Hartford Jazz Society

Chembo Corniel Quintet
2026-03-21 20:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
Join us for a special night of jazz with Conga Player Chembo Corniel and his Quintet!

Evan Francis – Saxophone/Flute
Gabriel Chakarji – Piano
Carlos Mena – Bass
Joel E. Mateo – Drums
Chembo Corniel – Tumbadoras
Wilson “Chembo” Corniel, Jr. Born in Manhattan on November 22, 1953 of proud Puerto Rican parents, Chembo was raised in the humble streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn. It was during these years, as a quick-witted youngster, that he had the privilege and honor to study with such percussion luminaries as, Tommy Lopez Sr., “Little Ray” Romero, Louie Bauza, and Cachete Maldonado. Chembo honed his skills at The Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts in New York, and also at the prestigious La Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana, Cuba under the direction of the great Chucho Valdés. His intense studies with such legends noted above channeled his energy onto a path where Wilson “Chembo” Corniel has now created a reputation for himself among musicians and the public.
Today, he is considered as one of the best hard-hitting, versatile percussionists around. Chembo teaches percussion to students at the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music a also at The Collective and leads numerous clinics throughout the United States where he brings awareness to others of the rich Afro-Caribbean traditions. Among his credits, Chembo was chosen to create his own instructional DVD called, “An Introduction to Hand Percussion: Volume I—Congas”. It was released in December of 2000 and with distribution by Warner Brothers it has been a success.
He’s been a vital endorser of Latin Percussion instruments since 1982 as he is currently for Remo drum heads, Vic Firth sticks and Sabian cymbals. His touring credits are as long as his performing credits.
Chembo has toured with many major artists throughout Europe, Asia, North & South America, and the Caribbean. Television credits include an appearance on the “Bill Cosby Show” and a recurring recording gig on Nickelodeon’s children show, “Dora the Explorer”. Chembo continues to perform and/or record with many artists of different genres. He is currently concentrating on leading his own Latin Jazz quintet, “Chembo & Grupo Chaworó”. This is a well-balanced Latin Jazz group that incorporates many rich traditions, such as writer Aurora Flores states: “a sprinkling of be-bop, a touch of swing with a dollop of bomba, rumba, tango and danzón topped with ‘un chin’ de charanga.”

Hall High Pops 'N Jazz
2026-03-21 19:00 - 21:00 | William H. Hall High School – West Hartford, 975 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT, 06117
Hall High School proudly invites the community to experience the 68th annual production of Pops ’n Jazz, a beloved West Hartford tradition showcasing the school’s extraordinary jazz musicians, singers, dancers, and theater students. This year’s production explores the magic behind the music with a theatrical theme of Putting It Together, and tells the story of the collaboration and dedication of the student performers and crew members who make up PnJ. Putting it Together offers old standards and new showstoppers sure to excite the audience. More than a concert, Pops ’n Jazz 2026 pulls back the curtain on the creative process and places the spotlight squarely on the unwavering devotion of all the different student groups. The show builds bit by bit—by the end of the night, you may find that you simply can’t control your feet! Special guest artists perform nightly.

Guest Artist: Jason Marshal – saxophone

Tickets now available at https://pnj.ludus.com. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; tickets to the Sunday matinee are $10. Beginning in March, tickets can also be purchased in person at the Hall High School box office. Please call (860) 929-5151 for hours. Box office opens at 6 p.m. on show nights.

Bob Ahern Quartet
2026-03-21 18:00 - 21:00, 2026-03-14 18:00 - 21:00 | Lighthouse Inn, 6 Guthrie Pl, New London, CT
The Bob Ahern Quartet will be performing the last Saturday of each month at the legendary Lighthouse Inn from 6-9. The group features Lisa Marien on vocals and Bob Ahern on drums along with various Jazz artists each month.

