NEA Jazz Master Sonny Rollins (b. 1930) at the 40th Anniversary Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. This performance in 2012 marked his final live appearance at the festival before his retirement. ©2012

NEA Jazz Master Wayne Shorter (1933-2023) at Teatro Morlacchi, Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. This 2013 performance was an incredibly intimate and distinct experience, amplified by the unique acoustics and atmosphere that only a 244-year-old theatre like this can produce. ©2013

At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Lincoln Center, NYC, in 2010—the year of his prestigious NEA Jazz Master nomination—this photo captures NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter. The window offered a stunning view of the NYC landscape and cloud-filled sky, making the visual and musical experience profoundly unforgettable. ©2010

NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath (1926-2020) backstage at the Blue Note Jazz Club, NYC. This commissioned portrait was taken in 2015 for his 90th birthday.

NEA Jazz Master Frank Wess (1922-2013). A commissioned portrait taken in 2012 at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Lincoln Center, NYC, for his 90th birthday celebration.

NEA Jazz Master Chick Corea (1941-2021) at the Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. This very special show at the Arena Santa Giuliana in 2012 featured an unforgettable duet with his lifelong friend, NEA Jazz Master Herbie Hancock, showcasing two impressive pianos. ©2012

NEA Jazz Master Chick Corea (1941-2021) and NEA Jazz Master Herbie Hancock backstage at the Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. This photo, taken in 2012, captures a moment after their unforgettable duet performance on two impressive pianos. ©2012

NEA Jazz Master Herbie Hancock's band performs at the Arena Santa Giuliana, Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. This 2012 performance was perhaps one of the most incredible live experiences I had with Herbie and his band. ©2012

Cedar Walton (b. 1934 - d. 2013) during a private photo shoot for his album "The Bouncer," released by HighNote Records in 2011. This album stands as his final studio recording, completing the legacy of an NEA Jazz Master. ©2010

NEA Jazz Master Harold Mabern (1936-2019) at the Newport Jazz Festival, Rhode Island. In 2018, I met Mr. Mabern backstage, and he personally asked me to capture portraits of him listening to his band, which I was honored to do. He passed away just one year later. ©2018

Mulgrew Miller (1955-2013), captured at Teatro Morlacchi during the 2012 Umbria Jazz Festival. Commissioned by Umbria Jazz, we flew from NYC, and the decision to take these images for his upcoming album was made during our flight to Perugia—a project sadly cut short when he passed away a year later. ©2012

Larry Willis (b. 1942 – d. 2019), a three-time Grammy Nominee, Johnny Pacheco Distinguished Artist Award, during a 2014 recording session with two-time Grammy winner Roy Hargrove (b. 1969 – d. 2018) in Brooklyn, NY. ©2014

This photo from the Newport Jazz Festival is extremely important to me, marking a chapter in my journey supported by festival director George Wein (b. 1925 - d. 2021). He not only championed my photography but also presented my book, "AM Jazz: Three Generations Under the Lens", at the 2018 festival. His inspiring presence on stage profoundly impacted both the musicians and us, the photographers.

An intimate moment from a private recording session in 2017 at Yamaha Recording Studios, NYC, featuring tenor saxophonist NEA Jazz Master Benny Golson (b. 1929 - d. 2024) and pianist Emmet Cohen (b. 1990) as part of Cohen's "Masters Legacy Series." ©2017

Roy Hargrove (1969-2018) during a private photo shoot for Hot House Magazine at Zinc Bar, NYC. This image, captured in 2014, is part of the work Roy and I created together from 2000 until his passing in 2018. ©2014

At the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Harlem Stage, Harlem, NYC, in 2014, Wallace Roney (1960-2020). This performance took place at a festival that has been a cherished New York City tradition for many years. ©2014

Wallace Roney Jr. (b. 1990) performs on the Harlem Stage at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Harlem, NYC, a decade after I photographed his legendary father, Wallace Roney Sr. (b. 1960 – d. 2020), on this very same stage. This image powerfully showcases the continuation of a remarkable jazz legacy ©2024

Lew Soloff (b. 1944 – d. 2015), the versatile and influential trumpeter who had a significant association with the Gil Evans Orchestra, in a private photoshoot for Hothouse Magazine at Zinc Bar , New York . This significant photograph was taken in late 2014 a short time before his passing ©2015

