Join us on Sunday, February 16, 2025, for Main Stage Session 5 starting at 7:00pm with the Paul Carr Quartet and special guest Billy Pierce; 8:30pm – Ekpe Nkwelle and Cyrus Chestnut; 10:00pm – Orrin Evans, Dwayne Dolphin,  Jeff Tain Watts and Chris Potter. (Session 5: 7:00 – 11:30pm)

For the 10:00pm set, Dwayne Dolphin will be a part of the Orrin Evans Super Band with phenomenal drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, multi-instrumentalist Chris Potter and the acclaimed pianist Orrin Evans. This group will be a treat to the senses as they make their debut at our 2025 jazz festival. 

The Main Stage ticketing is divided into Sessions. Each Session is comprised of three power-hitting Acts. Seating is divided into groups which include Premium 4-seater tables, General 6-seater tables and then General theater seating.  ALL GENERAL SEATING TABLES ARE RESERVED FOR VOYAGER PASSPORT HOLDERS, so please purchase your all-access Voyager Passport in advance. You can pick up your Voyager Passports at the Box Office after 3pm on the first day of the festival. All proceeds from the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival directly support efforts of the Jazz Academy of Music.

About Dwayne Dolphin

Dwayne Dolphin was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. American Jazz Pianist Peter Madsen said: “Dwayne Dolphin is one of his favorite people and musiciansin the whole world”.

By the time Dolphin was fifteen he was already on the local Pittsburgh jazz scene working with the legendary drummer Rodger Humphries (on Song For My Father and other Horace Silver classics) and many of the local heroes. Dwayne got his first big break right out of high school when he was recruited by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to join his band that also included his brother Branford. He toured all over the U.S. with Wynton’s quintet and even played with them on the Tonight Show. After his work with Marsalis,Dwayne joined the band of funky blues master Hank Crawford. As Dwayne and his talent became known, he went on to work with some of the greatest names in jazz including Hank Jones, Abbey Lincoln, Kenny Burrell, Clark Terry, Pharaoh Sander and many more. 

One of Dwayne’s great attributes is his ability to play incredibly in any style. He worked for a long time with modern pianist Geri Allen as well as other contemporary improvisers like Graham Haynes, Don Byron, Oliver Lake and Arthur Blythe. He’s also toured with the bands of Maceo Parker, Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley. 

Back in 1994 Dolphin and Peter Madsen along with Bruce Cox on drums formed a cooperative trio called Three of a Kind. They recorded three CD’s together, all for Minor Music out of Germany. The first, called Three of a Kind, featured just the trio. The second was recorded with special guest Stanley Turrentine and was titled Three of a Kind Meets Mr. T, which received great reviews. On the third CD, Benny Golson was aspecial guest. This one called Drip Some Grease was very well received in Europe. After recording with Turrentine, Dolphin started working with him a lot up until Turrentine’s death. Recently Dwayne can be found playing piccolo bass in his own band called Dwayne Dolphin and Under Cover Project as well as playing and recording frequentlywith pianist John Hicks. 

Dolphin also recorded a Christmas album with Nancy Wilson. Dwayne Dolphin is a bass player we should all know and pay attention to, as he definitely has a lot more to say through his bass from anywhere around the world he chooses to play.