July Is Jazzin’ Out All Over
Festivals, muni concerts and more offer lots of music; JazzFC awards scholarships
The associate publisher of 8495Jazz is all smiles after enjoying the Rochester International Jazz Festival at the end of June. The RIJF is a worthy road trip for jazz fans here in the 8495 (8495Jazz photo)
Wellhey, school is out, the nights are hot, hot, hot, and the regional scene is starting to pop with the big gatherings that make the 8495 such a great jazz destination. The entire 8495Jazz staff just got back from a fabulous long weekend at the Rochester International Jazz Festival and we are primed for some superb live jazz in the coming weeks. And, hey, if you’re on a budget, a lot of it is free!
Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series, Hartford, CT
The 58th version of the Hartford Jazz Society’s Monday night jazz institution kicks off tomorrow (July 7) and continues every Monday through August 11th. All concerts are free and will be held at the Thomas D. Harris IV Pavilion in Bushnell Park in Hartford. In case of rain the concerts will be held at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Ave. As in previous years, the concerts are broadcast on the radio via WWUH 91.3 FM.
The series has been recognized as a New England Legacy and is referenced in the Library of Congress as the oldest free continuously run jazz festival in the United States.
“Each in-person concert will consist of an opening act featuring a local musician or ensemble followed by a headliner of regional, national or international prominence,” the HJS said in announcing the series. “Several nights will feature themes that have evolved in the years including Latin jazz, women in jazz, and a special feature for an overlooked elder statesman of the music.”
Openers hit the stage at 6 with headliners cranking things up at 7:30. There are PLENTY of recognizable names on the list.
Full information is available at this link.
Litchfield Jazz Camp Faculty Concerts, Washington, CT
One of western New England’s best-kept entertainment secrets, the camp’s free “Jazz After Work” faculty concerts provide enjoyable doses of entertainment and education for campers and community members who attend as well. The concerts are held at the Frederick Gunn School’s state-of-the-art Perakos Performing Arts Center’s Tisch Family Auditorium – acoustics to die for, kids.
Showtime on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays is 6:30 pm. Sunday matinees start at 3:30.
Performers include many familiar names to jazz fans in the region, including notable Grammy-winning camp alums.
The shows’ full schedule and personnel lists are available at this link.
Charles River Jazz Festival, Boston
For 8495Jazz readers in the Boston area, the Boston Jazz Foundation’s 5th annual festival will be held Saturday (July 12), from noon to 9 pm at Boston’s Herter Park Amphitheater. Featured acts include trumpeter Keyon Harrold, pianist Christian Sands, drummer Ivanna Cuesta, and more.
The festival is free (with a suggested $20 donation), but $200 and $300 VIP packages guarantee entrance even if the crowd hits capacity as well as other perks.
Information on free registration and VIP tix is available at this link.
Free jazz all over Westchester
Tarrytown, NY-based Jazz Forum Arts has released their full slate of 32 free concerts at five different locations in Westchester County. From legends like Bertha Hope, A-listers like trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, and jazz scene mainstays like drummer Bruce Cox, there’s something for everyone in these shows. And it doesn’t hurt that the mighty Hudson is in sight while you’re digging the music.
The full boat of information on the series is available at this link.
JazzFC Pays It Forward
The folks at the Jazz Society of Fairfield County have announced the recipients of the society’s Mickey Golomb Scholarships. The $5,000 scholarships honor the memory of Myron “Micky” Golomb, an area saxophonist, educator, and habitué of JazzFC’s Thursday evening performance presentations. The scholarship is offered to students dedicated to pursuing a career in jazz performance, composition, and/or jazz education.
This year’s winners were vocalist Liana Nash, a graduate of Kolbe Cathedral High School in Bridgeport, who will be going on to study music education at Western Connecticut State University, and baritone saxophonist Maxwell Crook, a graduate of Ridgefield High School, who will be continuing his education at Loyola University in New Orleans (a rather good jazz town, I hear).
The scholarships represent just part of JazzFC’s charitable activities. Through its JazzReach program, funded through contributions from audience members and other donors, JazzFC brings jazz artists into the community for outreach and to help establish the next generation of jazz enthusiasts and performers. JazzFC presents free daytime performances at local senior centers and schools, where professionals coach student ensembles at free clinics, following which the students are given opportunities to perform at JazzFC’s daytime and evening presentations.
What a trip: And if I may just throw in a word of recommendation for the Rochester International Jazz Festival...what a great experience. The venues are all within a few blocks of each other around the Eastman School of Music buildings, a good mix of indoor and outdoor, large and small, and there is plenty of lodging available nearby – it’s all eminently walkable (our hotel was a 10-minute walk from the festival’s epicenter). From international A-listers like Wynton Marsalis and Trombone Shorty to high school ensembles and everything in between, the nine-day festival is an example of a jazz event done right.
It’s either a full day’s drive from the heart of the 8495, or two leisurely days. If you’re looking for an excuse to change the scenery up just a little, it’s a great option – and the Dinosaur BBQ is just blocks away.
Three of the jazz world’s most exciting young artists (from left, drummer Domo Branch, trumpeter Tony Glausi, and pianist Sean Mason) relax a little after a Rochester International Jazz festival set with the publisher of 8495Jazz. (8495Jazz photo)
Out and About with 8495Jazz
To alleviate confusion, ticket prices quoted now mention service fees as included or as additional; if fees are not mentioned, there are none to our knowledge. Because fees differ according to ticket type, service fee amounts are not included here but are available on venue web sites.
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
Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, Portsmouth, NH
Sachal Vasandani (vocals), today, 7:30 pm. GA $20.15-$36.60 including service fee (taxes not included).
8495Jazz Spur of the Moment Gig TODAY
The Parlour, Providence, RI
Parlour Jazz Jam w/Ben Shaw Quartet and Special Performance by RI Philharmonic Music School jazz combo, 5 pm. All ages, GA $10, jammers $5.
Other Shows This Week
Music Mountain, Falls Village, CT
Zaccai Curtis Quartet (piano, combo), Saturday, July 12, 7 pm. GA $35-$50, student/teacher/veteran $5-$20.
Elicit Brewing Co., Manchester, CT
Hartford Jazz Orchestra, Monday, July 7, 7:30 pm. Free.
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Old Saybrook, CT
Django Festival Allstars (string swing jazz), Tuesday, July 8, 7:30 pm. GA $44 including service fee.
Regattabar, Cambridge, MA
Berklee Courtyard Series feat. Jade Faria (vocals), Wednesday, July 9, 6 pm. Free.
The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
Orrin Evans Trio feat. special guest vocalist, JD Walter, Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12, 8 pm. GA $59.75, students $27.98 including service fee.
VFW Post 399, Westport, CT
Sarah Jane Cion (piano), Thursday, July 10, 7:30 and 8:45 pm. GA $20.76 for first show, $10.76 for late show. Student/vet $15.76 for early show.
Palace Theater Poli Club, Waterbury, CT
Alex Owen Trio (trumpet, combo), Friday, July 11, 7 and 9 pm. $40 including service fee.
River Room, Willimantic, CT
Brian Charette Organ Trio, Saturday, July 12, 8 pm. GA $39.19 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, 3rd Tuesday of the month, 7:30 pm. House band set followed by jam. Free.
Mahoney’s, Poughkeepsie, NY
Poughkeepsie Jazz Project, every Tuesday, 7 pm. Free.
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