Jazz Jam at Cafe Nine
2026-03-21 16:00 - 19:00, 2026-03-14 16:00 - 19:00 | CT
Every Saturday, 4-7

Firehouse 12 Spring Jazz Series
2026-03-20 20:30 - 23:30 | Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street, New Haven, CT
Performances are on Friday nights at 8:30pm and 10:00pm. Tickets for each performance can be purchased individually, with prices at $20 for our early shows and $15 for our late shows. Our Season Pass is available for $225, which provides 1 ticket to all sets of the 13 performances.
The complete season calendar can be viewed here.
March 20: GEORGE
March 27: Dave Fiuczynski’s KiF
April 3: Sun of Goldfinger
April 10: Amanda Monaco’s Deathblow
April 17: Caroline Davis, Solo
April 24: David Berkman Quartet
May 1: Mary Halvorson: Canis Major
May 8: Anna Badkhen Dezron Douglas Duo
May 15: Jerome Sabbagh Quartet
May 22: Allison, Cardenas & Nash
May 29: Marta Sanchez (Solo Piano)
June 5: Max Johnson Sextet
June 12: Curtis Hasselbring’s The Curhachestra
All 13 shows are on sale now at firehouse12.com. Tickets are $20 for the 8:30pm performance and $15 for 10:00pm. The complete Season Pass is $225. All tickets can be purchased online or, subject to availability, at the box office on the night of the show.

Vanisha Gould Quartet
2026-03-20 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
Join us for a special night of jazz with Vocalist Vanisha Gould and her Quartet!

Vanisha Gould is a vocalist, composer, and bandleader whose music bridges vulnerability and strength. After earning her degree from Berklee College of Music, she moved from California to New York City in 2015 and quickly became a vital voice in the city’s jazz community, performing at Smalls Jazz Club, Ornithology, Mezzrow, The Jazz Gallery, Minton’s Playhouse, and Dizzy’s Club.
Gould’s artistry has also reached audiences around the world. She has toured internationally throughout Europe and Russia, performing in Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and across the Nordic regions, bringing her intimate, story-driven sound to festivals, clubs, and house-concert stages overseas.
Her albums In Her Words (2021), Life’s a Gig (2024), and She’s Not Shiny, She’s Not Smooth (2024) illuminate the interior world of women in jazz, exploring resilience, humor, and truth through story and sound.
In 2023, Gould received The Jazz Gallery Composition Residency Commission, expanding her vision toward multi-movement works that integrate text, voice, and visual storytelling. Her music honors jazz tradition while pushing it forward with intimacy, imagination, and depth.

Noah Preminger Quartet
2026-03-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Milford Arts Council, 40 Railroad Avenue S, Milford, CT
Born in 1986, Preminger grew up in Canton, Connecticut, before going to Hall High School in West Hartford – the institution that produced several well-known jazz musicians. From the first day he picked up the saxophone, Preminger “knew I’d become a musician,” he recalls. “I would practice eight hours a day as a young teenager. I was possessed.”
Preminger released his debut album, Dry Bridge Road, just after his 21st birthday and was named Debut of the Year in the Village Voice Critics Poll. Since then, he has been a two-time winner of Downbeat Magazine’s Rising Star Best Tenor Saxophonist and has recorded over 20 critically acclaimed albums as a band-leader. He has performed jazz concerts on key stages around the globe, playing with a pantheon of contemporary jazz talents.
Two new recordings were released by Preminger: Ballads (Chill Tone) featuring pianist Julian Shore, bassist Kim Cass, and drummer Allan Mednard, as well as Dark Days (Criss Cross), which features guitarist Ely Perlman, bassist Kim Cass, and drummer Terreon Gully.

James Falzone
2026-03-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA
James Falzone (reeds, piano)
James Falzone has dedicated a large part of his work, especially since 2011, to solo playing and the development of a long-form work he calls Sighs Too Deep For Words. His solo work is a synthesis of the improvised and the composed and often incorporates multiple clarinets (Bb, Eb, prepared), penny whistles, ritual and singing bowls/bells, shruti box, and other ambient sound makers. He has toured with his solo project extensively, often in conjunction with workshops and masterclasses on improvisation at universities, colleges, and music schools.
Falzone is a clarinetist, composer, and improviser whose work in the jazz and creative music scenes has won him international acclaim. A veteran contemporary music lecturer and clinician, as well as an award-winning composer who has been commissioned by chamber ensembles, dance companies, choirs, and symphony orchestras around the globe, Falzone leads his own ensembles (Allos Musica and The Renga Ensemble), and has released a series of critically-acclaimed recordings on Allos Documents, the label he founded in 2000.
Falzone performs throughout North America and Europe, appears regularly on Downbeat Magazine’s Critics’ and Readers’ Polls, and was nominated as the 2011 Clarinetist of the Year by the Jazz Journalist Association. He has been profiled in The New York Times, The Seattle Times, The Chicago Tribune, New Music Box, and Point of Departure, among many other publications. A respected educator and scholar, Falzone is Associate Dean of Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle University.

