Sean Mason, Kim Nalley & Sasha Dobson Announce Disney Jazz Tour

Celebrating Disney's 100th anniversary, IMG Artists brings you When You Wish Upon a Star – A Jazz Tribute to 100 Years of Disney. With musical direction by Sean Mason and the newly created house band of The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, the tour will also feature vocalists Kim Nalley and Sasha Dobson. 

The touring show is led by the talented and esteemed Sean Mason, one of the premier talents of his generation. Mason has been called by NPR’s Youngbloods series “a musician on the rise,” and has performed and toured with jazz legends including Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Herlin Riley.

The tour embarks as the Julliard graduate rolls out his upcoming debut album "The Southern Suite" with a new single “Closure.” Featuring his adventurous, close-knit quintet, The Southern Suite looks back at the Charlotte-born musician’s roots from the vantage of Mason’s current position at the heart of the NYC scene.

Joining Mason is philanthropist and singer Kim Nalley who has been awarded “Most influential African American in the Bay Area,” and has performed with greats like Rhoda Scott, David "Fathead" Newman, Houston Person, James Williams, Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. With her 3 ½ octave range, audiences will be mesmerized by her stunning performance.

Joining Kim Nalley on vocals is Sasha Dobson, a critically acclaimed performer who has performed all over the world. She is one-third of the hit trio Puss n’ Boots with Catherine Popper and Norah Jones. Together with band members Ahmad Johnson on drums, Corentin Le Hir on bass, Alicyn Yaffee on guitar and Anthony Hervey on trumpet, the celebrated musicians will bring the jazz arrangements of Disney’s popular soundtracks to the stage. 

As documented through the vast collection of animated feature film soundtracks, Disney has always had an affinity for Jazz. In 2009, Disney released an album’s worth of reimagined songs based on their soundtrack catalog. With full carte blanche and over 600 songs to choose from, the album features the who’s who of contemporary jazz stars and up-and-comers.

The outcome presented is arranged in styles from straight ahead to experimentals on “Disney Jazz Volume 1: Everybody Wants to Be a Cat.” Today, this new generation of emerging talent performs live the touring version titled, When You Wish Upon a Star – A Jazz Tribute to 100 Years of Disney.

Although not associated with Disney, the touring concert will perform songs that feature fan favorites from iconic movies like Snow White to Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins and Toy Story to The Jungle Book. The reimagined songs have been arranged and recorded by Disney music fans such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Dianne Reeves to Alfredo Rodriguez and many more.

“Someday My Prince Will Come,” “He's a Tramp,” “Everybody Wants to be a Cat” and “The Bare Necessities'' are just a few of the iconic songs which will be celebrated as we look back on the impact of jazz on 100 years of Disney magic!