Show List

Caffe Vivace's Upcoming Shows

Ben Levin and Candice Ivory

Ben Levin and Candice Ivory

Fri, Oct 02

Ben Levin - Piano/Vocals

Candice Ivory - Vocals


Ben Levin is a pianist, vocalist, producer, and recording artist. He has released seven albums and his latest, "Ben Levin Presents A Holiday Blues Revue" features collaborations with legendary blues artist Lil' Ed and Grammy nominated vocalist Candice Ivory. In addition to his own work, Ben is an in-demand session musician and has been featured on several prominent albums including "Bob Is Back!" by Bob Stroger. Ben maintains a busy touring schedule and has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Brazil, and Japan.


Candice Ivory is an internationally acclaimed Grammy nominated vocalist, composer, and recording artist. Candice has been featured on and produced several critically acclaimed albums across genres. A veteran in the industry, Candice has performed across the United States and Europe as well as in Brazil. In addition to her love of performance, Candice also has a passion for teaching and was a guest lecturer for Jazz at Lincoln Center's Swing U.


At this concert, the highly acclaimed duo of Candice Ivory and Ben Levin will present a program of original songs and traditional favorites.


A $15 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set, if the total for beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum.


Important Notices:


If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resell your seats with no refund.


Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.

The Ben Levin Quartet Featuring Candice Ivory

The Ben Levin Quartet Featuring Candice Ivory

Sat, Oct 03

Ben Levin - Piano/Vocals

Candice Ivory - Vocals

Joe Polen - Tenor/Baritone Saxophone

Jim Anderson - Bass

Art Gore - Drums


Ben Levin is a pianist, vocalist, producer, and recording artist. He has released seven albums and his latest, "Ben Levin Presents A Holiday Blues Revue" features collaborations with legendary blues artist Lil' Ed and Grammy nominated vocalist Candice Ivory. In addition to his own work, Ben is an in-demand session musician and has been featured on several prominent albums including "Bob Is Back!" by Bob Stroger. Ben maintains a busy touring schedule and has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Brazil, and Japan.


Candice Ivory is an internationally acclaimed Grammy nominated vocalist, composer, and recording artist. Candice has been featured on and produced several critically acclaimed albums across genres. A veteran in the industry, Candice has performed across the United States and Europe as well as in Brazil. In addition to her love of performance, Candice also has a passion for teaching and was a guest lecturer for Jazz at Lincoln Center's Swing U.


For this special performance, Candice and Ben will present an eclectic blend of blues and jazz with an avant soul approach.


A $15 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set, if the total for beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum.


Important Notices:


If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resell your seats with no refund.


Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.

The Love of Country Jazz Quintet presents Cowboy Bossa Nova Hank Williams, Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, & Willie Nelson meets Antonio Carlos Jobim

The Love of Country Jazz Quintet presents Cowboy Bossa Nova Hank Williams, Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, & Willie Nelson meets Antonio Carlos Jobim

Tue, Oct 06

Featuring: Matt McAlister on Drums and percussion, Aaron Jacobs on Bass, Nick Fryer on Pedal Steel Guitar, special guest Michael Mavridoglou on Trumpet and Vocals, and Brad Myers on Guitar and Vocals.

After TWO sold out performances, The Love of Country Jazz Quintet is BACK at Caffe Vivace! For this show, special guest trumpeter, vocalist, and Caffe Vivace favorite, Michael Mavridoglou will join the band to bring these tunes to life. Cincinnati Jazz Guitarist and vocalist Brad Myers aka Tex Message presents his new project, The Love of Country Jazz Quintet as an open marriage, of sorts, between Classic Country & Western Swing songwriting and Brazilian Rhythms and deep compositions of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Seen through the filter of jazz improvisers, these tunes are re-imagined in a way which proves that timeless classic songs are not beholden to the limits of genre and a good song is a good song. Period. Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and more meet Antonio Carlos Jobim in Cowboy Bossa Nova: Old Country with a New Flair.

Brad Myers, as a guitarist, he is known to be a musical shape shifter, of sorts, moving between gigs accompanying Mandy Gaines, swinging with the Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, getting funky with Steve Schmidt’s Organ Trio and John Zappa’s Now Hear This, or deep musical conversations with Michael Sharfe and an array of Cincinnati’s best drummers in the Sanguinaria Trio. He also is part of Tinfoil Hat Cowboys: A Country Western Conspiracy, Aja: a Tribute to the Music of Steely Dan, Joe’s Truck Stop, The Hiders, and Ray’s Music Exchange. He also teaches at UC’s College Conservatory of Music and the CCM Prep Jazz Department.

A $15 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set, if the total for beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum.

Important Notices:

If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resale your seats with no refund.

Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.

