Details
Item details
Date
Friday, December 4, 2026 7:30PM
Description
Series Sponsor
Gene and Debbie Straka
About the Show
Presented by the Hobby Center, Houston Is Inspired is a series of original performances by Houston artists, each offering a fresh perspective on the city and a deeper connection to its creative community.
RePaved brings the stories of Houston’s Third, Fourth, and Fifth Wards to life through a new suite of jazz music featuring a 9-piece chamber ensemble. Drawing on histories like Freedmen’s Town and Juneteenth, RePaved connects past and present, revealing how these communities continue to shape the city we know today.
About the Artist
Jalen Baker is a Houston-born vibraphonist, composer, and bandleader recognized as “a bold new voice in jazz” by DownBeat. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago and Florida State University, and an alumnus of Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, he has become a regular presence on the international jazz scene, performing with artists including Jeremy Pelt, Johnathan Blake, Ulysses Owens Jr., and Tim Warfield.
As a bandleader, he leads The Jalen Baker Quartet and has released two albums—This Is Me, This Is Us (2021) and Be Still (2023)—earning recognition from publications including DownBeat, UK Jazz Journal, and JazzIZ. Named a Rising Star in DownBeat’s Critics Poll and featured in Houston CityBook’s Leaders and Legends, Baker is also an educator and adjunct professor at Texas Southern University, where he mentors the next generation of musicians.
About the Mural
The Houston Is Inspired series logo and mural, on display in Zilkha Hall, were created by artist GONZO247 for the Hobby Center, reflecting Houston culture and drawing from a visual theme in his mural at Market Square Park.
Notes
Ticket holders will receive helpful arrival details and event-specific information via email before each performance.