Ambrose Akinmusire

Ambrose Akinmusire at Folly Theater

The next musical turn is part of the attraction with Ambrose Akinmusire. His quartet gives jazz fans a reason to arrive curious, settle into the music, and enjoy the possibilities of four musicians responding to one another. The Folly Theater brings the trumpeter to Kansas City with pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown.

This is a partnership with a recorded history to get excited about. A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard captured the quartet in 2017, while on the tender spot of every calloused moment earned a Grammy nomination after its 2020 release. If those records have surprised or moved you, seeing the players behind them is an enticing next step.

Akinmusire’s range feeds that anticipation. His work reaches across post-bop, avant-garde jazz, chamber music, and hip-hop. Origami Harvest brought rapper Kool A.D. and the Mivos String Quartet into a separate project, demonstrating a composer willing to follow an idea somewhere unexpected.

For this date, the announced quartet is the draw. The enjoyment is in giving yourself over to the music, with room for tenderness, tension, and the curiosity that makes improvisation appealing. Make a February evening of that pleasure. Explore Ambrose Akinmusire tickets at the Folly Theater and choose a jazz night with something to look forward to around the next turn.