Jesse Hameen II Birthday Concert
2026-03-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Neighborhood Music School, 100 Audubon Streen, New Haven, CT
Celebrate 85 years of Jesse Hameen II. Join us March 20, 7–9 PM for a joyful evening of jazz as we celebrate 85 remarkable years of Jesse Hameen II— musician, mentor, and beloved community treasure. This will be a special birthday concert held by the Neighborhood Music School honoring and featuring Jesse, a long time member of the Board of Directors of Jazz Haven.

Jesse Hameen II, drums
Wayne Escoffery, saxophone
TK Blue, saxophone
Zaccai Curtis, piano
Rodney Jones, guitar
Zwelakhe-Duma Bell Le Pere, bass

This special birthday concert honors Jesse’s lifelong legacy of rhythm, artistry, and dedication to nurturing the next generation of jazz artists. Enjoy an unforgettable night of live performances filled with swing, soul, and celebration as friends, students, and fellow musicians come together in tribute.

‍This event is pay-what-you-can at the door*with all proceeds directly supporting the Neighborhood Music School’s Summer Jazz Program, helping young musicians grow, collaborate, and carry the music forward.

*Tickets are not available for purchase online—tickets can only be purchased at the door. We accept cash or credit card.

As a gift to Jesse on his 85th birthday, you can make a donation to support Jesse’s beloved NMS Summer Jazz Program, where young musicians develop their craft, collaborate with peers, and learn directly from professional teaching artists.

Hall High Pops 'N Jazz
2026-03-20 19:00 - 21:00 | William H. Hall High School – West Hartford, 975 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT, 06117
Hall High School proudly invites the community to experience the 68th annual production of Pops ’n Jazz, a beloved West Hartford tradition showcasing the school’s extraordinary jazz musicians, singers, dancers, and theater students. This year’s production explores the magic behind the music with a theatrical theme of Putting It Together, and tells the story of the collaboration and dedication of the student performers and crew members who make up PnJ. Putting it Together offers old standards and new showstoppers sure to excite the audience. More than a concert, Pops ’n Jazz 2026 pulls back the curtain on the creative process and places the spotlight squarely on the unwavering devotion of all the different student groups. The show builds bit by bit—by the end of the night, you may find that you simply can’t control your feet! Special guest artists perform nightly.

Guest Artist: Mariel Billdsten – trombone
6th Dimension – King Philip Middle School
Elementary School Junior Artists

Tickets now available at https://pnj.ludus.com. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; tickets to the Sunday matinee are $10. Beginning in March, tickets can also be purchased in person at the Hall High School box office. Please call (860) 929-5151 for hours. Box office opens at 6 p.m. on show nights.

Jazz at Three Sheets
2026-03-20 18:00 - 21:00 | Three Sheets, 372 Elm Street, New Haven, CT
New England Jazz Underground presents jazz on the 1st and 3rd Friday every month.

Fridays with Frank
2026-03-20 17:15 - 19:00, 2026-03-13 17:15 - 19:00 | Institute Library, 847 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT
Join renowned jazz historian and Jazz Haven Board member Frank Cochran for BYOB “Fridays with Frank.” Happy Hour jazz listening sessions are held every Friday from 5:15 to 7:00 pm at the Institute Library in downtown New Haven. Each Friday Frank selects iconic jazz LPs to play from the Library’s extensive collection. Discussion follows. BYOB and please give a modest donation towards the IL’s spiraling utilities. A $5.00 contribution is welcome.

