A new ongoing series where live jazz, poetry, and film converge in real time. Led by Grammy-nominated bandleader J.C. Hopkins, the series brings together an evolving lineup of musicians, poets, and filmmakers in a dynamic exchange between sound, language, and moving image.
At the center of the series is the J.C. Hopkins Quintet, featuring Malik McLaurine (upright bass), Max Barnes (tenor saxophone), Aaron Yanda (drums), and Desmond Teague (guitar, saxophone). Each performance unfolds as a living conversation—music responding to poetry, film reframing the moment, and improvisation tying it all together.
The opening night features poets Sparrow, Lina Stoyanovich, Emily Hollander, Ella Blood, Dante Kanter, and Jonas Kyle, alongside filmmakers Alex Rappoport and Thelonius Hopson.
Each installment of Music, Image & Word will present a new lineup of artists, making every evening a singular, unrepeatable experience. Rooted in a downtown tradition of interdisciplinary performance and shaped by the creative energy of the Hudson Valley, the series offers audiences a fresh encounter with live art in motion.
J.C. Hopkins is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and bandleader whose work inhabits the space between jazz, storytelling, and atmosphere. Leading the J.C. Hopkins Quintet and Biggish Band, he creates performances that feel less like concerts than conversations—fluid, collaborative, and alive to the moment. His collaborators have included Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, Martha Wainwright, and Teddy Thompson. His recently released album It’s a Sad and Beautiful World captures a long arc of songwriting shaped by both intimacy and scale. Based in the Hudson Valley, Hopkins is also co-director of Rohmer Gallery, where music, film, and poetry often intersect.
The Live From Upstate series is generously underwritten by the Ettinger Foundation.