Heard

There are some shows where sitting politely in your chair becomes increasingly difficult. Heard is one of those bands.

Drawing on rhythms and musical traditions from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and beyond, Heard creates vibrant, deeply rhythmic music that moves freely between world music and jazz, leaving plenty of room for improvisation, musical conversation and whatever happens in the moment.

And after more than 16 years of making music together, they know how to make those moments happen. A six-time Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards nominee, Heard was named the 2026 Eddie Awards World Music Group of the Year, recognizing a band that has become one of the region's most distinctive and adventurous musical ensembles.

At the heart of Heard's sound are original band members:
- Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius — keyboardist, vocalist and composer
- Zorkie Nelson — percussionist and vocalist
- Brian Melick — drummer

Also featured on the bill will be:
- Laura Andrea Leguía — woodwinds
- Evan Jagels — bassist
- Felix Nelson — dancer, vocalist and percussionist

Together they create a sonic landscape filled with layered percussion, soaring woodwinds, jazz interplay, vocals and rhythms built to move. And yes, we mean that literally. This is music that may very well get you out of your Caffe8 Lena chair.

Heard's debut album, Karibu, reached #15 on the WorldJazz charts, earning praise for its combination of sophisticated musicianship and infectious rhythms. Their adventurous follow-up, Flyway, produced by the legendary Joel Moss, continued to expand the band's musical vocabulary and draw critical acclaim.

The Times Union has described Heard's music as taking listeners on "unexpected journeys through the realms of classical, jazz and world music," while Improv Jazz Nation praised Karibu as "Most Highly Recommended."

But Heard makes the most sense live. A groove begins. Percussion joins percussion. A horn answers. Someone takes the music somewhere unexpected. The band follows. And somewhere along the way, the line between jazz concert, global musical journey and dance party gets wonderfully blurry.

Come hear why Heard was named the 2026 World Music Group of the Year, and come prepared to move.

Stream this show live at Caffe8 Lena TV. Livestream available for $5 100% of live stream tickets on CaffeLenaTV benefit the artists. Subscribe for unlimited live streaming, two week access to recent shows, and Caffe Lena's video archive.

Note: Caffe Lena does not permit ticket reselling above face value. Tickets purchased for the purpose of resale may be canceled without notice, and refunds for such purchases will not be granted.