Lafayette Gilchrist and New Volcanos

"If Baltimore had a music hall of fame, Lafayette Gilchrist would be one of our first ballots. While he’s revered for his iconic scores in David Simon’s HBO series The Wire, Treme, and The Deuce, it’s his pure talent and unbridled spirit that have earned this D.C. native and longtime Baltimore resident his much-deserved praise. Prepare to be moved—in your soul, and out of your seat." – Baltimore Magazine

Lafayette Gilchrist and New Volcanos with Guitarist Carl Filipiak: Record Release Concert

Baltimore's Lafayette Gilchrist is a jazz pianist, but when his powerhouse funk/jazz band the New Volcanoes backs him up, listeners also get something different: a go-go beat. Gilchrist describes go-go, a style native to Washington, D.C., and its environs, as "almost like a slowed-down James Brown, but you have a combination of African rhythms." Blended with his jazz piano playing, that's the sound of Gilchrist's latest album, New Urban World Blues, released this May. Lafayette is not only a penetrating and sensitive artist, but also a composer who does not shy away from the influences of the greatest artists who inspire him to look for stylistic references.

Carl Filipiak has earned critical acclaim as one of today’s most dynamic jazz guitarists. Jazziz Magazine has included him among a renowned list of guitar players in their nominations for “New Fusion Blood,” and JazzTimes calls him “a dazzlingly versatile guitarist.” Many of his recordings and performances have paired him with some of the industry’s finest musicians including Dennis Chambers, Victor Wooten, and Grammy nominee Bob Berg.