Eddie Henderson (b. 1940) with The Cookers at Teatro Morlacchi, Umbria Jazz Festival. Henderson was significantly influenced by jazz legend Miles Davis, a friend of his parents, whom he first met in 1957 at the age of seventeen. ©2013

Jon Faddis captured backstage at The Allen Room, Lincoln Center, NYC, during NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath's (1926-2020) 90th Birthday Celebration in 2016. This was a truly historic gathering, with over 20 musicians present, including the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, legends like Sonny Rollins, Paquito d'Rivera, and Slide Hampton (1932-2021). Photographs from this day are an invaluable part of New York City's jazz history. ©2016

Captured in 2016, Terell Stafford during a rehearsal at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C., alongside Jimmy Heath and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, with NEA Jazz Master Herbie Hancock visible in the background. ©2016

Terence Blanchard (b. 1962) captured during a rehearsal at Teatro Morlacchi, a 244-year-old theater in Perugia, Italy, for Umbria Jazz. This image not only highlights the unique insight horn players, like Blanchard, gain from sitting at the piano during rehearsals, but also the beauty of seeing their horns resting atop the piano, as if they too are listening intently. ©2013

A dynamic performance from the 2014 Newport Jazz Festival featuring trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire (b. 1982), an artist who credits the late Roy Hargrove as a pivotal mentor and whose own work includes a musical tribute to him. ©2014

Dominick Farinacci (b. 1983) during the photoshoot for his 2011 album cover, Dawn of Goodbye.

Trumpeter Stuart Mack (b. 1990s), an award-winning and Grammy-nominated sideman, performing with two-time Grammy-nominated and Guggenheim Fellow pianist Elio Villafranca's (b. Cuba 1966 ) Big Band at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, NYC. during their "Tres Aguas" concert series. ©2025

Enrico Rava (b. 1939) captured backstage at Arena Santa Giuliana, Perugia, Italy, during Umbria Jazz. A unique detail from this moment: there was a conversation about the trumpet in the photo belonging to the late Louis Armstrong. To this day, I'm still not sure if Rava was teasing me or if it was true! ©2013

Paolo Fresu (b. 1961) in a quiet moment during soundcheck at Teatro Morlacchi, Umbria Jazz, Perugia, Italy. 2013. This image is held by the Museo Civico Palazzo della Penna, a recognition that made me the first female NYC jazz photographer to achieve museum exhibition. ©2013

Esperanza Spalding (b. 1984), Paul Simon, and Bobby McFerrin—along with Prince’s sock—made the first-ever FTS benefit concert in New York. As the photographer, I was honored to document this breathtaking musical event, organized by the Grammy Award-winning Esperanza Spalding to raise awareness and funds for Free the Slaves. ©2012"

A powerful generational portrait captured backstage at the Detroit Jazz Festival: NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston (b. 1926 – d. 2018), celebrating his 90th birthday, alongside the Grammy Award-winning pianist Sullivan Fortner (b. 1986). ©2016

Captured in NYC in 2010, this remarkable generational portrait shows NEA Jazz Master McCoy Tyner (b. 1938 – d. 2020) alongside the prolific, multi-award-winning Jon Batiste (b. 1986). The photo was taken at a concert where Batiste's band opened for the legendary McCoy Tyner, representing a profound connection between two piano titans across generations. ©2010 nyc

Jon Batiste (b. 1986) jamming with Roy Hargrove (1969-2018) at Smalls Jazz Club, Manhattan. This photo is from 2009-2010, when Batiste was the pianist for the Roy Hargrove Quintet.

The historic "Four Grand Pianos" concert at Umbria Jazz 2012, Teatro Morlacchi, featuring Benny Green (b. 1963), NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron (b. 1943), Eric Reed (b. 1970), and Mulgrew Miller (b. 1955 – d. 2013). ©2012

Eric Lewis (1973) , private photo session for Hot House Magazine at Zinc Bar , NYC, 2016

Elio Villafranca (b. 1966), Grammy-nominated pianist, 2021 , Guggenheim Fellow, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Millennium Swing Award recipient. Private photo shoot in Bronx, NY. ©2025. This photo is part of my portraits series "JAZZ HISTORY IS NOW" ©2025 a project born in 2024 and shaping meeting Elio. It consists of a series of portraits which explores Image & Identity ©2025 in today's social media world.

