Pianist/vocalist Bess Jacques and trombonist Barney Balch join forces in their new jazz duo collaboration, Bone & Ivory

Performing a mix of rich, timeless, classic jazz from the Great American Songbook.

Bess Jacques is a Maine-based pianist, singer, and songwriter, performing regularly in the greater Portland area. Her music spans jazz, singer-songwriter, and pop styles, combining vintage standards with fresh originals. Earlier in 2025 her band, Bess Jacques and the Strays, released its first album, Anthems for Lily Briscoe.

Barney Balch is a trombonist from mid-coast Maine who leads the Novel Jazz Septet, a tribute band to jazz icons Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. The Novel Jazz Septet focuses on original historic manuscripts by these composers, as well as vintage recordings, which they dust off, re-arrange for seven pieces, and bring back to life. The Novel Jazz Septet has produced four albums over their 21-year history. The combination of Jacques’ beautiful alto voice and superb piano voicings, along with the smooth, mellow sound of Balch’s trombone, makes for an exploration of the music that is both elegant and vibrant.

Listen to Bone & Ivory here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_U-h9bsK1o