International trumpeter Terell Stafford to perform Miles Davis tribute
Terell Stafford, a Grammy-winning trumpeter and long-standing figure on the international jazz scene, will present a tribute to Miles Davis at The Grand on State on 9 September. The concert, billed as a duo with acclaimed pianist Tamir Hendelman, is part of a centenary celebration of Davis’s birth and will see Stafford interpret some of the trumpeter’s influential repertoire in a pared-back, intimate format.
Stafford’s reputation rests on decades of performance and recording, both as leader of his own ensembles and as a collaborator with some of jazz’s most esteemed figures, including Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath and Kenny Barron. He is also a regular with the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra in New York City and holds a prominent academic post as Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University in Philadelphia.
“He has performed at the highest level around the world while also helping shape the next generation of jazz musicians as an educator,” said Brian Mann, co-owner of The Grand on State.
For this engagement Stafford will perform in a duo setting with Hendelman. The two musicians have a history of collaboration and Stafford said playing in this format is a particular passion. He described the duo interaction as expansive, explaining that the exchanges can sometimes feel as complete as a quartet despite the smaller line-up.
- Event: Miles Davis tribute by Terell Stafford (trumpet) and Tamir Hendelman (piano)
- Date: 9 September
- Venue: The Grand on State, 1218 State Street (doors 5pm, music 7–9:30pm)
- Tickets: on sale via thegrandonstate.com
What the concert represents
The programme arrives as part of a global reassessment and celebration of Miles Davis’s legacy. Davis is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in jazz history; his work across decades reshaped the language and direction of the music. Stafford has cited Davis as a foundational influence on his own playing, and the decision to present the material in duet form reflects both an interpretative challenge and an opportunity to reframe canonical works in a more intimate sonic context.
As well as underlining Stafford’s standing as a performer, the event highlights his parallel role in education. At Temple University he oversees jazz studies and instrumental training, a responsibility that places him at the heart of shaping future professional musicians. Audiences in Staffordshire who follow music education and conservatoire pathways may find it notable that a leading practitioner-educator is engaged in such high-profile international programming.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Artist | Terell Stafford (trumpet) & Tamir Hendelman (piano) |
| Occasion | Miles Davis centenary tribute |
| Venue address | The Grand on State, 1218 State Street |
| Times | Doors 5pm; music 7–9:30pm |
Brian Mann, who co-owns The Grand on State and is himself a pianist, described the booking as an important moment for the venue, highlighting Stafford’s dual impact as a touring artist and an educator. The Grand, which has steadily built a reputation for presenting intimate and high-quality jazz evenings, bills the concert as one of a growing number of notable nights in its season.
For local concert-goers interested in contemporary interpretations of jazz masters, the format offers a concentrated listening experience: without a full rhythm section, the two musicians must negotiate melody, harmony and rhythmic drive between them, opening space for fresh phrasing and spontaneous interaction. Stafford has said previously that duo playing is one of his passions and that certain pianists — Hendelman among them — elicit a particularly responsive and ensemble-oriented approach.
Tickets and further details are available from the promoter’s website. The event will be of interest to listeners who follow modern jazz, to students of brass and piano performance, and to those attentive to the ongoing influence of Miles Davis on global jazz programmes.
