Gypsy Jazz with Maximilian Jacobs and Sam Farthing
Sunday, October 26, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Sam Farthing
Twenty-one year old Sam Farthing is a skilled guitarist and songwriter from Baltimore, specializing in jazz manouche and gypsy music.  At age ten Sam picked up the guitar and soon after started playing the music of his favorite guitarist, Django Reinhardt. With performances around the world at festivals like the Festival Django Reinhardt in France, Djangofest Northwest in Washington, Django sur Lennon in Ireland, Django a Gogo events around the USA, and the Charm City Django Jazz Fest at home in Baltimore, Sam has established himself as a notable figure in the genre. His commitment to musical authenticity and dedication to teaching have made him a respected mentor to many aspiring guitarists.

Maximilian Jacobs
Violinist Maximilian Jacobs weaves jazz, classical music, and klezmer into his original compositions and virtuosic performances. He studied classical violin from the age of five and taught himself jazz at the jam sessions of his hometown of Baltimore City. Max has served as an Artist in Residence for Strathmore and played at local venues like the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage, An Die Musik, and the Charm City Django Jazz Fest.

Ahmed Warshanna Presents…Ishta!
Sunday, December 7, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Experience modern jazz in an intimate setting with Ahmed Warshanna’s Ishta! in The Loft.

With a sound that bridges post-bop, Afro-Cuban grooves, hip hop, rock, Egyptian classical melodies, and more, Ahmed Warshanna is redefining the modern jazz landscape. A Baltimore-based guitarist, composer, and arranger, he leads the dynamic sextet Ishta!, known for its fiery interplay and genre-defying sound. Whether performing with his band or composing new works, Ahmed consistently transcends musical boundaries while remaining deeply rooted in jazz traditions.

Kevin Brewster Jazz Band
Saturday, January 24, 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Come experience Kevin Brewster’s Black Renaissance live as they debut the Trials and Tribulation Suite—an original composition reflecting a personal journey through struggle, growth, and faith. Blending original works and select covers, the band creates an atmosphere rooted in storytelling and spiritual connection. The performance is a testament to resilience and a celebration of God’s presence through life’s highs and lows.

Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kevin Brewster is a saxophonist, composer, and educator whose musical journey is deeply rooted in the vibrant traditions of Gospel music. His repertoire is a fusion of contemporary, straight-ahead, gospel, and R&B that herald a new era/bring a new vision for jazz characterized by authenticity, resilience, and unwavering faith.

Cyrus Mackey
Sunday, February 15, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Cyrus Mackey is an American Trumpeter, Composer, and Producer who grew up in Chicago and is currently working on his Master’s in Arts at Peabody Institute in Baltimore. As a teenager, he attended the Chicago High School for the Arts and later transferred to Dillard Center for the Arts, where his school won first place in the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition in 2018. In his final year of high school, Cyrus was able to tour multiple European countries with Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra in 2018, its inaugural year. He was later named a 2019 National Young Arts Foundation Finalist in Jazz/Trumpet. Cyrus has been mentored by and studied with some of the world’s greatest jazz musicians, such as Nicholas Payton, Sean Jones, Roy Hargrove, and Wynton Marsalis.

Emily Perkins
Sunday, March 29, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Emily Perkins is a dynamic vocalist and multi-instrumentalist based in Washington D.C. With a style rooted in tradition and shaped by modern influences, she brings warmth, intention, and storytelling to the stage.

Emily’s first serious endeavor was the piano. By high school, she was performing professionally as an accompanist, appearing in theaters, community ensembles, and chamber groups throughout Southwest Michigan. She turned her focus to developing her voice shortly after college, immersing herself in the jazz communities of El Paso, Chicago, and New York City where she gained experience as both a soloist and ensemble singer. These experiences deepened her commitment to the genre and shaped her artistic identity as a vocalist moving forward.