SHOW NOTES:

In this episode of Backstage Bay Area, host Steve Roby sits down with Haitian American jazz vocalist Tyreek McDole to discuss his meteoric rise in the jazz world, his chart-topping debut album, and his philosophy that music is a tool for healing and collective dreaming.

In This Episode:

• Early Recognition: How winning the Outstanding Vocalist Award from Wynton Marsalis at age 18 and the 2023 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition launched Tyreek's career

• "Open Up Your Senses": The story behind his 2025 debut album that hit #1 on JazzWeek and earned four stars from DownBeat Magazine

• Music as Healing: Tyreek shares how "The Sun Song" transformed his own life and why he's committed to singing it for the rest of his career

• Bridging Traditions: How Tyreek connects Louis Armstrong's romantic tradition with avant-garde influences like Pharaoh Sanders and Nicholas Payton

• The Power of Listening: Why opening up our senses—especially in today's turbulent times—is more important than ever

• Multi-Generational Collaboration: Working with jazz legends like Kenny Barron, Rodney Whitaker, and Sullivan Fortner alongside rising stars

• Live at SFJAZZ: What to expect from his intimate performances at the Joe Henderson Lab with his touring quintet

• What's Next: A sneak peek at his sophomore album and upcoming world tour

Featured Tracks:

"The Sun Song"

"Won't You Open Up Your Senses" (title track)

Catch Tyreek McDole Live:

SFJAZZ Center's Joe Henderson Lab

February 12-13, 2025

Two shows nightly: 7:00 PM & 8:30 PM

Tickets: sfjazz.org