Lafayette Gilchrist ft. Cecil Brooks of the Sun Ra Arkestra

Lafayette Gilchrist returns to The Lilypad for a seated performance featuring special guest Cecil Brooks, a Cambridge native and fellow member of the Sun Ra Arkestra. Gilchrist’s music spans jazz traditions from stride to free improvisation while incorporating hip-hop, funk, and Washington, D.C.’s distinctive go-go sound. His compositions move between forceful funk, stride, swing, hip-hop, abstract textures, and deep grooves.

Gilchrist is the pianist in the Sun Ra Arkestra and has toured with David Murray. His music has appeared in the soundtracks of David Simon’s television series *The Wire*, *The Deuce*, and *Treme*. He has also performed with Cassandra Wilson, Macy Gray, Oliver Lake, Andrew Cyrille, Orrin Evans, Paul Dunmall, Hamid Drake, William Parker, and many others. His 2019 solo recording, *Dark Matter*, inspired by the mysterious matter thought to connect the universe, appeared on numerous critics’ year-end best-of lists. Gilchrist previously played to a standing-room-only audience at The Lilypad in 2022.

When: Friday, November 6, 2026

Showtimes: The listing runs from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Doors open at 7:30 PM.

Tickets: $25 at the door, $20 in advance, or $15 for students and seniors.

Seating: Seated performance.

Lineup: Lafayette Gilchrist, featuring special guest Cecil Brooks on trumpet.

Venue: The Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

Website: lafayettegilchrist.com