Live at the Bop Stop

Performance used with permission from the artist and venue. The Stephen Phillip Harvey Jazz Orchestra is a seventeen-piece ensemble featuring a rotating roster of world-class musicians from across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Known for their bold sound and adventurous programming, the group debuted in 2022 with Smash!, a studio album released on Next Level. With their most recent release Multiversal, Harvey channels the spirit of America's original large ensemble—the jazz orchestra—into a vivid, pseudo-cinematic soundscape filled with drama, intensity, and imaginative storytelling and the orchestra performs selections from that release here.

Performance used with permission from the artist and venue. Washington DC based pianist and composer José Luiz Martins brings a unique and inventive approach to his playing, compositions and arrangements. His creative sense of storytelling combined with a diverse harmonic palette and refined sense of rhythm create a vibrant, expansive, and enticing sonic experience. That harmonic palette is on display both in this performance and his 2025 release Odessey Mixtape. Featuring, among others, Alex Hamburger on Flute and Patrick Duke Graney on Percussion, and from a July 26th, 2025 performance, it's Jose Luis Martins Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue. Cincinnati based pianist Ben Tweedt is one of the Midwest's most sought-after session musicians appearing in performances and release from, among others, Dan Wilson, Jamey Haddad, Brandon Coleman and Walfredo Reyes, Junior. His first release leading a trio is called Life Cycle and he steps forward to put on an epic performance in support of it. Featuring Ben on piano, Phillip Tipton on Drums and a pinch-hitting George Delancy on Bass, and from a July 25th, 2024 performance it's the first set of the Ben Tweedt Trio… Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue. Indianapolis based guitarist Charlie Ballantine returns to our stage and to our program – this time in front of a live audience. Charlie released two albums in 2021; Cold Coffee is a collection of his own works and Life is Brief – a Tribute to Bob Dylan, which landed on Jazziz Magazine's Top Ten Best Releases list. His most recent release is 2024's East by Midwest and he performs selections from it on this episode. Featuring Charlie Ballantine on Guitar, Quinn Sternberg on Bass and Paul Wells on Drums, and from April 10th, 2025 it's the Charlie Ballantine Trio…Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue. Nathan-Paul grew up a pastor's son here in Cleveland, and knows how to deliver sound medicine to the people. His velvety lo-fi sounds are a vibe-heavy soul party, fusing modern trap, 70s funk, and fiery southern gospel. And Fusion is an apt word for this performance, which he terms Livf's Notes. This show is steeped in improvisation, borders on free jazz but really is best described as an hour of experimental Fusion. Featuring Garret Folger on Trumpet, Zaire Darden on Drums, Kip Reed on Bass, Chris Anderson on Trombone, Howard Alexander on Piano and Nathan Paul on Saxophones and from a September 27th, 2025 performance, it's Nathan Paul's Life Notes…Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue. Venturing onward to New York seems to be a necessary step in the careers of most aspiring jazz artists. Guitarist Tim Picard has been a Northeast Ohio mainstay, equally adept in straight ahead and free jazz. But time marches on and opportunities abound in the Big Apple, so Tim is off to New York, but not before one last performance of originals and favorites. Backed by Theron Brown on Piano, Jordan McBride on Bass and Zaire Darden on Drums, and from a July 24th, 2025 performance it's the Tim Picard Quartet….Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and works used with permission from the artist and venue. Sometimes, producing an album takes work, labor, a bit of suffering and a lot of negotiation. For Central New York Based Dave Solazzo and the Bridge, the trio knew after one session that they had to hit the studio and then the road. The fruit of that chemistry produced the 2023 album Locrian Skye, and you'll hear selections from that release on this episode of the program. Featuring Dave Solazzo on piano, Matthew Vacanti on Bass and Bill D/Agostino on Drums, and from a March 12th, 2025 performance, it's Dave Solazzo and the Bridge…Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used wtih permission from the Artist and Venue. Columbus based bassist George Delancey was a core member of the Larry Fuller Trio and has performed with Ben Patterson, Wynton Marsallis and Houston Person, among others. For this performance, he enlists a number of Central Ohio musicians to Cleveland to work out material in advance of a live album recording. For this performance, George leads a sextet that includes himself on Bass, Paul Strawser on Piano, Miles Franklin Smith on Trumpet, Jake Smith on Alto Saxophone, Robert Dove on Tenor Saxophone and Andrew Theiss on Drums. From January 24th, 2025 it's the George Delancey Sextet…Live at the Bop Stop.