Sankofa takes Deep Ellum jazz up a notch

by Sarah Crisman

DALLAS — Each Friday evening, Deep Ellum's Sankofa Kafe and Bar hosts Facebook Fridays Dinner & Jazz. The Cajun soul cuisine/entertainment venue boasts great food and drinks accompanied by jazz reminiscent of the Cotton Club days of Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington. High claims for a happy hour hang? Not if you take a closer look at the regular players in this club.

The music onstage offers up an impressive line-up, headed up by Janet Jackson's keyboardist, Daniel Jones. The Sankofa's house bandleader and former band director for Lauryn Hill has a knack for surrounding himself with world-class musicians. His company playing the thirty-something crowd through rush hour (sans traffic) includes Grammy-award winning Dallas drummer Robert "Sput" Searight. Of course, this is on the Fridays when Sput isn't touring with Snoop Doog or Snarky Puppy. Sput has also played with heavy hitters Erykah Badu and Kirk Franklin. The house band rounds out with Lamont Taylor (also of the infamous Snarky Puppy), and saxophonist Shelley Carrol (formerly of UNT's Grammy-nominated One O'Clock Lab Band). You can bet these cats are serious about jazz.

Naturally, reservations are encouraged. With wallet-friendly drink specials until 7 p.m. and live music until 1 a.m., you're going to want to make an evening of it.