Hartford Jazz Society

Anthony Rokosa Ensemble
2026-07-30 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | 2nd Home Restaurant/Lounge, 524 Main Street, Winsted, CT
Anthony Rokosa is a musician from the Greater Hartford area that plays electric and upright bass across a variety of genres. He began his musical life as a trumpet player in grade school, but it was while he was at Bloomfield High School that his love of jazz and swing music began to flourish. He switched from trumpet to electric bass in 2003, teaching himself while deployed to Afghanistan. Upon his return, he played in various cover bands for years, and after moving on from a career in public safety, he returned to school in 2020 where he was introduced to the upright bass and was reacquainted with jazz and big band music. While earning his B.A. in Music from CCSU and since his graduation in 2025, Anthony has been the regular bassist for both the Stanley Street Big Band and the String Of Pearls Big Band, while also sitting in occasionally with other similar groups in state. In addition to his big band work, Anthony also performs in various small jazz combos with friends from his growing network of quality musicians at restaurants and events throughout CT. We invite you to relax in the cozy ambiance of 2nd Home Lounge and enjoy an evening performance of curated jazz selections both familiar and forgotten. See you there!

Black Eyed Sally’s Jazz Jam - Harvel Nakundi
2026-07-29 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
2026-07-28 20:00 - 22:00, 2026-07-21 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/

Jazz at Cafe Nine
2026-07-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Cafe Nine, 250 State Street, New Haven, CT, 06510
Presented by New Haven Jazz Underground on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday every month.

New Haven Improvisers Collective workshop
2026-07-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Never Ending Books/Vol. 2, 810 State Street, New Haven, CT
The New Haven Improvisers Collective meets every month to explore the nexus of improvisation across all genres of music. Our workshops are open to anyone who’s interested – from sqronking saxophonists to knob-twisting laptop rockers; our members have improvised on everything from vocals to theremins to African drums (and yes, we actually had these last two jamming together at a workshop – and it was awesome!) The New Haven Improvisers Workshop is a great place to network with like-minded musicians, to test out new composition ideas, and to learn to play your instrument in new ways. We get a few new faces every time, so come on down! You don’t need to be able to read music to be able to play! All you need is a pair of ears and a sense of adventure.
The Collective meets on the last Monday of every month at 810 State St., New Haven, CT.

Hartford Jazz Orchestra
2026-07-27 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-07-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Elicit Brewery, 165 Adams Street, Manchester, CT
Every Monday at Elicit Brewery in Manchester CT. No cover.

Tuxedo Junction
2026-07-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-07-20 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.

Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz
2026-07-27 18:00 - 21:30, 2026-07-20 18:00 - 21:30 | Bushnell Park, 1 Jewell Street, Hartford, CT, 06103
Presented by The Hartford Jazz Society, the 59th Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series will be held in Bushnell Park for six consecutive Monday evenings beginning Monday, July 6 and concluding on Monday, August 10, 2026.
The series, honoring the late, great bassist and series founder, Paul Brown, is referenced in the Library of Congress as the “Oldest, free, continuously-run jazz festival in the United States.” Each year the Hartford Jazz Society presents a diverse program featuring musicians exhibiting the highest artistic excellence, many of whom are new to the Greater Hartford audience.
Each concert opens at 6PM, featuring a local musician or ensemble followed at 7:30PM by a headliner of regional, national, or international prominence. The Series includes the celebrations of Latin jazz, women in jazz, jazz for social justice and one or more “venerated elder” jazz artists.
All concerts are free and will be held at the Thomas D. Harris IV Pavilion at Bushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut. In case of rain, the concerts will be held at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Ave, Hartford. All concerts will be broadcast live on WWUH radio at 91.3FM or WWUH.org. Rain date information is posted by noon on the day of the concert at www.hartfordjazzsociety.com.

