Tonight in New York
The rooms worth knowing
Eight rooms where the next generation actually plays, night after night, from a West Village basement to a glass box over Columbus Circle.
The artists
Learn their names
Immanuel Wilkins
Alto saxophone
The critics' sweep. Church fire, Blue Note pedigree, the sound of the moment.
Dabin Ryu
Piano
Juilliard rigor, a Jazz Gallery commission, late sets at Smalls.
Thana Alexa
Voice
Grammy-nominated, fiercely independent, a voice with a passport.
Joel Ross
Vibraphone
The bandleader whose sidemen become tomorrow's headliners.
Tyler Bullock
Piano
Hargrove big band chair, trio nights across the city.
Alexa Tarantino
Alto sax & flute
Rising-star polls, world tours, teacher of the next wave.
Mali Obomsawin
Bass & voice
Film scores, genre-crossing bands, stories older than the songbook.
Julius Rodriguez
Piano
Verve's young ace. Tiny Desk energy, big-room future.
Editorial coverage. Artists shown are not affiliated with After the Head unless stated. Our editorial policy.
The podcast
The Cutting Contest
Ep. 1 — The Saint and the Kid from Upper Darby
Immanuel Wilkins meets John Coltrane, born one hundred years ago this September. Two church kids from the same city, seventy years apart. 21 minutes.
Produced by After the Head with AI voice performance and an original score. How we make it.
Start here
From mood to names
You like lo-fi beats to study to
Meet the real thing: three records that do what your playlist does, but alive.
You saw one clip and got curious
The players behind the videos everyone shares, and where to start with each.
You want one perfect evening
A listening path for tonight: one album, one live set, one late-night surprise.
For artists
A different kind of deal
You keep 100 percent of your masters. We take 15 percent of what we grow together, and split what we fund, half and half, after costs. Our terms live on this site in full, because in this business, published terms are a pitch. Read the deal.