Name: Ellen Pieroni & the Encyclopedia of Soul at Abilene (Rochester, NY)
Start: 2026-04-02T19:30:00-04:00
Location: Abilene Bar and Lounge

Ellen Pieroni & the Encyclopedia of Soul at Abilene (Rochester, NY)

ELLEN PIERONI & the ENCYCLOPEDIA of SOUL
LIVE at Abilene Bar and Lounge
Thursday, April 2nd 2026
show at 7:30pm
$15 cover
Ellen Pieroni - alto sax
Adam Bronstein - guitar
Jacob Nicholson - keys
Nate Kalnitz - bass
Isaiah Gethers - drums
ABOUT THE BAND:
Ellen Pieroni is a soul jazz saxophone player and multi-instrumentalist from Buffalo, NY. She has been playing the saxophone since she was 8 years old, and has been a side woman in a multitude of bands (including Folkfaces and Buffalo Afrobeat Orchestra) for over a decade.
Pieroni’s smooth-infused soul jazz band Ellen Pieroni & the Encyclopedia of Soul, or EoS, was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered as one of three “jazz stand outs” for the 2024 Tiny Desk Contest, where Felix Contreras said that “soul jazz is alive and well with…Ellen Pieroni & the Encyclopedia of Soul.” Although the group is inspired by artists such as Grover Washington Jr., King Curtis, and the Crusaders, EoS puts an emphasis on new original music. The sound is driven by Pieroni’s captivating and soulful melodies, supported by thoughtful improvisation from all members over deep pocket grooves.
“When [Ellen] takes her solo, it really warms my heart because I hear the same soulfulness of Cannonball, or any of the sax players who played with Ray Charles back in the 50s, or the more contemporary alto saxophonist David Sanborn.”
- Felix Contreras, NPR’s All Things Considered
Pieroni has released two albums with EoS: The Encyclopedia of Soul, Vol. I (2023) and Soul Vacation (2024); with a third album recorded and on its way. The band has played the GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance, the Rochester Lilac Festival, and the Erie Blues and Jazz Festival. EoS has shared the stage with Bernard Purdie, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and BoomBox; and Ellen had a reel of hers shared by Vulfpeck with the caption "800 grit sandpaper... smooth.”