The Will Boyd Project isn't just a band—it's a spiritual reckoning delivered through reeds and rhythm, a sonic revival where the sacred traditions of the Black church collide with the revolutionary fire of jazz. Led by multi-instrumentalist and "mad sax man" Will Boyd, this ensemble transforms every performance into a joyful noise that honors the soul sax prophets—Eddie Harris, Hank Crawford, King Curtis—while pushing the movement forward with urgent, right-now energy.
From baritone sax sermons to bass clarinet benedictions, Boyd channels decades of soul tradition through every note, reimagining spirituals, hymns, and freedom songs with albums like Freedom Soul Jazz and Soulful Noise. This is music that's toured Japan, shared stages with Fred Wesley and Jeff Coffin, and graced PBS documentaries—yet still feels as intimate as a Sunday morning service in a Memphis sanctuary.
Joined by steady-grooving bassist Zack Page, thunderous drummer Micah Thomas, and the mountain magic of keyboardist Taylor Pierson, The Will Boyd Project proves that jazz has always been about liberation—musical, spiritual, and otherwise. Expect an evening where bebop meets the church pew, where virtuosity serves something bigger than technique, and where every song becomes a freedom song.
This isn't just a performance. It's a celebration. It's a sermon. It's proof that the future sounds like freedom.
Featuring
The house in Orangeburg, South Carolina, was a frequency spectrum unto itself. The Isley Brothers and the Manhattan Transfer and Dolly Parton and Mozart — all of it moving through the same rooms, all of it landing in the ears of a kid from Queens, New York, who had been transplanted to the Lowcountry and was trying to figure out which signal to lock onto. His mother had graduated from Jamaica High School of the Performing Arts, and she made sure Will and his siblings sang. Gospel was the...
Taylor Pierson brings the mountain magic of Asheville to life through cascading keys and soulful melodies. With fingers that dance across ivory and imagination, Taylor weaves together the eclectic spirit of Western North Carolina—where bluegrass roots meet indie innovation, and folk traditions blend seamlessly with modern soundscapes.
Whether conjuring atmospheric textures on synths, laying down groovy Hammond organ riffs, or crafting delicate piano arrangements, Taylor's keyboard work is...
On their twelfth Christmas, Pete Page gave one son a guitar and the other a bass. The old man loved Booker T. & the M.G.'s and worshipped Duck Dunn, and he had a theory that every good band needs a good bass man. He wasn't wrong. Andy got the guitar. Zack — four minutes younger, identical in face, opposite in instrument — got the bass. Their mother came from the McGhees of Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, a family whose old-time music roots run back generations through the Appalachian soil....
Micah Thomas is the heartbeat behind the kit, driving rhythms with the raw power and precision that echoes through Asheville's mountain valleys. With sticks in hand and an instinctive groove that won't quit, Micah commands the drums like a force of nature—equal parts thunder and finesse.
Rooted in the diverse musical landscape of Western North Carolina, Micah's drumming spans genres with effortless versatility. From tight, pocket-driven grooves that anchor funk and soul to explosive rock...
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