Pianist/composer Christian Sands’ cinematic approach to popular holiday classics takes center stage with Christmas Stories, his first album since his critically acclaimed, GRAMMY® nominated 2020 release Be Water. Having performed in-demand Christmas shows at Jazz at Lincoln Center and around the world, Sands offers such classics as “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells,” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” as well as a few surprises. Joining the NAACP Image Award nominee are vibraphonist Stefon Harris, saxophonist Jimmy Greene, guitarists Max Light and Marvin Sewell, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, percussionist Keita Ogawa, and drummer Ryan Sands.

“Brock, Lanzetti, Ogawa” is the moniker for a new trio whose members are widely known through their association with the jazz-funk group Snarky Puppy. Zach Brock (4 and 6 string violins), Bob Lanzetti (acoustic and electric guitars), and Keita Ogawa (percussion) formed their new trio during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their music is an eclectic mix of styles that includes elements of jazz, folk, experimental, ambient, groove, and world music, and there is an emphasis on compositions that feature improvisation. The debut album by “Brock, Lanzetti, Ogawa,” entitled Drawing Songs, is set to be released November 2023 on GroundUp Music with a tour to follow.