Gary Smulyan Quintet
2026-03-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Black-eyed Sally’s Southern Kitchen & Bar, 350 Asylum St., Hartford, CT, 06103

Hall High Pops 'N Jazz
2026-03-19 19:00 - 21:00 | William H. Hall High School – West Hartford, 975 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT, 06117
Hall High School proudly invites the community to experience the 68th annual production of Pops ’n Jazz, a beloved West Hartford tradition showcasing the school’s extraordinary jazz musicians, singers, dancers, and theater students. This year’s production explores the magic behind the music with a theatrical theme of Putting It Together, and tells the story of the collaboration and dedication of the student performers and crew members who make up PnJ. Putting it Together offers old standards and new showstoppers sure to excite the audience. More than a concert, Pops ’n Jazz 2026 pulls back the curtain on the creative process and places the spotlight squarely on the unwavering devotion of all the different student groups. The show builds bit by bit—by the end of the night, you may find that you simply can’t control your feet! Special guest artists perform nightly.

Guest Artist: Jeremy Pelt – trumpet
Bristow Big Band – Bristow Middle School

Tickets now available at https://pnj.ludus.com. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; tickets to the Sunday matinee are $10. Beginning in March, tickets can also be purchased in person at the Hall High School box office. Please call (860) 929-5151 for hours. Box office opens at 6 p.m. on show nights.

Black Eyed Sally’s Jazz Jam - Avery Wyman
2026-03-18 19:00 - 22:00 | Black-eyed Sally’s Southern Kitchen & Bar, 350 Asylum St., Hartford, CT, 06103
Located in downtown Hartford, for the aficionado, musician, or the curious first-timer, Black Eyed Sally’s Jazz Jams are the best taste of live jazz in Hartford. Set in the southern juke joint atmosphere of Black-eyed Sally’s, these jam sessions will strike a chord as you hear what our local talent has to offer, with regular special appearances by big city jazz names. Experience the cool original music of the jam session while you enjoy the hot fierce cookin’ of Hartford’s favorite BBQ joint.
After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, regularly scheduled jazz jams have returned to Black Eyed Sally’s every Wednesday. There will be a featured jazz ensemble followed by an open jam session. Bring your axe and be ready to jam!
The music begins at 7:00 PM, jam session begins after 1st set. No cover charge most nights, under 21’s welcome.
Presented by the Hartford Jazz Society and Neefjazz Entertainment

Michael Palin's Other Orchestra
2026-03-17 20:00 - 22:00 | The Hungry Tiger, 120 Charter Oak Street, Manchester, CT
It’s a funky Big Band thang, a large jazz ensemble that rocks the house. Playing music from Tower of Power, Frank Zappa, The Brecker Brothers, Jaco Pastorious, Steely Dan, The Yellow Jackets, Bob Berg…..You’ll want to see them again and again!
https://www.facebook.com/OtherOrchestra/

