
Pianist Christian Sands has established himself as a major force in modern jazz. Guided early on by legends Dr. Billy Taylor and Christian McBride, the two-time Grammy nominee brings deep musicality to every performance. This 90-minute afternoon concert at the famous Jazz in Marciac Festival in France marked the final stop of his European tour. Sands leads his rhythm section, featuring bassist Jonathon Muir-Cotton and drummer Tyson Jackson, through a personal musical memoir. The trio performs tracks from Embracing Dawn, including "Sand Dune," a tune Sands first recorded with McBride’s trio at the Village Vanguard. He shares a story about meeting Dave Brubeck at age 12 before launching into Brubeck's "Strange Meadowlark." The set also features interpretations of Cedar Walton's "Bolivia" and Luther Vandross's "Never Too Much," closing with a high-energy encore of Charlie Parker's "Anthropology".