Pianist Benito Gonzales (b. 1971), a Steinway Artist and First Prize Winner of The Great American Jazz Piano Competition (2005), captured with saxophonist Mark Gross (b. 1966) during a recording session for Gross's album "Community" at The Bunker Recording Studios in Brooklyn, NY. ©2018

Gerald Clayton (b. 1984) during a private photo shoot for Hot House Magazine at Zinc Bar. This period (2006-2008) also saw him playing with Roy Hargrove (1969-2018) in his quintet, big band, and funk group ©AM

A candid moment from the 2018 Festival Internacional de Jazz de Punta del Este, Uruguay, featuring Emmet Cohen (b. 1990) rehearsing privately at the Hotel del Lago. Cohen performed at the festival with the Bruce Harris Quartet. ©2018

Joey Alexander (b. 2003), then 12 years old, makes his historic debut at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2015. This photo was commissioned to me by festival director George Wein (b. 1925 - d. 2021). ©2015

Houston Person (b. 1934), award-winning and Grammy-nominated artist, performs at the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC, joining in the momentous 80th Birthday Celebration for his frequent collaborator and fellow jazz legend, NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter (b. 1937) ©2017

NEA Jazz Master Branford Marsalis (b. 1960), a three-time Grammy® Award-winner and recipient of Tony and Emmy nominations, performing at the 244-year-old Teatro Morlacchi, Perugia, Italy, during Umbria Jazz. ©2013

Ron Blake (b. 1965), the three-time Grammy® Award-winning and four-time Emmy® Award-winning saxophonist, performs during a private photo session for Hot House Magazine at Zinc Bar, Manhattan, NY. ©2014

A private moment backstage at the CCK (Centro Cultural Kirchner), Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2017. Ravi Coltrane (b. 1965) is featured, with his full band – pianist Fabian Almazan (b. 1984), bassist Dezron Douglas (b. 1981), and drummer Jonathan Blake (b. 1975) – subtly reflected in a mirror. ©2017

Antonio Hart (b. 1968) during a private studio photo session in Larchmont, New York, at the historic Tea For Two House, which was my residence at the time and once home to the pianist and composer Vincent Youmans. ©201

2024 Grammy Award winner, twelve-time Grammy nominee, and seven-time Latin Grammy Nominee, along with a fellowship recipient from the MacArthur Foundation, Miguel Zenón (1976) , NYC 2025.

Melissa Aldana (b. 1988) delivers a compelling performance at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Harlem Stage, Harlem, NYC. Aldana made history in 2013 as the youngest person and first female instrumentalist to win the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition ©2016

Sharel Cassity is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Chicago, having lived in New York City from 2000 to 2016. She graduated with a master's degree in music from the Juilliard School under full scholarship. Sharel Cassity became a member of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band in 2008,[1][2] performing with legendary artists from including Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Antonio Hart, Lewis Nash, John Lee, and Cyrus Chestnut Cassity continued working amongst NEA Jazz Masters Jimmy Heath in the Jimmy Heath Big Band and Queens Jazz Orchestra from 2012 to 2020,[3] Nicholas Payton's Big Band (2011-2012) the Roy Hargrove Big Band (2008), Cyrus Chestnut (2014)[4] and was lead alto in the DIVA Jazz Orchestra between 2007 and 2013. In 2015, she performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Doha, and 2016 in Shanghai, China, with Jazz at Lincoln Center. 2016 performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra at Rose Hall. In 2017 Sharel performed with Herbie Hancock at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate Jimmy Heath's 90th birthday. (C 2016)

At the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2016, NEA Jazz Master Albert "Tootie" Heath (b. 1935 – d. 2024) shares a moment during the 90th birthday celebration for his legendary brother, NEA Jazz Master James "Jimmy" Heath (b. 1926 – d. 2020). The image beautifully captures the enduring legacy of the Heath Brothers.©2016

