Cascadence featuring Sara Caswell
Cascadence brings Grammy-nominated violinist Sara Caswell to Chris’ Jazz Cafe for an evening of contemporary jazz with bassist Chris Coyle and guitarist Matt Davis. Caswell is recognized for combining strong technical command with an expressive, lyrical approach, and has been praised by the late jazz educator David Baker as one of the leading emerging jazz violinists of her generation.
Caswell has appeared in the DownBeat Critics and Readers Polls every year since 2013 and has released three albums as a leader: *The Way to You* (2023), *But Beautiful* (2005), and *First Song* (2000). Her collaborations include groups led by Esperanza Spalding, Linda Oh, and David Krakauer, as well as performances and recordings with the WDR Big Band, Brad Mehldau, Brian Blade, John Patitucci, Donny McCaslin, Henry Threadgill, Dave Stryker, Helen Sung, Miho Hazama, Christian Sands, Regina Carter, Kishi Bashi, and Bruce Springsteen. She is also a member of Joseph Brent’s 9 Horses trio and Chuck Owen’s The Jazz Surge, and co-leads the Caswell Sisters Quintet with her sister, vocalist Rachel Caswell.
Her career has included appearances at Carnegie Hall, the Village Vanguard, Birdland, Jazz at Lincoln Center, SFJazz, Disney Hall, the Barbican, and the Blue Note in New York and Tokyo, along with performances at the Newport, Montreal, Montreux, North Sea, Banlieues Bleues, and Saratoga Springs jazz festivals. In addition to her work as a jazz musician, Caswell is an award-winning classical violinist who has performed as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.
Caswell teaches at Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, The New School, and New York University. She studied classical violin, baroque violin, and jazz with Josef Gingold, Stanley Ritchie, and David Baker, among others, and earned degrees with high distinction from Indiana University before completing a master’s degree in jazz violin at Manhattan School of Music. She began playing violin at age five and has also taught jazz-string improvisation through workshops, summer programs, and master classes.
When: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Showtimes: Sets at 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM
Lineup: Sara Caswell on violin, Chris Coyle on bass, and Matt Davis on guitar
Venue: Chris’ Jazz Cafe
Tickets: General admission with à la carte menu: $20. Dinner and show: $80, including a three-course dinner. VIP dinner and show: $100, including the three-course dinner and stage-front seating.
Dining: Beverages are not included. The all-in checkout price includes taxes and fees. A $12 server gratuity is added to Dinner & Show and VIP Dinner & Show purchases.
Online viewing: Chris’ Jazz Cafe indicates that the performance can be watched live through its YouTube channel.