The YAYennings Quartet meets Eric "Poppa" Reed

Jay Jennings is a Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter with Snarky Puppy. He grew up in the small town of Grapevine, TX. He was lucky to have a piano in the house growing up, which he considers his introduction to music education. Jennings started playing trumpet at age 11, and by 15, he was already playing professionally. In high school, he was selected to the Texas All-State Jazz Ensemble both sophomore and senior years, and he was selected for the High School Grammy Jazz Ensemble, which performed at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, CA. Jennings auditioned as a college freshman and was selected for a jazz soloist chair in the world-renowned One O'clock Lab Band at UNT.

When he was 22, Jennings joined the Dallas-based, symphonic rock band The Polyphonic Spree. He recorded and toured with them until moving to Brooklyn, NY in 2009. He eventually began touring with Capitol Records artist Eli "Paperboy" Reed in 2010.

Over the course of his career, Jennings has backed up some of the world's finest artists such as Aretha Franklin, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The O'Jays, Jimmy Buffet, James Taylor, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, The Four Tops, Broken Social Scene, Toby Keith and many more. Jennings lives in Los Angeles, CA.

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Eric Reed is an influential fixture in music as pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and champion of young musicians. From his cultural roots in his father’s Baptist church in Philadelphia, to his West Coast tutelage under the likes of Teddy Edwards, Gerald Wilson, and Buddy Collette, through the bands of Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Buster Williams, and Wynton Marsalis, Eric has amassed a laudable discography of iconic recordings, an extensive repertoire of compositions and arrangements, and an impressive list of credits in film & TV scores, musical theater, and in prestigious venues the world over. Affectionately known as “Poppa Reed”, Eric encourages bourgeoning artists through complete access and endless conversations on becoming not only professional artists, but also individuals who can have a positive impact on humanity. His latest recording, Everybody Gets the Blues, moves Eric closer towards his goal of “wanting to connect on a deeper level to the human spirit and heart through the beauty of artistry.”