Sullivan Fortner, one of the most respected jazz pianists of his generation, brings his acclaimed improvisational virtuosity to an intimate hour-long solo piano program.
The subject of a recent, major feature article in The New York Times aptly entitled “Sullivan Fortner Can’t Dodge the Spotlight Anymore,” this three-time GRAMMY Award-winning pianist has garnered international praise as a leader and fierce collaborator with artists including Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Paul Simon, Diane Reeves, Etienne Charles, and John Scofield. Whether working with a trio, accompanying a vocalist, performing solo, or expanding the piano through electronics and other sound sources, Fortner approaches music as an active field of discovery.
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For more than a decade, Sullivan Fortner has been stretching his deep-rooted talents as a pianist, composer, band leader, and uncompromising individualist. The GRAMMY Award–winning artist and recipient of the 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award has garnered international praise as a leader and a fierce collaborator. In 2026, Fortner earned the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with his trio album Southern Nights and was named Piano Player of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. Pulling distinct elements from different eras, Fortner’s artistry preserves the tradition and evolves the sound. The New Orleans native has worked with Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Paul Simon, Diane Reeves, John Scofield, Ambrose Akinmusire, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kassa Overall, Nicholas Payton, Chief Adjuah and Roy Hargrove. Fortner has appeared at acclaimed festivals around the world including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Discover, Big Ears and the Gilmore Piano Festival among many others. Both Fortner’s works and his insights have been featured in culture drivers from The New York Times to The Root.
Photo by Youri Lenquette.