John Hollenbeck’s GEORGE
2026-03-17 19:30 - 21:30 | Institute for the Musical Arts, 165 Cape Street, Goshen, MA, 01032, United States
Anna Webber (tenor saxophone/flute), Sarah Rossy (voice/keyboards), Chiquita Magic (keyboards/voice), John Hollenbeck (drums/composition)
From the Greek name Georgios, which was derived from the Greek word georgos meaning “farmer, earthworker”, itself derived from the elements γῆ (ge) meaning “earth” and ergon meaning “work”.
George Washington Carver, George Gervin, George Clooney, George Floyd, George Wein, Georgia (the state and the country), Georgia O’Keefe, Saint George, George Saunders, George Michael, George Carlin, George Clinton, George Frideric Handel, George Orwell, Boy George, Curious George, George the magazine, etc…
John Hollenbeck formed GEORGE during the Covid pandemic. He brought together three great musicians/people whom he loved and admired for a long time! Even though most of the members had never met each other, John was confident from knowing them himself, that this group would immediately be, as one of the members calls it, “tight” (which means “very cool” in case you were wondering.) Their group sound is firmly planted outside any categories or labels, so good luck with that! They remotely recorded a literal “Proof of Concept” in March 2021 and finally met in person in January 2022 in Montreal, Canada where they recorded Letters to George, which was released on vinyl/cd/digitally on Out Of Your Head Records on January 27, 2023. On August 27th, 2023, GEORGE released “short”, 4 re-composed remixes based on improvisations from their 1st recording session.
Anna Webber is a flutist, saxophonist, and composer whose interests and work live in the aesthetic overlap between avant-garde jazz and new classical music. She was recently named a 2021 Berlin Prize Fellow and was voted the top “Rising Star” flutist in the 2020 Downbeat Critic’s Poll.
Sarah Rossy is a vocalist, keyboardist, composer and producer based in Montreal, Canada. Sarah’s practice combines live electronic processing with jazz, folk, and Arabic music to create autobiographical, ethereal, and socially-outspoken soundscapes. Recent themes in Sarah’s work include ancestral continua, intergenerational linkage, and community healing. A debut audiovisual album, a tender autobiographical soundscape imagined through a kaleidoscopic electronic jazz lens entitled ‘OF WHO WE HAVE BECOME’, is set for release in 2024.
Isis Paola Giraldo AKA Chiquita Magic is a latinx artist/producer hailing from Colombia and based in Canada. She uses microtonal synthesizers, her voice, and a drum machine to create a unique sound that can be described as futuristic electro pop with elements of EDM, hip hop, cumbia, funk, reggaeton, choirs & jazz.
Genre-crossing composer/percussionist John Hollenbeck, renowned in both the jazz and new-music worlds, has gained widespread recognition as the driving force behind the unclassifiable Claudia Quintet and the ambitious John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, groups with roots in jazz, world music, and contemporary composition. He has earned six GRAMMY nominations and has worked with many of the world’s leading musicians in jazz including Bob Brookmeyer, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, and is well known in new-music circles for his long-time collaboration with Meredith Monk.

Hartford Jazz Orchestra
2026-03-16 19:30 - 21:30 | Elicit Brewery, 165 Adams Street, Manchester, CT
Every Monday at Elicit Brewery in Manchester CT. No cover.

Tuxedo Junction
2026-03-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Guilford VFW Post 9666, 104 Mill Road, Guilford, CT
For over 24 years, hosting public rehearsals every Monday night, now at Guilford VFW Post 7666.
Tuxedo Junction was started in 1989 by Pete Jacobs (trumpet) and Will Tayler (drums), WWII veterans who set up an 8-piece Dixieland jazz band in the basement of the senior citizens center in Madison, CT. Pat soon joined on piano.
The band quickly grew into a full swing band as Pete added big band arrangements and people joined: everyone from high school students to retired music teachers started to fill out the sections. Tuxedo Junction moved its practice home to the Westbrook Elks briefly, and in 1997 Paul James suggested that Bill’s Seafood restaurant in Westbrook would be a great place to share the sounds of swing. After more than 20 years of Monday nights at Bill’s, originally outnumbering the customers and staff before turning it into the most happening place on the Shoreline for a Monday night, we moved outside to Town Greens, Overlook Farm in Killingworth, and the Guilford VFW.
Tuxedo Junction plays original big band arrangements from the 30’s through the present, including charts from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Sy Zentner, Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. We focus on danceable tunes from swing to waltz, foxtrot to two-step, Latin and even some rock. The band has weekly open rehearsals at local venues on the Eastern Connecticut shoreline. The public is invited to dance and listen in at no charge. We are also available for hire at public and private events throughout Connecticut.
After more than 1,001 performances, Tuxedo Junction has become a musical success story. We are now eighteen passionate musicians, men and women of all ages, following the great jazz tradition and warmly welcoming visiting jazz musicians to sit in.

