Few artists exult in the joyous exhilaration and intrepid spirit of communal music-making with the fervor and vitality of visionary bandleader, trumpeter, composer and arranger Steven Bernstein. ResoNation Trio convenes a new chordless trio with master improvisers Scott Colley on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums. The album’s contemplative explorations feel like a departure from the raucous spirit that characterizes so much of the trumpeter’s work, yet the trio discovers such an audacious beauty and celebratory gusto in these sparse environments that the music feels uniquely Bernstein’s. It is also a rarity in his oeuvre for featuring Bernstein — whose mastery of the little-used slide trumpet has become so central to his sonic identity — exclusively playing valve trumpet and flugelhorn. This special engagement at National Sawdust celebrates the release of ResoNation Trio's self-titled album on the Royal Potato Family label, as well as the release of a companion album, Ultra Resonance, in which legendary producer Scotty Hard wholly reimagines the trio’s music.

Moderated by The New Yorker's Alec Wilkinson The Grammy Museum is thrilled to welcome Julian Lage to National Sawdust in Brooklyn for an evening discussing his latest album, Scenes From Above, his creative process, and more, with a special live performance.

Join Kaoru Watanabe and the rest of the Bloodlines Interwoven band for a night of music, film, and food as we celebrate the premiere of the Bloodlines documentary by director Jon Fine. Shot over the course of a year as Bloodlines progressed from informal gatherings to work-in-progress concerts in NYC to three unforgettable performances at the Big Ears 2026 festival in Knoxville, the film tracks the trajectory of this unique project which uses cultural exchange and personal histories as a springboard for making ecstatic new music. The night will include dishes from the Bloodlines Kitchen – recipes inspired by the bandmembers’ family heritage – followed by a screening of the film and finally a jam session to end all jam sessions. RSVP to attend.

In Summer 2026, National Sawdust will present a work-in-progress sing-through of Tamar-kali’s The Swann. This intimate chamber work is inspired by the life and times of William Dorsey Swann, a formerly enslaved gender-bending resident of our nation’s capital. Swann was the first known person to dub themself a “queen of drag” and the first American on record to pursue legal and political action to defend the LGBTQIA community's right to gather.

Born from a shared love of boleros and the community-driven spirit of spaces like the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe, Salon Parcha brings together artists exploring boleros, Afro-Latin rhythms, jazz, and their contemporary offshoots. Featuring guest artists each night, Salon Parcha is a space for experimentation, collaboration, and bold reinterpretations of tradition, where the lines between artist and audience are blurred and and our musical community can flourish.

Orlas draws its name from the Portuguese word for 'shores' or 'coasts.' Crafted by the dynamic collaboration of Victor Chicri and Vic Delnur, a father-and-son musical journey unfolds. This fusion encompasses, samba-jazz, bossa nova, disco-funk, and more, resulting in a captivating and genre-defying musical experience.