Keystone Korner Baltimore Highlights Successful Opening and Upcoming Headliners

NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan and Michelin-starred chef Robert Wiedmaier relaunched the first large-scale jazz club in the region since the late ’80s, Keystone Korner, on April 30 coinciding with International Jazz Day. The legendary San Francisco (and later Tokyo) club set the standard for jazz performance back in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.

Keystone Korner Baltimore is unique due to not only it’s world-class live performances, but also it’s world-class kitchen of Michelin-starred chef, Robert Weidmaier. A proprieter of 10 restaurants in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and Atlantic City, the classically trained Weidmaier has crafted a delicious and memorable “retro refined Americana” menu featuring throwback dishes such as an iceberg wedge salad, deviled eggs, and shrimp ‘n’ grits.

“We believe in good cookin’ at the Keystone. Both on and off the bandstand, we celebrate some of the most swinging and beautiful music in the world harmonizing perfectly and in total synch with the incomparable cuisine of Chef Robert Wiedmaier” states Barkan.

The club opening headliner, the Ron Carter Trio, was a major success with sold-out performances all three nights. An impressive upcoming performance schedule is set for the rest of May, hosting some of the world’s most recognized and important artist’s including Joey DeFrancesco, The Cookers, Cyrus Chestnut, Buster Williams, Lenny White, Kenny Barron and Regina Carter, among others. The full performance schedule is listed below.

In the midst of a national tour, organist Joey DeFrancesco stops by for a two-night gig on Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 at Keystone Korner alongside his trio mates saxophonist Victor North and drummer Khary Shaheed. The trio celebrates the release of DeFrancesco’s latest record In The Key of the Universe available now on Mack Avenue Records. The Cookers, the all-star septet featuring jazz veterans Billy Harper, Donald Harrison, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart, summon up an aggressive mid ’60s spirit with a five-night run at the club starting Wednesday, May 15 through Sunday, May 19. The group released their latest record, The Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart,in 2016 on Smoke Sessions Records.

Performing on Wednesday, May 22 through Sunday, May 26, is the soulfully swinging pianist Cyrus Chestnut joining the legendary rhythm section of bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White with special guest alto-saxophonist Antonio Hart (from 5/24 to 5/26 only). A dynamic double bill duo featuring vocalist/guitarist Raul Midón and trumpeter Sean Jones’ brand new Dizzy Spellz band combines forces for a two-night gig of unforgettable music on Tuesday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 29. Midón’s most recent record If You Really Want was released in September of 2018 on Mack Avenue Music Group’s imprint Artistry Music. Jones has released eight records under Mack Avenue Records, including his latest album Sean Jones: Live from the Jazz Bistro, which was released in 2017. Lastly, closing out the month of May is jazz master pianist Kenny Barron featuring his trio mates, bassist Kyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Justin Faulkner, with world-renowned violinist Regina Carter joining the group.