Aaron Abernathy at San Jose Jazz Winter Fest at Cafe Stritch

2018 Summer Fest artist Aaron Abernathy is a rising pianist/singer with a style rooted in gospel and the organic, acoustic soul of the early ’70s. Frequent collaborator of hip-hop artist Black Milk, Abernathy has created a stir with his latest solo album, Dialogue.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Abernathy comes from a long-line of historical pioneers including Civil Rights leader Rev. Ralph David Abernathy. He was a student of the same high school music program as the late R&B great Gerald Levert, and later joined the ranks of artists like Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack as a graduate from the prestigious music program at Howard University, where he sharpened his vocal abilities and musicianship while majoring in jazz piano....

read more

2018 Summer Fest artist Aaron Abernathy is a rising pianist/singer with a style rooted in gospel and the organic, acoustic soul of the early ’70s. Frequent collaborator of hip-hop artist Black Milk, Abernathy has created a stir with his latest solo album, Dialogue.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Abernathy comes from a long-line of historical pioneers including Civil Rights leader Rev. Ralph David Abernathy. He was a student of the same high school music program as the late R&B great Gerald Levert, and later joined the ranks of artists like Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack as a graduate from the prestigious music program at Howard University, where he sharpened his vocal abilities and musicianship while majoring in jazz piano.

He has acted as musical director for global touring acts Black Milk and Slum Village and collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists including Jack White, The Foreign Exchange, and Eric Roberson.

He has also staked his claim as a great solo artist with the release of his solo album Monologue in the fall of 2016, which was met with critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, Bandcamp Daily, Echoes Magazine (UK), Soultracks, and Saint Heron.

In 2017 he continued the conversation with his sophomore effort, Dialogue, which won praise from Essence, Bandcamp Daily, Soultracks, Okayplayer, and Soulbounce.

show less