Cynthia Sayer & Joyride (USA)

(Cynthia Sayer bjo/voc, Aurélie Tropez cl, Jen Hodge b, Larry Eagle d)

Cynthia Sayer & Joyride is a guaranteed favorite for all lovers of hot jazz and swing from the 1920s to the 1940s. The ensemble is led by the award-winning and internationally acclaimed, charming New York-based jazz banjoist and vocalist Cynthia Sayer. A multiple award winner, Sayer is widely praised by musicians, critics, and audiences as one of the finest jazz banjoists in the world. This pioneering artist, hailed by The New York Times (USA) for her “drive and virtuosity,” tours extensively across four continents both with her own ensembles and as a featured guest soloist with other groups. Sayer has been inducted into the American Banjo Hall of Fame and is the recipient of the prestigious Steve Martin Banjo Prize. She has received numerous accolades for both her recordings and performances. As a founding member of Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band, she has performed with many leading artists in jazz, pop, and roots music, including Bucky Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Les Paul, Marvin Hamlisch, Wynton Marsalis, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Vince Giordano, Scott Robinson, Ken Peplowski, Marian McPartland, Milt Hinton, Wycliff Gordon, and Dick Wellstood.

The other members of the band bring international top-level expertise and a strong sense of style to Joyride’s sound. French clarinetist Aurélie Tropez is known for her elegant, tradition-rooted playing and has performed extensively at European jazz festivals as well as collaborated with numerous swing and traditional jazz ensembles. Canadian-born double bassist Jen Hodge is among the most in-demand jazz musicians in New York, and her swinging, warm tone is familiar from many acclaimed groups and recordings. Drummer Larry Eagle, in turn, is known as a versatile and stylistically sensitive musician who has performed, among others, with Bruce Springsteen’s Sessions Band as well as with numerous jazz and roots artists. Together, these musicians create an energetic, authentic, and irresistibly swinging musical experience for Joyride.

Cynthia Sayer & Joyride will perform two concerts during the Baltic Jazz Festival:

9. JAZZ & DINNER – Cynthia Sayer & Joyride: “BANJO SWING”
Savor an intimate evening at Ullman’s Villa, where outstanding music and a delicious dinner meet in perfect harmony. The multi-award-winning banjo virtuoso Cynthia Sayer and her all-star band Joyride channel the spirits of the golden age of jazz with style, humor, and electrifying energy. Expect hot jazz, swinging standards, and playful surprises drawn from the tradition of New Orleans, the 1920s jazz age, the swing era, and beyond — all driven by Sayer’s timeless and fresh interpretations on the banjo, the original fretted instrument of jazz. If you love the personal energy of live jazz up close, this is the show that puts you right in the middle of the magic. Your mantra for the evening, “Banjo Is Best!”. The ticket price includes a welcome drink, a three-course dinner, and entry to the Saturday Night Jazz Party at the Mechanical Workshop (concert 11).

11. SATURDAY NIGHT JAZZ PARTY – Cynthia Sayer & Joyride: “THE HOT JAZZ EXPERIENCE”
Experience the pure joy and kinetic energy of hot jazz as multi-award-winning banjo master Cynthia Sayer leads her all-star Joyride band through a set that will get your spirit swinging and your heart soaring. Amping up the groove of their early evening dinner club performance, the band stretches out, leaning into upbeat tempos, playful improvisations, and crowd-energizing moments that feel spontaneous and celebratory. Enjoy driving swing numbers and joyful call-and-response moments, familiar jazz tunes alongside lively surprises, and the infectious rhythmic lift that makes Cynthia Sayer & Joyride a frequent festival favorite. In addition to Cynthia Sayer & Joyride, the Saturday Night Jazz Party at the Mechanical Workshop will feature Högsåra Hipsters as well as Kirmo Lintinen Trio with special guests Gunhild Carling & Max Carling.