Baby Grand Jazz at Hartford Public Library
2026-03-15 15:00 - 16:00 | Center for Contemporary Culture (Main Floor) – Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street, Hartford, CT
Concerts will be held at HPL’s Downtown Library on Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. from January through April, excluding Easter Sunday on April 5. Performances will take place in the Center for Contemporary Culture, 500 Main Street, Hartford. Doors open at 2:00 p.m., and each concert lasts about an hour. Concerts will be streamed on HPL’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and Hartford Public Access TV.
2026 Lineup

January 4 – Iftah Kary Trio
January 11 – Lee Fish & Friends
January 18 – Koan
January 25 – Digba Ogunbiyi Quartet

February 1 – Matt Parker
February 8 – Meg Okura & The Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble
February 15 – Jen Allen and Heart Alchemy
February 22 – Jamile Trio

March 1 – The Hartford Sound
March 8 – Nigel Bello Band
March 15 – Laszlo Gardony Trio
March 22 – Rodney Jones
March 29 – Ben Bilello Quartet
April 5 – No concert
April 12 – Japanese MicroJam
April 19 – Tyler Sherman and Friends
April 26 – Rene McLean: Music of the Spirit

Instantiations Monthly Music Series at Real Art Ways
2026-03-15 14:30 - 16:30 | Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor St, Hartford, CT
Instantiations, formerly known as Improvisations Now, is a monthly series of concerts conceived and programmed by Joe Morris (guitarist, bassist, improviser, composer-wearer of many hats). Joe invites dynamic, innovative musicians – important members of the global improvised music scene – and performs with them. The music is completely improvised. Every concert, every instance is a unique experience.
Sunday, 3/15, 2:30 pm: L. Mixashawn Rozie-tenor, soprano saxophone, mandolin, voice; Michael Larocca-drums; Joe Morris-bass
Sunday, 4/12, 2:30 pm: Melanie Dyer-viola; Solomon Caldwell-bass; Joe Morris-guitar
Sunday, 5/3, 2:30 pm: Selendis Sebastian Alexander Johnson-vibraphone; Lemuel Marc-trumpet; Joe Morris-bass
General Admission $15 / Members $12 / Students $8
Join us on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest!

Hall High Pops 'N Jazz
2026-03-15 13:00 - 14:00 | William H. Hall High School – West Hartford, 975 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT, 06117
Hall High School proudly invites the community to experience the 68th annual production of Pops ’n Jazz, a beloved West Hartford tradition showcasing the school’s extraordinary jazz musicians, singers, dancers, and theater students. This year’s production explores the magic behind the music with a theatrical theme of Putting It Together, and tells the story of the collaboration and dedication of the student performers and crew members who make up PnJ. Putting it Together offers old standards and new showstoppers sure to excite the audience. More than a concert, Pops ’n Jazz 2026 pulls back the curtain on the creative process and places the spotlight squarely on the unwavering devotion of all the different student groups. The show builds bit by bit—by the end of the night, you may find that you simply can’t control your feet! Special guest artists perform nightly.

Senior/family matinee – shortened performance (approx 1 hour)

Tickets now available at https://pnj.ludus.com. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; tickets to the Sunday matinee are $10. Beginning in March, tickets can also be purchased in person at the Hall High School box office. Please call (860) 929-5151 for hours. Box office opens at 6 p.m. on show nights.

Matt Dwonszyk Quintet Album Release Celebration
2026-03-14 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
Join us for a special night of jazz with Bassist Matt Dwonszyk and his Quintet, to celebrate the release of his new album!

