JAZZ: MELANIE CHARLES and THE GHETTO CHURCH

Melanie Charles is back, this time as one-third of the Ghetto Church trio!

Ghetto Church (Melanie Charles, Ignabu, and Paul Wilson Bae) is a sample-driven trio born out of a one-time collaboration for Wall to Wall John Coltrane in 2019, but has since blossomed into one of the freest, most expansive spaces each member occupies.

Melanie Charles (Brooklyn-born vocalist, flutist, and producer of Haitian descent), Paul Wilson Bae (Queens-based producer, pianist, and sound engineer), and Ignabu (NYC-based drummer, multidisciplinary artist, and director) all bring deep roots in experimental music, jazz, and electronic production. Together, they form an unspoken creative ecosystem where every show is built in real-time, with each artist intuitively shaping the direction of the music.

The trio’s sound was first sculpted around archival samples, interviews, and original compositions inspired by Coltrane’s A Love Supreme — a four-movement ceremony merging past and present. While those elements still echo in their live sets, the music has evolved far beyond tribute. Their current performances fuse new lyrics, reimagined solo works (including songs from Melanie’s The Girl with the Green Shoes), and spontaneous improvisation. It's part ritual, part jam session, part scrapyard — a living, breathing collaboration where old material is broken down and reassembled.

No two performances are alike, but they’re always immersive — expect spiritual moments, danceable grooves, solos from each member, and communal call-and-response energy. Though a side project for each artist, this trio is where they feel most free.

As usual, the evening is hosted by our very own Stretch Armstrong.