The Velvet Note

Friday and Saturday, April 17th & 18th: The Benito Gonzalez Trio Featuring Jeff "Tain" Watts
2026-04-17 19:30 - 2026-04-18 23:00 (America/New_York) | The Velvet Note Main Stage, 4075 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta, 30005, United States
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY SHOWTIMES: 7:30PM & 9:30PM. The Velvet Note is honored to welcome two giants of modern jazz—Benito Gonzalez and Jeff “Tain” Watts—for a rare, electrifying two-night engagement on January 24th and 25th. GRAMMY-winning pianist Benito Gonzalez brings his signature blend of fiery virtuosity, deep swing, and soulful lyricism, while legendary GRAMMY-Winning drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts—renowned for his explosive power, precision, and tenure with icons like Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis—anchors the music with unmistakable authority. Together, they promise an evening of jazz at its highest level: bold, intimate, and alive in the moment.

Friday & Saturday, April 24th and 25th: The Bobby Broom Quartet
2026-04-24 19:30 - 2026-04-25 23:00
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY SHOWTIMES: 7:30PM AND 9:3PM. Born in Harlem and raised on the Upper West Side of NYC, Bobby Broom took up guitar at 12 and five years later, in 1977, made his first appearance with Sonny Rollins at Carnegie Hall. Even prior to that auspicious start, he had dedicated himself to the art, culture, and life of jazz, with the goals of learning to express himself within the idiom, while honoring its historical traditions and spirit.

Nearly 50 years later, Bobby has amassed a formidable jazz pedigree, working closely with historic figures such as Rollins, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Stanley Turrentine and Kenny Burrell, as well as many of his contemporaries. To date he has made fifteen leader recordings and has traveled to perform, as an accompanying musician and with his own ensembles, in countries on five continents.

Broom is a tenured Associate Professor at Northern Illinois University and has devoted much of his career to jazz education. He began teaching at the tertiary level under the direction of NEA Jazz Fellow and saxophone great Jackie McLean at University of Hartford. Bobby has also worked with high school students through the Herbie Hancock (formerly Thelonious Monk) Institute and currently, with the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program.