Josh Evans- Trumpet
Matt Knoegel- Tenor Saxophone
TBD- Piano
Matt Dwonszyk- Bass
Jonathan Barber-Drums
Matt Dwonszyk is a Connecticut-born, New York-based, bassist, composer, arranger, bandleader and educator. He can regularly be found with drummer Jonathan Barber’s Vision Ahead, trios by pianist Jon Davis Trio and saxophonist Julieta Eugenio, and saxophonist Sarah Hanahan’s quartet. He also leads his namesake ensemble, the Dwonztet. Dwonszyk began playing the electric bass at age eleven. At the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts High School, he switched to upright bass. Dwonszyk then continued his studies at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford. There, Dwonszyk developed a profound rapport with trombonist Steve Davis and bassist Nat Reeves, whose insight led to a career as a top-call bassist in his native Connecticut. After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Studies from UHart, Dwonszyk obtained a Master’s of Music at SUNY Purchase College in New York. He soon was performing at legendary jazz venues like Smalls, Smoke, Minton’s, Zinc Bar, Birdland, and the Jazz Standard. In 2018 — the year he released his debut album, Wonderful World, — Dwonszyk toured Russia as part of the Rainy Days Jazz Festival. In 2019, he toured through Canada with the Oleg Butman Trio and in 2020 with Jonathan Barber and Vision Ahead through the West Coast. In 2022, he released A Year and a Day, recorded with his versatile, namesake ensemble, the Dwonztet. That year, with the Julieta Eugenio Trio, Dwonszyk won the 2022 DC JazzPrix Competition at the Washington, DC Jazz Festival. In 2023, the Dwonztet performed at the Hartford Baby Grand Jazz Series, The Northampton Jazz Strut, Smalls Jazz Club, The Side Door Jazz Club, and the Poli Club. The following year, they performed at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, Hartford Jazz Festival, and Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival. True to his roots, Dwonszyk’s latest album was 2024’s Donny Time: The Music of Don DePalma, an album-length tribute to Hartford’s late, great pianist — with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the DePalma Roy Scholarship. Since 2020, he has taught jazz bass at Manchester Community College and Central Connecticut State College; at the latter, Dwonszyk also teaches jazz history. In 2024 Dwonszyk he taught jazz bass at the University of Hartford and in 2025 at UMass Amherst. He also teaches privately. This year Dwonszyk’s performed and recorded in Buenos Aires, Argentina; His next album “Live at the Side Door” is scheduled to release in the fall of 2025.

Hall High Pops 'N Jazz
2026-03-14 19:00 - 21:00 | William H. Hall High School – West Hartford, 975 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT, 06117
Hall High School proudly invites the community to experience the 68th annual production of Pops ’n Jazz, a beloved West Hartford tradition showcasing the school’s extraordinary jazz musicians, singers, dancers, and theater students. This year’s production explores the magic behind the music with a theatrical theme of Putting It Together, and tells the story of the collaboration and dedication of the student performers and crew members who make up PnJ. Putting it Together offers old standards and new showstoppers sure to excite the audience. More than a concert, Pops ’n Jazz 2026 pulls back the curtain on the creative process and places the spotlight squarely on the unwavering devotion of all the different student groups. The show builds bit by bit—by the end of the night, you may find that you simply can’t control your feet! Special guest artists perform nightly.

Guest Artist: Sarah Hanahan – saxophone
King Philip Middle School Jazz Band
Elementary School Junior Artists

Tickets now available at https://pnj.ludus.com. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; tickets to the Sunday matinee are $10. Beginning in March, tickets can also be purchased in person at the Hall High School box office. Please call (860) 929-5151 for hours. Box office opens at 6 p.m. on show nights.

Matt Parker Quartet
2026-03-13 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
Join us for a special night of jazz with Saxophonist Matt Parker and his Quartet!

