Houston’s jazz story has always been about place, people, and purpose—and on Sunday evening, January 11, all three converge inside one of the city’s most storied rooms. DACAMERA brings its acclaimed Rising Jazz Stars series back to the legendary Eldorado Ballroom, welcoming trumpeter Brandon Woody and his soulful, high-octane ensemble Upendo for a can’t-miss early evening set that promises both intimacy and lift.

Event Details

• Sunday, January 11, 2026
• 5:00 PM Set
• Choose-What-You-Pay Tickets: $10 | $25 | $50
• Eldorado Ballroom | 2310 Elgin St., Houston, TX 77004
• 713-524-5050 | boxoffice@dacamera.com

This is the kind of night Houston does best: world-class artistry in a room that carries history in its walls, offered with accessibility and open arms. The Eldorado—once a cornerstone of Black cultural life and live music in Third Ward—feels like the perfect match for Woody’s sound: homegrown, heartfelt, and unapologetically human.

A Voice Rooted in Home, Reaching Everywhere

Raised in Baltimore’s vibrant creative ecosystem, Brandon Woody has built a career that refuses shortcuts. Rather than chasing polish for polish’s sake, he’s honed a voice that embraces texture—celebrations, struggles, and all the jagged beauty in between. That approach caught the attention of both The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times, who’ve hailed him as one of contemporary jazz’s most compelling young voices.

In May 2025, Woody released his Blue Note Records debut, For the Love of It All—a title that doubles as a mission statement. Recorded with his longtime band Upendo (Swahili for “love”), the album feels lived-in and communal, the kind of music shaped not just in studios, but in front of audiences. Songs were refined on bandstands, tested and transformed by hometown listeners who remembered melodies before they had names. That dialogue—between artist and community—remains at the core of Woody’s work.

Upendo: Music with a Pulse

Onstage, Upendo doesn’t just play to the room—they play with it. Expect compositions that move from lyrical warmth to propulsive swing, punctuated by Woody’s trumpet tone: searching, radiant, and fearless. As DownBeat put it, “There’s a lot to love in Brandon Woody’s trumpet playing…a spectacular debut on all fronts.” Houston audiences will hear why.

Woody’s journey—from Berklee summer intensives to the Brubeck Institute, from New York’s promise to Baltimore’s pull—has shaped an artist deeply aware of lineage and responsibility. Studying with mentors like Ambrose Akinmusire and Cecil Bridgewater sharpened his craft, but returning home sharpened his purpose. The result is jazz that feels rooted yet forward-looking, honoring tradition while speaking plainly to now. 

Why This Night Matters for Houston

DACAMERA’s Rising Jazz Stars series has long been a bridge between Houston listeners and the next generation of global jazz leaders. Pairing that mission with the Eldorado Ballroom isn’t nostalgia—it’s continuity. It’s a reminder that jazz lives where community gathers, where stories are shared, and where young voices are invited to lead.

This performance is generously sponsored by Kipp Baxter, Niké Beltran Luqman, and Adel and Maureen Chaouch, in honor of the Baxter, Beltran, and Chaouch/Donovan families—another testament to Houston’s culture of stewardship and support for the arts.

Bottom line: If you love jazz that tells the truth, venues that mean something, and evenings that leave you lighter than when you arrived, Brandon Woody’s Upendo at the Eldorado is your Sunday plan. Come early. Bring a friend. Leave inspired.