Dis Week: Dis and Dat
More festival news, kudos, Litchfield Talent Search winners
The third annual Litchfield Jazz Camp Talent Search finals were a barnburner, with alto saxophonist Tristan Connolly and pianist Noah Silver tying for first place honors. (Photo courtesy Litchfield Jazz Camp)
Lots of what my Mom used to call “newsy” stuff going on in the 8495 this week. Let’s get to it without further ado.
Saratoga Jazz Lineup
In addition to the big Canadian festivals and Rochester at the end of June, the folks at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in fabulous Saratoga Springs, NY, have announced the lineups for the 2026 version of the Saratoga Jazz Festival, which will be held Saturday, June 27th and Sunday, June 28th, with stellar representation from musicians with roots in the 8495. The music kicks off both days at 11 am.
Saturday’s headliner is the “godmother of soul,” Patti LaBelle. Other amphitheater acts Saturday include The Miles Electric Band (celebrating Miles Davis’s centennial), Cécile McLorin Savant, The Dip, Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, and more. Discovery Stage acts Saturday include names very familiar to jazz fans in the region: The Bill Frisell Trio, the Orrin Evans Trio (with Mark Whitfield Jr., and Hartford’s own Luques Curtis), and Avishai Cohen Big Vicious, just to name a few.
Sunday’s headliners are the New Orleans-based rock collective The Revivalists; they’ll be joined on the amphitheater stage by Dianne Reeves, Cimafunk, Lakecia Benjamin and blues guitar hotshot Christone “Kingfish”Ingram. Over on the Discovery stage, we have West Hartford native Alexa Tarantino and her quartet, Kyle Roussel, Sasha Dobson, and Eddie 9Volt, plus others.
A word, if I may, on Eddie 9V: The associate publisher and I first saw him in 2022 on a cold Tuesday night at Woodbury Brewing Co., with a crowd of about 50 people. The last time we saw him, he sold out Daryl’s Club. He is the realest of deals, and though his repertoire is pure blues and not jazz, you need to see him. He’s constantly on the road. Do yourself the favor.
When the associate publisher and I made the trek to SPAC in 2023, by far the most explosive act we saw at the festival was on the discovery stage – Samara Joy. As we walked away I said, “She ain’t going back to that stage any time soon.”
For full information on ticket prices, perks like VIP parking and whatnot, click here.
The other start-of-summer festivals – Rochester, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal – have been steadily adding acts to their calendars. Go on over and take a gander.
Litchfield Talent Search winners
The third annual Litchfield Jazz Camp Talent Search is now in the books and was one for the books. Fourteen musicians ages 12-17 showed their chops to an appreciative crowd at the Litchfield, CT Community Center and the results were so close the judges awarded two performers first prize.
The search awards student musicians scholarships to the annual jazz camp, with first prize winners receiving a full tuition scholarship worth more than $2,000, second prize winners get a $1,000 scholarship, and honorable mention winners receive scholarships of varying amounts, usually $250 or higher.
This year’s first prize tie went to alto saxophonist Tristan Connolly and pianist Noah Silver. Pianist Linus Tsang took second prize and drummer Nolan Siman and bassist Ikutaro Matsuki won honorable mention.
Previous winners have excelled in their post-contest endeavors. Dontae James, the 2025 winner, performed with the NMS Premier Jazz Ensemble at the New Haven Jazz Festival. He was accepted into two composition programs—the Young Composers Collective in Texas and the Composer-in-Residence Program at the New Haven Symphony—and won the Billy Strayhorn Foundation Scholarship at Litchfield Jazz Camp.
Violinist Conor McMillan won the inaugural 2024 contest. Last summer, he was a member of NYO Jazz and made his debut at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium. He was also selected to participate in YoungArts Lab, a four-day workshop in NYC, as a winner of the National YoungArts Competition.
As you can see, these people have some serious chops at a young age. Keep their names in mind.
Kudos for two 8495 artists
Two of the 8495’s resident jazz musicians have received recent honors.
Jonathan Barber, one of the region’s busiest and most recognized drummers, has been named 2026’s jazz drummer of the year in online drumming education platform Drumeo’s community-voted contest.
“Jonathan Barber’s influence in modern jazz grew significantly this year,” the Drumeo announcement naming him said. “With playing that balances tradition and innovation, Barber has become a standout voice in the contemporary jazz scene. His sense of phrasing, tone, and rhythmic exploration made him essential listening in 2025.”
And up in Boston, saxophonist/woodwind player Jared Sims was recently voted 2025 jazz artist of the year in the Boston Music Awards. Winners are selected by a 50-50 split of votes by the awards’ 400-member nominating committee composed of music industry professionals and the public. Jared is the director of jazz studies at Milton School in Milton, MA.
Congratulations to both of them!