Matt Parker is a tenor and soprano saxophone player, born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After seeing trumpeter Maynard Ferguson in concert, he fell in love with jazz and was mentored by the legendary South Florida saxophonist Jimmy Cavallo. Parker played professionally as a teenager in New Orleans before moving to New York to study with Jane Ira Bloom, Barry Harris, and Junior Mance. Later, Parker would go on to play in Maynard’s band Big Bop Nouveau for two years and is on the album “MF Horn VI: Live At Ronnie’s” (2006).
Parker’s career has been wildly eclectic, showcasing his tireless explorative spirit and chameleon-like style. He has paid tribute to both avant-garde players and straight-ahead stalwarts on his albums “Worlds Put Together” (2014) and “Present Time”(2016), and has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including Reggie Watkins, Ariana Grande, Orrin Evans, Hess is More, and the Mingus Big Band. He is also a member of the viral ensemble Postmodern Jukebox and has made appearances (both musical and on-screen) in the hit action film “John Wick”. The Dorrance Dance company features Parker in “45th and 8th” premiering nationally (2022-23). He is also a featured performer with comedian, and renowned entertainer Murray Hill and Bridget Everrett (“Somebody, Somewhere”). Parker’s experience with the Cape Town Youth Choir, where he learned the importance of blending and the beauty of collaboration, has had a profound impact on his music.
Charles Mingus’ previously unrecorded “Song To Keki” makes its first appearance on Parker’s album, which the Ottawa Citizen called “a warmly swinging showcase for his breathy, Ben Webster-esque flow.” The same publication noted that Parker’s playing on the tune builds momentum until his tenor seems like it will come apart in his hands. The Ottawa Citizen also described the album as having an overall compositional and improvisational contrast that catches the listener by surprise.
DownBeat Magazine praised Parker’s “own tireless explorative spirit,” while JAZZIZ Magazine described Parker as someone who “welcomes listeners with warmth and wit.” Hot House noted that Parker’s playing can recall the gruff-yet-sensuous lines of Ben Webster, while Outside-Inside-Out said, “Parker can do anything…he swings his ass off.” Something Else Reviews called Parker “restlessly inventive” and “showed off his resourcefulness and playfulness,” while The Village Voice praised him as a “Tenor and soprano sax whiz.” All About Jazz said Parker “can’t be pigeonholed into just one tradition” and that “he has arrived on the creative music scene a fully formed artist – one with his own unique voice and singular vision.”
Parker is also a prolific composer and musical director. He has written music for various ensembles, including big bands, small groups, and studio orchestras for film. Parker’s compositions often blend elements of woodwind instrumentation with more adventurous, avant-garde approaches. Complex harmonies, intricate rhythms, and bold, imaginative melodies characterize his music.
Parker has featured his compositions on several albums, including “Worlds Put Together” (2014), “One for Miles, One for Maynard” (2014), and “Present Time”(2016). He has also composed for the Immersive theater show “MidSummer – A Shakespearience” (Variety Life Productions), the original audio drama series “Brother, Mine” (Hand Forged Fiction 2020) and the immersive sound walk experience “Kierkbride” (Hand Forged Fiction 2022). Critics have praised his music for its originality, energy, and emotional depth.
In addition to his work as a saxophonist, composer, and musical director, Matt Parker is also a passionate educator. He teaches saxophone, composition, and improvisation at several universities and music schools, inspiring young musicians to develop their own unique voices.

Brian Charette Organ Trio
2026-03-13 19:30 - 22:30 | Palace Theater Poli Club, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT
7PM & 9PM – @ $40
Born in Meriden, Connecticut in 1972, Brian was introduced to music by his mother, Catherine. By the age of 17, he was playing with jazz luminaries such as Lou Donaldson and Houston Person. Brian is a staple of the downtown NYC scene working with virtually everyone who plays with an organist.
He is a Hammond U.S.A, Hammond Europe, I.K Multimedia, and Casio endorsed, Cellar Live recording artist. Charette is also a prolific composer of large ensemble music, penning and performing compositions with The Jazz Dock Orchestra in Prague and The Modern Art Orchestra in Budapest. Brian has performed with many notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Oz Noy, Vinnie Colaiuta, John Patitucci, and many more.
Visit Brian Charette’s Website

Hall High Pops 'N Jazz
2026-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | William H. Hall High School – West Hartford, 975 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT, 06117
Hall High School proudly invites the community to experience the 68th annual production of Pops ’n Jazz, a beloved West Hartford tradition showcasing the school’s extraordinary jazz musicians, singers, dancers, and theater students. This year’s production explores the magic behind the music with a theatrical theme of Putting It Together, and tells the story of the collaboration and dedication of the student performers and crew members who make up PnJ. Putting it Together offers old standards and new showstoppers sure to excite the audience. More than a concert, Pops ’n Jazz 2026 pulls back the curtain on the creative process and places the spotlight squarely on the unwavering devotion of all the different student groups. The show builds bit by bit—by the end of the night, you may find that you simply can’t control your feet! Special guest artists perform nightly.

Guest Artist: Javier Colon – vocals
KP Singers – King Philip Middle School

Tickets now available at https://pnj.ludus.com. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; tickets to the Sunday matinee are $10. Beginning in March, tickets can also be purchased in person at the Hall High School box office. Please call (860) 929-5151 for hours. Box office opens at 6 p.m. on show nights.
