A Look Inside the Experience

A collection of our favorite performances and projects over the years.

USA National Day World Expo 2025 • Osaka, Japan

Performed as part of the USA National Day programming. Delivering a live performance for an international audience alongside distinguished and cultural delegations during one of the pavilion's premier events.

An indoor stage with musical instruments including a keyboard on a stand and microphones. The stage faces a large audience, which appears to be at a concert or event, with stage lights casting bluish and orange hues. People in the audience are standi

A band performing on stage with various musicians playing instruments, including a pianist, saxophonist, bassist, and double bassist, under colorful stage lighting.

Group of six musicians on stage after a performance, holding their instruments and smiling, with a large purple screen behind them and stage lights overhead.

A man in glasses and a suit playing the saxophone on stage with purple and pink stage lighting.

A person with closed eyes playing a double bass under purple and blue stage lights.

A man with dark hair, glasses, and a beard playing a gold saxophone on stage, wearing a suit jacket and floral shirt, with stage lights illuminating him in the background.

Portugal Pavillion • World Expo 2025

In collaboration with the Portugal Pavilion, the Carolina Jazz Ensemble transformed the rooftop into a sunset concert experience overlooking one of expos most unforgettable backdrops.

A woman with long curly hair singing into a microphone on stage, with fireworks in the dark sky behind her.

Night view of a modern building or exhibition center with illuminated sign that says 'PORTUGAL' and flags, including the Portuguese flag, outside. The scene shows a large crowd of people gathered around the building.

A woman with long curly hair, dressed in a red and black outfit, holding a microphone, appears to be singing or speaking. Behind her, a band setup includes a keyboard, drums, and a music stand, with a drummer and a person at a keyboard playing on a s

Night scene of a modern building with a large illuminated sign that says 'PORTUGAL' in English and Japanese characters. There are people walking at the entrance, and others are on a platform with band members performing.

A musical performance inside a modern building with tall, decorative ceiling elements. The stage has several musicians playing instruments, including drums, guitar, and keyboard. People are standing and observing the performance, and the background s

A music band performing on stage with various instruments, people singing and playing, seen through a mesh barrier.

CJE & Friends Funky Disco Extravaganza

We closed out our time at the USA Pavilion with an unforgettable final performance featuring special guests from the Czech, Canadian, and Japanese Pavilions. The band brought the house down with an explosive party set, turning the evening into a celebration of music, friendship, and international collaboration. The perfect ending to an incredible Expo journey.

A live musical performance on stage with purple and red lighting. Two singers, a man playing the saxophone and a woman singing into a microphone are visible. Large screen in the background displays white cursive text.

A woman singing into a microphone on stage with purple and blue lighting, wearing a pink jacket with fur cuffs, and a man playing a saxophone nearby, both enjoying the performance.

Musicians performing on a stage with colorful purple and orange lighting. Audience watching in the background with a drum set and microphones visible.

Group of people standing in a row at an event, some wearing masks and holding phones, with purple lighting and a barrier rope in front of them.

Performer singing on stage with a microphone, accompanied by musicians, under colorful red and blue stage lights, with a large digital screen displaying graphics behind them.

A man with dreadlocks wearing a black headband and an orange patterned shirt, playing an electric guitar on stage with red and purple stage lighting.

Independence Day Reception • Consulate General Residence

Carolina Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at the U.S. Consulate General’s Independence Day celebration, setting the tone for an elegant evening at the Consul General’s residence with a refined live jazz performance.

A young man with glasses playing the trumpet in front of an American flag at an indoor event.

A jazz band performing on stage, featuring a woman singing into a microphone, a double bass player, a drummer, a pianist, and a trumpet player.

A young man in a suit playing a black piano with sheet music. The piano is situated indoors, with a pink cloth or folder on top of the piano.

Two musicians performing indoors, one woman singing into a microphone and another man playing a trumpet. An American flag is visible in the background.

Group of five musicians in formal attire posing with musical instruments indoors.

An older man wearing glasses and a suit playing a double bass in a room with large windows.

Watts & Ward Presents a Valentine’s Day Special

Maintained an ongoing residency at a leading Raleigh jazz and speakeasy venue, performing monthly engagements and the iconic Valentine's Day Special.

A trio of musicians performing on a small stage in a dimly lit venue with a brick wall background. The group includes a keyboard player, a female vocalist, and a double bass player.

A woman with long wavy red hair and blue eyes, wearing a black choker and black top, standing in a dimly lit environment with blurry lights in the background.

A woman with long curly hair singing into a microphone at a dimly lit venue with brick walls.

A dimly lit bar with a dark wooden counter and a back wall filled with various bottles of alcohol and glasses. The ceiling has a dark wooden finish with hanging lamps providing warm lighting.

A woman in an orange floral dress with blonde hair is sitting at a bar, holding a cocktail, while three men in suits sit nearby and converse, in what appears to be a dimly-lit lounge or bar setting.

Cozy room with exposed brick walls, wooden bookshelves filled with books, leather armchairs, a fireplace, large mirror, lamps, and a rug, creating an inviting vintage ambiance.

A Night With Riley Rae At Bond Brothers Eastside

A special night at Bond Brothers Eastside with Riley Rae delivering three distinct sets—high-energy electronic party grooves, elegant jazz, and the premiere of original songs—showcasing a dynamic range across genres and moods.