Sullivan Fortner Trio

For more than ten years, Sullivan Fortner has been developing into an uncompromising voice of his own as a pianist, composer, and bandleader. He has unwavering faith in swing and the power of the blues. These form the foundation of his playing, which blossomed in the gospel church of New Orleans, the city where he grew up.

The Grammy winner garnered international acclaim as both bandleader and sideman and shone at recent North Sea Jazz alongside star vocalist and wife Cécile McLorin Salvant. In 2025, he won the Grammy for Best Jazz Performance with Samara Joy.

Now Fortner presents Leave That In There , his sixth and most personal album. Memories of his youth touch upon the history of New Orleans and Louisiana. The title refers to Spike Lee's Katrina documentary When the Levees Broke . In “Sugarcane,” Fortner connects a childhood memory of his grandmother with the history of slavery, labor, and resistance on the sugarcane plantations. Musically, he pulls out all the stops: from acoustic trio to Hammond organ, marimba, Batá drums, and synthesizers. Live, he performs with his regular trio: Tyrone Allen II on double bass and Kayvon Gordon on drums. Lineup: Sullivan Fortner - piano, Tyrone Allen II - double bass, Kayvon Gordon - drums