David Janeway Trio ft. Ali Jackson & Rodney Whitaker

David Janeway’s musical journey began in the heart of Detroit in the early sixties, where he was deeply influenced by the Motown sound and local jazz legends like Marcus Belgrave and Harold McKinney. In 1978, he moved to New York City, where he further honed his craft and collaborated with a myriad of remarkable artists, from The Supremes to Art Farmer, Sonny Fortune, Billy Hart, Angel Canales and Sabor, Craig Handy, Gary Smulyan, Eliot Zigmund and many more.

Janeway has left an indelible mark on the New York City jazz scene, performing with his trio and quintet at renowned venues like Smalls, Mezzrow, Zinc Bar, Sweet Basil, Birdland, Django and more. He’s also taken his music to a global stage, gracing the Detroit Jazz Festival, Madison Square Garden, the Village Gate, and numerous clubs and venues across the US and Europe.

Janeway recently released his album David Janeway Trio Live at Blue LLama. Captured live at Ann Arbor, Michigan’s renowned jazz club Blue Llama in June 2024, David Janeway presents himself at the height of his powers, joined by the world-class rhythm team of Robert Hurst III and Billy Hart. A Detroit-bred musician with a deep lineage in that city’s storied jazz tradition, Janeway channels decades of mentorship, swing, and blues-rooted expression into a set that is both powerfully modern and historically grounded. The trio’s telepathic interplay fuels inventive takes on standards, luminous ballads, and Janeway’s distinctive originals, all delivered with the group’s tightly converging sound and emotional depth that define his artistry. Following acclaimed SteepleChase releases with Hart and Cameron Brown, this live recording stands as Janeway’s most vibrant statement yet—an inspired document of three master musicians creating in the moment.