A Night of Elegant Jazz with The Abigail Riccards Quartet and Just the Two of Us & Friends comes to Albuquerque on August 22, 2026, as DSH ENTERTAINMENT, INC. brings jazz vocalist Abigail Riccards to the New Mexico African American Performing Arts Center for a live performance featuring jazz standards, romantic ballads, and contemporary arrangements. The concert will place the focus on live vocals and ensemble performances inside one of Albuquerque’s established indoor venues.
Buy tickets and check the event homepage for future performance updates.
What are the event details?
- When: A Night of Elegant Jazz with The Abigail Riccards Quartet takes place on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
- Where: New Mexico African American Performing Arts Center, 310 San Pedro Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108
- Presented by: DSH ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
- Featuring: Abigail Riccards and her live jazz quartet and Just the Two of Us & Friends
- Tickets: Tickets cost $44.52.
Who is Abigail Riccards?
Abigail Riccards is an American jazz vocalist recognized for expressive delivery, refined phrasing, and performances rooted in traditional jazz vocal styles. Throughout her career, Abigail Riccards has appeared at established jazz venues and collaborated with respected musicians across the contemporary jazz scene.
Her performance approach blends classic swing influences with modern arrangements, creating live shows that feel personal, polished, and emotionally direct. Abigail Riccards has also worked alongside musicians including Peter Bernstein, Joel Frahm, Matt Wilson, and Jane Monheit.
One of her early career highlights came in 2004 when she was selected as a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition, helping establish her name within the jazz world.
What’s the Just the Two of Us & Friends sound?
Just the Two of Us & Friends is a versatile New Mexico ensemble that seamlessly scales from an intimate, low-key duo to a lively five-piece band. Their multi-lingual repertoire delivers a danceable, infectious groove that blends Latin jazz, bossa nova, Spanish boleros, swing, and pop classics. Driven by exquisitely crafted guitar and piano textures, the music effortlessly shifts from romantic, haunting ballads to energetic rhythms that lure audiences to the dance floor.
The group’s core talent features genre-spanning vocalist Debo Orlofsky, whose warm, velvety voice is perfectly tailored for ballads and bossa nova, alongside creative pianist Mike Hua and versatile guitarist Steve Hill, who both bring rich harmonies and spontaneous improvisation to the stage. Rounding out the deep groove is a powerhouse rhythm section consisting of New Mexico Music Hall of Fame inductee and Latin jazz pioneer Maud Beenhouwer on bass, paired with experienced session drummer Brian Burton, keeping the music dynamic and fresh.
What can audiences expect at this jazz concert?
In short: A Night of Elegant Jazz live in Albuquerque on August 22 has a setlist built around jazz standards, ballads, and contemporary arrangements.
The concert will feature live vocals backed by piano, bass, and drums throughout the night. Some songs will lean slower and stripped back, while others will bring more energy and extended instrumental moments from the quartet.
Compared to larger concerts, the setting is smaller, quieter, and more centered on the performance itself, giving audiences a chance to hear the vocals and musicians up close inside the African American Performing Arts Center.
About DSH ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
DSH ENTERTAINMENT, INC. is a New Mexico-based live entertainment and cultural programming company producing concerts, comedy showcases, spoken word events, and community-focused performances throughout Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
The organization presents national touring talent alongside regional performers through productions including the Duke City Comedy Jam Series, The Last Poets, and the Duke City Old School Concert Series.
In addition to live entertainment programming, DSH ENTERTAINMENT, INC. supports scholarship opportunities and community engagement initiatives connected to arts and cultural programming in New Mexico.
Get Tickets for A Night of Elegant Jazz in Albuquerque
Take a break from the usual concert routine and catch Abigail Riccards Quartet and Just the Two of Us & Friends live in Albuquerque on August 22 at the New Mexico African American Performing Arts Center. Backed by her quartet, Riccards will move through jazz standards, ballads, and contemporary arrangements during a night centered on live vocals and small ensemble performance.
Buy tickets and visit DSH ENTERTAINMENT, INC. for future announcements and concert updates.
FAQs
Where is the Night of Elegant Jazz concert taking place, and how do I get there from Santa Fe?
The concert is scheduled for the African American Performing Arts Center (AAPAC), located inside the Expo New Mexico grounds at 310 San Pedro Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. For guests driving down from Santa Fe, the trip down I-25 South to I-40 East typically takes about an hour, but you should factor in an extra 20 to 30 minutes for city traffic, navigating the Expo grounds, and parking. The closest entry point to the venue is Gate 3 (located at San Pedro Dr. and Copper Ave.). Please note that Expo New Mexico charges a standard parking fee (usually $10). Arriving early is highly recommended to ensure smooth parking and entry before the August 22, 2026, performance begins.
How do I locate the African American Performing Arts Center once I enter the massive Expo New Mexico grounds?
Navigating the fairgrounds can be daunting if you aren’t familiar with the layout. The African American Performing Arts Center sits on the western side of the campus. To avoid wandering the grounds, Santa Fe drivers should completely bypass the main Central Avenue gates and head straight to Gate 3, located at the intersection of San Pedro Drive and Copper Avenue. Entering through Gate 3 puts you directly into the correct parking lot. The venue is a very short, flat walk right from this lot, eliminating the stress of hiking across the complex in your concert attire.
Are there good dining options nearby to pair with the concert trip from Santa Fe?
Since the African American Performing Arts Center is located right near Albuquerque’s Nob Hill neighborhood (just a few minutes west on Central Avenue), it is easy to turn the drive into a full dinner-and-a-show experience. Nob Hill offers a fantastic stretch of local upscale bistros, wine bars, and contemporary New Mexican dining perfect for a pre-concert meal. If you plan to eat in Nob Hill (or anywhere else upscale in Albuquerque), book a dinner reservation for no later than 5:00 p.m. This gives you plenty of time to enjoy your meal, make the quick 5–10-minute drive over to the Expo New Mexico grounds, navigate through Gate 3, and find your seats before the music begins.
How do the performance styles of the two acts complement each other?
This double bill offers a beautiful contrast of jazz traditions, taking audiences on a complete emotional and stylistic journey. The Abigail Riccards Quartet anchors the evening in the timeless art of classic American vocal jazz, capturing the intimate, storytelling essence of standard ballads and swing. Just the Two of Us & Friends then expands that sonic landscape by infusing global textures, moving fluidly between soft, romantic Spanish and Portuguese melodies and an energetic, full-band rhythm section that builds into a lively, irresistible groove.
What makes live jazz performances different from other concerts?
Unlike highly choreographed tours reliant on rigid backing tracks, live jazz relies heavily on real-time improvisation and spontaneity. The musicians constantly read the room and react to one another on stage, meaning arrangements can shift, tempos can adapt, and instrumental solos can expand depending on the crowd’s energy. This interactive dynamic allows audiences to appreciate the individual virtuosity of the guitar, piano, bass, and drums while experiencing a unique, unrepeatable musical performance.
This article was posted by Jess