Date
July 6 – Aug. 10 (6:00 – 9:30 pm)
Opening Act (6:00 pm), Headliner (7:30 pm)

July 6
Opening Night and Venerated Elder Ed Cherry
O: Thread City Jazz Trio
H: Ed Cherry Organ Quartet

July 13
Celebrating Women in Jazz 1
O: Jen Allen and the ONE Project
H: Endea Owens and the Cookout

July 20
Jazz and Social Justice Night
O: Earl MacDonald’s Black Square Ensemble
H: The Kojo Roney Experience

July 27
Latin Jazz Night
O: Emmanuel Rivera Latin Jazz Quintet
H: Donald Vega Latin Jazz Quartet

August 3
Celebrating Women in Jazz 2
O: Nairobi Mouning Trio & Friends ​
H: The Ethel Lee Ensemble

August 10
Contemporary/Smooth Jazz
O: Doug Jones
H: Ronald Lashley & Oneiki – Notes of Fusion

Glenn Hansen Orchestra
2026-07-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Elizabeth Park, 1561 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT
The Glenn Hansen big-band orchestra, joined by the 1st & 2nd Company Governor’s Foot Color Guard, will give us a rousing concert in honor of our national July 4th celebration and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
The 18-piece orchestra is a full big band featuring highly skilled and talented vocalist performers as well as a 501(c)3 non-profit, dedicated to nurturing young musical talent. They provide mentoring and performance opportunities for gifted young performers, enabling them to learn the ropes from seasoned professionals. They will perform a variety of music, including patriotic favorites, songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme and others, and more modern hits by Stevie Wonder and others.

Glenn Hansen was brought up around music in his early childhood. Glenn’s father, William Hansen, played for the Benny Goodman Orchestra, and it was from this setting that The Glenn Hansen Orchestra was born.
The talent within this versatile group has toured the world playing with such greats as: Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Isley Brothers, Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, Liberace, Bob Hope, Aretha Franklin and Wayne Newton and performed at the White House for five different presidents. Some Members are currently touring with the present day Glenn Miller Band or are members of East Coast Military bands.

Yoko Miwa Trio
2026-07-25 20:00 - 22:00 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
One of the most powerful and compelling pianists on the scene today brings her trio to The Side Door for an unforgettable evening of jazz.

Yoko Miwa – Piano
Will Slater – Bass
Scott Goulding – Drums
Born in Kobe, Japan, Yoko Miwa grew up playing classical piano before discovering jazz through Minoru Ozone, a celebrated organist and father of pianist Makoto Ozone, in whose club she worked and taught until the 1995 Kobe earthquake destroyed the facilities. That pivotal moment led her to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she has since become a piano professor and one of the most beloved figures in the New England jazz scene.
Miwa’s musicianship evokes the harmonic finesse and rhythmic brilliance of her key influences, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner, and Oscar Peterson, while remaining entirely her own. DownBeat praises her “impressive technique and tuneful lyricism that combines an Oscar Peterson-ish hard swing with Bill Evans-like introspection,” and JazzTimes lauds her “jaw-dropping degree of technique” and “enviable ability to play in any context with authenticity, clarity, and spontaneity.” Ahmad Jamal, one of jazz piano’s supreme masters, named her among his favorite pianists and said of her: “Yoko Miwa has been gifted with both extraordinary musical skills and the pure spirit that is necessary for great art.” Benny Green has added: “I greatly appreciate and respect the clarity and strength in Yoko’s playing. It is very apparent, the honesty, care and depth of foundation she touches the piano with.”
A radio chart-topping artist and internationally acclaimed performer, Miwa has headlined at Scullers Jazz Club, the Mad Monkfish, and Lincoln Center, and has toured across the United States, Japan, and Europe. Her latest album, Songs of Joy, hit #1 on the JazzWeek chart and earned widespread critical acclaim. As a bandleader she heads one of the finest jazz trios playing today, a group defined by remarkable telepathy, infectious energy, and a shared commitment to swinging hard and playing beautifully.
The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

Blue Lion Trio
2026-07-25 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-07-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Open Door Tea, 3552 Main Street, Stratford, CT
Every Saturday
Host & drummer Richard Sylvester has launched a remarkable jazz series (every Saturday!) at this cozy venue

Bob Ahern Quartet
2026-07-25 18:00 - 21:00, 2026-07-18 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
2026-07-25 16:00 - 19:00, 2026-07-18 16:00 - 19:00 | CT
Every Saturday, 4-7

Hendrik Meurkens Quartet
2026-07-24 20:00 - 22:00 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
One of the most unique and captivating voices in jazz brings his quartet to The Side Door.

