Jazz Pianist Extraordinaire Christian Sands Made a Welcome Return to Indy

Performance

Sep 20

Indy Jazz Fest 2023 Sunset Series

Jazz pianist extraordinaire, Steinway Artist, and five-time Grammy Nominee Christian Sands made a welcome return to Indy, performing during Indy Jazz Fest and its Sunset Series at The Jazz Kitchen on September 20, 2023. Having been an American Pianists finalist in 2015, Sands is no stranger to the Indy audiences – and a homecoming for many of us as the club was packed for two sets welcoming his return.

New Music Preview for Christian Sands New Album

With a quartet of exceptional sideman - Yasushi Nakamura on bass, Marvin Sewell on guitar, and Ryan Sands on drums - Sands announced they are about to record a new album with much of the music this night being previewed in Indy.

The band warmed up the audience with “Sonar” from Sands's most recent album, Be Water, then launched into new works, including my favorite of the night, “Ain’t That The Same, “ “Serenade of an Angel,” and “Embracing Dawn.” While the band put their take on “Bye Bye Blackbird” and Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s “The Star-Crossed Lovers,” the highlight of the night had to be a pure improvisational tune in the second set. Sands asked for three notes from the audience and began to build a tune from those three notes, with the band joining in as we watched the music being created before our very eyes. Another favorite was a Sewell-penned tune called Big Joe, for the great Joe Williams, played brilliantly by Sewell and the band.

A Jazz Lover’s Dream

This was a night where you just sat back and took in the mastery of this quartet. The compositions, improvisations, techniques, and synergy of each instrument made for a jazz lover’s dream. Here’s hoping Christian Sands returns soon to this jazz town that thinks he should be one of their own.