Silk Jazz Festival
lineup 2026
Silk Jazz Festival
lineup 2026
Jeff Sipe Trio
Drummer Jeff Sipe was a member of Colonel Bruce Hampton's Aquarium Rescue Unit and has played with many other musicians. But probably his most visible association was the power trio with Jonas Hellborg and Shawn Lane, followed by a more recent trio with guitarist Alex Machacek. So he is clearly very comfortable in an improvising rock/jazz guitar trio.
He says of the format: "The trio format is still exciting to me," Sipe explains. "It's very transparent. There is nobody there to lean on—you have to play. You've got to be supportive and expressive at the same time. It's a challenge to play in a way that fills out the sound without grandstanding. It demands that melody, rhythm, and harmony all be active." - Mark Sullivan, AllAboutJazz
Jeff Sipe - drums
Mike Seal - guitar
Taylor Lee - bass
Cecil Alexander Trio
Cecil Alexander is a guitarist, composer, and arranger from Muskegon, Michigan. A 2016 graduate of Berklee College of Music with a B.M. in Jazz Composition, he went on to earn his M.M. in Jazz Performance from William Paterson University in 2019. His versatility and artistry have earned him top honors, including 1st place at the 2017 Wilson Center Jazz Guitar Competition and the 2018 Lee Ritenour Six String Theory Competition. In 2019, he was named a finalist in the prestigious Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition.
Cecil has performed and recorded with esteemed artists such as Bill Charlap, Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), Antonio Hart, Lee Pearson, Luis Perdomo, Nathan East, and Steve LaSpina. In addition to his work as a jazz musician, Cecil co-founded the folk-rock group Visen in 2016, which released its debut EP, Shoulder Deep, the following year.
From Fall 2021-2023 Cecil was a member of the faculty at Berklee College of Music as an Assistant Professor of Guitar. In the past, he has been a faculty member at UCLA (Global Jazz Studies) and Borough of Manhattan Community College. He is currently signed to Heartcore Records, the Berlin-based label founded by legendary guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. His debut album on the label, Introducing Cecil Alexander, was released on September 23, 2022.
Cecil Alexander - guitar
Rob Linton - bass
Danny McGonegle - drums
Miguel Alvarado Quartet
Strongly rooted in his Cuban/Puerto Rican tradition, Miguel Alvarado strives to create a unique and honest sound through his music every day.
In 2001, Miguel graduated high school and attended the University of North Florida and studied under the guidance of jazz legend Bunky Green, Kevin Bales, Ricky Ravelo, John Ricci, and many others. Over the years, Miguel has had the honor of performing with some of the worlds leading authorities in music. A few of those being: Terence Blanchard, Bunky Green, Martin Bejerano, Eric Reed, Cab Calloway Orquestra, Jason Marsalis, Barry Greene, The Doug Carn Quartet and Quintet, Garaj Mahal, Eddie Palmieri, Jeff Coffin, Luisito Carrion, Marcus Roberts, Scotty Barnhart, Luisito Carrion, El Cano Estremera, Andy Montanez, Lalo Rodriguez, Michael “Nomad” Ripoll, Tommy Sims, Mike Hicks, and super stars such as George Clinton and John Popper.
As well as extensive touring in the states, some of the countries and venues Miguel has toured include France, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, North Sea, Jazz a Vienne, Montreaux, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Clearwater Jazz Festival, Bear Creek Music Festival, IAJE, and Midwest Clinic in Chicago.
Miguel Alvarado - saxhophone
Alex Murphy - piano
Rob Linton - bass
Madison George - drums
Sofia Goodman trio
Sofia Goodman is a drummer, composer and bandleader residing in Nashville, TN. Her work has been internationally recognized in the press from sources like DownBeat and JAZZIZ. Since 2017, her group has toured the U.S and Canada, appearing at many notable venues and festivals, including USM Jazz & Blues Festival, where her quartet was the headliner. As a bandleader and arranger, she has developed repertoire for her trio, quartet, septet, octet and more. Her work has been called “mesmerizing and compositionally rich” by DownBeat and she has been called a “splendid composer and drummer” by All About Jazz. The Nashville Scene noted Goodman is “something to be excited about in the evolution of jazz in Music City.”
Goodman has released three albums on Joyous Records. In 2024, The Sofia Goodman Group won the NIMA award for Best Jazz Group. Goodman has also won the Pathways to Jazz Grant and the CMA Performance Plus Grant and has received several nominations from NIMA. As a sidewoman, Goodman has performed with blues legend Bobby Rush, The Music City Big Band, trombonist Altin Sencalar, world folk group HuDost and many more. Outside of performing, Goodman is a passionate educator and mentor, and she is also involved in groups like This is A Movement and Nashville Women in Jazz.
Sofia Goodman - drums
Matt Twaddle - piano
Santino Tafarella - bass