A native of Sioux Falls, North Dakota, with parents from Uganda and South Sudan, guitarist Emmanuel Michael first gained wider notice when the Herbie Hancock Institute Peer-to-Peer Sextet came to their high school. Michael eventually joined the group themselves before moving on to study at the Manhattan School of Music. In addition to working with the likes of Dayna Stephens and Kendrick Scott in the classroom, Michael has already established themselves on the New York scene more generally, holding down a regular residency at Cafe Bohemia in Greenwich Village.

This week, Michael makes their Jazz Gallery debut with an all-star band including drummer Billy Drummond and guitarist-inspiration Gilad Hekselman. Before coming out to hear Michael and company, take a listen to their take on a theme from Ferde Grofé’s bit of classical Americana, the Grand Canyon Suite:

You can hear Michael already synthesizing many lineages of jazz guitar in their performance. The repertoire calls to mind Bill Frisell’s classic Have a Little Faith record, while the rich, gently-reverberant tone feels descended from the likes of Gilad Hekselman, Mike Moreno, and Nir Felder. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear an exciting new voice on the Gallery stage for the first time.

Guitarist Emmanuel Michael plays The Jazz Gallery on Friday, May 5, 2023. Mr. Michael will be joined by Gilad Hekselman on guitar, Jayla Chee on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. Sets are at 7:30 and 9:30 P.M. E.D.T. $20 general admission (FREE for members), $30 reserved cabaret seating ($20 for members), $20 livestream access (FREE for members) for each set. Purchase tickets here.