Jazz vocalist, songwriter, and cultural commentator Dara Starr Tucker makes her return to Rudy's Jazz Room. Her latest album, Time Wouldn’t Wait is a soul-stirring collection of original compositions and cinematic reimaginings that reflect on the passage of time, the beauty of impermanence, and the power of presence.

Tucker’s artistry extends far beyond the studio. A Woodshed Network Fellow, selected for the prestigious program founded by jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater, she has toured and recorded with guitarist Charlie Hunter and co-wrote the title track for Keb’ Mo’s 2020 Grammy-winning album, Oklahoma. Tucker was the silver medalist at the American Traditions Vocal Competition where she additionally won the Johnny Mercer Award and the Ben Tucker Jazz Award prizes. Her 2021 release, Dreams of Waking, reached #7 on JazzWeek’s national radio charts, while songs from her previous album, Dara Starr Tucker, were included on Apple Music's Jazz Vocal Essentials, Spotify's Best Jazz Vocals 2023 and Amazon Music's Vocal Jazz playlists, further cementing her status as a rising voice in modern jazz.

Tucker’s thought-provoking commentary and musical storytelling have garnered her national attention. She has been featured on NPR’s Jazz Night in America, NPR’s Jazz Inspired, and is the new host of "The Front Page" on Radio Free 102.3FM in Los Angeles, a station owned by Stevie Wonder.

A powerful presence on social media, Tucker uses her platform to explore race, culture, faith, film, and music—garnering a combined following of over 1.3 million across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Her videos, commentary, and songs have been featured on HBO, FX/Hulu, The OWN Network, BET.com, Revolt.com, Shondaland.com, Ebony, and Jet.

Dara Starr Tucker - vocals
Greg Bryant - bass
David M Rodgers - piano
Marcus Finnie - drums

A Nashville favorite on the Salsa and jazz scene and electric night of Salsa dancing! Multi-instrumentalist Giovanni Rodriguez, one of Nashville's leading percussionists, bassists and favorite on the Salsa and jazz scene, plays the sounds of salsa, bachata and percussion-driven rhythms with some of the most seasoned veterans in the Nashville Latin music scene. Giovanni Rodríguez timbales/vocals, Melvin Macias (piano/vocals), Yosvany Cordero (conga/bongo), Michael S. Morton (flute/vocals), Isoel Villarrubia (bass).

For this show general admission tickets are available for standing and sitting in the front section of the room near the stage with the dance floor. Tickets for bar seats and tables are available as well. General admission tickets for the front section are not guaranteed to have seats as we will have a large part of the front section seating cleared for the dance floor. General admission tickets will have standing room as well as limited seating. Only our tables and bar seats will have guaranteed seating for this show.

All original jazz arrangements of some of the finest songs from Disney movies with an incredible band lead by Miles Damaso on drums, with Don Aliquo on saxophone, Pat Coil on piano and Leland Nelson on bass.

Miles Damaso is a percussionist, music educator, and composer-arranger based out of Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to leading his own group, he recently has been the drummer for the Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective and the J.C. Clements Band. Miles also frequently performs with groups throughout the south and midwest playing a wide variety of music.

Passionate about sharing the gift of music with people, Miles currently teaches students across the United States and has assisted school music programs in Iowa, Indiana, and Tennessee. Miles also desires to enrich music education in schools around the country through his compositions. Having completed his undergrad at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Miles is currently pursuing a master’s degree as an associate instructor at Middle Tennessee State University, as well as continuing a music career composing, performing, and privately teaching in the Nashville area.

Pianist Pat Coil has toured Japan, South America, Europe and the U.S. with such artists as Michael McDonald, Carmen McCrae, Olivia Newton John, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Woody Herman and many others. Pat has recorded with many artists including Natalie Cole, Trisha Yearwood, Ernie Watts, Carmen McCrae, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Kenny Rogers, Travis Tritt, Peter Cetera, Woody Herman, Scott Henderson, and Michael McDonald.

During his L.A. years, Pat played on many movie and TV scores, including Star Trek - Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Murphy Brown, Dionne Warwick & Friends, Growing Pains, Major Dad, Spencer For Hire, The Grammy Awards and many more. He played for various artists on the Tonight Show, Arsenio Hall, & Conan O’Brien. Living now in Nashville TN, Pat continues his successful career composing, recording, performing, producing, arranging and teaching. He has composed, produced and performed on hundreds of underscores heard on a variety of media all over the world. Pat taught jazz piano, combos, and improvisation at Middle Tennessee State University, and was an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the University Of North Texas.

Pat has recorded six solo jazz albums of his own, the third one being a collaboration with Lyle Mays. “True North” and his new album “Birdhouse” are available at patcoil.com, cdbaby.com and I-Tunes. Pat currently tours with Michael McDonald and Lynda Carter. He also makes numerous appearances with his own group. Pat has a new release of his original music, “Music For Humans….and Other Species”. For more information, please visit patcoil.com.

Saxophonist Don Aliquo’s playing has been described as “smooth as silk...with an unfailing feel for breath and phrasing" while extremely supple in the addressing of his axe but always zeroed in on what he's describing”. “Growth” his newest release, explores new territory with intriguing compositions and ample solo space for Aliquo’s inspired improvisations. The eight originals are both complex and open, which shows him expanding his boundaries not only as an instrumentalist and improviser, but also as a composer. The music is an electrifying modern outing with one foot in the future and one in the tradition.

Aliquo has released six solo projects and has worked collaboratively or performed as a sideman on many others. His previous solo cd “Sun and Shield” features veteran jazz masters Rufus Reid, Jim McNeely, and the dynamic Obed Calvaire. Notable collaborations include a duo recording with eclectic pianist Michael Jefry Stevens and quartet recordings with Roger Humphries and the late Beegie Adair. He also has recorded with his mentor, notable Pittsburgh tenor stalwart, Don Aliquo Sr. on the MCG label. Don has performed in concerts and recordings with many world-class artists including Gary Burton, Greg Osby, Rufus Reid, Roger Humphries, Harold Danko, Adam Nussbaum, Donald Brown, Pete Christlieb, Scott Robinson, and Bobby Shew. Don is Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. He is a Selmer and Vandoren artist.

Hailing from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Leland Nelson has developed an impressive body of work as a bass player in the Nashville area. As a former NYC resident his primary focus is jazz and jazz-adjacent styles, having worked alongside New York musicians such as pianist Matt Baker and tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm. His focus on these styles continues in Nashville, as shown through his work with The Sofia Goodman Group, Trulah, Mark Hartsuch, Ted Ludwig, Marc Payne, Liz and Cynthea Kelley, Marguerite Beane and Josh Karas. He is the proud host of The Spotlite Sessions, a 6pm jazz session on the first Wednesday of every month at Living Waters Brewing, and is also a founding member of one of Nashville’s newest jazz fusion bands, Gratuitous Mr. Mayo!

Beyond jazz, Leland offers much versatility as a sideman in the indie pop, bluegrass, country and worship music communities. Since the summer of ‘21, he has played locally and on tour with Kayley Bishop, Zach Top, Zach Bryan, Kylie Frey, Will Jones, Old Hickory, Mae Estes, Emma Zinck, Kensie Coppin, Andy Buckner, Greenwood Rye, Christen Ball and Brennley Brown.