Tues, May 12 Axel Tosca

3x Grammy-nominated and Yamaha-endorsed artist Axel Tosca is a highly talented Cuban jazz pianist and composer who has gained recognition for his virtuosic performances and innovative compositions that blend elements of jazz, classical, hip-hop, and Afro-Cuban rhythms.

Born in Cuba in 1983, Tosca grew up in a prestigious musical family. His mother is the renowned Cuban Trova singer Xiomara Laugart and his father is Cuban folk singer-guitarist Alberto Tosca. Introduced to guitar at age four, Tosca began playing piano by age seven and soon joined his parents on stage, performing his first professional shows at Casa de las Américas. Alongside performing with his parents, he studied at formal music schools. As a youth, one of his most influential teachers was Miriam Valdés, the daughter of Cuban piano legend Bebo Valdés and sister of Chucho Valdés. This first-class education provided him with a wide range of musical experiences. Tosca later graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Piano from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory of Music.

Tosca has since become a sought-after performer, collaborator, and session musician, working with a diverse range of artists and groups, including jazz greats such as Roy Hargrove, Steve Turre, Dennis & Swing, the Afro-Cuban All Stars, Bobby Carcassés, Teresa García Caturla, and José Miguel Crego, among others. Along with classical, jazz, and Latin traditions, he also discovered hip-hop and performed with The Roots during their tour in Cuba. While in Cuba, Tosca not only played with these legends but also won multiple piano competitions before moving to the United States in 2005 as part of the Havana Nights revue, which ran for two years at the Stardust Casino and Resort in Las Vegas. He continued his education at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

Now based in New York, he performs regularly as a solo artist as well as with (U)nity, a cross-pollinated jazz ensemble he co-founded. In 2015, Tosca was featured in the documentary Cu-bop CUBA ~ New York Music Documentary, directed by Takahashi Shinichi, which received selections and awards at multiple international film festivals, including the Pan African Film Festival, the DC Caribbean Film Festival, and the African Diaspora International Film Festival. In 2016, he released his debut album, Axel Tosca, featuring guest appearances by Xiomara Laugart, Keyon Harrold, Ron Blake, Jeff “Tain” Watts, James Genus, Luisito Quintero, and others. In 2019, Tosca, a founding member of (U)nity, performed to a sold-out audience at Tokyo’s Blue Note.

Axel is also passionate about education and has led clinics, workshops, and seminars as a guest teacher at institutions including the University of Jalapa (Mexico), Universidad de Puerto Rico, Costa Rica University, Nueva School San Mateo (California), LEEP Dual Language Academy (NY), Boggs School (MI), Stevens Institute of Technology, and NYU.

He has collaborated with artists including George Clinton, BeBe Winans, The Clark Sisters, DJs and producers Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, The Martinez Brothers, and David Morales, as well as Stretch & Bobbito, Mae-Sun, Steve Gadd, Ray Chew, Lenny White, Pino Palladino, Giovanni Hidalgo, Jocelyn Brown, Karren Wheeler, Monique Bingham, Godwin Louis, Josh Milan, Anané Vega, Lisa Fischer, Robert Glasper, J Balvin, and Bad Bunny. To close out 2025, he performed on a 10-country tour with Carlos Alomar, guitarist and longtime collaborator of David Bowie, honoring the lives and legacies of David Bowie and Dennis Davis.

Known for his technical proficiency, soulful playing, and innovative approach to jazz, Tosca continues to push the boundaries of the genre and inspire audiences worldwide with his music. There's no limit to this visionary pianist.

*Please note: There is a 2-hour limit at each table. Additional time at the table is contingent upon availability.