06/16/2026
New York Jazz Comes to The Cherry!
Jazz at The Cherry is delighted to welcome the New York–based Peter Zak Trio for a thrilling afternoon and early evening of swinging, straight-ahead jazz. Pianist and bandleader Peter Zak is joined by two remarkable artists with West Coast roots who are now fixtures on the New York jazz scene: bassist Essiet Okon Essiet and drummer Sylvia Cuenca. With its rich and celebrated jazz heritage, the Monterey Peninsula has long been home to an extraordinary community of world-class jazz musicians. This performance brings an exciting East Coast perspective to that tradition and offers Jazz at The Cherry audiences a rare opportunity to experience the distinctive sound, spirit, and energy of the New York jazz scene in the intimate setting of the Cherry Center.
For this special event, Jazz at The Cherry is offering two performances: Sunday, June 21st • 2pm. Tickets are $45 (includes wine and light fare), available on Eventbrite.com.
About the Musicians
Peter Zak
Peter Zak, pianist and bandleader, was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Ohio, where he began playing piano at the age of five. At sixteen, his family relocated to Oakland, California, where an inspiring high school band director sparked his lifelong passion for jazz. Zak went on to attend UC Berkeley, performing with the university’s Jazz Ensemble while earning a B.A. in History. After several years performing in clubs throughout Northern California, Zak moved to New York City, where he established himself as a deeply respected voice on the jazz scene. Over the years, he has appeared with a number of jazz luminaries, including Eddie Henderson, Jon Hendricks, and George Coleman. Peter’s playing reflects the influence of many of the great bop and post-bop pianists while maintaining a distinctive voice of his own. Widely admired for his mastery of the classic piano-bass-drums format, Zak is considered one of today’s finest practitioners of the straight-ahead jazz trio tradition.
Essiet Okon Essiet
Essiet Okon Essiet first received critical acclaim as a member of saxophonist Bobby Watson’s acclaimed post-bop ensemble, Horizon. Since then, he has established himself as one of New York’s premier jazz bassists. Essiet was also a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, remaining with the legendary drummer and educator until Blakey’s passing in 1990. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has performed with an extraordinary roster of jazz greats, including Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, Benny Golson, and the Blue Note All-Stars, among many others. In addition to his work as a sideman, Essiet leads IBO, an innovative Nigerian jazz project that reflects his deep connection to African musical traditions and contemporary jazz.
Sylvia Cuenca
Sylvia Cuenca is a highly respected and active presence on the New York jazz scene, known for her dynamic, sensitive, and swinging drumming in a wide variety of musical settings. She performed with saxophone legend Joe Henderson for four years and with trumpet master Clark Terry for seventeen years. With the Joe Henderson Quartet, Cuenca toured extensively throughout Europe as well as major venues across the United States. In smaller group settings, she also performed in trio collaborations with Joe Henderson and Charlie Haden in 1989, and later with bassist George Mraz in 1994. As a member of the Clark Terry Quintet and Big Band, Cuenca appeared at many of the world’s premier jazz venues, including the Village Vanguard, Birdland, and the Blue Note.