A profound generational photograph during the recording session for Emmet Cohen's (b. 1990) acclaimed "Masters Legacy Series, Volume Three: Benny Golson & Albert 'Tootie' Heath" (released in 2019), at Yamaha Recording Studios in NYC. Featured are NEA Jazz Masters Benny Golson (b. 1929 – d. 2024) and Albert "Tootie" Heath (b. 1935 – d. 2024), alongside Cohen and bassist Russell Hall (b. 1991), symbolizing the intergenerational transfer of jazz knowledge and tradition ©2016

Harvey Mason (b. 1947), the acclaimed, 11-time Grammy-nominated drummer and original member of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, performing as part of the momentous Quincy Jones 80th Birthday Celebration, Arena Santa Giuliana during the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy ©2013

A portrait of the versatile drummer Will Calhoun (b. 1964), a two-time Grammy Award winner with Living Colour and a highly respected jazz artist, captured during a photoshoot for Hot House Magazine at the iconic Zinc Bar in New York City. ©2015

Willie Jones III (b. 1968) this was a conscientious photo shoot in the search for identity, at the abandoned Domino Sugar Factory in Brooklyn , NY , were Willie belongs for many years now since coming from LA. ©2014

Douglas Purviance (b. 1952), a Grammy Award winner as co-producer for the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, on trombone with Roy Hargrove's (b. 1969 – d. 2018) Grammy Award-winning Big Band at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, NYC. ©2010

Marcus Miller (b. 1959), two-time Grammy Award-winning bassist He's also been recognized with the Edison Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz and was appointed a UNESCO Artist For Peace at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where he presented his renowned tribute to Miles Davis ©2009

A vibrant and joyous moment captured at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: a quintessential Second Line procession. In this beloved New Orleans tradition, celebrants follow behind the main brass band or parade, dancing freely and waving handkerchiefs or parasols, embodying the spontaneous spirit and deep cultural roots of the city's music. ©2008

A captivating portrait of a Mardi Gras Indian Chief, adorned in magnificent, hand-sewn feathered and beaded regalia, at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans. These Chiefs are revered figures in their community, embodying the rich history and vibrant traditions of the city's unique Mardi Gras Indian culture. ©2008

Gilberto Gil (b. 1942) on stage at Arena Santa Giuliana, Perugia, Italy, during the Umbria Jazz Festival in 2013. This moment evoked a vivid memory of first seeing him perform at age 14, when my father filmed his show. That evening in Perugia, Gilberto Gil performed with a full band and his daughter. ©2013

Bobby McFerrin (b. 1950), the extraordinary 10-time Grammy Award winner and NEA Jazz Master, delivering an unforgettable performance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2014, during the festival's 60th Anniversary celebration. ©2014

Gregory Porter (b. 1971), two-time Grammy-winning vocalist, delivering a moving performance at Arena Santa Giuliana, Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. This photo is part of the Museo Civico Palazzo della Penna collection, a milestone as the first female NYC jazz photographer to be in a museum. ©2013

Roberta Gambarini (b. 1964) performing with NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath (b. 1926 - d. 2020) and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band at the Allen Room, NYC. This photo was taken during a special celebration for Jimmy Heath's birthday. ©2016

Vocalist Melissa Walker (b. 1977), a Grammy Award winner and founder of Jazz House Kids, performing with the NEA Jazz Master Christian McBride's (b. 1972) Grammy Award-winning Big Band at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Harlem, NYC. ©2021

Lucy Yeghiazaryan (b. 1991), the acclaimed jazz vocalist and Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Competition finalist with multiple critically praised albums, at the Festival Internacional de Jazz de Punta del Este, Uruguay. ©2022

Pedrito Martinez (b. 1973) and Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez (b. 1985) on stage at Arena Santa Giuliana, Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. This dynamic photo from 2018 captures Pedrito's sole performance at the Arena, during the Quincy Jones 85th Birthday Celebration. ©2018

Russell Hall (b. 1990), an Emmy, Grammy, and Golden Globe-nominated bassist, with Elio Villafranca's (b. Cuba) two-time Grammy-nominated Quintet at the Festival Internacional de Jazz de Punta del Este, Uruguay. ©2025

Pianist, vocalist, and composer Camila Cortina (b. 1989), bringing her unique blend of Cuban and jazz influences to the stage as part of Paquito D'Rivera's Latin Jazz Night at the Festival Internacional de Jazz de Punta del Este in Uruguay. ©2025

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