BABY GRAND MEMBER TICKETS: $50.15
Craft cocktails and small plates begin at 7:45pm. General Admission seating available on a first-come basis, with preferred seating for our Baby Grand members.
“I’m excited that the worldwide release of I Got Life will be at the 2026 Berks Jazz Fest. The festival has been a supportive launch pad for my musical projects throughout the years.”
Gerald Veasley, Carol Riddick: Nina Simone Project Feature
The collaboration between Carol Riddick and Gerald Veasley is a powerful musical conversation between two of Philadelphia’s most respected artists — a meeting of soul, jazz, and shared purpose. Blending Riddick’s sultry songstress elegance with Veasley’s joyous, polished professionalism, the duo has created a masterwork with the release of their live CD, I Got Life: The Music of Nina Simone. In the timeless songbook of Nina Simone, they found a common language — one rooted in truth, courage, and emotional depth. While much of the world is rediscovering Simone’s brilliance, Riddick and Veasley have long understood her power.
Veasley and Riddick bring their powerful Nina Simone show to the Charlotte’s Middle C Jazz club on Friday, August 28. Two shows: 6pm and 8:30 pm. Supported by keyboardist Aaron Graves and drummer Tim Hutson, the ensemble reimagines Simone’s work with organic interplay and inventive energy, creating performances that feel urgent, intimate, and deeply relevant to our times.
Gerald Veasley’s storied career as a bassist, composer, and producer has placed him at the heart of contemporary jazz for decades. A celebrated presence on the global circuit, he is widely recognized for his legendary work with Grover Washington Jr. and Joe Zawinul, along with collaborations with smooth jazz luminaries such as Kirk Whalum, Alex Bugnon, and Rick Braun. Beyond his nine solo albums, Veasley serves as President of Jazz Philadelphia and jazz curator-in-residence at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, presenting two concerts at the iconic venue each summer.
Veasley, along with his wife and business partner Roxanne, continues to champion the genre with their acclaimed Unscripted Jazz series weekly at SOUTH Jazz Club
Carol Riddick is a singular entertainer whose vocal dexterity and mesmerizing stage presence have made her a trusted collaborator for soul and R&B royalty. Since her early touring days with DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, her velvet-toned delivery has enhanced recordings by Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton, and Musiq Soulchild.