A five, six, seven, eight…come on down and swing along to the best ragtime, stride, and jazz the Big Apple has to offer. With special performances on select Thursdays and sprinkled spontaneously throughout the season.

Isaac ben Ayala is an accomplished American pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor whose career spans over three decades across jazz, classical, theater, and sacred music. After graduating from Oberlin Conservatory, he began his career in Cleveland, Ohio, before moving to New York City, where he collaborated with renowned artists such as Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, and Wynton Marsalis. He served as the principal accompanist for the Boys’ Choir of Harlem and arranged music performed at the Kennedy Center. Ayala has released original work, including the album Prayer for Humanity, and continues to perform regularly, including in New York’s Bryant Park series. He also serves as a music director and church musician, maintaining an active presence in both performance and community music settings.