Hendrik Meurkens – Harmonica & Vibraphone
Steve Ash – Piano
Joe Fitzgerald – Bass
Ben Bilello – Drums
Hendrik Meurkens is a virtuoso on both the chromatic harmonica and the vibraphone — widely regarded as the most important jazz harmonica player since Toots Thielemans. Born in Hamburg and now based in New York, his path to musical mastery is one of jazz’s most extraordinary stories. As a teenager, a Benny Goodman record with Lionel Hampton lit the fuse — he had to play vibraphone. Then, at nineteen, he heard Toots Thielemans for the first time and knew he had to play harmonica too. He perfected his unique musical voice at Berklee as a vibraphone major, then moved to Rio de Janeiro in the early 1980s to immerse himself completely in the music and culture of Brazil.
Meurkens’ poignant, emotionally affecting harmonica proved to be a sound that Brazilians strongly embraced, and that deep love of Brazilian music — samba, bossa nova, choro — has never left him, infusing everything he plays with a warmth and rhythmic vitality that is entirely his own. Back in Germany by 1983, he became a respected studio musician, recording with European Radio Orchestras and accompanying visiting legends like Harry “Sweets” Edison and Buddy Tate. He then moved to New York on an exclusive contract with Concord Records and has since released over fifteen acclaimed albums as a leader, performing at festivals and clubs around the world.
A two-mallet player in the tradition of Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson, Meurkens brings an extraordinary double talent to The Side Door — equally at home swinging hard on the vibes and singing through the harmonica with a tone that has drawn comparisons to the great Toots Thielemans himself. This is a rare and intimate opportunity to experience one of jazz’s most singular artists up close.
The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

Fridays with Frank
2026-07-24 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.

Litchfield Jazz Festival
2026-07-24 - 2026-07-26 | Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center, 99 Green Hill Rd, Washington, CT
Friday – Opening Night
July 24
5:30 PM Opening Night Gala – Music by Litchfield Jazz Camp Stars
7:45 PM Don Braden & The Litchfield Jazz Fest Dectet
Jen Allen, piano, Sean Pentland, bass, Anton Kot, drums, Dave Ballou, trumpet,
Peter McEachern, trombone, Melinda Rodriguez, vocals, Albert Rivera, Kris Allen, Andrew Hadro, Don Braden, saxophones
Saturday – Festival Continues
July 25
2:00 PM | Jimmy Greene Quintet
Mike Godette, guitar, Christian Sands, piano, Matt Dwonszyk, bass, Jonathan Barber, drums, Jimmy Greene, saxophone
3:45 PM | Steve Davis Sextet
Mike DiRubbo, saxophone, Julian Shore, piano, Avery Sharpe, bass, Steve Johns, drums, Steve Davis, trombone w/ Abena Koomson-Davis, vocals
5:30 PM | Paul Bollenback Quintet
Alejandra Williams, piano, Dezron Douglas, bass, Albert Rivera, saxophone, Jerome Jennings, drums, Paul Bollenback, guitar
7:15 PM | Curtis Brothers Trio
Luques Curtis, bass, Richie Barshay, drums, Zaccai Curtis, piano
Sunday – Jazz Brunch
July 26
Noon | Steve Kortyka Sextet
Will Evans, piano, Ian Carroll, drums, Sam Dingle, bass, Jean Caze, trumpet, Anson Jones, vocals, Steve Kortyka, saxophone

Black Eyed Sally’s Jazz Jam - Haneef Nelson/Frank Kozyra Quintet
2026-07-22 19:00 - 22:00 | Black-eyed Sally’s Southern Kitchen & Bar, 350 Asylum St., Hartford, CT, 06103

Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz
2026-07-19 14:30 - 22:30 | Bushnell Park, 1 Jewell Street, Hartford, CT, 06103
2:30pm – The GHFJ Generations Big Band featuring Nicole Zuraitis and Chris Lewis
4:30pm – Hey Love… Collective featuring YunieMo & DJOOOChild
6:30pm – Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix
8:30pm – Carl Allen presents A Jazz Message: Music of The Jazz Messengers featuring Donald Harrison (Saxophone), Bill Pierce (Saxophone), Benny Green (Pianist), Alexander Claffy (Bass), Carl Allen (Drums), Eddie Allen (Trumpet)

