Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue.

Pianist, guitarist and educator Ariel Kasler is a driving force behind the resurgence of jazz and classical music in Northwest Ohio in both his position as the pianist for the Toledo Jazz Orchestra and as the Artistic Director of the Orchard Guitar Festival.

As the leader of his own quartet, he performs original jazz compositions and arrangements influenced by Middle Eastern, Jewish, and Israeli music as evidenced on 2015's Above the Sound, the 2022 release Make it Bloom and on this March 23rd, 2025 performance.

Featuring Andrew Bishop on Saxophones, Jeff Halsey on Bass, Olman Piedra on Drums and Ariel Kasler on Guitar and Piano, it's the Ariel Kasler Quartet…Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue.

Saxophonist, composer, and educator David Bixler cut his teeth touring the world with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Toshiko Akioshi. He later joined the Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Big Band, with whom he played a decade-long residency at Birdland and won a LATIN GRAMMY for Final Night at Birdland.

Beatitude is his quartet project that you'll hear selections from no this show including the best of their 2019 release In the Face of Chaos. Featuring Jon Cowherd on Piano, Ike Sturm on Bass, Rogerio Boccato on Percussion and David Bixler on Alto Sax, and from an April 3rd, 2025 performance, it's David Bixler's Beatitude…Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue.

internationally acclaimed drummer and percussionist Bill Ransom, Aretha Franklin, Marion Meadows, Cecil Bridgewater, Diane Reeves, Mary Wilson, and James Newton. This performance features selections from his album Generations, along with some jazz standards. From January 25th, 2025 and featuring Ken LeeGrand on Winds, Kip Reed on Bass, Bill Ransom on Drums and the final Bop Stop appearance from the late, great Phillip Jones II on Piano it's Bill Ransom – Generations Revisited…Live at the Bop Stop.

Performance and Works used with permission from the artist and venue.

Embracing his love for a vast variety of stylistic genres, three-time GRAMMY nominee, Troy Roberts is one of today's most widely recorded touring artists. His name adorns several essential recordings ranging from the legendary Joey DeFrancesco, the iconic Van Morrison, and the critically acclaimed Kurt Elling.

He's also a prolific front man, with sixteen releases to his name, including 2024's Green Lights, selections of which are featured here. Backed by the Northeast Ohio based Theron Brown Trio and from a February 16th, 2025 performance it's the Troy Roberts Quartet…Live at the Bop Stop.

This performance used with permission from Bryan Kennard and The Music Settlement.

The Bop Stop celebrated its 10th year under the auspices of The Music Settlement in 2024 by commissioning ten original Big Band pieces from ten different Ohio composers. We then took those pieces and rounded up 17 performers to form the All Star Bop Stop Big Band and put on a show to celebrate our birthday. Featuring compositions from, among others, Bobby Selvaggio, Stephen Phillip Harvey and Brad Wagner, heres the second set of the sold out October 19th, 2024 Bop Stop 10th Anniversary Show " Live at the Bop Stop.

This performance used by permission from Bryan Kennard and The Music Settlement.

The Bop Stop celebrated its 10th year under the auspices of The Music Settlement in 2024 by commissioning ten original Big Band pieces from ten different Ohio composers. We then took those pieces and rounded up 17 performers to form the All Star Bop Stop Big Band and put on a show to celebrate our birthday. Featuring compositions from, among others, Chas Baker, Dave Morgan and Chandler Carpenter, here's the first set of the sold out October 19th, 2024 Bop Stop 10th Anniversary Show " Live at the Bop Stop.

This performance used with permission from Eli Leder.

Northeast Ohio's educational organizations are committed to identifying and developing young talent, and were proud to feature an emerging trio of young musicians on this weeks program. All three performers in the Eli Leder Trio emerged from the Tri-C JazzFest Academy and perform in the Spirit of the Groove under the tutelage of Dominic Farinacci. Eli Leder leads the trio this performance and matriculates at William Patterson University. Liam Speaks sits in on piano and keyboards and is working his way through Ohio University. Nehemiah Stix Baker is heard in this performance on Drums and lets his gospel influence shine through both on this performance and as a leader in his own quartet. This performance will reassure you that musically, at least, the future is in good hands. From January 3rd, 2025 its the Eli Leder Trio " Live at the Bop Stop.

All performances used with artist permission.

2025 has come and gone and left a plethora of outstanding performances in its wake. We hope you've enjoyed the program this year and enjoy this episode as we look back at some of the best performances to grace our stage.

Jamey Haddad feturing John Shannon - Cardinal Chris Burge - Land of Smiles Eli Leder Trio - Poinciana Gabi Alemana - Nice Work If You Can Get It Reclamation Band - That Look Reclamation Band - Night Market Jose Luis Martins - Ya Tra La PODCAST BONUS - Nate Yingling - Changes Fill My Time David Janeway - Slow Motion Reggie Watkins - Hide and Seek Stix 5Tet - Obstacles Stix Trio - Cherokee Ben Tweedt Trio - Flow Out Theron Brown Trio - Movement Aidan Plank - Hard Eights

This performance used with permission from Nate Yingling

Youngstown native pianist and bassist Nate Yingling returns as part of our Trio Tussle series with a new set of electric tunes born of frequent collaborations with bassist Darren Frate. When he isn't touring with guitarist Vlad Cetkar, Nate is a composer and educator who also coordinates the Argonaut Rowing Club collective. Nate and Darren are joined for this November 17th, 2024 performance by drummer Zaire Darden. From November 17th, 2024 its the Nate Yingling Electric Trio " Live at the Bop Stop.

This performance used with permission from Andru Dennis.

Every jazz scene, large or small, has a performer who serves as the glue that holds groups together. They're not necessarily the person that leads but they're almost always the person who helps others shine. In Northeast Ohio in general, and Akron specifically, Andru Dennis is that performer.

Andru's name is almost never on the marquee, but if you're passing through the Bop Stop here in Cleveland or a bot more often at Blu Jazz in Akron , Andru is the keyboardist and piano player you want to round out your sound.

All that said, Andru takes a turn up front in this performance which was part of our Trio Tussle series and he does not disappoint. Featuring Andru on Keys, Smokeface on Bass and Gabe Jones on Drums it's the Andru Dennis Trio and from a November 17th, 2024 performance – it's the Andru Dennis Trio – Live at the Bop Stop.