Immanuel Wilkins is an award winning alto saxophonist and composer and one of the most vital voices in jazz today. He burst onto the scene with his Blue Note debut Omega (2020), which topped The New York Times list of Best Jazz Albums of the Year, was named NPR’s Best Debut Jazz Album, and earned an NAACP Image Award nomination. That same year, Wilkins received the prestigious LetterOne Rising Stars Award.
His sophomore release, The 7th Hand (2022), continued his rapid ascent, topping year end lists from Jazzwise, NPR, The New York Times, The Financial Times, and JazzTimes. In 2023, Wilkins won three DownBeat Critics Poll Awards—Best Alto Saxophonist, Best Rising Star Composer, and Best Rising Star Group. His third Blue Note album, Blues Blood, was released in 2024 and was nominated for a Grammy.
A native of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, Wilkins has performed with artists including Jason Moran, Kenny Barron, Wynton Marsalis, Bob Dylan, and Gerald Clayton, while continuing to tour internationally as a leader.
Immanuel Wilkins – Sax; Micah Thomas – Piano; Ryoma Takenaga – Bass; Savannah Harris – Drums
