Annalisa is a lauded saxophonist, composer, arranger, and founder of the euphonious force that is Zen Poets. Her prodigious playing is matched by an uncanny ability to pen imaginative, fiery, and yet, sweet-sounding jazz that has earned her the praise of DownBeat magazine and national notoriety as a forward-looking composer. Together with Zen Poets — drummer Jasmine Best, bassist Aaron Gross, and guitarist Gabriel Dansereau — remarkable originals are buoyed by like-minded and accomplished players with the shared intention of familiarizing ears with the exquisiteness of unanticipated phrases.

Local Jazz is a concert series dedicated to spotlighting locally grown (or based) masters of jazz at The Fruit in downtown Durham on select Monday nights. The series celebrates local jazz talent in a setting that mirrors a metropolitan jazz club. Local Jazz reimagines The Fruit to stage concerts that encourage distinguished bandleaders, rising stars, and ambitious students to explore new and original material, record live performances, and/or release albums locally before launching regional or national tours.