Jesse Palter Quartet

During the 2020 lockdown while sidelined from gigging and regular income streams, Jesse Palter was determined to stay in a positive mindset. She engaged by putting a home recording rig together so that she could record a few singles about the pandemic. Reaching out to her friend Jake Bass, they did some virtual collaborating and put the finishing touches on two of her soulful and upbeat infectious tracks, “Better Days” and “2020 Vision.”

She also realized that Nothing Standard, her swinging, soulful retrospective jazz album that was sidelined when she signed with Artistry Music/Mack Avenue, needed to come out. At the time, the label chose to launch her as a pop/rock artist. Jesse is proud of her 2019 album Paper Trail and considers it “a huge part of my musical journey.” But free now from the confines of a label machine, she reveals her innermost truths as the talented jazz vocalist and songwriter that she’s always been.

“Nothing like a pandemic to press the pause button on life and force you to rethink everything,” Jesse says. “With the shows and income stripped, I went through a phase of ‘Can I keep doing this emotionally and financially? Thinking and rethinking, I figured it was time to revisit “Nothing Standard” and reconnect with my roots. This record is also a way for me to present a work of sincerity to my loyal fans.”

The collection, featuring eight dynamic Jesse-penned originals and tasteful re-imaginings of the famed show tune “Happiness” (from “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”), “Hey Jude,” and the tender piano/vocal encore “When the Sun Comes Out”, Nothing Standard was produced by Jesse with Chris Dunn (Christian Scott, Jazzmeia Horn, Kurt Elling, Taylor Eigsti, Rita Coolidge, George Benson & Al Jarreau).

The singer is backed by a stellar rhythm section featuring the soulful and hard-grooving trio of pianist Michael Jellick (Christian McBride, Sean Jones, Stanley Jordan), and past Thelonious Monk International Jazz Bass Competition (renamed Herbie Hancock Institute) winner Ben Williams, (who was later part of Pat Metheny’s Unity Band). Both were part of the original Detroit based Jesse Palter Quartet that performed frequently. The trio also features drummer Gregory Hutchinson, (Dianne Reeves, Joshua Redman, Eric Reed, Ray Brown, Joe Henderson) one of the singer’s true musical heroes with whom she had done select festival dates. The trio gracefully accompanies Jesse, navigating the compositions that comprise the poignant musical ride of "Nothing Standard". “My aim going into the studio was to simply capture the heartbeat of the songs I had worked so hard on with Michael Jellick, and to leave space for whatever inspiration will come to the listener”.

All shows at Sam First are 21+ (no one under the age of 21 will be permitted)

Show Times: 7:30pm & 9:00pm, and a separate ticket is required for each show.

Notice of Recording: Sam First live streams and records all concerts. By entering Sam First, you understand that your image and/or voice might be included in those recordings. Sam First reserves the right to use any photography, video or audio recording taken at this event, without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video.