In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month and the 100th birthday of John Coltrane, the Blockson Collection presents the 13th Annual Bootsie Barnes Jazz Series. This year’s event features Jazz Bassist Extraordinaire Gerald Veasley.

Philadelphia jazz legend, Robert ‘Bootsie’ Barnes was a legendary Saxophonist who greatly contributed and pioneered the jazz scene in Philadelphia for decades. He was a mentor and musical father to the community, music fans, and musicians.

Gerald Veasley’s musical odyssey has taken him to the top of the contemporary music world as a bassist, bandleader, composer, producer, educator, and curator. His performance as a six-string bassist has been top shelf, as his extensive body of work attests. Veasley has recorded or performed with many of the world’s top artists in Jazz, R&B and Gospel: Kirk Whalum, Will Downing, Chuck Loeb, Maysa, Nnenna Freelon, Special EFX, Pieces of a Dream, McCoy Tyner, The Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Gerald Levert, Teddy Pendergrass, Philip Bailey, the Dixie Hummingbirds, John Blake, Odean Pope, and Pat Martino.

Having a passion to educate and motivate other musicians, Veasley has served on the faculty of the University of the Arts. Veasley is also the artistic director and co-founder of Gerald Veasley’s Bass BootCamp. Established in 2002, the annual event informed and inspired hundreds of bass players of all levels and ages. He also leads Jazz Philadelphia, an initiative that seeks to unify Philadelphia’s vibrant jazz community, celebrate its rich musical history and position it as an international destination for jazz.

Veasley has been selected to lead Jazz Philadelphia, a new initiative that seeks to unify Philadelphia’s vibrant jazz community, celebrate its rich musical history and position it as an international destination for jazz.