Jazz@CAM: James Fernando Trio
Thursday, April 1
7–9 PM
CAM Members: $40
Not-Yet Members: $60
Students: $15
The James Fernando Trio brings its dynamic blend of technical mastery, playful improvisation, and deep musical chemistry to the Jazz@CAM stage. Based in Philadelphia, the trio presents fresh interpretations of jazz standards alongside original compositions rooted in tradition and shaped by a contemporary perspective.
Formed in 2023, the trio came together after pianist and composer James Fernando received a call to assemble a group for a Kennedy Center performance with only three days’ notice. The musicians met onstage for the first time that day and quickly discovered a powerful connection. Since then, the trio has performed at leading venues and universities across the country and released its debut album, Philly 3, in 2026.
The group’s music draws inspiration from jazz greats including Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, and Thelonious Monk. Through inventive arrangements, captivating rhythms, and spontaneous interplay, the trio brings the jazz tradition into the present with performances that are vibrant, accessible, and full of personality.
Fernando is a Philadelphia-based pianist and composer whose work blends jazz, classical, and electronic influences. A 2026 Gilmore Festival Fellow, he has received recognition from DownBeat Magazine and the National YoungArts Foundation and earned first prize at the West Virginia International Piano Competition. He graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music and has performed internationally with artists including Tom Paxton, Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, Victor Provost, and Chris Cheek.
Experience the James Fernando Trio for an evening of dazzling musicianship, joyful collaboration, and bold contemporary jazz.
Jazz at CAM is funded in part by the generosity of these individuals:
Mr. M. Ricardo McCrimmon
Nancie and James Kennedy
Dr. William Malloy and Ms. Maxine Terry
