An icon in the jazz world, trumpet player Terence Blanchard recently announced that he will record his new album, Caravan, in cities “scarred by the escalation of tension between law enforcement and unarmed African Americans.”

Given Cleveland’s record of police shootings and racial tension, it only makes sense that Blanchard would include the city on his itinerary.

Blanchard and his backing band the E-Collective will come to the Bop Stop to record on at 8 p.m. on Jan. 4 and 5. The sessions will be open to the public, and tickets are $20.

More info about the event and the many community partners involved (Tri-C Jazz Fest, Shooting Without Bullets, and SPACES) can be found here.

This article appears in Dec 14-20, 2016.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.