Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire has announced Spring tour dates with his quintet in the U.S. and Europe in support of his forthcoming Blue Note Records debut When The Heart Emerges Glistening. Akinmusire - who was named one of the Los Angeles Times’ “Faces to Watch" for 2011 - has also revealed the cover artwork for the album, which will be released on April 5.
In a rave four-star review, DownBeat exclaimed that “Akinmusire’s forceful outing is as noteworthy for the strength of the overall concept as for the individual accomplishments of its leader, head-turning as they are,” adding that “the music and the band vibe are wonderfully original and current. Clearly something very special and personal is at work here, a vision of jazz that’s bigger than camps, broader and more intellectually restless than blowing sessions.”
The tour will kick off April 14 with a four-night engagement at the Jazz Standard in New York City, and includes a 12-date run in Europe, as well as a homecoming performance at SFJAZZ in San Francisco on May 22 and an appearance at the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles on June 11. Akinmusire’s touring quintet will feature tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown. Additional Summer tour dates in the U.S. and Europe will be announced shortly.
