Brandon Woody at the Fox Cabaret
The Baltimore trumpeter's band Upendo with Troy Long, Mike Saunders, and Quincy Phillips
On Wednesday night, trumpeter Brandon Woody played the 2026 Vancouver International Jazz Festival's first headline show. He led his band Upendo, with pianist Troy Long, electric bassist Mike Saunders, and drummer Quincy Phillips, through two sold-out showtimes at the Fox Cabaret.
Upendo is an ensconced band of four friends who share in Woody's Baltimore heritage. Woody began playing with Long in their early teens (which you know I love); on Wednesday night, he let the pianist count off most tunes. They met the other two musicians while continuing to choose home. The four have a deep book of originals, playing only one (maybe two, if memory failed me) of the six tracks from Woody's 2025 Blue Note debut, For The Love Of It All.
