."

Gregory Agid is emerging as the preeminent jazz clarinetist of his generation. The New Orleans based multi-instrumentalist maintains an extremely active performance schedule playing both clarinet and saxophone with GRAMMY award-winning artist Michael Buble, Delfeayo Marsalis’ Uptown Jazz Orchestra, and his own Gregory Agid Quartet, with whom he has released three albums to date. Agid comes from a strong tradition of jazz excellence, education, and mentorship in New Orleans. As the protégée of clarinet guru Alvin Batiste, it is only natural that Agid has found great success and fulfillment as an educator. Alongside drummer Darrian Douglas, Agid is the co-founder of Second Line Arts Collective, a non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating the artistic and entrepreneurial growth of aspiring creatives. It is no surprise that aspiring clarinetists also look to Agid; his strong social media presence marks him as a leader in the worldwide clarinet community. While boldly and deliberately carving his musical path, Agid says he is simply, “building upon the innovations of his heroes.”

Come in and wind down after work at AMAS! No cover for Teachers, Educators and School Administrative Staff.

Amina Scott is an exceptionally talented bassist and composer. Growing up in a musically inclined family, with both her parents being music enthusiasts, she was exposed to a diverse range of musical genres, which greatly influenced her artistic development. Her interest in music peaked at an early age when her grandmother began giving her piano lessons. From then on, her love and passion for music have yet to cease. She started playing electric bass at the age of twelve and soon began playing gigs with local bands in Oakland. She switched her focus towards the upright bass after attending college at Loyola University New Orleans. In 2019, she received her Master’s degree from Florida State University under the tutelage of Rodney Jordan. She was also part of the 2017 Ravinia Jazz Program cohort under the direction of Rufus Reid, Billy Childs, and Nathan Davis.

Currently based in New Orleans, LA, Amina Scott has been a bassist for many musicians on the New Orleans music scene, as well as abroad. She has performed with artists such as Jazzmeia Horn, Chief Xian Atunde Adjuah, Don Vappie, David Murray, Johnny Vidacovich, Joanne Bracken, Nicholas Payton, Herlin Riley, and Germaine Bazzle. She currently tours with a project, spearheaded by Dee Dee Bridgewater, called WE EXIST! as well as with the DDB Big Band where she serves as an arranger and as the bassists.

Amina continues to forge her own path as a trailblazing artist, Ranging from many musical influences, she is able to express her journey into Black womanhood and capture the trials and tribulations of her career thus far. While staying true to the musical lineage as well as herself, Amina is able to captivate audiences around the world with her music and her story. Her debut album Where The Wild Seed Grows is out now on all platforms.

“Saturn Quartet is a real band, not just a collection of individual musicians.”
- Marcus Roberts

Their extremely eclectic and highly sensitive approach to melody and improvisation never fails to captivate an audience. Their debut album “Synchronicities” (2022) was produced by Grammy award-winning artist Jamison Ross and received rave reviews and radio play throughout the US and abroad. They recently released their sophomore album, “Luz” (2023) (also produced by Ross) and currently have US performance dates scheduled and a European tour in the works.

David L. Harris embodies the edge of modern jazz and the sultriness of blues taking his audiences on an emotionally engaging journey of love.

Willie Green is a talented and spiritual artist and composer from Louisiana. At a young age, he discovered
his love of drums while playing gospel music in his dad's church. Since then, Willie has infused his
performances and compositions with his spiritual sensibility. As a band leader, Willie strives to create
opportunities for his bands and friends that align with his vision for himself. He continues to play for other groups and recognizes the importance of cultivating healthy experiences and relationships with others . Willie sees music as an essential part of his life, having been a constant companion since he was young. Through his career as a musician, he has learned valuable life lessons, including perseverance, dedication, and staying calm in challenging situations. Willie's first drum teacher, his Uncle Walter, taught him a valuable lesson about the importance of playing the music. Willie has had the privilege of studying with some of New Orleans' most prominent drummers during his college years at Loyola University. Since graduating, Willie has played with many talented musicians and performed at major US and overseas festivals. Willie hopes to continue spreading his message of peace through his music and to collaborate with as many musicians as possible throughout his career.

The Steve Lands Quartet is unable to play AMAS on Wednesday, October 16th. Full refunds will be made to all advance ticket holders.