Jazz Mass
2026-07-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Christ Church Cathedral – Hartford, 45 Church Street, Hartford, CT

Joe McCarthy Afro Bop Alliance Sextet
2026-07-18 20:00 - 22:00 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
The Afro Bop Alliance brings their boundary-crossing sound to The Side Door for an intimate evening of Afro-Latin jazz at its finest

Joe McCarthy – Leader/Drums
Alex Norris – Trumpet
Alejandro Aviles – Tenor Saxophone
Juanga Lakunza – Trombone
Zaccai Curtis – Piano
Luques Curtis – Bass
The Afro Bop Alliance is the intimate counterpart to the Latin Grammy Award-winning New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band — bringing the same world-class musicianship and genre-defying sound to a small group setting. Inspired by the trailblazing bebop innovation of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the ensemble draws from the New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band’s acclaimed catalog while embracing the spontaneity, interplay, and immediacy that define the small group tradition.
Founded and led by drummer Joe McCarthy, the Afro Bop Alliance delivers a musical experience rooted in bebop and enriched by African, Afro-Caribbean, Brazilian, and global musical cultures. The result is something at once deeply personal and universally resonant — music that connects with audiences of all backgrounds and makes every performance an invitation into the living, breathing world of Afro-Latin jazz.
McCarthy’s connection to the Latin Grammy world is no accident. The New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band — the ensemble from which this group springs — has earned international recognition as one of the most exciting and culturally significant large jazz ensembles working today. In the intimate setting of The Side Door, that same spirit takes on a new dimension: closer, more conversational, and utterly alive.
The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz
2026-07-18 14:30 - 22:30 | Bushnell Park, 1 Jewell Street, Hartford, CT, 06103
2:30pm – Deric Dyer & David Foster and the Shaboo All Stars
4:30pm – Jessy J
6:30pm – Andréa Lisa & Rebecca Jade
8:30pm – GHFJ All Stars featuring Brian Simpson, Kim Waters, Jazmin Ghent, and Ragan Whiteside
Throughout the Weekend – DJ Q-Boogie & Art Frm Da Hart – Dance and Spoken Word Performances

Mark Zaleski Quintet
2026-07-17 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
A uniquely dynamic saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader brings his quintet to The Side Door

Mark Zaleski – Saxophone
Andrew Wilcox – Piano
Cecil Alexander-Guitar
Matt Dwonszyk – Bass
Kenneth Salters – Drums
Mark Zaleski is one of the most distinctive and versatile voices on the New England jazz scene — a Boston-based saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader whose music refuses to be neatly categorized. Growing up in Boylston, Massachusetts, he was shaped equally by the jazz of Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderley, and Oscar Peterson, and the rock and soul of Led Zeppelin, The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder — and those influences have never left him.
Zaleski became the first alto saxophonist selected to the prestigious Dave Brubeck Institute Fellowship Program in 2003, where he shared the stage with Brubeck himself at the Library of Congress and the Monterey Jazz Festival. Brubeck consistently encouraged him to “find his own voice” — and he has done exactly that. He went on to study with legendary educators Charlie Banacos and Jerry Bergonzi at the New England Conservatory of Music, and has since performed with Dave Brubeck, Christian McBride, Ian Anderson, Lake Street Dive, Louis Cole, the Grammy-winning 8-Bit Big Band, and Rakalam Bob Moses, among many others. He has been a featured soloist with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and the Chrysalis Rock Orchestra, and is currently on faculty at both Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory.
His most recent album, Our Time: Reimagining Dave Brubeck (Origin Records), presents strikingly fresh arrangements of Brubeck’s classic compositions with an edgy, modern flair — earning widespread critical praise and cementing Zaleski’s reputation as a bandleader of real imagination and depth. His brother, acclaimed pianist Glenn Zaleski, is a frequent collaborator and a familiar face to Side Door audiences.
The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz
2026-07-17 18:00 - 23:30 | Bushnell Park, 1 Jewell Street, Hartford, CT, 06103
6:00pm – Michael Carabello
8:00pm – The Lost Tribe
10:00pm – Nelson Bello featuring Luisito Quintero & Antologia
