Upswing: Immanuel Wilkins

Alto saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is one of the vital voices of jazz in the 21st century. A native of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, Wilkins moved to New York in 2015 for studies at the Juilliard School, and since then, he has worked with a range of artists including Wynton Marsalis, Joel Ross, Solange, and Gerald Clayton. His Blue Note debut Omega took the #1 spot on The New York Times’ list of Best Jazz Albums of 2020, and his new album, Blues Blood, was released in October and features the band he brought for this date including pianist Micah Thomas, bassist Rick Rosato, drummer Kweku Sumbry, and a trio of vocalists.