The finalists of the 2025 Litchfield Jazz Camp Talent Search treated audience members to a professional-quality rendition of Charlie Parker’s Au Privave. This year’s contest, held yesterday at the Litchfield Community Center, was so close two contestants shared first prize honors.
Out and About with 8495Jazz
These listings are a curated sampling of shows in the region. As an independent resource for jazz news, 8495Jazz does not receive any consideration, free tickets, or affiliate fees for these listings. Please confirm events are still happening directly with the venue.
8495Jazz Wild Card Gig of the Week
The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
Matt Dwonszyk Quintet album release celebration, Saturday, March 14, 8 pm. GA $54.45, students $27.98 including service fee.
Speaking of Jonathan Barber, JB joins his frequent bandmate and collaborator Matt in celebrating Matt’s self-released new album called, fittingly, Live At The Side Door. The album, which also features Josh Bruneau on trumpet, Matt Parker on tenor sax, and Taber Gable on piano, was officially released Friday; you can check it out here.
8495Jazz Spur of the Moment Gig TODAY
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Voices in Jazz, 3 pm. Free.
The She-Bop Swing Orchestra, She-Bop Junior Swing Orchestra and the JazzHers will return to URI to once again perform. About 40 young female student jazz musicians within these ensembles will also perform and interact with, artist in-residence, Le’Andra McPhatter during the event. McPhatter is a jazz pianist and organist who founded the Journey Music Academy and Journey Online organizations to cultivate the next generation of musicians.
Other Upcoming Shows
The Falcon, Marlboro, NY
Peter Bernstein Quartet (guitar, combo). Tonight, 7:30 pm. $30 suggested donation.
Hartford Public Library Baby Grand Jazz, Hartford, CT
The Nigel Bello Band (trombone, combo) today, 3 pm. Free.
Boston Public Library Copley Square, Boston, MA
GBH Jazz Night w/Catherine Bent and Ian Coury (cello, bandolim), Thursday, March 12, 5:30 pm. Free (registration recommended).
VFW Post 399, Westport, CT
Michael Rabinowitz (bassoon, combo) Thursday, March 12, 7:30 and 8:45 pm. GA $20.76, student/vet $15.76 for 7:30 show, GA $10.76 for 8:45 show.
New England Conservatory, Boston, MA
Jason Moran (piano) residency concert, “Monk sings.” Wednesday, March 11, 8 pm. Free.
Palace Theater Poli Club, Waterbury, CT
Brian Charette Organ Trio, Friday, March 13, 7 and 9 pm. GA $40 including service fee.
Jazz Forum Arts, Tarrytown, NY
Camille Thurman w/Darrell Green Quartet (sax, combo), Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14, 7 and 9:30 pm. GA $37.75, students $32.50 including service fee.
The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra “Swing Into Spring” (big band), Wednesday, March 11, 7:30 pm. GA $43.86, students $22.68 including service fee.
Jams
Cafe Nine, New Haven CT
New Haven Jazz Underground jam, usually 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month: free admission
Saturday jazz jam most Saturdays, 4 pm. Free.
Blackeyed Sally’s, Hartford, CT
Jazz Wednesdays, featured set 7 pm, jam session afterward.
Carmine’s, East Hartford, CT
Paisley’s All Star Memorial Jam, various Tuesdays, click link for dates, 7:30 pm. House band set followed by jam. Free.
Mahoney’s, Poughkeepsie, NY
Poughkeepsie Jazz Project, every Tuesday, 7 pm. Free.
Park City Music Hall, Bridgeport, CT
Scott Cushman and Friends followed by jam, first Wednesday of the month.
The Parlour, Providence, RI
First Sunday Jam (first Sunday of the month) with Ben Shaw Quartet followed by jam, music starts at 6. Jammers $5, audience $10.
The Blue Room, Cranston, RI
Newport Jazz Presents Jam Sessions, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, 8 pm. House band followed by jam.
Groton Hill Music Center, Groton, MA
Jams every second Tuesday of the month through June, 7 pm. $10 at the door, no advance sales.
Jazz Societies and Organizations (great info on events, festivals, and more)
Jazz Society of Fairfield County
Jazz Fridays at Three Sheets New Haven 1st/3rd Fridays from 6-9pm
Jazz Thursdays at The Cannon New Haven every other Thurs from 7-9pm.
8495Jazz takes its name from the two Interstate highways that cross our region, I-84 and I-95. Within short driving distances from either, you can find incredible entertainment, from local jams to world-famous festivals in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. 8495Jazz: From Newburgh to Newport!
You can help make 8495Jazz better. Subscribe – it’s FREE! Share it with your music-loving friends. Like and follow us on Facebook and Bluesky. Share gig information and story suggestions to 8495jazz@gmail.com