Blue Wisp Big Band

Blue Wisp Big Band

Wed, Oct 07

Jeremy Long — alto saxophone Jamie Walkenhauer — alto saxophone Brent Gallaher — tenor saxophone Dan Drees — tenor saxophone Larry Dickson — baritone saxophone Jeff Owen — trombone Clarence Pawn — trombone Brian Stevens — trombone Gary Langhorst — bass trombone Jeff Folkens — trumpet Hank Mautner — trumpet John Zappa — trumpet Kim Pensyl — trumpet Steve Schmidt — piano Mike Sharfe — bass Jim Leslie — drums Cincinnati's legendary Blue Wisp Big Band celebrates its 46th year of swingin' Big Band music at Caffe Vivace. Founded in January 1980 by drummer John Von Ohlen and trumpeter Don Johnson, the Blue Wisp Big Band got its start in and its name from the late Blue Wisp Jazz Club. Von Ohlen, a native of Indianapolis, moved to the Cincinnati area after many years on the road playing with world-class jazz orchestras, most notably those of Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. After hearing all of the fine musicians in the area, he felt there was a need to form a group because most of them “weren’t playing any jazz, which is the reason they started playing in the first place.” He felt the desire to start a “world-class big band and wanted to put it in a tavern, a beer joint.” Don Johnson, who had been on the Cincinnati scene for years, suggested which instrumentalists should play in the band. Von Ohlen states, “Don was the horn connection.” Pianist Steve Schmidt and bassist Michael Sharfe were already playing with Von Ohlen at the Blue Wisp in the Steve Schmidt Trio, Wednesday through Saturday nights, so the rhythm section was easily formed. Von Ohlen remembers approaching Paul and Marjean Wisby, the original owners of the Blue Wisp, with the idea, “Wednesday is a slow night. Why don’t we bring in a big band and blow the roof off the place? It worked real good.”Since its inception, the Blue Wisp Big Band has been the top jazz orchestra in Cincinnati. The hard bop-oriented big band started recording in 1981: first, an LP sponsored by the Cincinnati television station WKRC, and then four for the Mopro label, founded by Fred and Helen Morr, in the 1980s. The Mopro LPs were reissued in the mid -’90s on two CDs on the California label Sea Breeze, with one of the sets recorded in Los Angeles during a West Coast tour in 1984. Through the devoted and hard work of Helen Morr, the LPs were distributed around the country and Europe, garnering notice, good reviews, and airplay around the world. Among the group’s more notable members were trumpeter Tim Hagans and bassist Lynn Seaton. The band continued to perform at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati on Wednesday nights until its closure in the summer of 2014. After a six-month tenure at Japp’s Annex in downtown Cincinnati, a short stint at Pirate’s Den in Westwood, and three years at the Urban Artifact in Northside, the band has a new home at Caffè Vivace in Walnut Hills. A $15 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set, if the total for beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum. Important Notices: If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resell your seats with no refund. Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future Blue Wisp Big Band show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.
Patsy Meyer Album Release Party

Patsy Meyer Album Release Party

Thu, Oct 08

Patsy Meyer - vocals/percussion

Wayne Yeager - piano

Greg Chako - guitar

Evan Gidley - tenor saxophone

David Lloyd - bass

Alex Merk - drums


Come celebrate the release of Changes with Emmy-nominated vocalist, percussionist, songwriter, and recording artist Patsy Meyer as she brings her music to the stage at Café Vivace for a special live performance. Blending jazz, smooth jazz, soulful vocals, and Latin rhythms, Patsy will perform music from Changes along with favorites from her earlier recordings.


A dynamic performer with a career spanning four decades, Meyer has toured and shared the stage with Patti Austin, Peabo Bryson, Norman Brown, Jeff Lorber, Chuck Mangione, and Spyro Gyra among others. More than 80 of her original compositions have been featured in film and television, earning her three Emmy nominations for Best Original Song.


Recently inducted into the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame, Patsy continues to create and perform locally, regionally, and internationally. Come be part of this special Cincinnati celebration and experience Changes live on stage!


Ticket price is $18 per person.


A $15 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set, if the total for beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum.


Important Notices:


If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resale your seats with no refund.


Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.

I Am In Love! Monheit Sings Porter

I Am In Love! Monheit Sings Porter

Fri, Oct 09

Janes Monheit - vocalist

Max Haymer - piano

Luca Alemanno - bass

Rick Montalbano - drums


An unforgettable night of elegance, swing, and pure vocal magic unfolds as

Jane Monheit — one of the most celebrated voices in jazz today — honors Great

American Songbook icon Cole Porter with a long-awaited tribute.


With her lush tone, emotional depth, and impeccable phrasing, Monheit brings

new life to Porter’s timeless classics: “Easy To Love”, “From This Moment On”,

“Night And Day”, and more. Backed by a stellar ensemble of world class

players, and featuring exciting, stylish new arrangements, she reimagines these

golden-era standards with passion, charm, and modern sophistication.


A must-see for jazz lovers, romantics, and fans of the Great American

Songbook, Monheit and Porter combine to create a glamorous celebration of

wit, melody, and swing.


Jane Monheit is a jazz and adult contemporary vocalist with a deep passion for the Great American Songbook. With numerous acclaimed albums, awards, and more than two decades of international touring, she has established herself as one of the leading voices in jazz while collaborating with many of the genre’s most celebrated musicians, arrangers, and producers.


Growing up on Long Island, Jane studied woodwinds and piano, performed in award-winning choirs, and participated in community theater. Her focus, however, always remained on jazz and the interpretation of the Songbook. At age 20, while attending the Manhattan School of Music, she placed second in the prestigious Thelonious Monk Competition (now the Hancock Competition), launching a remarkable career.


By 22, she was performing and recording with jazz legends including Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter, and Kenny Barron. Those early successes led to collaborations with artists such as Terence Blanchard, Ivan Lins, Tom Harrell, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, and Jorge Calandrelli. Jane has also appeared on major television programs including David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, and The View. Her recordings have been featured in films including Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Never Let Me Go.


More than twenty years into her career, Jane has released twelve studio albums, made countless guest appearances, and performed at iconic venues including Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Birdland, and the Village Vanguard. In addition to touring, she writes English lyrics for Ivan Lins and shares her experience through educational work with students around the world. Jane lives in Los Angeles with her husband, drummer Rick Montalbano, and their son.


If the total amount of beverages purchased by the party does not meet the minimum, a $20 drink/food minimum is charged per person in the party, per set.


Important Notices:


If you do not check in by 15 minutes into the start of the set, we reserve the right to resale your seats with no refund.


Tickets for this performance are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, a one-time transfer to a future show of equal value will be accepted. The transfer must be requested 24 hours before the start of the performance.