Cécile McLorin Salvant At Buffalo’s Art Of Jazz

Cecile McLorin Salvant with Sullivan Fortner 
Buffalo Akg Art Museum 
Art Of Jazz
Buffalo 
April 19, 2026

Thick, bright, layered pellets of snow, raised from Lake Erie's surface and chilled in a cold, early spring wind pelted the faces of Buffalo jazz lovers as we entered Buffalo Akg Art Museum's Lipsey Auditorium for the third of the four "Art Of Jazz" concerts on Sunday (April 19, 2026). That snow quickly melted on soil which, only a day earlier, had basked in the 80° sun.

Lipsey's treehouse setting hosted winter weather's swan song, as the maples outside were in mid-budding, the lower half in spring and the upper half still shaking off the cold. The sold out room (approximately 340) saw one of jazz's finest vocalists perform two of her own compositions and eleven selections from the American songbook. It was Salvant's first trip to Buffalo since her February 12, 2024, performance at UB in support of her album Mélusine (Nonesuch Records, 2023), Cecile McLorin Salvant at Slee Hall, named for a creature of medieval folklore who transformed into a snake.

McLorin Salvant's voice is a marvel. At once precise and filled with raw emotion, her set (complete set list below) was filled with songs inspired by her idols, including Ethel Waters ("Bread And Gravy"), Roberta Gambarini  "You Are There"), Audra McDonald's live Broadway performance in "Gypsy" ("Some People"), Diane Reeves ("Mista"), and Abbey Lincoln ("Down Here Below").

Salvant was accompanied by her longtime collaborator Sullivan Fortner whose light, expert touch incorporated broken chords, strumming the piano strings, stride, and chiming octaves.

The song selections felt in the moment, as Salvant would sometimes hum a tune as a suggestion, and Fortner would reply with piano notes. I couldn't help but think of Tony Bennett famous collaboration with Bill Evans, two great artists who created something bigger than the two of them. 

McLorin Salvant and Fortner's performance was intimate and elemental, one that will be difficult to forget. 

Set List

I've Got Your Number; Bread And Gravy; Jeepers Creepers; You Are There; Some People; Take This Stone; Mista; Down Here Below; I'm All Smiles; Over The Rainbow; If I Only Had A Brain; Optimistic Voices; ENCORE: Ghost Song.

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