Joel Ross’s Good Vibes

Wed, Apr 22

*PLEASE NOTE: All 6PM and 8PM shows at Smoke are Dinner Shows $25.00 / $40.00 / $50.00 / $55.00 – Wed, Thu, Fri & Sun $25.00 / $50.00 / $60.00 / $65.00 -- Sat Joel Ross – vibraphone Devin Daniels – alto saxophone Tyler Bullock – piano Kanoa Mendenhall – bass Jeremy Dutton – drums “It’s easy to hear poetry in Ross’ performances, in the strike of his mallets and the prosody of his phrasing.” – Downbeat Celebrated vibraphonist Joel Ross makes his bandleader debut at Smoke, with his band of exceptional young talent, Good Vibes, with saxophonist Devin Daniels, pianist Tyler Bullock, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, and drummer Jeremy Dutton. A rising star on the modern jazz scene, Ross has released five albums as a leader on Blue Note Records, including his latest, Gospel Music, which explores storytelling and the spiritual dimensions of music. His work has drawn praise for its clarity, lyrical depth, and balance of technical sophistication with emotional resonance. Ross has performed and recorded with some of the leading voices in contemporary jazz, including Christian McBride, Kenny Barron, Jon Batiste, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Ari Hoenig. He was also recently featured on drummer Joe Farnsworth’s acclaimed release, The Big Room. Ross’s playing is praised for its precision, expressive nuance, and capacity to shape the ensemble’s sound while remaining fully in dialogue with other musicians. The New Yorker writes that he “takes advantage of the inclusive options of millennial jazz.” His compositions often combine rhythmic intricacy, melodic invention, and harmonic subtlety, reflecting both rigorous study and the vibrant, communal energy of Chicago gospel, which shaped his early musical life. The New York Times says he “is an upstart reasserting how scholarly group improvisation, rooted in spiritual intent, might feel fresh — even provocative.”