Jazz and Poetry of the Spirit Friday, December 11th 2026 at 8:00pm

Jazz and Poetry of the Spirit

Join OBR and MMP for an extraordinary night where soaring melodies meet powerful spoken word! Featuring the soul-stirring vocals of TC the 3rd, an powerhouse jazz ensemble—Marcus Persiani (piano), Lonnie Plaxico (bass), and Taru Alexander (percussion)—and the electric words of poet Brad Walrond.

TC The 3rd, known to jazz lovers as the "Voice of Jazz," was raised on the rhythms of Philly jazz by his mother, acclaimed organist Trudy Pitts, and his father, celebrated drummer Mr. C. Beginning his performance career at just fourteen, he mastered vocal styling, vocalese, and scatting under the influence of legends like Eddie Jefferson and Leon Thomas. Over his extensive career, he has toured internationally and collaborated with iconic artists, including the Sun Ra Arkestra, Grover Washington, Jr., and Wynton Marsalis.

Brad Walrond is a Brooklyn-native poet, performer, and multidisciplinary artist currently based in the Bronx. His work operates at the intersection of race, gender, sex, and desire, weaving together virtual reality, identity formation, and human consciousness. His debut poetry collection, Every Where Alien, explores his Black queer lived experience and its connections to underground NYC movement history—including the House Ballroom scene, the Black Rock Coalition, underground house music culture, and Black queer HIV/AIDS political activism. His writing has been featured in publications such as The Atlantic, Poem-A-Day, and the Academy of American Poets.
Marcus Persiani is a consummate pianist and arranger whose rich musical vocabulary bridges jazz, Afro-Cuban, and urban sounds. After studying at Grinnell College and earning a B.A. in piano performance from the American Conservatory in Chicago, he relocated to New York City in 1989. There, he collaborated with legendary figures like Mario Bauza—contributing arrangements to Bauza's Grammy-nominated trilogy—and served as a staple of Harlem’s jazz scene for nearly two decades as a member of the Sugar Hill Quartet. As a leader, Persiani has released four albums and an EP, blending original compositions with collaborations alongside jazz icons like George Coleman.

Lonnie Plaxico taught himself electric bass by twelve and turned professional just two years later. After moving to New York in 1980, he quickly established himself alongside legends like Chet Baker and Dexter Gordon before joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, where he recorded on twelve albums including the Grammy-winning New York Scene. Renowned for his seamless blend of classical technique, jazz improvisation, and funk, Plaxico has served as musical director for Cassandra Wilson and collaborated with icons ranging from Dizzy Gillespie to Wynton Marsalis.

Taru Alexander is an award-winning American jazz drummer born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. The son of post-bop jazz tenor saxophonist Roland Alexander, he began studying drums as a child under master percussionists like Rudy Collins, Andre Strobert, and Walter Perkins, and was performing professionally by age 13. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Alexander has appeared as a sideman on over 100 albums and released solo projects including KoJo Time (2014) and Echoes of the Masters (2022). Known for his expressive style that utilizes the entire drum kit rather than relying solely on ride cymbals, he has performed alongside jazz luminaries such as Roy Hargrove, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, Gary Bartz, and Reggie Workman.

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Tickets are $20 in advance. $25 at the door.